I would like to propose (beg for) a new system for Invasion mode to make the game fair when it comes to pirates in squads vs. non pirating players. I am not against players who decide to hunt for others in solo. Although, pirates with certain ships have way too much advantage but a 1vs.1 fight is always welcomed. Unlike the pirate group vs. one player fights.
The system I was thinking about would be like a squad that applies to everyone on the same map as long as they are not criminals, aggressors, or pirates. Of course, it is already possible to make squads with anyone on the same map but during a pirate squad attack this is just not feasible. Therefore pirate squads benefit from the surprise attack, the shared radar and the buff they can support each other with and can easily sweep the whole map like aliens. To lower the huge advantage pirates get, I think it is necessary to give some support to the random players on the ‘other’ side as well.
So here are some of my ideas about the possible solutions:
A squad invitation is popping up if a group of pirates has been detected, or
everyone, pirates and non pirates, would get in the same general group with the choice of declining it when entering and would be kicked out if starting pirating, or
players with + karma in one group, players with - karma another group.
When players on any side, good or bad (although It is not for me to decide what is good or bad but lets just say pirating is bad :), want to make their own groups it would automatically kick them out of the general group. I think this system would be useful against alien attacks too.
So, what do you think? Please leave comments as always.
NOTE: This is coming from a former “good guy” turned pirate.
I honestly don’t think any changes are necessary. When we pirates squad up and run around in invasion, most of the time we are hunting specific people, or groups of people. If you are a solo player in invasion and you don’t want to be killed by a pirate squad, fly with station protection on. This will protect you in “safe” zones. In dangerous zones, fly ships that make it easy to get away (cruise-tacklers or recons). Part of invasion (especially flying in “dangerous” sectors) is taking the risk of being killed by other pilots. As a pirate.
The only thing I would agree with as a good idea, but not necessary, is a warning system. Similar to the secret documents carrier, a message could appear on the screen along the lines of “criminal squadron detected.” This message would show up if the squad/wing had more than 50% of its members with criminal status.
The only thing I would agree with as a good idea, but not necessary, is a warning system. Similar to the secret documents carrier, a message could appear on the screen along the lines of “criminal squadron detected.” This message would show up if the squad/wing had more than 50% of its members with criminal status.s
nah just add more police in the sectors like new eden and they will think abut it twice
I agree police should be a bit more responsive, but the ones in New Eden are just too OP with their one-shot gauss cannon. I think some kind of police emergency response system would be nice, but maybe give the criminal a 3 or 4 minute head start, before the police arrive, as it would be in real life. Patrols are nice, but they cover the sector too much in some sectors. Then again: if more police are introduced, then the cybers etc (all that is red) should become allies of the criminals and should not shoot on the pirate unless the pirate attacks them. I think this would be fair.
So to summarise: I agree to more police to help the “good guys”, but make it so that the cybers etc help the “bad guys”
Obviously all have a common enemy in the biomporphs…
Speaking of Police and Pirate NPCs, any of you noticed how the REDs move around in squads of various ship types while Blue NPCs are in squads of same type ships? Enemy NPCs are much more dangerous than friendly ones, and haulers escorts are quite the biggest joke. Friendly NPCs needs some buff IMO.
As for pirates, players who have been aggressors and killed players (and maybe friendly NPCs) since they came to the sector should have some flags on them, or a different color. That way we could know right away if we should be wary of a player or if we can give them some slack. Maybe subsequent player kills could increase how long they remain criminals, possibly spawning police squads (where it make sense) to attack them.
I also really like the idea of being warned about “detected pirate squads”.
Speaking of Police and Pirate NPCs, any of you noticed how the REDs move around in squads of various ship types while Blue NPCs are in squads of same type ships? Enemy NPCs are much more dangerous than friendly ones, and haulers escorts are quite the biggest joke. Friendly NPCs needs some buff IMO.
As for pirates, players who have been aggressors and killed players (and maybe friendly NPCs) since they came to the sector should have some flags on them, or a different color. That way we could know right away if we should be wary of a player or if we can give them some slack. Maybe subsequent player kills could increase how long they remain criminals, possibly spawning police squads (where it make sense) to attack them.
I also really like the idea of being warned about “detected pirate squads”.
You need to offer some kind of advantage to being a pirate then… All you are talking about is trying to make it more difficult for honest pirates like me to do their jobs. If you are going to increase police damage and spawn frequencies, then you have to offer compensation.
I agree police should be a bit more responsive, but the ones in New Eden are just too OP with their one-shot gauss cannon. I think some kind of police emergency response system would be nice, but maybe give the criminal a 3 or 4 minute head start, before the police arrive, as it would be in real life. Patrols are nice, but they cover the sector too much in some sectors. Then again: if more police are introduced, then the cybers etc (all that is red) should become allies of the criminals and should not shoot on the pirate unless the pirate attacks them. I think this would be fair.
So to summarise: I agree to more police to help the “good guys”, but make it so that the cybers etc help the “bad guys”
Obviously all have a common enemy in the biomporphs…
I agree that would bring more balance to each side
You need to offer some kind of advantage to being a pirate then… All you are talking about is trying to make it more difficult for honest pirates like me to do their jobs. If you are going to increase police damage and spawn frequencies, then you have to offer compensation.
Usually your advantage is your victim is oblivious to you and you get to kill them faster than they can blink (hey, you have fit your ship to kill players right?). If they manage to survive your alpha strike and last long enough for help to arrive, they deserve to keep their ships and loot. I in no way mean it should be impossible to pirate, it should just be harder and harder to stay around if you over-hunt an area. Also, the fringe sectors may still remain pirate heaven since there are no police for there by default.
I agree that would bring more balance to each side
Usually your advantage is your victim is oblivious to you and you get to kill them faster than they can blink (hey, you have fit your ship to kill players right?). If they manage to survive your alpha strike and last long enough for help to arrive, they deserve to keep their ships and loot. I in no way mean it should be impossible to pirate, it should just be harder and harder to stay around if you over-hunt an area. Also, the fringe sectors may still remain pirate heaven since there are no police for there by default.
I just had a brilliant idea based on what you have just said: make a real-time criminal reputation bar, which increases when you kill people, and decreases when you kill cybers etc, or if you lie low a bit. This is how the police system in Need For Speed works! So if you have a high criminal reputation in that particular sector, the police will hunt you more and more. To stop them from hunting you, you either need to kill them (causing an even higher criminal reputation), lay low for a few minutes, or change sectors. This will force pirates to change sectors often (help prevent gate camping) and will help those who are farming. Obviously if the pirate comes straight back into the same sector where he had a bad reputation, that reputation still stands (no way to reset it easily).
