Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I'm just altering this thread with a second idea, instead of making a new thread completely since this is covering the same topic.

I started reading other threads asking people about skill rebalancing, and a lot of the controversy was the issue with fast-tracking skills completely. Even though my previous idea somewhat remedied this issue, it still wasn’t enough. So, I started thinking back at other systems, and instantly slapped myself for not thinking about it earlier. The skill system in UO was perfect for specialization, and tweaking skills. So, with that in mind, here is my suggestion built on that idea.

Instead of a true skill refund, we set a skill to decrease in SP, while giving a boost to attributes that the skill was trained on. When those attributes are used on another skill, each SP it gives as a bonus is then removed from the skill set to decrease.

Example:

Skill: Mining Barge Level 3
Attributes: Perception, Willpower
SP: 32000

If we set this skill to be depleted, then the character gains +1 to perception, and willpower. If we train a skill with this skill set to deplete like minmatar frigate using the same attributes, the character gains another 60SP/hour on perception, and another 30SP/hour of willpower. If we train minmatar frigate for an hour, the extra SP given is taken out of the Mining Barge 3 skill. So, after one hour, Mining Barge is then down to 31910. If we were to train another skill like Contracting, we only gain the added 30SP/hour for the secondary skill of Willpower. Just like the other skill, we would be removing 30SP/hour from the skill set to deplete. Once the skill is out of SP, the bonus attributes go away, allowing you to pick a different skill to deplete. With this type of depletion, it would take a little over 2 weeks for Mining Barge 3 to drop to zero SP.

Summary: Using an “Ultima Online Style” skill depletion, we offer the ability to move SP around, but not in a way that people could take advantage of it to “quick switch” specializations. Overall this is a great way for pilots to fine-tune, and polish their build without having to worry about people respecializing quickly. It still leaves a great amount of time to make up for the pilots mistakes, while giving the pilot an option to put the SP elsewhere. None of the previous issues of skill rebalancing will apply to this, so please comment if you see an issue as other discrepancies do not apply.


Changelog:

6/4/2012 : Post #18 - Faster Depletion/SP Gain

Edited original idea, with completely new idea. Replies above do not apply. Original idea quoted in post for archival purposes ONLY.

+1 for a great Idea.

One Question: Only one skill can be selected to be depelted at a time, correct? So no setting ten or twenty skills to deplete and having upwards of 40 attribute points

Not gonna read your short little quip of a post, ****! Muhahaha!



Back to reality... if reality is actually real on internet spaceships, I think this is a good idea. When you start out on Eve you undoubtedly train some skills which you initially think will help you, but you end up either not using or use all-too-infrequently. I'm sure this idea could be refined further, but the concept of a limited transfer of skills you don't want to keep would seem to improve the game.

I read the new wall of text, its still terrible.

It's explained in the other threads proposing ideas like this.

If youre going to post, read the OP.
Ideas like this commonly get shot down because people could trade their skills from one flavour of the month to another quickly. Key issue being 'Quickly'.

OP, However, suggested a way to Slowly work some of the SPs you regret training into something alittle more usefull.

Three more Questions for OP:
-Would there be a Timer on changing the Skill to be depleted? To prevent people from constantly switching depleted skills in and out to keep their primary attributes matched up with what they want to train?
-Would there be a limit to the skills that can be set for depletion? I.E. some skills that you can't deplete?
-What would Happen if a skill is depleted to 0 SP?

Absolutely. My main thought was to not allow a player to change the skill until it is completely depleted. This is holding the purpose true to only use it to get rid of skills you don't want. It may be possible to add something like an option to change the skill instantly once every six months if someone picks the wrong skill to deplete, but overall you don't want to set it unless you are completely sure you want to deplete it.

As for the skills that can be depleted, it might be wise to make it rank 5 and below, since most pilots won't have anything above that unless it is in fact the specialization set on that capsuleer. Skills cannot be trained that are being depleted, and vice versa. Also prerequisites to skills that are already trained cannot be depleted. Once the parent skill is depleted, those skills can be depleted.

Once a skill is depleted to 0SP, the pilot has the option to set another skill to deplete.

Overall, I myself cannot see a way people could really exploit it fully. Someone could train a skill taking maybe a day or two to train, but not actually get the same gain when depleting it. With that in mind, it wouldn't make sense to train skills only to get the +1 attributes from depletion to make other skills go faster. The time spent to get enough to deplete would be roughly the same amount of time saved.

To ShahFluffers: It can be done at any time, and not set to a specific period of time. You do gain back SP slowly through the attributes at a ratio of 1:1. So you are moving your SP, but it's taking a long amount of time.

Regaining of skills would probably take significantly MORE than six months to a Year. Depending on Implants and Attributes, it would take approximately 25 times as long to deplete a skill as it took to train it. By that time, someone easily could have trained into the next FOTM Regardless.




All Valid Points: Particularly the consequences of your actions, and i understand why you disagree. However, (Again, based on Implants and Remap) it would take you approximately twelve and a half YEARS to fully reclaim those 6 months you regret training.
A one month skill would take just over two years to deplete (and even thats if you are training skills with the same attributes as the one youre depleting - for the entire two years)