Sorry for this late post, but saw it just recently:
(1) What ranges of ranks can play in one battle? Try to mention your thoughts on general system of technical levels and ranks, crossing ranks in battles, etc.
Spoiler
The Answer is oc: *AI-Wingmen* (=2ppl min. squad) - SC has amazing hight of AI - lets unleash it to fight problems with MM! We have it all, lets combine it the smart easy non-complicated way!
* AI-Wingem will fill up the roster of PvP and Co-Op battles and level lower ranked ships with higher ranked ships. We have 3 stations/factions. Each player starts level 1 with a fighter and must went through a questionair in the beginning, what <Spirit AI> he will connect to! (Would be cool to have some AI voice) This AI will enable him to use his space ship and will be in a wingman-ship to his service from ranks 1-7 . Bonus system will also effect these wingman-ai-ships. ( Like other games have the concept of players followed by a spirit animal to which they can give basic orders like attack target, come back, protect me, etc. ) The kind of <Spirit AI> determines the faction: Empire (steadfast, heavy), Federation (swift, tech), Jericho (adaptive, resilient). The spirit AI is in his ships computer (in later game updates can replace the outdated “crew” concept, aka ai-era updates to fight back the aliens!) and is connected to a wingman ship with which he goes into battles. In ranks 1-3 this ai-wingman will protect the player from attacking players. In ranks 4-6 player can decide to give it orders to attack target and/or conquer beacon etc. If ships of rank 1-5 (+/- 2 ranks) will get in battles with rank 8-9 ships this ai-wingmann is crucial for survival and will fill up roster and lower wait times. The sum of the strength of Player’s ship plus ai-wingman-ship is equal throughout ranks 1-9. If player levels up and gets more active and passive slots, the spirit AI he is connected to has more tom do and must reduce computation power in the ai-wingman ship, so reducing its effectiveness: player levels up and gets stronger, ai-wingman-ship get weaker! This AI-wingman ship is controlled by one module in an active-module-slot. In ranks 7-9 no more ai-wingman-ships, freeing emediately one active module slot for more individual choice of modules.
Why leave it at ranks 1-9 and not reduce/condense total number of ranks (like others suggested)? We need more measures to get players incentives and honors to support - see epilouge!
* Ranks 1-9 (that is tiers 1-3) are FtP-ground with increasing good quality offers to support our game (e.g. gold ships, licenses, smart-quick upgrades)! How to achieve this? We will give 1 Ai-wingman-ship to every player of rank 1-6 (or 1-7) which player can give orders like attack my target or protect me or conquer beacon. These ships (are a new type - smaller than interceptors, more like big drones but can be configurated like ships a bit) can be leveled up and upgraded because we the devs, and the ones who care have good solid experience with these ranks and have good balance in standard ships up to rank 9/10 (even including premium ships - that is to a degree I would say)!
(2) What should be the main parameters for matchmaking teams? Things like characteristics of the ship, the skill of the pilot, etc. Remember - a large number of parameters significantly increases the waiting time!
Spoiler
* We have leveled the field by means of the ai-wingman-ships for each player ranks 1-6 in conventional factions. Ellydium affiliated players from rank 5 and on will only have their op alien-tech-ships with fancy modules - no ai-wingman-ship protection! So MM should have easy’n’quick time to sort out , see question (1) …
(3) How should Jericho, Federation and Empire ship trees be changed, but not significantly, so that the game becomes more interesting? For example adding new modules, special modules, particular ship rework etc.
Spoiler
That is easy to answer, too!
* The model of ‘fleet strength’ is outdated! We have limited room in our 4 space stations - we face times of war and survival against an unseen enemy - against ruthlessly invading aliens (no more: space pokemon - collect them all)! Players are called upon to spare room and recycle resources in hard times of fighting against the aliens. Old ships can be salvaged for rewards to get resources and synergy-back for our combined war-effords. Out of the up to 4 ship-slots/docks we now need up to 2 for upgrades to enable ai-wingman ships. (In future if players want more than 2 slots they must rent them with license! License is faction bound, too. We need incentives for supporters as well as for business/life absorbed players.)
* Certain modules are only accessible through factions, because only factions in their station have personell to repair and maintain them properly.
* Corporations will have more impact: they are more faction specific and bound: but they give access for members to special certain modules. Modules are corporation proper. If player leaves corporation, he will have no longer access to better tech-level modules.
* Corporations will be limited to 40-50 players. They have to link themselves to one of the factions (Empire, Federation, Jericho, Ellydium, (later comes: Pirates)) They serve access to special goods, ranks, abilities.
* Each tier (1-3) in each faction has one basic frame for each ship type (interceptor, fighter, frigate, [destroyer from r8 on]), making 3 factions x 4 basic ship frames. Each ship frame can be upgraded and leveled up. That means basic form of ship doesn’t change inside a tier, making things easier. Ship tree wil be more simple and with less ships.
* From ranks 5 and on the players can decide to join the rather private Ellydium corporation effords: no more AI-wingman-ships for them, because they have <alien-crystalls>. We brave faction players hail their support against the aliens but will enforce ancient rules and traditions of space-ship-warriors meeting in martial-space-arts like PvP, SC-leagues, SC-tournaments! That is where the noble and the honourable meet, home of the brave, where even heroes need protection.
* Our absent owners have decided to give the community incentive to join the war effort against the threat of the aliens and have approved server-power for Fort Muerto - our 5th station to be build - supporters of all kind (even pirates and ronin) are called up to support the building of this 5th station in SC with GS - servers and other infrastructure is needed, everyone can support it now. Save a share get a cabin and a dock for you now! Further details will be published in this summer.
* From ranks 10-15 endgame players can accredit to 5th base Fort Muerto in the middle of our star-map. This will give access to end-game stuff like profi-leagues and e-sports events: ‘the more the danger, the more the honor!’ Players with exceptional scores in this tier can have access to special missions into alien-enemy territory and missions to safeguard the civilian populace of out space-civilizations!
* From ranks 10-15 players can even more customize their ships: the choicest modules and weapons, rare pirate mods and latest alien tech are reserved only for them at base Fort Muerto.
* Pros, Vets, Pirates and Ronins can have special corporations from ranks 10-15 .
* since this is limited to ranks 10 and up it is nor longer FtP terrain, special licenses must be acquired by GS or grind or support as teachers for newcomers and newbees! FtP is only ranks 1-9, so it goes also for Open Space access!
(4) What exactly do you think should be changed in Crew Implants system?
Spoiler
* Crew implant system is outdated, now. We have neuro-ganglion tissue implemented in our ships. The superior AI- of modern ships can handle more things more quickly and efficient. AI-implants will further individualize ships and help pilots to do their SC-daylies, battles, op-duties – even in.battle switch/reconfiguration is possible now. (it is said they also can cook the perfect coffee on trips in space - hear hear!)
* New AI-implants manage the basic features of the <Spirit AI> : protection or attack, speed or shield distribution, energy distribution or defensive auto-fire (against missiles, mines etc.) Its the basic of ships : mass speed energy room - they are competitive, one to the expense of the other!
* Ship implants will modify the basic attributes of ships of the different factions a bit, e.g give an Empire frigate more speed or an Federation frigate more hull, or an Jericho frigate more energy…
* We will make things easy and logic to the benefits of the player, who has to manage a lot besides in SC …
(5) What should be changed in the Bonus System, that strengthen ships in uneven battles?
Spoiler
* The bonus system is single player kill farming damage-output centered (natural environment for this is hated:servival mode): that is suboptimal in itself.
* In future - to deal with the alien invasion threat - we want also not to forget any longer: serving guards, missile shielding frigates, supporting gunships, reconnaissence interceptors and healing engineers! The combined rewards of the teaparty, is shared: loot equally, but individual player credits/kills/heals for MatchMaker grading, Corporation reward, or individual Iridium/special currency reward…
(6) Epilog
Spoiler
§1 For my true genius and loyal incentive only I -truely and really- deserve 500 monos!
§2 We (the devs, designers and the ones who care) will make that it becomes cool to care for our beloved FtP game. We will make it so that one be the force of good and light if one cares. To be a caring supporter is honourable and hard-charging from now on!
§3 Our goal is to accept and value individual supporters and the supporting community! To accept and value them as well but not by suppression or anger, but by smart measures and welcoming! Supporting player-base will be our honour and our credit.
§4 The appropriate answer to the questions will help us to reach this goal together in leisure and in solidarity!
