Okay so some schmuck had to do it and it might as well be me – I have a thing for kicking over hornets nests.
So there is a bit of contention around the PVE vs the PVP factions of players, the Powerplay players, the Solo players, the Private Group players (notably Mobius being the largest group), the Player Pirates (SDC et al) and those who just like to bimble about in Open generally minding their own business.
There are numerous arguments in and between camps but let’s keep this initial suggestion simple – Karma and Punishment. My hope being that if a majority can at least convince FDev that we (the community) can see a solution to this problem, we can then work from this solution to address some other issues that have ostensibly arisen from this root cause.
The problem as I see it is thus:
Player characters can currently attack and kill other player characters with no significant alteration in their faction status and no significant bounty or impediment to their game play, but with a potentially disproportionate effect on the losing parties gameplay (to the tune of millions in lost credits or hours, even weeks of lost gameplay). In-system responses by authority vessels to interdictions or crimes are often too slow, too weak and too late (especially for heavily modded piracy ships), and pirate players can simply reload at a nearby station, pay a relatively minor bounty and go off to do it all over again. Meanwhile, bounty hunting among player characters does not exist.
Assumptions:
1) Piracy is not, in and of itself, outside of the proposed game mechanic and everyone buying into the game accepts that other player interactions in Open mode may be hostile.
2) Playing in Open mode is the preferred mode of play from the developer’s point of view, for numerous reasons.
3) Every action should have a proportionately equal reaction.
4) No one player group should be able to disproportionately devalue any other player group’s in-game experience.
5) There are many ways to play ED and players accept that their decisions have consequences but others may choose to play the game differently (see 4 and 5 above).
6) The inherent game simulator (BGS) can track player actions against other players.
Solution:
1) There is a single faction to which all players are aligned at initial loading – The Pilot’s Federation.
2) “As piracy became more prevalent, the Pilots Federation started issuing bounties on known pirate vessels. Some of those outside the organisation condemned the initiative as bloodthirsty, but few were able to argue with the impact it had on piracy.” (source Galnet News 29 Jul 3302)
3) The pilot’s federation exists in only one system. Changes to the faction status of the pilot’s federation can therefore be managed to have a very limited BGS effect.
4) As each player is indeed a member of the pilots federation faction, any hostilities towards a player of the pilots federation has a negative effect on the attacking players reputation with the pilots federation (see 8 below).
5) The mechanic above in item 4 acts ONLY if the player being attacked has ‘report crimes against me’ switched to ON (this allows for consensual PVP with no rep effect if this is switched to OFF).
6) The mechanic above in item 4 acts ONLY if you attack another player without first being fired UPON. Return fire is ignored (i.e. self defence rules apply).
7) The mechanic above in item 4 does not act if the firing vessel is CLEAN and the vessel being fired upon is WANTED (this allows for Bounty Hunting – see 9).
8) A players reputation within the pilots federation faction can be one of 5 ratings (refer Powerplay ratings for background logic):
a. Clean – no crimes, no bounties, no fines, no problem
b. Outcast – minor crimes considered as firing on (and hitting) another player, ramming another player not causing death of a player vessel either ship, ship deployed fighter or SRV. Up to 10 infringements with stacking fines (does not stack beyond 10 – see criminal rating below) Fine for first offence is 5,000 cr, second or more offence is 5,000 cr per offence plus 50% of existing fines e.g. 1st = 5,000, 2nd = 12,500, 3rd = 23,750…10th = 566,650 cr (approx.)
c. Criminal – causing death of a player character (or deployed ship or SRV), 11 or more minor crimes as defined above or defaulting on a fine (more than 7 days unpaid). A bounty is issued for the player. No amount of money paid by the criminal can remove a bounty. A bounty can only be removed by death at the hands of a CLEAN rating player AND payment of a 1 million credit fine upon re-spawning.
d. Outlaw – causing death of one or more player characters, up to 5 infringements OR 22 or more minor crimes OR re-spawning and failing to pay fines incurred as a criminal (See criminal above). A bounty is issued (ore remains) for the player. A bounty can only be removed by 5 x death at the hands of a CLEAN rating player AND payment of a 1 million credit fine upon re-spawning EACH time (max 5 million credits).
e. Pirate – death of 6 or more players OR 33 or more minor crimes OR failing to pay a fine incurred as an Outlaw. A bounty is issued for the player. A bounty can only be removed by 10 x death at the hands of a CLEAN player AND payment of a 1 million credit fine upon re-spawning EACH time (max 10 million credits).
f. Notes:
i. fines have a one week default grace period and can be paid at ANY station or base.
ii. For a bounty to be cancelled on a players account they must be killed by a player with a CLEAN rating. A criminal cannot kill another criminal to remove the bounty or fine. Dying through accident or environmental, or authority ships does not count towards this total.
iii. Upon ship respawning following death the player is presented with the option to pay the outstanding fine (or not) it is not automatic (to resolve potential cash flow issues).
iv. Death fines stack i.e a pirate dies at the hands of a CLEAN bounty hunter and respawns without paying the 1 million credit fine, they are killed again by a CLEAN bounty Hunter, they must now pay a 2 million credit fine to pay-off their bounty. If a criminal respawns without paying a fine they are moved to Outlaw. If an outlaw does not pay a fine they are moved to Pirate – all fines are stacked during this process.
9) Bounties are issued against hostile players by the pilot’s federation and are available to all player characters who have a CLEAN rating with the pilots federation (note: the pilots federation supports law and order – not profit).
a. Outcast = bounty equates to 1 million credits plus 50% of outstanding fines e.g. maximum of 1,283,325 credits.
b. Criminal = bounty equates to 1.25 million credits plus 50% of outstanding fines e.g. maximum of 2,033,325 credits.
c. Outlaw – bounty equates to 1.5 million credits plus 50% of outstanding fines e.g. maximum of 4,283,325 credits.
d. Pirate – bounty equates to 1.75 million credits plus 50% of outstanding fines e.g. maximum of 7,033,325 credits.
10) Bounties can be redeemed at any base or station. No more than 2 bounties can be redeemed in any 24 hour period by a CLEAN rating player (taken as UTC 00:00 to UTC 00:00). Bounty hunting is about justice not profit – but everyone has bills to pay.
11) If a player is CLEAN rating and has outstanding Bounties but becomes outcast, criminal, outlaw or pirate – all non-refunded bounties are null and void.
12) If a player rating is outcast, criminal, outlaw or pirate, then they cannot dock at a base or station controlled by the pilots federation and will be fired upon by pilots federation authority vessels in system over which they have control.
13) When a bounty is issued against a player (criminal and above) the player is ‘tagged’ by the federation. Tagged players can always be ‘seen’ in a system by CLEAN rating players upon entry into that system even if they are running in ‘silent mode’.
14) Tagged players can be seen on the galaxy map by a small icon above the system, to any CLEAN rating player within 150 ly of that system.
15) Tags are removed when all bounties are paid and deaths incurred.
I think there may be more that is ultimately required but I think this goes a big step of the way. Let the comments begin
So there is a bit of contention around the PVE vs the PVP factions of players, the Powerplay players, the Solo players, the Private Group players (notably Mobius being the largest group), the Player Pirates (SDC et al) and those who just like to bimble about in Open generally minding their own business.
There are numerous arguments in and between camps but let’s keep this initial suggestion simple – Karma and Punishment. My hope being that if a majority can at least convince FDev that we (the community) can see a solution to this problem, we can then work from this solution to address some other issues that have ostensibly arisen from this root cause.
The problem as I see it is thus:
Player characters can currently attack and kill other player characters with no significant alteration in their faction status and no significant bounty or impediment to their game play, but with a potentially disproportionate effect on the losing parties gameplay (to the tune of millions in lost credits or hours, even weeks of lost gameplay). In-system responses by authority vessels to interdictions or crimes are often too slow, too weak and too late (especially for heavily modded piracy ships), and pirate players can simply reload at a nearby station, pay a relatively minor bounty and go off to do it all over again. Meanwhile, bounty hunting among player characters does not exist.
Assumptions:
1) Piracy is not, in and of itself, outside of the proposed game mechanic and everyone buying into the game accepts that other player interactions in Open mode may be hostile.
2) Playing in Open mode is the preferred mode of play from the developer’s point of view, for numerous reasons.
3) Every action should have a proportionately equal reaction.
4) No one player group should be able to disproportionately devalue any other player group’s in-game experience.
5) There are many ways to play ED and players accept that their decisions have consequences but others may choose to play the game differently (see 4 and 5 above).
6) The inherent game simulator (BGS) can track player actions against other players.
Solution:
1) There is a single faction to which all players are aligned at initial loading – The Pilot’s Federation.
2) “As piracy became more prevalent, the Pilots Federation started issuing bounties on known pirate vessels. Some of those outside the organisation condemned the initiative as bloodthirsty, but few were able to argue with the impact it had on piracy.” (source Galnet News 29 Jul 3302)
3) The pilot’s federation exists in only one system. Changes to the faction status of the pilot’s federation can therefore be managed to have a very limited BGS effect.
4) As each player is indeed a member of the pilots federation faction, any hostilities towards a player of the pilots federation has a negative effect on the attacking players reputation with the pilots federation (see 8 below).
5) The mechanic above in item 4 acts ONLY if the player being attacked has ‘report crimes against me’ switched to ON (this allows for consensual PVP with no rep effect if this is switched to OFF).
6) The mechanic above in item 4 acts ONLY if you attack another player without first being fired UPON. Return fire is ignored (i.e. self defence rules apply).
7) The mechanic above in item 4 does not act if the firing vessel is CLEAN and the vessel being fired upon is WANTED (this allows for Bounty Hunting – see 9).
8) A players reputation within the pilots federation faction can be one of 5 ratings (refer Powerplay ratings for background logic):
a. Clean – no crimes, no bounties, no fines, no problem
b. Outcast – minor crimes considered as firing on (and hitting) another player, ramming another player not causing death of a player vessel either ship, ship deployed fighter or SRV. Up to 10 infringements with stacking fines (does not stack beyond 10 – see criminal rating below) Fine for first offence is 5,000 cr, second or more offence is 5,000 cr per offence plus 50% of existing fines e.g. 1st = 5,000, 2nd = 12,500, 3rd = 23,750…10th = 566,650 cr (approx.)
c. Criminal – causing death of a player character (or deployed ship or SRV), 11 or more minor crimes as defined above or defaulting on a fine (more than 7 days unpaid). A bounty is issued for the player. No amount of money paid by the criminal can remove a bounty. A bounty can only be removed by death at the hands of a CLEAN rating player AND payment of a 1 million credit fine upon re-spawning.
d. Outlaw – causing death of one or more player characters, up to 5 infringements OR 22 or more minor crimes OR re-spawning and failing to pay fines incurred as a criminal (See criminal above). A bounty is issued (ore remains) for the player. A bounty can only be removed by 5 x death at the hands of a CLEAN rating player AND payment of a 1 million credit fine upon re-spawning EACH time (max 5 million credits).
e. Pirate – death of 6 or more players OR 33 or more minor crimes OR failing to pay a fine incurred as an Outlaw. A bounty is issued for the player. A bounty can only be removed by 10 x death at the hands of a CLEAN player AND payment of a 1 million credit fine upon re-spawning EACH time (max 10 million credits).
f. Notes:
i. fines have a one week default grace period and can be paid at ANY station or base.
ii. For a bounty to be cancelled on a players account they must be killed by a player with a CLEAN rating. A criminal cannot kill another criminal to remove the bounty or fine. Dying through accident or environmental, or authority ships does not count towards this total.
iii. Upon ship respawning following death the player is presented with the option to pay the outstanding fine (or not) it is not automatic (to resolve potential cash flow issues).
iv. Death fines stack i.e a pirate dies at the hands of a CLEAN bounty hunter and respawns without paying the 1 million credit fine, they are killed again by a CLEAN bounty Hunter, they must now pay a 2 million credit fine to pay-off their bounty. If a criminal respawns without paying a fine they are moved to Outlaw. If an outlaw does not pay a fine they are moved to Pirate – all fines are stacked during this process.
9) Bounties are issued against hostile players by the pilot’s federation and are available to all player characters who have a CLEAN rating with the pilots federation (note: the pilots federation supports law and order – not profit).
a. Outcast = bounty equates to 1 million credits plus 50% of outstanding fines e.g. maximum of 1,283,325 credits.
b. Criminal = bounty equates to 1.25 million credits plus 50% of outstanding fines e.g. maximum of 2,033,325 credits.
c. Outlaw – bounty equates to 1.5 million credits plus 50% of outstanding fines e.g. maximum of 4,283,325 credits.
d. Pirate – bounty equates to 1.75 million credits plus 50% of outstanding fines e.g. maximum of 7,033,325 credits.
10) Bounties can be redeemed at any base or station. No more than 2 bounties can be redeemed in any 24 hour period by a CLEAN rating player (taken as UTC 00:00 to UTC 00:00). Bounty hunting is about justice not profit – but everyone has bills to pay.
11) If a player is CLEAN rating and has outstanding Bounties but becomes outcast, criminal, outlaw or pirate – all non-refunded bounties are null and void.
12) If a player rating is outcast, criminal, outlaw or pirate, then they cannot dock at a base or station controlled by the pilots federation and will be fired upon by pilots federation authority vessels in system over which they have control.
13) When a bounty is issued against a player (criminal and above) the player is ‘tagged’ by the federation. Tagged players can always be ‘seen’ in a system by CLEAN rating players upon entry into that system even if they are running in ‘silent mode’.
14) Tagged players can be seen on the galaxy map by a small icon above the system, to any CLEAN rating player within 150 ly of that system.
15) Tags are removed when all bounties are paid and deaths incurred.
I think there may be more that is ultimately required but I think this goes a big step of the way. Let the comments begin
