Balancing Combat Zones in open

[Zylark]

With the current Lugh bonanza, the Feds dominate. Any NPC or player on the other side got as much a chance as a Candy-Bar in a fat-farm to survive any longer than a minute. And that is being generous. This is bad for two reasons:

1: It is hardly a fair fight.
2: Getting kills when 10+ players is on the same target is a bit of a challenge...
2b: ...and then accidents happen due to friendly fire and such.

Both scare people off to do these conflict zones in solo or group rather than open.

So to make it more fair, conflict-zone instances should be balanced towards attempting to have equal or near equal amount of players on each side, say plus or minus 2 players. Where not possible, at most one wing or the equivalent 4 players at one or the other side and the other side all NPCs, at least until players can populate the other side.

That would solve a lot of problems with the current Conflict-Zone mechanism in open play. How it is now with 12+ players on one side, and none to a few short lived player stragglers on the other just won't do. Apart from the obvious problem of too few targets to satisfy the greed of so many players at once.

edit: This would also require people to declare what side they want to fight for before entering the Conflict Zone. But that is fine, I am sure that is not a big deal to get done. Besides, it would fix the problem of the 'undeclared' hanging around for minutes and making everyone nervous...

 

[Darth Ender]

If you want a fair fight, dont join the side that has decided to wage war against a super power.

There are plenty of combat zones in other systems on more equal footing.

As far as player decision in joining sides.

I think the entire mechanic of just temporarily joining a side in battle is idiotic. You should pick your alliance and that decision follows you and you instantly become hostile to the other side (even outside of the combat zone). but yea. you picked the wrong team to fight with.

 

[Zylark]

If you want a fair fight, dont join the side that has decided to wage war against a super power.

There are plenty of combat zones in other systems on more equal footing.

As far as player decision in joining sides.

I think the entire mechanic of just temporarily joining a side in battle is idiotic. You should pick your alliance and that decision follows you and you instantly become hostile to the other side (even outside of the combat zone). but yea. you picked the wrong team to fight with.

In PvP CZ you want a semblance of fairness. The larger meta-game may be unfair, superpower against dinky little wannabe faction. Fine. But in the PvP arena, more equality between the two opposing sides in player count is better for all concerned.

With regards to your other point, I agree. Choose a side and be stuck with it. At least for a given amount of time, like say a couple of days or even a week. Or for however long a conflict event last. The option to change side should remain in some form, but should come with some serious consequences for ones reputation with the given faction one then betray - and no chance to change side again for the duration of the conflict.