Getting tired of last-minute Powerplay shenanigans

[Mephane]

So what ?

Why is this even considered a problem that requires dev time to fix ?

Whether you turn in everything as you get it, or horde and turn in near the end of the cycle, the result is the same. You turned in X .. opposition turned in Y ... one of you wins.

*boggle*

The problem is that this means the display is effectively useless as a tool to gauge when you have done enough and, for example, go do PP stuff in another system.

Either the kills must be registered for expansion/opposition progress immediately, not just when they are turned in (and anything else with combat-related in PP), or the expansion and opposition display must also show how many not-yet-turned-in kills are floating around, as has been proposed earlier in this thread already.

 

[Nagual]

The nature of Powerplay creates this type of issue. If a fortification / expansion attempt reaches it's trigger point, it shouldn't have to wait until the end of the cycle. Nor should it happen immediately rather an irregular time after the success point. This would allow the system to change hands. It also allows competitive actions. However if the competitive actions are too late they won't affect anything.

To me that allows everyone to enjoy what they are doing.

The flip side of that mechanic, and why I think it wasn't used, is that powers with a large number of players could very easily spread across the galaxy. Possibly making the game too fluid and dynamic (as far as PP is concerned).

 

[DJ]

You all have a valid point. Especially as you can just throw money at the problem to speed up the printing press...

 

[Chris M Fortune]

I agree that the different expansions / prep task for the different powers are massively tilted to the 'hauling' side.

I mean 1 merit per ship, who the hell thought that was a good idea ? They could have simply copy-paste the CZ payout structure and be done/fine with it.

Also, the whole go to solo to bypass any organized defense by the defending CMDR's is beyond word.
PP is supposed to be the collective/multiplayer part of the game, yet there is magic solo mode to just bypass all.
It is very much like playing capture the flag in an FPS in solo mode...

I really think that everything powerplay related should be open only.

Using this (in red) idea as a germ, how about 1 credit per 1000 ( or 5000 or 10000) that you would have got in a regular CZ.

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

you see that for less efforts (and more FUN!), the enemy has taken you out. Do you think it's fair ?

OP was complaining about the bomb effect (hording and dropping of vouchers last minute) which I think is a perfectly fair tactic.

Effort & fun is subjective - I do agree though that the different activities should be balanced (Good luck though with that)

The problem is that this means the display is effectively useless as a tool to gauge when you have done enough and, for example, go do PP stuff in another system.

Depends - It's impossible to know what other players might do in the future, only what they have done now, so as a measurement of current activity I think it's OK. (FD can't predict the future - look at offlinegate )

The nature of Powerplay creates this type of issue. If a fortification / expansion attempt reaches it's trigger point, it shouldn't have to wait until the end of the cycle. Nor should it happen immediately rather an irregular time after the success point. This would allow the system to change hands. It also allows competitive actions. However if the competitive actions are too late they won't affect anything.

An interesting suggestion .. Drop the week cycle and instead reach the threshold and bam! That system is done .... that would spice things up

(Increase the thresholds obviously so that they don't change hands every 10 minutes )

 

[Andromalius]

OP was complaining about the bomb effect (hording and dropping of vouchers last minute) which I think is a perfectly fair tactic.

This is a fair tactic in localised games. When you have all the world playing on the same galaxy, those real time clock timers effectively shut out a good part of the customer base from participating. In this case, a 7-10AM for continental europe means people who are at work are condemned to be spectators and second class customers. Not good design.

I'm french, and we had those same kind of issues in some MMOs with the people from Quebec who did PvP raids in what was for most of the players 4-6AM. If you couldn't be there then, you were effectively shut off from having an impact in the game. All you did was undone when you slept. This soon turned to doing 5 AM raids on purpose so the opposition couldn't do anything about it.

 

[Viajero]

Just make the cycle week roll over happen randomly within a - and + 12 hours (full day) or so time range, or even a - and + 1 day (2 days) time range.