Discussion: Some random ideas...

[sawachika]

This is just some random stuff that popped into my head that seemed too much of a pity to just ignore and let it go to waste, so I've decided to post it up here and maybe it might spark some chain reaction or discussion that helps the growth of EU? But anyway...

Crafting, Mining and Hunting Interdependence
With regards to this, do you think it would be a wise idea to totally revamp the crafting, mining and hunting interdependence in such a way that:
1) Crafting BPs' material requirements are in a distribution of something like 50% hunting stuff : 50% mining stuff (in Peds of course)? For example, cost per click of BP "A" is 5 peds and its materials needed is 2.50 peds of stuff that you could get only from hunting profession while the other 2.50 peds is from stuff you get only from mining.

2) Item/Resource segregation and redistribution of loot tables:
- Mobs are divided into level ranges of say 1 - 10, 11 - 20, 21 - 30, etc.
- Items and resources that drops from these mobs are also made in such a way that level 1 - 10 mobs would only loot level 1 - 10 resources/items, level 11 - 20 would loot level 11 - 20 resources/items, etc
- These said resources are then made to be used in crafting items of the said range as well, level 1 - 10 resources is used to craft level 1 - 10 items, level 11 - 20 resources in level 11 - 20 items. (Maybe guidelines for said levels would be the SIB levels of the crafted weapons and armors or the crafting bp level I - X or something like that?)
- Or you could make it in such a way that the lower level items/resources are needed in the crafting of higher level items so that the demand of lower level items would still be needed even if players grow out of the level range...like how simple III conductors requires simple II and simple II needs simple I. Then you just need to tweak the qty and proportions of the lower level items vs higher level items needed (in PEDs) so that its cost is not too much or insane.

Interplanetary Trading and Logistics
Again, this part isn't fully thought out and there are flaws and complications which make the idea not really feasible at the current point in time, but nonetheless still interesting imo...

1) Redistribution of resources by planets:
- By this I meant totally redistributing the resources in such a way that resource (A to E) can only be found on planet 1, resource (F to J) on planet 2, etc.
- Crafting of particularly special items (high eco or high dmg?) would require material resource inputs from all existing planets in equal ratios or weightage (again measured in peds)?

2) Promoting of fair interplanetary trading:
- Creation of a logistic system in such a way that goods and stuff can be packaged into a "container" and "sealed" by a "sender". And this said package can only be opened by either the "sender" or its intended "receiver". None others will be allowed to open this package nor delete it.
- Said package will be weighed according to the "value" of the goods it contains (in PEDs) and sender and/or receiver will have to "pay" a fee that is "attached" to the said package. Maybe something like if contents is 10k peds in value, fee would be 10 - 50 ped or something.
- Pickup points will be set up on all planets in the Entropia Universe where the package can be picked up or dropped at.
- Upon delivery of package to intended destination, the deliverer will receive the "fee" that is associated to the package.
- This package can be looted in space so in other words, pirates who kills a person (mailman) delivering this package can loot said package from that person and then deliver this package to intended destination to receive the "fee" instead of the original person who picked up the package.
- Perhaps limits can be placed such that each person or Slepnier or quad can only pick up a limited number of packages while privateers and motherships can pick up more?

- But there's some question here regarding whether there should be a fee associated with picking up a package for delivery. Should there be any or totally none? If there should, would it be in peds or something less costly like "vibrant sweat" or "fragments"? Maybe like paying 500 to 1k vibrant sweat or fragments to pick up one package and then deliver it to destination so that person can gain the "fee" as a reward? Or perhaps scale the cost according to the value of the package and its "fee" reward?

Well...roughly these are all the stuff that's in my mind atm...so what do you guys think? Would such implementations benefit EU's growth? Since people have been complaining about the risk of carrying loots and goods across space and its such risky venture that even a bystander would "feel the pain" when hearing someone got looted of valuables upwards of 500 USD to XXXX USD. And yet its still somewhat "fair" to the pirates that they get something they love to do....hunting and killing people with a chance to make peds. Not to mention that privateers and motherships also get to do something that could potentially bring in peds for themselves and their crew instead of only ferrying people.

But the trouble is of course, the demand of such a logistic system...would people even pay for such a thing....or even bother to move resources and goods in between planets?

 

[GeorgeSkywalker]

Some very interesting ideas. Overall they seem to be well thought but I'm sure there are catches...

Would disagree with your idea of spreading resources over all planets. Players should not be forced in this way to go to any planet they don't want. Also may cause complications because resources may need to be distributed against all planets over and over when more and more planets are added to make it fairer on the newer planets.

 

[Oracle]

Some very interesting ideas. Overall they seem to be well thought but I'm sure there are catches...

Would disagree with your idea of spreading resources over all planets. Players should not be forced in this way to go to any planet they don't want. Also may cause complications because resources may need to be distributed against all planets over and over when more and more planets are added to make it fairer on the newer planets.

Yes very interesting ideas I agree.

But I do think the distribution of some resources, eg for crafting some high-end armours and weapons etc across different planets would be beneficial in stimulating interplanetary trading and additionally help those planets' economies.

Players wouldn't be forced to go to these planets but instead interplanetary traders would take on the risks and gain the rewards I feel.

 

[sawachika]

Yea...I agree with both of you.

Initially, I was thinking about it being fair to all planet partners if resources were in demand "equally". But then I couldn't reconcile the "being forced" part that Ace mentioned so I thought of limiting it to specific special items instead. But then the distribution complications part jumps in if and when new PPs enter the equation.

Also, I have to admit that this resource redistribution idea was also partly to make hunting and mining more "fair" in terms of needs in crafting as well as to invoke planetary trading so as to encourage the need to trade resources between planets.

And this would in turn make space movement slightly more colourful but yet less threatening to players in terms of risks but still has some incentives for space combat.

Hehe....thinking too much huh?

Oh ya....I also can't get rid of the "what if" some "funny" dude decides to just keep a package forever without delivering it. So preferably the package should be anonymous in its sender and intended receiver as well as the value of its contents. Only destination should be known on the package. Furthermore, perhaps a fail-safe should be made available to prevent griefing on players done by keeping and not delivering a package. Maybe say....timer counting down such that if its not delivered by then it will reappear back at a pickup point for someone else to pickup and deliver?

 

[Darnoc]

But the trouble is of course, the demand of such a logistic system...would people even pay for such a thing....or even bother to move resources and goods in between planets?

I would gladly do it and I thought about suggesting something similar.
I love travelling to other planets and mine. Thats basically what I do most of the time.
But what I dont like with this are the shipping and selling problems.

We all know that Caly is the #1 market. And tons of people ship their goods there.
But is that a bad thing for the other planet partners?
No, I dont think so. If their planets stuff where easier to sell more people would go there.

I also have customers on certain planets, and as a seller it's my duty to bring my goods to them.

Another reason this would be a good idea are for all the "Taxi drivers" out there.
It would be another source of income for them. And EFA who basically has monopoly on safe transportation would get some healthy competition.

Also, space would be much more fun with a lot more traffic.

The implementation I thought of was that you as a customer pay an insurance/shipment fee based on the value of the goods. The goods have to be delivered before a set delivery date and time. If not the customer is fully compensated by the shipper.

Instead of a special delivery point a shipper could get limited access to the customers personal storage at the destination planet.

But how to solve the pvp issue? No clue. Maybe a new set of heavilly armored cargo space ships.
To take one down a team of pirates has to shoot their asses off. But the cargo ships could also have security escorts defending them. I can see epic space battles from a solution like this.

Anyway, the import and export problems has to be adressed at some point. The situation now is just medieval.
And the universal economy suffers a great deal from it.

 

[mastermesh]

Oh ya....I also can't get rid of the "what if" some "funny" dude decides to just keep a package forever without delivering it. So preferably the package should be anonymous in its sender and intended receiver as well as the value of its contents. Only destination should be known on the package.

In real life a pirate who intercepts a 'package' isn't going to just not open it, and they sure the heck aren't going to 'deliver' it to an intended recipient under most circumstances because they'd immediately be busted for theft, etc. Same should happen in the virtual world. Also, the package idea interferes with the whole idea of the TT and stuff being in your inventory, etc. A 'locked' package that was intercepted should be able to be TTed by pirate at the very least, even if they can't unlock it. TT value should be value of container + value of item inside + TT value of part of the 'cost' associated with locking the thing. Maybe the 'pawn shops' could play some role in this so pirate would have to pawn the stuff instead of putting it in a regular tt as it's stolen goods, etc., and they'd have to use the pawn shop on a different planet than where the container originated from.

Also, as far as the whole idea goes, it sort of already exists somewhat - albeit without the delivery concept. Apartment + shopkeeper + settings on estate terminal allow for apartment owner to 'safely' deliver items intended for only certain individuals. Simply have to add them to the guest list, or at least that's how I think it works (never messed much with guest lists in estates to test out all aspects of it's use myself, but I think that type of stuff is why it's there)

As far as rehaul of blueprints - go for it ON NEW BLUEPRINTS. Old BPs that already exist should remain as they are because they already are owned by participants. Don't tweak item stats retroactively after they are already owned. If you do, you might as well do it for everything... if you are going to change blueprints ingredients on already owned stuff, make the 'restart' of all of the changes on all professions equally - make the highest dps guns only do damage of an opalo, make the best armor in game only protect like pixie unless hunter buys brand new shiny shit they shouldn't need to buy, etc. 'restart it all'.