Forums » Suggestions
Bounty System Problems and Improvements
There's been a bit of discussion about the bounty system lately. While it's pretty awesome that it's been re-implemented, it does have some flaws. Here are the flaws as I see them:
1) Most bounties are collected by accident. In other words, the bounty hunter rarely engages with the knowledge that his target has a bounty.
2) Most targets with bounties don't know that they are being targeted by a bounty hunter. As such, they engage as they normally would, without giving thought to the fact that their enemy might collect the bounty.
3) There is no downside to having a bounty placed on you, and no upside to evading having your bounty claimed. Additionally, bounty hunters can collect bounties even if they themselves have a bounty placed on them. Characters with bounties on them have little incentive to run from or defeat a bounty hunter.
To sum up the above points, the relationship between bounty hunter and character with the bounty currently doesn't exist (except in the brief moment after the character with the bounty is killed and the bounty hunter is given money). From an RP standpoint, the bounty system is completely broken.
To incentivize an actual hunt, bounty hunters need more than just a name.
• Bounty hunter could be notified when a person with a bounty is within radar range (this would negate the "accidental" part of collecting bounties).
• Bounty hunter could be required to report the target to a Marshal prior to engaging/collecting the bounty (this would require static marshals).
To incentivize those with bounties from having the bounty claimed, those with bounties could:
• Be notified when a bounty hunter is within radar range.
• Have a punishment levied against them for having a bounty claimed (say, losing 2% of your license points).
• Be rewarded for evading bounty hunters. For example, for every bounty hunter you kill, you gain 0.5% license points, and for every X (4?) hours you spend in-game with one bounty levied against you, you gain 0.25% license points.
Note: The ideas I've outlined here are rough. Feedback and better ideas are welcome.
Edit: removed "Marshals could give the "last seen" location of targets (this data would have to be at least 15 minutes old to avoid serious exploitation)." bullet as it already exists to some extent in-game.
1) Most bounties are collected by accident. In other words, the bounty hunter rarely engages with the knowledge that his target has a bounty.
2) Most targets with bounties don't know that they are being targeted by a bounty hunter. As such, they engage as they normally would, without giving thought to the fact that their enemy might collect the bounty.
3) There is no downside to having a bounty placed on you, and no upside to evading having your bounty claimed. Additionally, bounty hunters can collect bounties even if they themselves have a bounty placed on them. Characters with bounties on them have little incentive to run from or defeat a bounty hunter.
To sum up the above points, the relationship between bounty hunter and character with the bounty currently doesn't exist (except in the brief moment after the character with the bounty is killed and the bounty hunter is given money). From an RP standpoint, the bounty system is completely broken.
To incentivize an actual hunt, bounty hunters need more than just a name.
• Bounty hunter could be notified when a person with a bounty is within radar range (this would negate the "accidental" part of collecting bounties).
• Bounty hunter could be required to report the target to a Marshal prior to engaging/collecting the bounty (this would require static marshals).
To incentivize those with bounties from having the bounty claimed, those with bounties could:
• Be notified when a bounty hunter is within radar range.
• Have a punishment levied against them for having a bounty claimed (say, losing 2% of your license points).
• Be rewarded for evading bounty hunters. For example, for every bounty hunter you kill, you gain 0.5% license points, and for every X (4?) hours you spend in-game with one bounty levied against you, you gain 0.25% license points.
Note: The ideas I've outlined here are rough. Feedback and better ideas are welcome.
Edit: removed "Marshals could give the "last seen" location of targets (this data would have to be at least 15 minutes old to avoid serious exploitation)." bullet as it already exists to some extent in-game.
Marshals could give the "last seen" location of targets (this data would have to be at least 15 minutes old to avoid serious exploitation).
Unless something has changed, they already give this info, subject to the restriction that unmonitored space is, shockingly, still unmonitored.
I like your incentive points, though, and they may be incorporated. As I stated in the actually functional improve the bounty system thread, the rest of your suggestion is best addressed with a hearty application of toilet paper.
Unless something has changed, they already give this info, subject to the restriction that unmonitored space is, shockingly, still unmonitored.
I like your incentive points, though, and they may be incorporated. As I stated in the actually functional improve the bounty system thread, the rest of your suggestion is best addressed with a hearty application of toilet paper.
Unless something has changed, they already give this info, subject to the restriction that unmonitored space is, shockingly, still unmonitored.
I've never received this info, and I do go and talk to the marshals when I'm in the area (mostly out of boredom).
Moreover, no shit on the unmonitored, but you should note that Sedina D14 (for example) is not unmonitored.
I've never received this info, and I do go and talk to the marshals when I'm in the area (mostly out of boredom).
Moreover, no shit on the unmonitored, but you should note that Sedina D14 (for example) is not unmonitored.
Few ideas:
-Create a "($Nation) Marshal" channel.
Only bounty hunters (registered with marshalls) can use it. You can ask there calling "Marshall" without any further name. The 'on-duty' marshal at that moment replies.
-On Marshal channel they reply targets location of those within its own nation, when asked.
-> For a bounty be paid, the bounty hunter must advertize the engagement on Marshal channel. Automatically the on-duty marshall will send a notice to target. Both must be on same sector.
--- $Hunter says on "/999": Engaging BadPilotName
--- BadPilotName receives PM "You will be punished by $Hunter"
-A bounty hunter loses its status in the moment any bounty is placed upon him. Those already hunted cannot become hunter.
-No bonus for survival nor evading, but the bounty increases, and target gets notification on it, every time the target kills the hunter.
Another crazy idea: Scalping
-Everyone involved in Bounties (hunters and hunted) receives a "badge". This badge is dropped when his/her ship is destroyed. It must be returned by hunters to collect bounty, and targets can sell those badges at any Corvus station.
-Create a "($Nation) Marshal" channel.
Only bounty hunters (registered with marshalls) can use it. You can ask there calling "Marshall" without any further name. The 'on-duty' marshal at that moment replies.
-On Marshal channel they reply targets location of those within its own nation, when asked.
-> For a bounty be paid, the bounty hunter must advertize the engagement on Marshal channel. Automatically the on-duty marshall will send a notice to target. Both must be on same sector.
--- $Hunter says on "/999": Engaging BadPilotName
--- BadPilotName receives PM "You will be punished by $Hunter"
-A bounty hunter loses its status in the moment any bounty is placed upon him. Those already hunted cannot become hunter.
-No bonus for survival nor evading, but the bounty increases, and target gets notification on it, every time the target kills the hunter.
Another crazy idea: Scalping
-Everyone involved in Bounties (hunters and hunted) receives a "badge". This badge is dropped when his/her ship is destroyed. It must be returned by hunters to collect bounty, and targets can sell those badges at any Corvus station.
you should note that Sedina D14 (for example) is not unmonitored.
Duh. It used to be that the marshal would respond to "Bounties" with a list of names, and to a specific name with details about bounty size, and last known location. Grey space stations were counted in the places you'd pop on the marshal's network. Basically, it was a really good incentive to not dock.
Duh. It used to be that the marshal would respond to "Bounties" with a list of names, and to a specific name with details about bounty size, and last known location. Grey space stations were counted in the places you'd pop on the marshal's network. Basically, it was a really good incentive to not dock.