Powerplay Suggestion to counter 5c / zombie grinders (yes, another one)

[Cori]

By now it can hardly have escaped everyone's notice that, despite the introduction of Consolidation, Power Play still has a rather large fifth column and/or uninformed or uncaring grinder problem.

In Aisling Duval we are now back to holding a weekly preparation war to stay ahead of the Yaque zombies. Consolidation means it's only a 1 system vs 1 war rather than three or more, but still we are having to spend significant money and time counteringthe actions of players who are, theoretically, supposed to be on our side.

Rather than rehash the old grievances about how it's impossible to intercept or communicate with these people effectively with instancing issues / private groups / solo allowing them to infiltrate unopposed, let me suggest something else.

Simply: negative merits

We now have fairly usable figures on the potential profit for any system targeted for preparation. Why not tweak things so preparing an unprofitable system results in losing merits from your weekly total instead of adding to them?

The advantage of doing this is that, if a Power still wants to take an unprofitable system, it would still be possible with some organisation and a little extra effort.

If you add the ability to go below zero, into negative totals, there is even more potential. The culprits would be unable to game it by delivering to their target first, flooring at zero merits and then earning their weekly 10,000 or whatever back . They'd have to work out of the negative balance first.

If you wanted to get really creative, you could even have the Power Play NPCs consider a player with a negative merit balance, or negative weekly running total, hostile in the same way a player from an enemy power is.

I commend the idea to the House.

 

[George.Infiltrator]

Seems like a very sensible suggestion ... I can even suggest that having a negative merit sum for more that one week, could make the system automatically throw you out of powerplay faction, with consequences similar as a defection.

 

[Martin Schou]

It's an interesting idea.

It would have to have MASSIVE warning when you're trying to do something that involves negative merits though.

What would happen if you tick over with a negative merit count (after everything has been taken into account)? Would you automatically be kicked from the power?

 

[Cori]

My thoughts were that they'd stay in the power, but basically at rank 0 - no salary no voting rights, no access to the perks.

Maybe have them flagged as hostile to the power until back in the black too, although that would perhaps not mesh so well with intentional unprofitable expansions.

 

[Andalyn]

I think this is a fantastic idea and I support it wholeheartedly.

 

[aspiringexpatriate]

Powers under 55 systems always have negative expansions due to overhead numbers. This would virtually make it impossible or at least unrewarding for smaller powers to expand.

Right now, negative merits give you a pop up message saying 'treachery' and they tell you how many merits you lost.

Also, this would effectively stop preparation and expansion, because nowhere is profitable anymore.

That's me for quick thoughts and first reactions...

 

[NavyBee]

Tbh I am not sold on this idea. We already got consolidation to increase stability and to punish "those who make life interesting in PowerPlay" (aka 5c).

 

[Misaniovent]

I would prefer re-examining the idea of having prep difficulty based on income.

 

[Galadrial]

I like the idea, something needs to be done.

Something else that I'd considered is that if the power has voted consolidation and it is above the 75% threshold AND there are not enough remaining votes to be able to counter the vote to below 75% then why not just stop handing out prep materials. So if a power has managed to get their players to vote for consolidation the only things people can grab hold of is fortification materials. This will counter 5c elements and also players who don't know how preparation works and that they are throwing away effort doing preparation when the power is above 75% consolidation.

 

[fergal]

Delaine is currently trying to help you guys out, we will make sure it is impossible for your grinder to prep Yaque in the future

 

[bigity]

Negative merits is ok, but an Open bonus is evil incarnate? Open giving a bonus solves the issue much more effectively and solves other PP issues as well.

 

[withnail]

Something has to be done. Grom must be an NPC power - they grinded 170k and we didn't see a single Grom player all week.

I'm not doing powerplay to fight against ghosts or a spreadsheet. When we were up against Patreus we enjoyed the interaction with their players.

Anyway, rant aside, there is still a lot of work to do for the 5c problem, and doing something with the prep mechanics seems feasible.

 

[an93lofdeath]

I agree with Bigity on this one, although I would go as far as to say Power play should be open only. This would solve all the 5c woes and allow for more meaningful power play engagements. The negative merit idea is an ok one, although the problem with that has been mentioned by aspiringexpatriate.

 

[Quantrix]

I agree with Bigity on this one, although I would go as far as to say Power play should be open only. This would solve all the 5c woes and allow for more meaningful power play engagements. The negative merit idea is an ok one, although the problem with that has been mentioned by aspiringexpatriate.

And here we go again. This has been beaten to death many times. Well, apparently not.

There is no chance this will ever be done. Keep whining about it all you want, but there will never be a in-game bonus for playing in Open, let alone Open Only content.

 

[Arkadi]

And here we go again. This has been beaten to death many times. Well, apparently not.

There is no chance this will ever be done. Keep whining about it all you want, but there will never be a in-game bonus for playing in Open, let alone Open Only content.

"Never say Never again", James Bond...

 

[an93lofdeath]

I wasn't complaining I was giving my opinion. I know it will never happen, FDev are cowards when it comes to that sort of thing. Play any way you want but PP is suppose to be a conflict, you can't have a conflict with everyone playing in solo or pg.

 

[krylite]

Sounds interesting with negative or less merits, but it gets uneasy thinking about the possible side effects aspiringexpatriat mentioned. I'd say FDev should take a look at the current constant used in the factoring of overhead by distance from respective power headquarters and adjust it based on some current events lore such as a new boom of megaship routes so more systems can be profitable outside the bubble again and let the new race begin.

 

[Ian Skippy]

I know it will never happen, FDev are cowards when it comes to that sort of thing.

Cowards? You call people with a different idea how a game should be cowards on the internet? Such bravery. Such insight. Such open-mindedness. I am deeply impressed.

- - - Updated - - -

We now have fairly usable figures on the potential profit for any system targeted for preparation. Why not tweak things so preparing an unprofitable system results in losing merits from your weekly total instead of adding to them?

At first glance: good idea!

 

[NinjaClarinet]

Being able to affect the galaxy's politics without the galaxy being able to affect you is poor gameplay design. Add me as another person that wholeheartedly believes that PowerPlay should be Open Only Content. I also believe that systems should list the contributors to their preparation and fortification in a bulletin board. I don't know about negative merits, but I do believe that prepping an unprofitable system should not give you any merits, and you are given a large message that your actions are mostly pointless. Still allows powers to deliberate grab bad systems if they really want them, but removes the incentive for the simply ignorant players to mindlessly grind.

 

[fergal]

I also believe that systems should list the contributors to their preparation and fortification in a bulletin board.

An excellent idea, a top 5 preps and forts list so you can see if its the same player week after week, and maybe find out who they are.

I don't know about negative merits, but I do believe that prepping an unprofitable system should not give you any merits, and you are given a large message that your actions are mostly pointless. Still allows powers to deliberate grab bad systems if they really want them, but removes the incentive for the simply ignorant players to mindlessly grind.

Archon Delaine hasn't had a profitable system to expand to for at least 1 1/2 years that's within 90ly (equal triggers) and now nearly every other power is in the same position, so removing merits for preping a loss making system, when there are only loss making systems in the galaxy, isn't a great idea.

There should be no merits for fortifying a system over 100%, and no merits for undermining a system over 100%.

This would still leave the problem with preparation grinders, particularly in Aisling.

The first way to remove some is to get rid of the faction specific modules, allow players not in a power to buy them, perhaps at a much increased price.
This would stop all the player who want prismatic shields from joining Aisling and just doing the easiest most profitable thing while there.

You could also remove all merits earnt from players who prepared a system that failed to go through because of a consolidation vote, but still keep merits if a preparation war with another power was lost.
This solution would be very problematic though, it would mean merits would be removed at the end of the week, which would effect what ranks players have.