Powerplay Nerfs to Archon Delaine

Martin Schou · Oct 19, 2015

Well, it is simple.

Frontier Development clearly wanted to show that ALD had gone from being the champion of justice and fighter against all things corrupt (just look at how she does preparations and expansions) to becoming the corrupter herself. Suuuure, in the control systems the black markets are gone, but in the exploited systems, far far away from the vigilant eyes of the Just Mother Empress, the corrupt run wild and make a fortune.

Or some other bull like that.

yul7896 · Oct 19, 2015

Haha the choices Frontier makes are funny.

MaxStokes · Oct 20, 2015

Do we get the same black market bonuses as Antal? Apart from the markets being open vs closed in control systems? I hope I'm reading it wrong...

Seems like this could all be fixed by just making the rating 2 bonus into Black Market profit/voucher instead of having the second useless redundant bounty reduction. Along withing giving back the control systems bonus, I mean come on... why should I have to go to an exploited system vs a control system to get a better profit selling my stolen cargo?

Wait I get it. The "police states" are supposed to make it harder to get Black Market goods so the price goes up from rarity! Then we should actually have NEGATIVE bonuses to our systems because over saturation of the Black Market goods right?

This must just be the first wave of nerfs! Incoming -20% to control systems and -10% to exploited.

Seriously though, the whole situation could be solved easily by just making the rating 2 bonus a black market bonus. At least this would work with our production bonuses encourage us to smuggle our Narcotics/Weapons like any good den of corruption.

Mikalus · Oct 20, 2015

Just adding my brief comment - explanations from FD are welcomed. Thanks for posting this Fergal.

Sch3v · Oct 20, 2015

MaxStokes said:
Seriously though, the whole situation could be solved easily by just making the rating 2 bonus a black market bonus. At least this would work with our production bonuses encourage us to smuggle our Narcotics/Weapons like any good den of corruption.

Which production bonus? This is bugged since the beginning of PP, too (except for the personal weapons). We should all push the bug report by fergal right here https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=189682&p=2917475#post2917475 to increase the chance that it won't get archived without fixing or response like the countless other ones before.

yul7896 · Oct 20, 2015

This goes along with my opinion that Frontier want some Powers to be really small, and a couple to be huge. Basically, I think they want ALD vs Hudson and then everyone else. Another thing I'm wondering is if they want to wipe out certain Powers to transition into player created Powers. Not sure what CODE's ambitions may be, but I don't think you could have an NPC Pirate Power and a player Pirate Power.

geoffrey.hdt · Oct 20, 2015

Yep, that sounded so nice when 1.3 was announced...
...a pirate faction owning its own headquarter, with a secret weapon that would attract most...
...huge bonus at the black markets to make stolen goods (fetched via collectors, finally!) a dream come true to piracy...
...also attracting smugglers, hauling high value goods, into a small area of the bubble...a dream come true...
...finally something creative to reshape a little part of the galaxy!

But no, scratch that, the galaxy is just fine populated with grinders and griefers bored to death, so let's focus on making PvE bounty hunting even more profitable and get as many people pledged to the same side so that the story-line follows the direction decided a while ago.

...wondering if/when/how a nerf to the Mahon will be introduced...funny to see them rank 1 and so little posted about that on Galnet...

Apos · Oct 20, 2015

geoffrey.hdt said:
...wondering if/when/how a nerf to the Mahon will be introduced...funny to see them rank 1 and so little posted about that on Galnet...

It's not like we have anything for them to nerf...

Aewarin Jameson · Oct 20, 2015

yul7896 said:
ut I don't think you could have an NPC Pirate Power and a player Pirate Power.

I don't see why not .. Piracy is not the exclusive right of anyone/anything.

--

OP - sad to hear about the unexpected changes. I don't play PP myself but I can see how this would be annoying all the same.

yul7896 · Oct 20, 2015

geoffrey.hdt said:
But no, scratch that, the galaxy is just fine populated with grinders and griefers bored to death, so let's focus on making PvE bounty hunting even more profitable and get as many people pledged to the same side so that the story-line follows the direction decided a while ago..

Yep it appears this way. Pretty much the only logical conclusion one can draw from the decisions of the developers.

fergal · Oct 21, 2015

yul7896 said:
This goes along with my opinion that Frontier want some Powers to be really small, and a couple to be huge. Basically, I think they want ALD vs Hudson and then everyone else. Another thing I'm wondering is if they want to wipe out certain Powers to transition into player created Powers. Not sure what CODE's ambitions may be, but I don't think you could have an NPC Pirate Power and a player Pirate Power.

I agree that FD want some of the powers to be small, they don't want someone like Delaine (or Antal) dominating over the Federation and Empire.

Was a 25% increase in black market prices in our control systems too good? It probably was, but it's not like it attracted more players to the Delaine banner.
We have been 8th very occasionally, usually 10th or 9th, that seems to be exactly where FD want us ranked, not sure why the nerf bat is swung on the Power that can't be pushed down any further.

The bonus you get for joining our power is worthless, I'm sure it sounded good when they came up with it, a 20% reduction in bounties and fines, but when PP was released they changed the bounty system, so you can't pay them off anymore.
A 20% reduction in something you can never pay is worthless. It doesn't even reduce the bounty timer by 20% so you are still wanted for a whole week.

yul7896 · Oct 21, 2015

fergal said:
I agree that FD want some of the powers to be small, they don't want someone like Delaine (or Antal) dominating over the Federation and Empire.

Was a 25% increase in black market prices in our control systems too good? It probably was, but it's not like it attracted more players to the Delaine banner.
We have been 8th very occasionally, usually 10th or 9th, that seems to be exactly where FD want us ranked, not sure why the nerf bat is swung on the Power that can't be pushed down any further.

The bonus you get for joining our power is worthless, I'm sure it sounded good when they came up with it, a 20% reduction in bounties and fines, but when PP was released they changed the bounty system, so you can't pay them off anymore.
A 20% reduction in something you can never pay is worthless. It doesn't even reduce the bounty timer by 20% so you are still wanted for a whole week.

Oh come on, all you Kumo's might as well join Winter. We do have the Pirate weapon, which almost works now with the 1.4 subsystem changes. But I didn't say that. You're all Pirates and I will have no part in your business!

fergal · Oct 21, 2015

yul7896 said:
Oh come on, all you Kumo's might as well join Winter. We do have the Pirate weapon, which almost works now with the 1.4 subsystem changes. But I didn't say that. You're all Pirates and I will have no part in your business!

Winters supporters have an advantage over us, you have nothing to nerf, so can't get any worse

Cmdr Basskicker · Oct 21, 2015

fergal said:
Winters supporters have an advantage over us, you have nothing to nerf, so can't get any worse

Shhhh, Fdev might come and take our influence bonus for a broken BGS away from us, and give it to ALD.

That would be devastating.

Rubbernuke · Oct 21, 2015

fergal said:
I agree that FD want some of the powers to be small, they don't want someone like Delaine (or Antal) dominating over the Federation and Empire.

Was a 25% increase in black market prices in our control systems too good? It probably was, but it's not like it attracted more players to the Delaine banner.
We have been 8th very occasionally, usually 10th or 9th, that seems to be exactly where FD want us ranked, not sure why the nerf bat is swung on the Power that can't be pushed down any further.

The bonus you get for joining our power is worthless, I'm sure it sounded good when they came up with it, a 20% reduction in bounties and fines, but when PP was released they changed the bounty system, so you can't pay them off anymore.
A 20% reduction in something you can never pay is worthless. It doesn't even reduce the bounty timer by 20% so you are still wanted for a whole week.

Just looking at the starting positions shows FDs intentions. Antal and Archon are sat in a desert of low CC systems, while everyone else is poolside with free bar!

geoffrey.hdt · Oct 21, 2015

Rubbernuke said:
Just looking at the starting positions shows FDs intentions. Antal and Archon are sat in a desert of low CC systems, while everyone else is poolside with free bar!

Yep, I have just started to realize this recently...makes me sad...
Like, why are we even fighting? We were already in a bad position straight from the beginning, and now that we are getting NERFED more and more + bugs not fixed, if not for our dedicated players (kinda highly motivating in a game where you have the impression to fly solo even in open), I struggle to find a valid reason to remain pledged.

Rubbernuke · Oct 21, 2015

geoffrey.hdt said:
Yep, I have just started to realize this recently...makes me sad...
Like, why are we even fighting? We were already in a bad position straight from the beginning, and now that we are getting buffed more and more + bugs not fixed, if not for our dedicated players (kinda highly motivating in a game where you have the impression to fly solo even in open), I struggle to find a valid reason to remain pledged.

I think we both do it as we are the underdogs. Each cycle we survive (and particulalry for you) in the face of crazy odds. It also forges great groups- I think both Antal and Archon have the best communities going because of our sizes and the teamwork we have.

Stolas · Oct 21, 2015

GluttonyFang said:
To be honest, I was going to make this the last straw for me in terms of PP, but I really want to see what Sandro/Brookes can pull and justify as fair, so I'll reserve my leave for that special occasion.

You have a lot more constitution for this then I do my friend, it is truthfully one of the many reasons for my departure from PP. I wish you luck in your above mentioned endeavor, however I feel that the reason will either lack the depth or cohesion needed for full justification. If and when that happens I can justifiably say that the developers have already picked their favorite stacking the game towards making that outcome inevitable, thus proving that PP was nothing more but the hamster wheel I had referenced to both you and Fergal. The up side for FD is that if no one plays PP they wont have to fix the BGS or focus on issues with the mechanics that have obviously been neglected since inception.

Your Friend

fergal · Oct 21, 2015

Rubbernuke said:
Just looking at the starting positions shows FDs intentions. Antal and Archon are sat in a desert of low CC systems, while everyone else is poolside with free bar!

There is no doubt that Antal and Archon got dealt the bad part of the galaxy, which means even with an equal supporter base to the other powers they will always be smaller.
I don't have a problem with that, the 10 Powers are not balanced, but the level to which they are unbalanced is whats unfair.

FD can want ALD to be the number 1 Power all they want, but if they don't make any of the other powers competitive or rewarding in some way you will just continue to get everyone on one side.

Sch3v · Oct 21, 2015

fergal said:
There is no doubt that Antal and Archon got dealt the bad part of the galaxy, which means even with an equal supporter base to the other powers they will always be smaller.
I don't have a problem with that, the 10 Powers are not balanced, but the level to which they are unbalanced is whats unfair.

FD can want ALD to be the number 1 Power all they want, but if they don't make any of the other powers competitive or rewarding in some way you will just continue to get everyone on one side.

First step would be to start fixing bugs which aren't only affecting the biggest playerbases. I still can't believe how many unfixed bugs our power has since months, in this regard we are leading all powers by a big margin. What annoys me even more is that bug reports get archived although they are still there. After all these bugs got fixed we can discuss about balance. It doesn't bother me that PP isn't balanced because this is part of the fun and lore (like the starting position for example) but the bugs and additional nerfs/changes of the game which also change things like our bounty/fine bonus are getting out of hand. Smuggling bonus gone, senseless bonuses, other bonuses still not working and no trigger changes after flipping a system are only the tip of the iceberg.