This isn't a new idea, but I thought I'd give my spin on it from a mostly solo (in Open Play) player's perspective.
The Idea
Minor Factions and Player-Made-Factions (PMFs) are able to expand into uninhabited systems when certain criteria are met within their faction's economic health. When a faction is entering into expansion, it will present missions that support that expansion. These missions will detail 'where' the expansion is - up to three destinations are possible, depending on where the faction is located and its surrounding systems. On the backend, the game has three 'progress bars' for these destinations - the first to fill is the one the expansion goes to, allowing players and squadrons to try and influence that expansion (for better or worse).
Within civilized space, this operates as normal unless the system expanded into is uninhabited.
Expanding into Uninhabited Space
On the fringe of civilized space (or even in the midst of it) is 'the rest of the galaxy' not yet colonized. If a faction succeeds in expanding towards one of these systems, a platform (station) will be installed in orbit of the first planet that can be landed on, or the first planet in orbit if there are no landable bodies. In the event of no planets, the station will orbit the central star at a range between 5,000 and 25,000ls.
This station will begin with the expanding faction in control, but also be populated with at least one other minor factions from nearby system(s). In deep space, such as with Asteroid Stations, the same minor factions carry over to the new station. However, an additional minor faction will always be present in these newly colonized systems: the <System Name> Syndicate - pirates that live on the fringe of colonized space.
Expanding the Expansions
Similar to expanding into these new systems, expansion opportunities will arise to go deeper into uncolonized space. When a colony system has expanded into three (3) new colony systems, the original colony system 'Booms' and the platform is replaced with a large station. This cycle continues on indefinitely, even if the original faction loses control of these stations.
If a station is 'abandoned' - i.e., no player activity for several months - the minor factions (and PMFs if present) will lose control and potentially depart, leaving only the pirate syndicates. When this occurs, expansion of any kind ceases (unless of course the pirate faction is, itself, being supported and grown). Overtime, colonized systems can stagnate and while the assets won't degrade, system security and economy will.
When the three expansion systems of an original colony themselves expand (and thus get large stations), the original station fully develops its population and a new station is built in system:
The Cycle Continues...
Essentially, this idea allows the BGS to grant colonization - be that in the bubble, Colonia, or any of those lonely stations out in the black. Players, their factions, and squadrons can become 'patrons' if an area of space - racing to develop their corner of a very large galaxy. Populations of colonized space won't be near what the interior of existing civilized space is, so leaderboards will still be heavily influenced by direct competition within the bubble.
Generally speaking, this idea enables players to try and expand out from civilized space and truly claim their own areas. Particularly, it would be curious to see how pockets grow around nebulae or other deep-space locations.
From a 'how long does this take' perspective, I was thinking one expansion takes about a month's worth of work for one player - so a coordinated faction ought to be able to hit expansions easily every weekly server tick, but they are limited to just one-per-week. I'm firmly in the camp that players ought to be able to more directly influence expansions of both PMFs and minor factions...but that's a suggestion for another thread. This essentially works off Frontier's current model of the BGS.
Thoughts?
The Idea
Minor Factions and Player-Made-Factions (PMFs) are able to expand into uninhabited systems when certain criteria are met within their faction's economic health. When a faction is entering into expansion, it will present missions that support that expansion. These missions will detail 'where' the expansion is - up to three destinations are possible, depending on where the faction is located and its surrounding systems. On the backend, the game has three 'progress bars' for these destinations - the first to fill is the one the expansion goes to, allowing players and squadrons to try and influence that expansion (for better or worse).
Within civilized space, this operates as normal unless the system expanded into is uninhabited.
Expanding into Uninhabited Space
On the fringe of civilized space (or even in the midst of it) is 'the rest of the galaxy' not yet colonized. If a faction succeeds in expanding towards one of these systems, a platform (station) will be installed in orbit of the first planet that can be landed on, or the first planet in orbit if there are no landable bodies. In the event of no planets, the station will orbit the central star at a range between 5,000 and 25,000ls.
This station will begin with the expanding faction in control, but also be populated with at least one other minor factions from nearby system(s). In deep space, such as with Asteroid Stations, the same minor factions carry over to the new station. However, an additional minor faction will always be present in these newly colonized systems: the <System Name> Syndicate - pirates that live on the fringe of colonized space.
Expanding the Expansions
Similar to expanding into these new systems, expansion opportunities will arise to go deeper into uncolonized space. When a colony system has expanded into three (3) new colony systems, the original colony system 'Booms' and the platform is replaced with a large station. This cycle continues on indefinitely, even if the original faction loses control of these stations.
If a station is 'abandoned' - i.e., no player activity for several months - the minor factions (and PMFs if present) will lose control and potentially depart, leaving only the pirate syndicates. When this occurs, expansion of any kind ceases (unless of course the pirate faction is, itself, being supported and grown). Overtime, colonized systems can stagnate and while the assets won't degrade, system security and economy will.
When the three expansion systems of an original colony themselves expand (and thus get large stations), the original station fully develops its population and a new station is built in system:
- If the system has landable planets, a new planetary colony will be founded
- If the system has no landable planets, but two or more planets are present, a platform will be built at the second planet
- If the system has no planets, a platform will be built in the range of 75,000 to 125,000ls
- These new stations/colonies will offer Interstellar Factors
The Cycle Continues...
Essentially, this idea allows the BGS to grant colonization - be that in the bubble, Colonia, or any of those lonely stations out in the black. Players, their factions, and squadrons can become 'patrons' if an area of space - racing to develop their corner of a very large galaxy. Populations of colonized space won't be near what the interior of existing civilized space is, so leaderboards will still be heavily influenced by direct competition within the bubble.
Generally speaking, this idea enables players to try and expand out from civilized space and truly claim their own areas. Particularly, it would be curious to see how pockets grow around nebulae or other deep-space locations.
From a 'how long does this take' perspective, I was thinking one expansion takes about a month's worth of work for one player - so a coordinated faction ought to be able to hit expansions easily every weekly server tick, but they are limited to just one-per-week. I'm firmly in the camp that players ought to be able to more directly influence expansions of both PMFs and minor factions...but that's a suggestion for another thread. This essentially works off Frontier's current model of the BGS.
Thoughts?