Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I'm well aware ransoming is theoretically possible within the game, just through chat, etc. However, it's very tricky to actually pull off, seeing as most EVE players would accept the ransom, then murder the person anyway. This makes people very slow to trust actual ransomers.

What I'm purposing is a simple, entirely optional method to make ransoming something you can trust. Or at least almost trust. This IS eve, after all. Nothing should be certain.

Anyway. The base concept is, when forming a fleet, as part of setting up the fleet, the fleet boss has to choose whether to set up a ransom. If a person pays this ransom, that person (JUST that person, to prevent exploits) cannot be fired upon, jammed, etc for 3 minutes (by that fleet, others can still attack), or until they dock, change ships, fire on their ransomers or basically do anything other than run away, whichever comes first.

In order to allow customization, there should be an advanced options tab. In this tab, you should be able to:

-Select ship hulls that CANNOT be ransomed:
This allows a fleet boss to make sure that ships they don't want escaping (faction ships, industrials, etc) can't take a ransom to get away if the fleet boss doesn't want them to.

-Select groups that cannot ransom:
Really don't like Goons? Well, set them up as a group that can't ransom, and you're golden.

-Set a different ransom per size of the ship:
This allows someone to charge more for letting a battleship go past than letting a frigate go past.


Of course, there are ways to accept a ransom and still kill someone, like having two separate fleets. And things like that will happen. But in my eyes, that's a good thing. I mean, ransoming should still have an element of risk in it, right?

Would this not prevent the ransomee from being fired upon by others too? This could only work - and then only in theory - if this non-PVP flag were to apply to the single ransomer only. Also what would happen if the ransomee opened a cyno right after... the ransomer then couldn't destroy the cyno ship. While this could be considered part of the risk of offering ransoms, ultimately it leads to problems when a player in low-sec is ever PVP immune from anyone.

A better idea IMO would be to have a "ransom" tab in people's character history. A ransomer would offer the ransom to a player. If the player accepts the ransom it is logged into the tab. Once the ransom is accepted the ransomer loses lock, giving the ransomee a small window to escape. If the ransomer aggresses again within 30 or so seconds. a red X appears next to the log. If he doesn't, a green check appears. Of course if the ransomee aggresses, opens a cyno or reps other players the ransomer may aggress back and the log is removed entirely. Docking and changing ships would also remove the 30 second timer, although seldom would you see someone ransomed on a station.

This idea has it's problems too, mainly people creating fake ransom logs so they seem legit when they aren't. Unsure how that could be prevented, a solution would be needed there for sure. I think this is the right way to do it as a general idea though... Flagging for non-PVP is too iffy for me.

And yes, under my idea you would be a fool if you accepted a ransom when others are on grid and/or if you aren't aligned out already.

As one who has been dodging an increasing number of gatecamps of late, I agree that a ransom mechanic would be a nice addition.

I wanted to dislike it, but it is interesting, read it twice.

Though I still think the multitude of options to avoid it, make it a more or less useless feature to implement. Still, interesting thought.

I would suggest a contract version:

Pilot gets caught, attackers drop a ransom contract link in local/convo, if pilot accepts, money is held until:
* Safe, ransom is paid - Docked, safely logged off, refit, or ship changed.
* Failed, ransom refunded - ransomers or anyone else kills them.

This should cover any evasion attempts I can think of, and gives pirates an incentive to escort targets home ... and perhaps get some Butterfly Effect going.

(You would also want to be able to create the contract fairly quickly, either allow it to be filled in before engaging, or have a quick option of 'ransom what I'm shooting')

Okay now for "let me see how I can use this to my advantage" time... It's Eve so someone will figure a way around it.


I get my buddy to "ransom" me when I jump into lowsec so I can make it safely through the gate camps. Will the "ransom" prevent others in a different fleets from attacking the target?


If no then...

I make ransom contract with said victim then get my "kill" fleet to destroy him. I got a ransom AND a kill.



It's interesting but I'm not too excited about anything that alters the current free engagement system.

I very much like the concept but implementation would be very tricky to get right.

Bumping the hell out of anything bigger then a destroyer can also avoid the safety-timer. Another easy exploit.

Yea that's what I thought two... I think it's one of those things that sounds cool but in reality wouldn't work. The last thing Eve needs is an "I'm invulnerable from attack' exploit.

This is very true!