9 replies to this topic

[Prussian Havoc]

Ideally PGI would begin work on a "Mercenary Marketplace" TAB for the MWO Home-screen. This tab would replicate some of the functions of the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission.

As a start (as I am sure many of you will have better, more refined comments) I would like to see:

1). Somewhere that Mercenaries who were paid "Flat Contract Duration Premiums with Performance-based Bonuses" over and above their vanilla PGI in-game contract terms - could annotate feedback on their employers (perhaps in general terms so as to NOT cross the "Shaming" line.) If an employer is known to renege on payment, it should be so noted for the Mercenary Community at large. This would replicate "word-on-the-street" and serve to inform future mercenary interactions.

2). Currently only individuals can donate, but if this practice of paying Mercenary Corps Units "Premiums plus performance-based Bonuses" becomes more prevalent, perhaps PGI will open up "direct wire transfers" from one Unit to another - in this way, LOYALIST UNITs (PERMCONS) could decide internally to spend Unit Funds to bring in more Combat Power if their Faction were significantly under strength (regardless of reason) to cover a vulnerability gap of 7, 14 or 28-days. Just having this option would permit PERMCONS to gain functional benefit from their Unit Funds.

3). If Individual and Unit funded Mercenary Premiums (with performance-based Bonus clauses) show promise, perhaps PGI would open up "Group Funds" as a source of "wire transfers" to bring in Mercenary Strength in times of Faction need. PERMCON Units often "band together" and create "Alliances" or "Star Leagues" - wouldn't it be enticing to afford the "Grouping" the ability to form a "Group Fund" - into which Individuals or UNITS could donate C-bills to be held until such time a "permissioned" Individuals "wire transfer" those funds to a Mercenary Corps Unit (other uses, Group-investment in distant Faction Planetary Defenses, etc could follow.) This would put the Power of Defensive (and Offensive) Mercenary "Ebb and Flow" directly into the hands of our most Senior Unit and Alliance Leaders... rather than some pogue would-be Oligarch.

4). In any Marketplace, the commodity traded involves perceived value to a customer base. Under a "Mercenary Marketplace" Tab, there would need to be some means for Mercenaries to "Market their Serrvices." Number of planets tagged. Size of Unit. Which Ceasefire Cycle the Unit primarily services. All these and more should be at the MERCENARY COMMANDER's discretion so that he can best position his Unit in the market place for future contracts. Mercenary Units should be empowered with means to distinguish themselves from the crowd. Similarly Mercenary Corps Units trade on their reputations, so contract breakage and quick contract jumps would slowly fall into disfavor as these "marks of distinction" would negatively influence prospective employers. Mercenaries would have a care for their in-game conduct after a fashion, as Units with exceptional Soloist-mentoring/question-answering histories (like Peter2000 with 228 and MWHighlander with REM) would invariably find themselves in demand for this tangential benefit alone.

5). To come full circle, Mercenary (TEMPCON) Unit and Group Funds should have the capability to reimburse LOYALIST/PERMCON Unit and Group Funds as this would permit Mercenary Corps Units the ability to "Buy themselves out of a Contract" in the very unlikely case a Unit should choose to do so. It could be so that compensation is returned to the original EMPLOYER so that the Mercenary could pick up a contract with a besieged ALLIANCE member friendly to the original Employer. (Or any number of equally unique situation that would add capability sets and options within the Marketplace and directly in the hands of gamers.)

All in all, MARKET DYNAMICS would drive a "MERCENARY MARKETPLACE" functionality in MWO:CW. All the benefits of a market (and the problems) would eventually find themselves into Community Warfare.

Consider this... PGI opens up the spigots during CW Phase 3 and World Logisitcs. More C-bills would mean Mercenary Marketplace INFLATION.

Or alternately... the Battle of Tukayyid is announced and high-profile Units are open for contract. IMAGINE the flurry of Faction Politics as Clans and Houses line themselves up for the Services of the Best of available Mercenary Corps Units.



There are many possibilities given a Mercenary Marketplace capability.

I will look to respond to any questions, comments,or constructive criticisms in a timely manner.

[Prussian Havoc]

<----- This Icon (Kurita for 24hs on 01MAR) happens when you travel abroad to visit Units, make performance-based, contractual bonus clause payments and visit your Alternate Account. Besides... if there is ONE thing that beats FRR Tukayyidian Mead, it is drinking saki while watching the Cherry Blossoms fall in Imperial City Luthien!

For a more fair and balanced appreciation of this topic please see associated comments from my similar post on REDDIT: http://www.reddit.co..._new_precedent/

And an associate MWO post http://mwomercs.com/...ost__p__4247377

[Prussian Havoc]

This thread has generated little discussion. While I am ready, willing and able to discuss, debate or clarify any of these points, I will no longer be checking it on a daily basis, please PM me if you have any questions or comments.

[MangoBogadog]

Not much discussion but I know a lot of merc units that really want and need something like this in game.

[Prussian Havoc]

MangoBogadog, on 23 March 2015 - 09:33 AM, said:

Not much discussion but I know a lot of merc units that really want and need something like this in game.

Thank you for your comment.

Extra-PGI contract remuneration of Mercenary Corps Units by BOTH individual gamers and PERMCON (Loyalist) Units would indeed add a fun and profitable level to Community Warfare for many gamers.

I just hope PGI has this topic on its radar.

I posted here about it. Tweeted this link to Russ and MWO in general . I suppose the next level would be to include it In the questions I turn in for the next PGI Townhall. Just some thoughts from Russ on whether a Mercenary Marketplace was even feasible from his vantage point would perhaps save me no end of time.

While in-game functionality would vastly empower/realize a "Mercenary Marketplace" Just I I have done more than a half dozen times now, it is possible to replicate a Mercenary Marketplace fairly effectively outside of any in-game functionality...



....it is just that doing so greatly introduces the twinned concepts of Caveat Emptor (Let the Buyer Beware) and a Caveat Venditor (Let the Seller Beware) into Commnity Warfare.

[MangoBogadog]

Yea, town hall seems the best way at the moment.

[MandyB]

Would this apply to solo mercs? Like myself for example. I would hop in with a unit if I were to get paid for a 7-28 day contract based on the amount. Of course hiring individuals might be a bit different because you want to know that the person will perform, and will be there a for matches. If they did make this I would give it a shot.

[Sonny Black]

MandyB, on 29 March 2015 - 10:55 AM, said:

Would this apply to solo mercs? Like myself for example. I would hop in with a unit if I were to get paid for a 7-28 day contract based on the amount. Of course hiring individuals might be a bit different because you want to know that the person will perform, and will be there a for matches. If they did make this I would give it a shot.

Maybe something like your Profile Stat Page.

Edited by Sonny Black, 30 March 2015 - 07:08 PM.

[Prussian Havoc]

MandyB, on 29 March 2015 - 10:55 AM, said:

Would this apply to solo mercs? Like myself for example. I would hop in with a unit if I were to get paid for a 7-28 day contract based on the amount. Of course hiring individuals might be a bit different because you want to know that the person will perform, and will be there a for matches. If they did make this I would give it a shot.

l

I like your idea!

Problem is - until PGI creates a "Mercenary Marketplace-like" functionality, C-bills can only be donated to a "Unit" Fund. There is no way for me to... say put an Open Contract out there for "Soloist" (like yourself) and then be able to give you C-bills... there is no "Soloist" Fund!

Quite like the "Magnificent Seven" (http://en.m.wikipedi...gnificent_Seven) or an even better "The Seven Samuri" (http://en.m.wikipedi...i/Seven_Samurai) offering Soloists contract remuneration over and above PGI's baseline C-bill and Loyalty Point totals should be possible... perhaps instead of Player to Player C-bill transfer, instead it could be credited toward a ... "Soloist Fund" which could be used by the gamer to purchase from among the same catagoirs of items/capabilities as the Unt Fund will eventually be capable.

I am sure there are much better ideas that my "Soloist Fund"...


...and I hope someone offers up their idea next!

[Prussian Havoc]

With 9-hours to go before PGI's Battle of TUKAYYID (BoT) Event, the Antares Scorpions have voted to accept my BoT Event contract.

MangoBogadog's AS has now joined Dungeon Keeper's VArangian Guard (VRGD) and Deadfire's 228IBR (228) under Event contract to House KURITA.

At this point I MUST add to the above Mercenary Marketplace ideas, the suggestion that for EVENTS-ONLY (like BoT) the Mercenary Marketplace functionality would indeed benefit from select OPERATIONAL-LEVEL of Wargaming functinalities.

While the three Mercenary Corps Units taking individual-remunerated contract contain more than 400+ gamers, only 150+ are likely to be heavily to partially active during the 72-hours of the Event. Being able to empower Unit Commanders to "target" their COMP Teams against rival-Faction COMP Teams would be a WIN/WIN/WIN for all involved.

Such a mechanism would be relatively straightforward to accomplish. During the Event ALL CW "buckets" are eliminated as only one world is up for contention - which is of GREAT benefit to matchmaking. I suggest some of this efficiency be sacrificed and there "buckets" be created - "Strategically-Valuable (high-value) Sector, Economically-Valuable (mid-value) Sector and Cukturally-Value (moderate-value) Sector" By their very nature COMP Teams will gravitate to high-value sectors thus more COMP on COMP matches will naturally occur.

A SIGNIFICANT added value would be that gamers new to CW (during an Event) would naturally gravitate toward moderate-value sectors (I purposely stayed away from using the word "low" as it has poor connotations) thus new gamers would with greater frequency find themselves gaming against new gamers (and not neccessrily sharing an equal chance of finding matches against COMP Teams... though there is nothing keeping a COMP Team from trolling and rolling new gamers in moderate-value sectors.

The key is that which sector to fame in should be the GAMER'S / Team Leader's CHOICE.