4 replies to this topic

[Túatha Dé Danann]

This is all work in progress, so please feel free to add suggestions and please give me feedback, if you have found a flaw in the design.

Begin:
Based on the Dev Blog I've read, my mind found some exploits and flaws in the suggested system like just hanging out in a region and not to fight, so that a planet cannot be conquered and the need to play, because points can decay. Also, the fact that mercenaries have to side with a faction in order to get contracts is a thing I do not like, because mercenaries are mercenaries and not lower-house units.

So I thought about a new system, because I like to give alternatives instead of sitting in my chair and flame the devs. Because flaming the devs doen't help them to create a good game.

So here is my hopefully constructive suggestion:

A player can choose between different faction elements at the start of a game. If a player joins a house, he will be part of the whole picture and art of the whole house unit. If a player wants to join a mercenary corporation, it will be the same for the mercs. But let me show it step by step:
Here is the first flaw: If a player creates a second account and joins for example house Steiner and then performs badly in order to help/push house Kurita, we will have a problem. Same goes with AFKlers, TKlers and all other kinds of dirt floating around.

This is where the recruitment begins. While a player can play for a certain faction, he must undergo a certain "rank" system. For every fight, he will gain some sort of reputation and can then start to make contact with the "higher ups". For the first steps into the game and after a certain amount of games, the player can use its reputation to contact the recruitment-officer of a certain house.

This system is completely subjective and lives within the community. At the beginning of the community warfare, the devs or very active players with a good reputation may start as the house-holders, who will manage the whole faction. They get the recruitment-files and can set certain players in certain lances, accept or decline ranks and so on.

Mercenary corps can do the same. If a player wishes to be part of a merc-corporation, he can send a letter of application via the forum or in-game and can then join the group.

But... is that all? Where are the consequences? Hold your horses, this will come next:

After a player has joined a faction, he can get a rank. He will be given this rank and there are two dependencies on a rank:
- XP
- Getting the "Okay" from a higher up

For every match a player will perform, he will get XP he can invest into his rank. You can pug around, gain some XP (General XP) and you may invest those XP into a faction-rank. After your rank is unlocked, a higher up can give the "Okay" for the rank and you have it. After purchasing your rank, your influence will rise.

Now, with every match you perform and after you got your first real rank, your winnings and losing-matches will account for the general faction income. The headmasters get the "cheese" and can buy different things from this income, but later more on that. For the "normal player", a higher rank means, that he will get more money and XP with rising ranks (the difference between pugging around and the highest non-headmaster rank will be 25% on C-Bills and XP)

A higher rank also means a higher risk. If you have a high rank and lose a match, the points the faction will get is negative.

First rank - Winning a match = 1 faction point
First rank - Losing a match = -1 faction point
...
...
Last rank - Winning a match = + 10 faction points
Last rank - Losing a match = - 10 faction points

You will never see those faction points as a player, they will be transfered hidden to your faction. At the end of the day, the headmasters will get all the faction points and can invest them on the map.

They can invest in troop-points, fortifications, equipment, dropships and all kinds of stuff. Stuff the player will never see but have an influence on the map.

Troop-points:
Headmasters can invest troop-points on a planet. Every-troop-point means a mech on a planet until the maximum limit is reached. If a hostile faction is atacking a planet, the garrison (all troop points) can fight off the invaders.

The matches are 8 vs. 8

Example:

20 invaders attack a planet that got 26 defensers:
First drop:
8 vs. 8

The invaders win by destroying all 8 mechs while losing 3.
Now it stands 17 - 18

Second drop:
8 vs. 8
The invaders win by destoying 8 mechs and losing 5.
Now it stands 12 - 10

Third drop:
8 vs 8
The invaders lose and get 8 mechs destroyed while destroying 4
Now it stands 4 - 6

Last drop:
4 vs 6

The invaders win by destroying six mechs and losing 3

A single mech survived.

The whole attacking team will now get the benefits of raiding the lanet, like C-Bills, equipment and maybe some special gems for players who did perform well.

If the defenders would have won, they would also have the benefit of salvage and of course another day the planet will generate income.

Depending on the planet class (outside, border, core) the invading faction is able to control the planet and can of course invest into the planet itself.

Only player who survived can play in the next round. Their mechs will be repaired, but if they die, they lose their troop-point.

But... How does the matchmaking go?
If one group is attacking and the planet is under attack, the defending group will have some time to create a group of 8 mechs and will be able to send them into the battlefield. The players a grouped together and the whole group is send to the hotspot. After both groups are "ready", the fight can begin.

But what will happen, if the defending player will not respond?
Then a randomly chosen group of faction-loyal pugs will defend the planet.

But what, when I'm asleep, because I'm living in a different time-zone and cannot defend my hardly upgraded planet?
No problem, a planet can only be attacked once a day. If you are asleep, someone else will be there to defend the planet. You can also set an engagement time for the planet, which means, that the planet can only be attacket in a certain time window, which will be open at least for 4 hours a day.

This way, a planet will be open for attack and can also be defended by an organized house.
If nobody is around to defend, faction-loving pugs will perform the fight.

But won't that open the door for abusing? The attackers could find out, when the best groups are online and just attack on a different time.
This method requires a good amount of active players. The Devs could balance this by giving out a certain amount of playable planets. If we have too many planets for too few players, the system could be abused. Thats why this system requires a good hand at giving out planets.

And what is this economy you talked about?
Every planet will generate faction points. Also, every match you will win in free battles will generate faction points. The faction points the planets will generate are fixed and the income of a day cannot be under this minimum-amount. So abusing this system for forcefully losing for a faction is only possible by a certain amount. We could also say, that there are no negative points with a decreased amount of winning-points. Thats up for discussion and balance.

The key point is, that you can invest on planets. You can invest in troop-points, in upgrading military bases (they will get turrets, walls, artillery strikes abilities and all kinds of neat things), building up fabrics which generate additional income or can build battlemechs, dropships and spaceships. Like Civ or Anno.

So, what will happen, if I have 100 players online, but only 4 troop-points on a planet?
Then you can only defend with 4 players. Thats the reason why you should invest. The game-principle is a little like "Risk" (the Game), while the troop point is you - the player.

Okay, I want to pug around without influencing my faction, is that possible?
Yup, just change you faction-mode (similar to game-mode) to "free". If you want to play as a faction member, just set it back to the faction you want to play for. Be advised, that you do not get the bonus for your rank, because as free player, you do not have a rank.

Can I play for multiple factions?
Yes, but you have to stick with you faction specific rank. Also, you superior commander might see you playing for the other side which may result in a rank-decline the next time you want to increase your rank status.

And the mercenaries?
Mercenaries do not count for the troop-points on a planet. They can be hired for a certain attack/defense in order to support you garrison or invading forces. But the DO count to the maximum limit a planet can hold. So if you defend you planet with the maximum amount of troop-points, you can add a certain amount of merc-mech-slots on top of that until the maximum is reached. Generally speaking, if you planet is maxed out with faction-troops, you have a little overhead to pack additional mercenaries on top of that, until the troop-limit is reached.

So, max troop = Troop-point + Merc slots

Lone wolves can also participate, but will be put into the regular troop-points and not into the Merc-Slots.

Mercs will get other kinds of boni that the garrison. They get paid for every match and get a huge bonus on salvage and may be able to "steal" some unique equipment if possible. This unique equipment can be sold on the black market or the mercenary unit can keep those items.

House units do not have access on the black market, but may be able to produce those items with fabrics (and get them for free, if invested in an intelligent way). Still, mercenaries may be able to get their hands on some stuff in the periphery more easy than house-players.

If mercenaries are hired, they can take contracts. A house unit will offer a contract and the mercs can talk about the conditions. The details are subjective. So for example:

House X offers Merc unit Y a contract in order to defend planet z. For every match they perform, they will get a fixed amount of money + a huge winning bonus for a won match. They also get a bonus for every kill.

Those contracts can get expensive, but sometimes, it is worth to spend a whole day of income from the planet than losing it with all the investments made.

Mercs can be hired from every faction, even the clans - if they want to.

Mercs can also play as pirates an invade planets on their own. For this they have to follow the same rules like house units. Getting dropships, buy troop-points and so on...

If a faction got a contract with merc-units, they make a contract with the units available in the merc group. A merc group will always have a single drop-ship with at least 8 men available - which is similar to the core-worlds a house got. Other than that, a merc group can invest into additional dropships or even conquer their own planet and play like a pseudo-house.

Those planets can also be attacked, but the maximum amount of attacking or defending players is vastly decreased. Other than that, mercs can do all the things a normal house can do - even get income from a planet. But Mercs do not have core planets, only their core-dropship and 8 unit-slots per day. This minimum (permanent) can be upgraded by (huge) investments in order to have a larger steady-state group, up to a certain limit.

Okay, I got it. So I play as a free player, or a faction player like I want and can perform drops to attack or defend planets with my faction. But this means, that I have to be invited, right? What if a planet is attacked and nobody will notice. Random pugs seems a little off...

The matchmaking for faction-loyal "pugs" is not really pugs. If possible, the highest ranking members who are ready get a small notification in the "Launch-Panel" and can engage or decline. There will be a 15 minutes-timer for every match. In the first 10 minutes, the leading officers are able to create a respond group. If no respond group was created (and put fixed on the troop-slots), in the other 5 minutes the highest ranking members will get a notification (if online) and can accept or decline. If they accept, they will be put into the random-respons group, if they decline, the offer will be pushed down to the next under-ranking player until 8 are full. I assume, that to every moment, 8 players are available. If not, faction-loyal pugs will replace those slots.

If 64 players are attacking, you have of course the time to respond in a valid way. you have to prepare 8 men in the first drop, then another 8 in the next and not all in one go. Still, if a player dies in a match, he is banned from further matches on that planet for the rest of the invasion, but can still participate on other matches on other planets. (so dying will have an effect)

[Túatha Dé Danann]

Nobody?

[WiCkEd]

Complex.

[Willie Sauerland]

WiCkEd, on 24 December 2012 - 05:59 PM, said:

Complex.

True. Also, too soon?

But it is an interesting concept. I am interested in what the Devs have planned...

[Xigunder Blue]

Like a TT game this concept is GM dependant. Devs will not be full time GM (Commanders) of a Faction. Players who command a faction would be EVE type Corps. A pyramid design such as this means a broad base of 'poor' players which is detrimental to player retention. Merc units will have self determining commanders as there is no overall faction. House factions will have to be in game PGI systems for 'contracts'. Lone Wolves will be plug 'n play. Please understand that the company will go with the KISS principal (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Your concept is well enough for a base design in a tabletop RPG game. However, for a computer game, finances have an even more critical impact than TT RPGs. Manpower costs come into play. PGI (nor any other computer game company I know of) will assign individual employees to any game subunit full time. A million players controlled by employees on a unit basis is realisticaly impossible. For occasional events, fine, but not full time. Player 'bosses' is rife with the reality of the individual ability, attitude, reliability etc...which is going to happen with Merc units already.

It is nice to see your speculation however. At least someone is not only considering CW but also willing to TALK about it. Be nice if a Dev would call for more ideas such as yours. And comment on them. A CW idea thread maybe?