Forums » Suggestions
Change to UIT Standing Calculation
There was a discussion in 100 a few days ago about changing how UIT faction standing works. There was a call to post a summary here but no one did it so I will. I wasn't involved in all of the discussion and I don't necessarily agree with some of the things that were discussed.
Please. If anyone has a better recollection can they add more details.
The Perceived Problem
===============
To many new players choose to start out as UIT rather than Itani or Serco. Possibly they perceive being UIT/neutral is the best/safest way to learn the game rather than picking a "side" up front. This leads to an overly large player population in UIT compared to the other two nations and furthermore Itani and Serco nation-space are probably actually better places for newbies to learn about the game than UIT (due to UIT's proximity to grey space).
Discussed Solutions
=============
The main focus of the discussion seemed to be about changing how UIT faction standing was calculated. Instead of working like Itani or Serco faction standing, being purely affected by missions and actions in/against UIT space/characters it would be, in part, made up by an aggregate of standings from all the UIT sub-factions. This would make it harder to gain UIT admire (but perhaps also harder to drop to UIT KoS).
It was suggested that such an aggregated UIT standing should also include weightings for the various sub-factions in proportion to the political importance of sub-factions in the calculation.
Another thing mentioned was to change the intro text for UIT to make it clearer to new players that UIT space is inherantly more dangerous than Itani or Serco space.
Please. If anyone has a better recollection can they add more details.
The Perceived Problem
===============
To many new players choose to start out as UIT rather than Itani or Serco. Possibly they perceive being UIT/neutral is the best/safest way to learn the game rather than picking a "side" up front. This leads to an overly large player population in UIT compared to the other two nations and furthermore Itani and Serco nation-space are probably actually better places for newbies to learn about the game than UIT (due to UIT's proximity to grey space).
Discussed Solutions
=============
The main focus of the discussion seemed to be about changing how UIT faction standing was calculated. Instead of working like Itani or Serco faction standing, being purely affected by missions and actions in/against UIT space/characters it would be, in part, made up by an aggregate of standings from all the UIT sub-factions. This would make it harder to gain UIT admire (but perhaps also harder to drop to UIT KoS).
It was suggested that such an aggregated UIT standing should also include weightings for the various sub-factions in proportion to the political importance of sub-factions in the calculation.
Another thing mentioned was to change the intro text for UIT to make it clearer to new players that UIT space is inherantly more dangerous than Itani or Serco space.
+1 I missed the original thread, but this sounds like a good idea; it also turns UIT into more of a confederation than a state proper.
(and then it might be a good idea to drop the "UIT" branded stations and just have the players start at a random faction in the capital systems)
(and then it might be a good idea to drop the "UIT" branded stations and just have the players start at a random faction in the capital systems)
+0
I think this change may have merit and also match more closely what UIT is supposed to be from a RP perspective but I think it should be looked at with caution.
Depending on the weighting formula used to determine overall UIT standing, not only will it make it harder for players to attain UIT Admire or PoS, it would make it harder for aggressors to drop to KoS when attacking within UIT space.
I think any formula that is symmetric in nature (equally hard to raise UIT standing to PoS as it is to drop to KoS, such as a simple mean of sub-faction standings) would be undesirable. An asymmetrical method would need to be used. Perhaps along the lines of gaining PoS in 3 sub-factions would be almost enough to bestow PoS to overall UIT standing but being KoS in just 1 or 2 sub-factions would make the player KoS with UIT.
Ummm... (edit)
+0.5 maybe
Maybe making it difficult for an aggressor to end up being KoS would be a good thing (and realistic) if done right. A pirate might be able to cause all kinds of havok in UIT space, with the authorities turning a blind eye because he's careful to stay in TPG's and Valent's good books, coupled with Corvus's shadowy influences (3 key PoSs ensuring he doesn't drop to KoS with UIT).
However such a system would work best if there was also a risk. If someone attacks someone who is on a (trade) mission for a faction then the attacker's standing with that faction is damaged, even if the attack happens in grey space. During the piracy fee negotiation the trader could say something like "Hey guy, this is a TPG sanctioned procurement, do you really want to mess with them?". He could be lying but if the pirate is only avoiding being KoS by maintaining his TPG standing then he might not want to risk it.
This could broaden the RP aspects of piracy a little bit.
(Further amendment) Maybe not only lower an attacker's faction standing for attacking someone on a (trade) mission but if the faction commissioning the mission has a rival the attacker gains faction standing with the rival. This would mimic the privateers from history, where pirates worked for one nation covertly by attacking trade ships from rival nations.
I think this change may have merit and also match more closely what UIT is supposed to be from a RP perspective but I think it should be looked at with caution.
Depending on the weighting formula used to determine overall UIT standing, not only will it make it harder for players to attain UIT Admire or PoS, it would make it harder for aggressors to drop to KoS when attacking within UIT space.
I think any formula that is symmetric in nature (equally hard to raise UIT standing to PoS as it is to drop to KoS, such as a simple mean of sub-faction standings) would be undesirable. An asymmetrical method would need to be used. Perhaps along the lines of gaining PoS in 3 sub-factions would be almost enough to bestow PoS to overall UIT standing but being KoS in just 1 or 2 sub-factions would make the player KoS with UIT.
Ummm... (edit)
+0.5 maybe
Maybe making it difficult for an aggressor to end up being KoS would be a good thing (and realistic) if done right. A pirate might be able to cause all kinds of havok in UIT space, with the authorities turning a blind eye because he's careful to stay in TPG's and Valent's good books, coupled with Corvus's shadowy influences (3 key PoSs ensuring he doesn't drop to KoS with UIT).
However such a system would work best if there was also a risk. If someone attacks someone who is on a (trade) mission for a faction then the attacker's standing with that faction is damaged, even if the attack happens in grey space. During the piracy fee negotiation the trader could say something like "Hey guy, this is a TPG sanctioned procurement, do you really want to mess with them?". He could be lying but if the pirate is only avoiding being KoS by maintaining his TPG standing then he might not want to risk it.
This could broaden the RP aspects of piracy a little bit.
(Further amendment) Maybe not only lower an attacker's faction standing for attacking someone on a (trade) mission but if the faction commissioning the mission has a rival the attacker gains faction standing with the rival. This would mimic the privateers from history, where pirates worked for one nation covertly by attacking trade ships from rival nations.
This is actually a really nice piece of faction standing reform.
Also, Helena, the solution to the pirate problem is relatively simple. Factor Corvus into the calculation for UIT standing.
The problem is that corvus standing can't be lost because corvus as a faction functions as a default station to ensure that a character can always dock at least somewhere, but that is only a related problem that would have to be addressed for this to proceed.
Once you consider the existing plan is ostensibly to have dynamically shifting mutual exclusivity among all the existing factions based on the outcome of missions and in-game events, then the only thing that is missing is incidental ways for faction standing to increase. In this case you would increase faction standing for UIT as you increase with some factions and decrease it as you increase with corvus (which is already in-place).
Also, Helena, the solution to the pirate problem is relatively simple. Factor Corvus into the calculation for UIT standing.
The problem is that corvus standing can't be lost because corvus as a faction functions as a default station to ensure that a character can always dock at least somewhere, but that is only a related problem that would have to be addressed for this to proceed.
Once you consider the existing plan is ostensibly to have dynamically shifting mutual exclusivity among all the existing factions based on the outcome of missions and in-game events, then the only thing that is missing is incidental ways for faction standing to increase. In this case you would increase faction standing for UIT as you increase with some factions and decrease it as you increase with corvus (which is already in-place).
+1
What should cause a Corvus Standing decrease?
What should cause a Corvus Standing decrease?
An increase in legitimate trading maybe or involvement with UIT law enforcement agencies etc..
+1
Please do it. We pirates love to maintain high sub-faction standings, and anything that cushions the blow of killing UIT in UIT space would be nice.
vanatteveldt said:
(and then it might be a good idea to drop the "UIT" branded stations and just have the players start at a random faction in the capital systems)
UIT stations should be left as they are. The UIT is comprised of an assembly and needs to have some governmental seat of power. The idea was to put more importance on the factions that make up the UIT.
(and then it might be a good idea to drop the "UIT" branded stations and just have the players start at a random faction in the capital systems)
UIT stations should be left as they are. The UIT is comprised of an assembly and needs to have some governmental seat of power. The idea was to put more importance on the factions that make up the UIT.
I'm personally hoping they start playing with more standing mutual exclusivity switches sooner rather than later, the functionality is built, just need to start switching it around to mix things up.
What is required is a Nemesis for UIT... i.e. mutually exclusive with Corvus!
I like the idea to have much fewer UIT stations, probably only the capital and senate ones, all others get reassigned to sub-factions. Then it would make sense that UIT standing to be a sum/average of composing factions. But grayspace based factions does not count, they're not part of UIT.
Then, while on that, implement some real politics, alignment and opposition, to all factions, as proposed
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/26058?page=3
..............UIT..............
..Ax.....Or...|...Bi....Va..
Serco....--TPG=-....Itani
..Ae....In....|....Xx....Tu..
.............Corvus............
Only NEUTRAL faction should be TPG, and no player should be able to join it, while should be able to "migrate" to Corvus at least... even Axia,Valent,Aeolus,Tunguska would be cool also to play with.
I like the idea to have much fewer UIT stations, probably only the capital and senate ones, all others get reassigned to sub-factions. Then it would make sense that UIT standing to be a sum/average of composing factions. But grayspace based factions does not count, they're not part of UIT.
Then, while on that, implement some real politics, alignment and opposition, to all factions, as proposed
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/26058?page=3
..............UIT..............
..Ax.....Or...|...Bi....Va..
Serco....--TPG=-....Itani
..Ae....In....|....Xx....Tu..
.............Corvus............
Only NEUTRAL faction should be TPG, and no player should be able to join it, while should be able to "migrate" to Corvus at least... even Axia,Valent,Aeolus,Tunguska would be cool also to play with.
anything that cushions the blow of killing UIT in UIT space would be nice.
Anything that cushions the blow of killing pirates in UIT space would be nice too.
Anything that cushions the blow of killing pirates in UIT space would be nice too.
This actually looks like a pretty good base to work from as far as faction reworking goes.