Problems with .23 From a PVP perspective and just how to fix it

[Demlock]

The Above image is a snippet from a post on the .23 patch regarding Perma-destruction of elements and Weapon limitation of core size.

Below I go over some of the problems with these two aspects of the 0.23 patch and outline potential ways to make it better and more enjoyable.

 

Element Perma-destruction:

• Problems:
  1. Creates excessive risk and inclines less people to travel out into space
  2. Inability to trade "used" elements... even though you can buy/sell used cars, games, GFX cards, laptops ect. in real life.
  3. Forces people to carry excess weight on their ships by having whole replacement elements.
  4. Severely hinders PVP since there is virtually no reward or fully developed, profitable, fun and engaging salvage mechanics
• Suggested ways to fix it:
  1. Due to excessive risk, instead of just the counter to an element make perma-destruction occur in this fashion
     1. When an element takes damage, have it's efficiency decrease by the percentage of health removed from the element. Simply put, if an engine, wing, adjuster, air/space break ect. has 90/100 hp then it will function at 90% efficiency.
     2. When an element is destroyed and restored it will function at 90% efficiency even if it's at 100% health.
     3. Every subsequent destruction/restoration of an element will result in the element operating at an addition 10% loss in efficiency
     4. When restoring the efficiency or running maintenance on an element that has been destroyed say 4 times (making it 60% efficient) create a UI that will require the person to use X number of parts that it took to create the element. This X number of required parts is reduced based on the maintainer talents applied when fixing the efficiency (yes that means new talents to train for a maintainer/grease monkey). The maintainer can use a portion of the parts required to restore a portion of the elements efficiency, because not all of the time will you be able to fully restore a weapon or engine and will need to stop at a market to buy more parts to fully repair the engine.
  2. The Inability to trade "used" elements that feature a low max efficiency should still be tradable on the markets and not limited to just bartering. This aspect cuts out the PvPers who want to sell salvaged parts on the market and also cuts out a whole market from those who like to buy/sell items new or used.
  3. Forcing people to carry whole replacement elements (even a core) is not an optimal stance. Or, I should say that it should not be the ONLY choice a pilot or crew have to repair/restore/maintain the elements on their ship. Allowing people to use parts to restore the efficiency of an element will help virtually everyone since perma destruction will no longer exist and it will remove the risk factor for everyone to be able to jump back on and enjoy the game. In addition, the perma-destruction of an element will only exist if a person/crew is unable to restore the efficiency of an element. Because at the end of the day, if they can't restore the efficiency of an element then when it's max efficiency, after getting destroyed 5 - 9 times, goes down, then the element is nearly useless to begin with.
  4. This brings back the reward aspect of the risk of PVP. When two ships go at it, in the game's current state, they both stand to gain nothing and lose more than just ammo and voxel and elements... and time. Giving people the ability to repair and then restore an elements efficiency will encourage PVPers to get back out there more and plunder the booty.

 

Weapon limitation for core-sizes:

• Problems:
  1. Too overzealous of an approach and clearly focused on just the excessive borg cube issue which lead to no one building legitimate ships in PVP
  2. Still didn't stop people from building Borg cubes
  3. destroyed a lot of builds where some ships could feasibly support a weapon that was 1 size higher than it's core size.
• Suggested ways to fix it:
  1. Allow for cores to use a weapon size 1 size up. By doing this it will make XS and S core ships feasible in combat once again. Medium size ships will be able to contend with Large cores. and Medium core ships will actually be afraid if it is taken on by multiple Small core ships. However, Medium core ships will still be able to hold their own in a fire fight.
  2. Balance the numbers better. Right now the initial numbers for the T2 -T5 items seem unjustifiable. Meaning, there's no justified reason to go for T3 or T4 cannons when T2 does the job just fine. The current "why" behind chasing after higher end items does not line up with the reasoning for gathering up all the needed materials to produce them. (Disclaimer: Yes, I understand that MMOs of this kind always have a balancing act going on when it comes to content so you're probably already aware the need for better balancing)... I'll update soon with proof of concept.

[Sybily]

being able to recycle damaged elements back into its parts might make more sense so that way you can actually loot something of some value... basically... if an element loses just 1 life its almost worthless.

[Demlock]

3 minutes ago, Sybily said:

being able to recycle damaged elements back into its parts might make more sense so that way you can actually loot something of some value... basically... if an element loses just 1 life its almost worthless.

This too, I'm surprised that haven't added this in yet as well...

[Derpzila]

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[Dankest]

Should also consider that if they go back to no element perma destruction. They could do option to repair your weapons or whatever you find as loot just but putting that element in the orginal craftings station and just be able to fully restore it using fully cost to build it or lower with lower crafting time.

[XKentX]

10 hours ago, Sybily said:

being able to recycle damaged elements back into its parts might make more sense so that way you can actually loot something of some value... basically... if an element loses just 1 life its almost worthless.

This is all what is required without breaking economy.

2/3 = 60% of parts

1/3 = 30% of parts

You still need schematics to rebuild.

 

Yea and limit container sizes to core sizes. Wtf xs ships can carry megas but can't use guns.

[IvanGrozniy]

On 1/14/2021 at 1:45 PM, XKentX said:

Yea and limit container sizes to core sizes. Wtf xs ships can carry megas but can't use guns.

MOOOORREEE limits in a sandbox game)

[Demlock]

33 minutes ago, IvanGrozniy said:

MOOOORREEE limits in a sandbox game)

lmfao

[XKentX]

7 hours ago, IvanGrozniy said:

MOOOORREEE limits in a sandbox game)

Lets drop the limits all apply them proportionally to all parts of the game.

I am OK with either.

 

ATM it's too selective, no L guns on XS cores but no prob with EXL containers on XS cores wtf.

[Volkier]

On 1/14/2021 at 11:29 PM, Sybily said:

being able to recycle damaged elements back into its parts might make more sense so that way you can actually loot something of some value... basically... if an element loses just 1 life its almost worthless.

 

Problem is that having an element be 90% efficient would create the same problems as the current lives system. It is still worthless as it has dynamic properties so you are severely inhibited using it to build stuff with, in what is fundamentally in large part a building game. And the risk/reward rating for the person attacking is likewise still a problem as they still can brick their elements to 90% in a fight.

It's basically the same lives system, just instead of a countdown of lives you have a countdown of efficiency.