YASP v.2 (Yet Another Space Proposal)

[San]

There was YASP v.1, preceded by various suggestions like decoy dispensers for space-faring vehicles (#31) and many more I lost track of. All of these tried to work with the existing premises of what MA has decided space to be.

Now that there is a stated commitment to turn their attention towards it, I firmly believe a re-examination of this premise should stand at the beginning of any new development. This proposal states such a different premise, hence it is called v2.

This premise is: Space is to be viewed in the same way as any planet partner. It is to be an attraction in its own regard, and not to exist as a mere artificial abyss to separate our worlds from each other. Playing its challenges is optional, not enforced upon crossing over.

Quoting myself from here (#26):

If they want to make it extemely simple, just let us go from each planet to its space station teleporter, hop between space teleporters, and pay our 7 ped for going down on the other side. With or without loot.

Ideally there would be no cost, but if this is the maximum fee, then I suppose most can swallow it. No, I don't agree to higher amounts. It's only big-wallet players who don't mind spending 25, 40 or more ped. Any fee diminuishes the player's budget for going on more engaging ways and therefore is only detrimental.

This of course makes the current taxi business as well as the planned transport missions obsolete. Given the mind-boggling amounts already invested in equipment and upgrades, it astonishes that players would be content with doing this forever after. There should be better and more interesting activities and income opportunities for spaceship owners. Like so, quoted from the same post:

If I were to imagine a good time in space, I'd gather a team, hire a good ship and have it take us out for a hunting party and serve as a base to hunt with own vehicle or MS guns. If this proves attractive, it should compensate sufficiently for the lost business. Voluntary customers are happy customers. Forced customers are paying only grudgingly.

More space mobs, more maturities, more variety of equipment to allow for economic hunting. Space mining, adventure, exploration, missions, other types of foes e.g. aliens or robot bases. Unique loot to justify taking risks, e.g. the non-standard items needed for Mission Galactica (Bio ID's etc.) might drop in space exclusively (wasn't it conceived like that in the first place?) A more interesting, possibly dynamic space map as suggested here (#65). Once this is decided, ideas will flow endlessly.

It doesn't matter what those who thrive on the current system say to justify their position, THE REST OF US DON'T LIKE IT AND WE AVOID SPENDING OUR MONEY ON IT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. With their decision to force everyone through lootable pvp, MindArk has polarized the player base and pitted groups against each other. It was an experiment in social engineering, but not all paying customers appreciate finding themselves to be lab rats, especially not at the mercy of bigger rats. Now MA is at a crossroads and they need to decide which way is better for their business, and that decision needs to be made before pouring substantial funds into developing it either way.

I'm not making this a forum poll because the majority of those who would support it are rather silent. This is the mood gathered over a long time of personal contacts. MA does have the means to verify or falsify this and gather the overall preference from their insight into data we don't have on this side of the fence. Hence it would be preposterous to state it as an absolute. It is an opinion, but one which steers purchase decisions.

 

[San]

A newly flared up discussion elsewhere prompted me to revisit this. It was made after MA stated they would "turn their attention to space now". We got Batsim instead. If this has a relevant connection we can't see at this time, upcoming changes might be more drastic than imagined. This might be a great thing... who knows. A simulator inside of a simulator -- scratching my head about the motivation, I can come up with the idea that it's a proof-of-concept and beta test for a fundamental update of game mechanics. This aged turn-based simulation doesn't really stand to the competition anymore, and the economy model isn't going to be unique forever. Might we even get a real space game eventually, even combined with a decent FPS? Companies with much bigger budgets opt for either or because they find both at once too heavy to lift. I'm not putting it beyond a dedicated team to break that paradigm. Let's hope for the best.

 

[SpikeBlack]

Not the first time that it's been suggested space should be treated like any other PP.

Personally I'd like to see space broken up and given to each PP for them to manage the area surrounding their planet rather than leaving it in the hands of MA or a single entity.

 

[Xcessive]

I'd like to see the lag fixed before we start asking for more shit.

 

[San]

It was here (with prehistory of another thread about piracy):
http://arkadiaforum.com/threads/space-wish-list-the-dymlek.14382/

A bit messy to spread the discussion over different forums but to notify those who matter.

Fixing the lag isn't a showstopper to talking about ideas, quite the opposite. It's their job, we can do this in the meantime. Afterwards we both should have something to work with again.

 

[morfoc]

I think that MA intend to implant assists armor for the space in view of the different assisted armor has cyrene / calypso already seen but not active.

 

[mastermesh]

Just make t.p. chip level 2 and up work planet to planet...

 

[TumiTimeless]

All the above = Good ideas!

 

[Venture Bros]

Just make t.p. chip level 2 and up work planet to planet...

If they did that it should be wormhole chips only that can do so, or level 4 tp chip. As 3 alreafy has the added functionality of warp home from anywhere.

 

[Lefty]

OP nailed it. Honestly the reason I still even have my taxi ad up is I'm lazy. Space as it stands is nothing more than a barrier between me and some planet-side fun.