With license fees gone theres not a lot to spend money on - ships and equipment are very cheap. As a consequence I always have tons of cash theres no real sting from dying apart from losing my fast charge battery - and thats the only thing keeps me careful.

OK maybe you think im crazy for complaining that the game is easier but STRIVING for stuff and the satisfaction of finally getting it is something that keeps people playing.

Well it's a legitimate concern if money is being devalued. Pirates are less likely to pirate since what's a few extra thousand credits. Traders have less reason to trade.

But luckily, money isn't the greatest concern of the game, or it shouldn't be. One big goal should be getting better equipment through leveling, and leveling is basically unrelated to money, as long as you have enough to continue levelling.

And even levels are not the only reason to play. Faction standings are another big goal.

So making licenses free did little to decrease the overall difficulty of the game. Just hold on to your money until you get into a grudge match with someone. =)

try doing some group missions with a ton of bots around, and as the death toll starts adding up see how much money you have then. True if you don't get into any hairy situations your not going to die and without dieing there is no real need for money. Try to push the envelope and see how many you can take on or have low a life you can continue to fight on. At least until the devs can come up with some more content!!!

Money sinks can be added later. So can experience sinks, for that matter. They are doing the right thing by smoothing the rough edges of the game.

Pirating has never been about the many. Most pirates never made a buck on it. Its just a RP element (being the bad guy). Too bad Phoenix isn't around. He could explain a lot better his motivations.

Well, perhaps I can suffice instead of phoenix?

For a long time, I used to play a very pacifist character in the game, not attacking unless hurt first, and seldom engaging in PvP combat. Then, after an update this spring where they introduced faction standings, the game became too easy.

Traders were everywhere, most of them protected by one of more factions, and players didn't dare attack them for risk of standing loss. Several traders ran around without weapons at this point, since there was nothing to worry about (the bots could be outrun quite easily).

At this time I decided it was time to change this element, and reintroduce the risk or piracy. I started to do it the oldfashioned way. Warnings first, jettison, pay, or die.

Then Attacks, certain players paid, others ran, or tried to. (no infini-boost at this time of the game)

Never attacking the same player twice in an evening, (unless provoked or they tried to run, successfully)

Overall, I managed to make a profit. A few hundred k each day, either from selling items captured, or from trading while running around trying to find victims.

Towards the end of the alpha period, I had managed to rank up a slight touch above 35 million credits, about 2/3ds of that from pirated cargo or payments.

Theese days, this is impossible. You cannot catch somone who's running, not even when you manage to unload a full battery of damage, they just have to hold the tab key down and they will be out of range.

Adding to this are the station guards that prevent anyone from attacking fleeing players near a station, unless you wish to get killed and lose your spoils.

Topping it off is the fact that you cannot properly collect cargo captured anymore, as it times out before you can get it shoveled into a station, or you simply lose it to space.

And no. I don't pirate anymore. There's no point, as I cannot add any danger to players.

this game is way to easy now.

1. station areas are wimpy
2. can't kill people whos levels vary from yours
3. crazy strike force bots guard anything of value
4. cant shoot people in your own nation (that's always been that way though but the other things they've wussed up recently)
5. now we dont have to pay for liscenses

nothing is up to the players. everything is guarded or botted or restricted in some crappy way it is becoming quite annoying.

Yes! Even as a Noob I have to agree. WingCommander I was defenitely more difficult than VO.
1. A saver area for unexperienced players is ok (like the center of every faction has more guards etc = wimpy). But outside of this area there should be danger and hostility (totally not wimpy).

2. When I reach the VO-level of "King of Pop" I want to be able to kill Noobs if necessary. Just as payback for getting killed as a Noob (thx Spider ;)

3. <crude word deleted> the bots.

4. no comment on that. i only agree.

5. I dont care on 5 if 1 to 4 is in place.

WC privateer was brutally hard, thats what made it so tastey when you could finally buy out of the tarsus and into an orion or centurion not to mention that you could shoot your allies if you felt like it.

It all depends on where you are, grey space has become especially dangerous of late 8)

CrazySpence, if you think things are too easy, try attacking a guarded itani or serco nation Xi cargo convoy.

doesn't make up for the rest of it, I shouldnt have to face an army of bots and players just to be challenged, I LIKED having to outrun a pirate blockade at a station i LIKED station wars
i LIKED being chased around by evil doers in home space and then rallying up a few allies and beating the tar out of them. it was exciting.

now you cant even jack off without a bots assistance.

these comments aren't that bad, but we don't need people to start being suggestive/cussing on the boards.

Boo to infiniboost. It seriously takes any fun out of the game. Seriously.

Ion storms become boring, pirates are a joke and the defbots are essentially worthless against anyone above 2.x.x.1.x

Booo.
BooooOOOooOoooooooooo.
HiiiiiiiiiIIIiIiiIiisssssssssssshhshss.
BooOOOoOOoOoOOooooo.

oh ya! infinite boost i forgot about that

but i think thats a bug, the batteries dont seem to drain as fast as it says they are supposed to in the buy menu. bugs don't belong on this list only the stuff that is on purpose

I would be for a 2% xp penalty upon death.

And yes, infiniboost is bad. See threads:
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/6509
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/7625

if xp wasnt so annoying to get id be for that, maybe someday when there are more missions like the recon/spy available

2% XP, thats outrageously high. , at level 8 thats 2000 XP per death. PvP would effectively END.

I can see maybe a 1% or 100Xp loss(whiever is lower), but any set % is far to much of a disadvantage to higher level players. After all, it doesnt get any more difficult to die as you progress in levels.

100Xp is nothing, I can get that back in < 30 seconds by killing a TyCorp Assault. And at level 8 I would hope the player would be seasoned enough to avoid dying too often. But perhaps 2% is a little high, I just threw that number out there actually. Perhaps 1% penalty across the board would be more appropriate.

However, I would not be for capping the exp penalty, and certainly not at a mere 100Xp. I'm tired of seeing level 8 botaholics with the PvP skills of a baby seal. Frankly, if player skill is supposed to play a more important role, then a level 8 character should have acquired the skill to avoid dying as often as a level 1 character, and therefore should have a harsher xp penalty.

I suppose I could live with a cap, just so the penalty never becomes insanely high and people are downright afraid of dying, but I would cap it at something like 1000 xp. It would add some adrenaline back into being locked in mortal combat. After all, we all know money is no object and currently that is the only thing you are risking.

1% capped at 1000xp would be agreeable to me. However, xp increases from killing players would also have to increase.

...

((Split to http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/7681 ))