Powerplay credits multiplier for combat against other CMDRs

[Bloodsign]

I have done the whole Powerplay thing to get a few of the PP modules that I like: Pack Hounds, Hammers, Prismatics. As a combat pilot, I never was interested in the trade method for getting Powerplay credits; I always opted for "Undermining," where every kill of an opposing Powerplay ship net you 30 credits. It's much more fun than hauling propaganda.

A huge criticism of Powerplay (that I'm hearing anyways) is that it doesn't really encourage CMDRs to interact with each other, and those CMDRs who wish to directly confront CMDRs from other factions often cannot do so, since a lot of PP gameplay takes place in solo. But forcing Powerplay into Open only also forces a lot of CMDRs to play the game in a way they don't like, or even excludes CMDRs on some consoles due to internet access scams.

I think a good compromise here would be to award Powerplay PvP with a PP credits multiplier. Killing an NPC Powerplay faction ship gets you 30 credits; maybe killing a Powerplay aligned CMDR should get you 300, or maybe even more, considering the significantly increased challenge of bringing down another CMDR. It's a system that FDev could very easily implement, and the actual multiplier could be tweaked until it works well.

As an aside, I think Powerplay could also benefit from a "Blockade" mechanic, where Powerplay credits accrue for each minute that a Powerplay CMDR is in the territory of another Powerplay faction. There could be serious downsides for a faction's star system if it is "blockaded" by many opposing CMDRs spending a lot of time there. This way, certain systems can become Powerplay hotspots where CMDRs are popping in to undermine a faction and that faction is popping in to eliminate the opposition. A highly "blockaded" system could also spawn more NPC Powerplay ships.

Note that all of this would be completely voluntary and doesn't force anyone into Open who doesn't want to be there.

 

[Robert Maynard]

This would seem to be open to abuse - as CMDRs could collude to gain 300 merits for uncontested PvP kills.

 

[Bloodsign]

This would seem to be open to abuse - as CMDRs could collude to gain 300 merits for uncontested PvP kills.

Good point. There needs to be some downside for CMDRs who get killed by other PP CMDRs to balance it out. Loss of PP credits was the first thing that came to my mind, but that alone wouldn't be a good enough deterrent if the uncontesting CMDR didn't have any to begin with, unless PP merits can go negative.

Now THAT's an interesting idea: negative PP credits, and you cannot change PP factions if you are negative, no one else would want you! Thoughts?

 

[Robert Maynard]

Anything that isn't zero sum would be abused.

.... and CMDRs can pledge to a power with a single rank of the three - so zeroing a negative merit balance would be trivial.

 

[Drelthar]

Sounds like an excellent idea (just read the title)

It makes sense, power play is the consensual PVP system, it should be promoting and rewarding fighting enemy commanders.

 

[Azreh Helas]

i want to like this idea because i do believe there should be some kind of reward for killing a player that's not capped at 2 mil. But if the reward is merits i can see how someone will turn crimes off, buy a sidewinder and let a team mate destroy them. They nerfed commander kills to 1 merit just because of this earlier in the games history.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Good point. There needs to be some downside for CMDRs who get killed by other PP CMDRs to balance it out. Loss of PP credits was the first thing that came to my mind, but that alone wouldn't be a good enough deterrent if the uncontesting CMDR didn't have any to begin with, unless PP merits can go negative.

Now THAT's an interesting idea: negative PP credits, and you cannot change PP factions if you are negative, no one else would want you! Thoughts?

Doesn't help if the target CMDR is created solely to allow harming the faction it belongs to. (And just unnecessarily inconvenient if it's a kill in a genuine fight between two real Powerplayers)

CMDR Mahon's Official Target can be on negative two billion merits and it doesn't really matter so long as they can continue being beaten up to harm Mahon.

 

[avow555]

Buy 2nd account, gank 2nd account in pvp for as much credit as you want.
System abused!

 

[Lestat]

I see a few exploits. Gold sellers and they can rotate their crew to make an I win situation.

 

[lenna]

Personally, I think this is a definite no - besides the exploit concerns I dispute the assertion that PvP inherently makes combat in ED harder overall. If anything, I would say the reverse of the proposal should be the case: remove any PP merits for PP-based PvP kills (not that I am proposing this either).

PvP in general should not be considered a primary goal of any aspect of the ED main environment IMO, that is not to say I think it should be removed just I think it should be kept emergent and not treated as a primary reason for playing any aspect of the ED main environment.

 

[Justinian Octavius]

In relation to commanders finding each other in Powerplay that is entirely possible and happens as both FUC & the Empire have coordinated military operations and are able to deploy commanders in response to events.

The issue with Powerplay in regards to rewards is a serious problem but the way to solve that imho is to have a progression tree based shop. That is, your merits don't decay, you spend them on bonuses & bling with better personal rewards becoming available as you accumulate time pledged and via spending merits to rank up. You defect you lose your rank and so access to the better rewards.

CMDR Justinian Octavius