Players with bad karma should be instanced with each other

[Killnine]

Elite should keep tabs on number of players blocking and reporting a given player, and treat that as "bad karma score" (with reporting resulting in more bad karma than blocking). Instancing code should consider the score when dividing players to instances, and tend to throw ones with heaps bad karma into the same instance. This way, players into non-consensual PvP aka ganking and other anti-social behavior would be more likely to face each other instead of unwilling victims.

If gankers really are, as they claim, simply PvPers, this would only grant them more challenging combat, while keeping the more civil player populace safer from harassment. Win-win.

 

[ethelred]

If gankers really are, as they claim, simply PvPers, this would only grant them more challenging combat, while keeping the more civil player populace safer from harassment. Win-win.

I don't think many of them claim to be PvPers.

I'm against this idea because I want the bad guys to be around, how else can I frustrate and annoy them by being un-catchable?

 

[Marra Morgan]

This is why I gave up on being a lawful bounty-hunter. People just want to take away your content

 

[Killnine]

This is why I gave up on being a lawful bounty-hunter. People just want to take away your content

I'd love a few hints on how to actually do PvP bounty hunting, esp. on locating the perps. Because with the means at our disposal, only newbies and those willing to get caught will get caught.

 

[Killnine]

I'm against this idea because I want the bad guys to be around, how else can I frustrate and annoy them by being un-catchable?

Well, how about you can opt-out from being instanced according to karma score, or specifically opt-in for being instanced with the baddies?

 

[ethelred]

Well, how about you can opt-out from being instanced according to karma score, or specifically opt-in for being instanced with the baddies?

I'm almost frightened to say this, but why not just chose another mode where you won't meet these characters?

I know the C&P probably needs work, but IMHO Open should remain the place where anything can happen, anywhere at any time.

From what you describe you're looking for the PvE mode and whilst PG groups cater to this to a certain extent I am fully behind advocacy for a PvE mode, just leave Open as it is.

 

[Marra Morgan]

I'd love a few hints on how to actually do PvP bounty hunting, esp. on locating the perps. Because with the means at our disposal, only newbies and those willing to get caught will get caught.

The EDR tool is helpful, but yes in-game tools and methods are lacking. My suggestion is to focus on improving these rather than instancing magic.

 

[Killnine]

I'm almost frightened to say this, but why not just chose another mode where you won't meet these characters?

Because in those modes, I will not meet those characters, nor anyone else outside my current circle of friends. The internet, and an open multiplayer environment, at best offers delightful, quirky, interesting and outright hilarious encounters and the possibility to make new friends. Open, as it stands, is highly more likely to offer harassment and griefing than any of those.

Also, notice the word tend in the original post. Danger is a good spice, but if it drowns all the other flavors, the chef is simply bad at the job.

 

[Marra Morgan]

Because in those modes, I will not meet those characters, nor anyone else outside my current circle of friends. The internet, and an open multiplayer environment, at best offers delightful, quirky, interesting and outright hilarious encounters and the possibility to make new friends. Open, as it stands, is highly more likely to offer harassment and griefing than any of those.

Is it?

In my 4+ years of experience in Open, I've found it offers delightful, quirky, interesting and outright hilarious encounters and the possibility to make new friends.

Never been harassed, never been griefed.

YMMV

 

[ethelred]

Open, as it stands, is highly more likely to offer harassment and griefing than any of those.

This is the crux as I wholeheartedly disagree with this statement.

If anything, my experience of Open is mainly ambivalence if not just being outright ignored. This is when I have been playing randomly. With a bit of work you can usually find some people to play with if you go via the various discords but of course it depends what you're up to.

At CGs and other hotspots yes of course I have been actively hunted. Most of the time I tend to escape, sometimes not, but I wouldn't classify any of that as griefing or ganking.

 

[Killnine]

Mostly, Open is as lonely and cold as space itself. But if you venture to GCs and other populated areas in a non-combat ship, all of a sudden a new world of interaction opens up! With a wing of four gankers, that is. Never a single attempt when flying a combat-worthy ship. From all the "PvP!" and "dangerous!" excuses, you'd think they'd welcome the challenge with open arms, but no, not a single attempt unless I'm flying a T7 or an exploration Asp. Hmm.

So yes, your mileage may vary, mostly depending on how soft a target you are.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Elite should keep tabs on number of players blocking and reporting a given player, and treat that as "bad karma score" (with reporting resulting in more bad karma than blocking). Instancing code should consider the score when dividing players to instances, and tend to throw ones with heaps bad karma into the same instance. This way, players into non-consensual PvP aka ganking and other anti-social behavior would be more likely to face each other instead of unwilling victims.

To the extent that this is a workable idea, it's already implemented - if you personally block a player, you're highly unlikely to be instanced with them, and if lots of people in the same system have blocked a player, they're unlikely to instance with anyone.

The obvious problem with making it affect more than the instances with the people doing the blocking is the use for coordinated blocking campaigns - and any "side" can do that to any player. If you wouldn't be happy to be forced into the "bad karma" instance yourself, you probably shouldn't suggest giving people tools to do that.

Similarly with reports: if the report is valid, Frontier should take action regardless of the number of reports. If the report is not valid, there shouldn't be any consequence to the target merely for it having been made.

 

[Killnine]

I always type GC instead of CG. Garbage collection, community goal - difference being that while the latter involves plenty of garbage, it's not collected.