Powerplay IDEA: How to balance the 5th Column mechanic in Power Play

What do you think of this idea?

  • There is nothing wrong with Power Play. Working as intended.

    Votes: 1 1.7%

  • There are some issues with Power Play, but this is not an improvement.

    Votes: 7 11.7%

  • This could be a good change for Power Play.

    Votes: 39 65.0%

  • What is Power Play?

    Votes: 13 21.7%
  • Total voters
    60

Otto Von Grim

Otto Von Grim
My proposed solution would be to not select preparation systems by their prep point total. Rather, just adding the 10 most prepped systems to a list. Then give each faction member 1 vote per rating level that is to be spent on either up-voting or down-voting any preparation candidate systems. With this sort of additional voting system the actual player numbers would be the deciding factor.

If there are 10 5th Columnists all at rating 3 or 4, then they have 3-4 points to spend on up voting their 5C prepped system for a total of 30-40 points. It would then take just 10 legit faction members of similar rating levels to counter-act those 5C efforts and down vote the bad system. At the end of the cycle, the preparation candidate systems with the most positive vote tally would then become the expansion systems.

Right now it comes down to whoever has the most credits to spare and the most time to spend on preparation. And since 5th Columnists do not have to bother putting any effort into fortification it frees up their credits and time for prepping and fighting for expansion of bad systems. There needs to be a way to resist this imbalanced mechanic more fairly and effectively.

Just my 2 credits on the matter.


Otto Von Grim
 
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Ben Ryder

Ben Ryder
I like this suggestion. I've seen a lot of clearly 5th C stuff happen with Archon and have experienced a little of it in Antal and it is really a pain. The 5th C are also plainly very very stupid people who do not realise that while they are undermining one power, it is not helping their own power at all becuase the other 8 powers grow stronger.

1. 5th C fan club gets no fortification, expansion, prep because its members are all being 'clever' in another power
2. 5th C cause a problem to a power which is only temporary. It advances slowly but still advances.
3. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
4. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
5. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
6. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
7. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
8. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
9. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
10. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
 
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Goose4291

Banned
Goose4291
I had an idea for how to address the real fifth column type antics, but I'm letting it settle in my head before I post it up in my ideas thread. The problem is, sometimes a group might WANT to prep a negative CC system (such as Antal's done) and any clear cut mechanic prevents such actions.
 

Mephane

Mephane
Ben Ryder said:
I like this suggestion. I've seen a lot of clearly 5th C stuff happen with Archon and have experienced a little of it in Antal and it is really a pain. The 5th C are also plainly very very stupid people who do not realise that while they are undermining one power, it is not helping their own power at all becuase the other 8 powers grow stronger.

1. 5th C fan club gets no fortification, expansion, prep because its members are all being 'clever' in another power
2. 5th C cause a problem to a power which is only temporary. It advances slowly but still advances.
3. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
4. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
5. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
6. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
7. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
8. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
9. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
10. This power advances unhindered and becomes a greater threat to the 5th c fan clubs favored power
Click to expand...

This is only true if the power that sends the 5th column does not already outnumber the target power. Otherwise, they can spare the people to damage a particular while intentionally expanding into that power's territory. There can be sound strategy behind it.
 

Ben Ryder

Ben Ryder
Mephane said:
This is only true if the power that sends the 5th column does not already outnumber the target power. Otherwise, they can spare the people to damage a particular while intentionally expanding into that power's territory. There can be sound strategy behind it.
Click to expand...

Without doubt, you are correct. However, if they already out number them why bother?
 

ever

ever
Hello FD

you'll have to do something about it. Your argument is to let the Commanders shape the Galaxy. You do not provide though any tools for coordination, which is not fair to the shape of the Galaxy. If you do not intend to change the mechanics, then at least provide some sort of rudimentary coordination tool.

From my point of view it should appear in RED BLOCK LETTERS: HOW STUPID CAN YOU REALLY BE TO NOMINATE THIS SYSTEM? followed by the ship voice "self destruct initiated".

Joke aside, if the grinders are for the credits, than change how the credits are rewarded. If people defect to another Power to damage it from the inside, make the defection more difficult.
 

aspiringexpatriate

aspiringexpatriate
ever said:
Hello FD

you'll have to do something about it. Your argument is to let the Commanders shape the Galaxy. You do not provide though any tools for coordination, which is not fair to the shape of the Galaxy. If you do not intend to change the mechanics, then at least provide some sort of rudimentary coordination tool.

From my point of view it should appear in RED BLOCK LETTERS: HOW STUPID CAN YOU REALLY BE TO NOMINATE THIS SYSTEM? followed by the ship voice "self destruct initiated".

Joke aside, if the grinders are for the credits, than change how the credits are rewarded. If people defect to another Power to damage it from the inside, make the defection more difficult.
Click to expand...

Or at least include another row to the System Breakdown "projected overhead cost".
 

aspiringexpatriate

aspiringexpatriate
Otto Von Grim said:
Right now it comes down to whoever has the most credits to spare and the most time to spend on preparation. And since 5th Columnists do not have to bother putting any effort into fortification it frees up their credits and time for prepping and fighting for expansion of bad systems. There needs to be a way to resist this imbalanced mechanic more fairly and effectively.
Click to expand...

Been saying it for months.

aspiringexpatriate said:
Please Stop Awarding Merits and Credits for Preparation Supplies[...]

This is not about standard complaints, but hopefully a solution to help FDev bring Power Play to what they appear to have intended it as. The list of Preparation systems, the Top 10, feels like a vote. This hot-fix should actually turn it into a vote, rather than an apparent trade route mapper.

Those of us pledged to Powers with massive player support usually also has massive player support wasted in things like over-Fortification. I understand that this is working as intended. I actually quite like that Commanders are allowed to do massively inefficient and stupid things with little reward.[...]

Over Preparation along trade routes doesn't feel like a 'vote' from the player base, it feels like a mindless runaway merit train that can never be stopped. By removing the merit and credit gain from Preparation, you return 99% of pilots to putting systems on the list using their nominations. That is explicitly a vote, and what it feels like FDev has always wanted. Please, take us to that system.[...]

The Top 10 list is created by tonnage of preparation materials, as now. But preparation materials can only be delivered for 6 days.

On the seventh day, starting from 0700 on Wednesday until 0700 on Thursday, preparation materials no longer count towards the system's placement on the list. Players would have 24 hours to vote with our nominations.

Thus, we will have a list of 10 candidates, and then a popular vote to determine which systems proceed to Expansion. Rating awards currently grant more nominations/votes based on participation in gameplay and contribution to the Power. That is a fair system by which to allow more votes to some Commanders over others.

Additionally, FDev could keep the vote tally secret until the end of the election. That way there would be no reason to 'hold nominations' for later.
Click to expand...
 

Darth Ender

D
lazy 5th C activity can be beaten by adding an additional mechanic to the existing expansion system. Once the the top 10 systems are chosen (if 10 are prepped) anyone who has been a member of the power for over 10 weeks and is rank 4 or 5 can vote on which of the top 10 systems should be expanded to (up to however many you have CC for).

This voting period would occur throughout the week ...with any systems that drop off the list till the cycle end time, relinquishing any votes so those cmdr's can re-vote if they desire.

That should eliminate the majority of lazy 5th col activity ...effectively neutering it's ability for a minority of cmdr's to overwhelm the mostly unorganized majority.
 

Antoniius

A
Otto Von Grim said:
My proposed solution would be to not select preparation systems by their prep point total. Rather, just adding the 10 most prepped systems to a list. Then give each faction member 1 vote per rating level that is to be spent on either up-voting or down-voting any preparation candidate systems. With this sort of additional voting system the actual player numbers would be the deciding factor.

If there are 10 5th Columnists all at rating 3 or 4, then they have 3-4 points to spend on up voting their 5C prepped system for a total of 30-40 points. It would then take just 10 legit faction members of similar rating levels to counter-act those 5C efforts and down vote the bad system. At the end of the cycle, the preparation candidate systems with the most positive vote tally would then become the expansion systems.

Right now it comes down to whoever has the most credits to spare and the most time to spend on preparation. And since 5th Columnists do not have to bother putting any effort into fortification it frees up their credits and time for prepping and fighting for expansion of bad systems. There needs to be a way to resist this imbalanced mechanic more fairly and effectively.

Just my 2 credits on the matter.


Otto Von Grim
Click to expand...

I am not completely sure i understood your suggestion, but if i got it corretly this could reduce 5C but wont fix the "randomness" in PP as most players (that is my impression reading the PP-related posts) are not interested in voting and do not follow PP evolution, they just want the 50 mil credits at rank 5. You risk to find that you (as experienced powerplayer) are forced to downgrade 5c, while other player (not interested in PP but just in credits) put points randomly/dont put ponits at all.

Would be a mess anyway.

That said, i really appreciate the effort and the time and energy devolved to fix this PP, that could be the winning point in ED and, for the moment, is just completely flawed!
 
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MaxStokes

MaxStokes
Even if this idea someone thinks of some unforeseen problem with this change, I think that this is one of if not the most important issues facing powerplay at the moment.

And I hope that FD take a good hard look at it as soon as they possibly can after horizons. As this issue drives people who like playing E : D away from powerplay and from the game in general.


Most importantly, this issue MAKES THE GAME NOT FUN FOR PEOPLE!
 
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Gord Nord

G
Similar to Grim's idea, what if preparation nominations weren't the same as prepping a system?

Players could use their nominations as votes on systems. The current form of prepping is left mostly unchanged, with the exception that now instead of having the option to expand into the most prepped systems, it takes into account the number of nominations before seeing which power has prepped what system the most.

This way all powers are represented equally through the act of actually preparing a system, while smaller powers can still (hopefully) negate some of the 5C activities, and it's all done in the same amount of time.
 
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