Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Finally read the CSM9 minutes... and the fact the devs are finally looking into the agent mission delivery core concepts got me to thinking (again).


The main aims for this suggestion are:

1) provide a more immersive "theme" to how missions are delivered to the player, increased awareness of the universe, npc factions and system topology.

2) provide another avenue for like minded players to work together and be social (inclusion into the eve collective!), mostly thinking newbies heading towards the "mission rut" here but holds for all.

3) provide a sense of working towards a goal (that isn't just making iskies).

4) Provide a middle ground:

* Incursions : capsuleers working together in fleets on group objectives to achieve a collective goal.
* Flash Points : capsuleers working on individual objectives to achieve a collective goal.
* Routine missions : capsuleers working on individual objectives on their own.



A few things this suggestion is dependent on / supports the decision to do:
1) removal of "levels" in agent missions, agent access being independent of standings and missions being offered in a "select one of:" format rather than one at a time; per the discussion in the CSM9 minutes.

2) content authoring tools significantly improved on the back end to allow templates rather than specific missions (per dev comments elsehwere, even if I can't now find them...) to allow a greater range of interaction between missions and the Flash Points.


Missions split into "Routine Duties" and "Flash Point".

Routine missions are essentially the current implementation of missions, but with the "choose one of:" option added (mostly because of the removal of levels, you'll need to pick a mission suitable to your ability level/ship), the thinking behind this is to turn it more into a "jobs board" then a one at a time queue, "lots going on in the universe!!!". This allows players to continue in blissful ignorance if they are happy with their current play style. It also ensures there is always content available should the Flash Point's more random nature result in content being "too far away".

Flash Points are similar to "incursions" in that a group of systems are selected for a "mission event" where the missions are based along a theme for example: Slaver incursion into Matari space (or Heretic incursion into Amarr space), rival (warlord/corporation/npc trader) takedown, Pirate faction incursion, Natural disaster/outbreak on a planet etc. these don't have to be huge world events, just "stuff happening in new eden".

Flash Points provide options for player to pick how they want to help out.

Flash Points, and the specific systems involved have several "variables". For combat themed flash points these could be "Intelligence", "npc defensive strength" (i.e space owning faction), "npc offensive strength" (hostile faction). Each mission completion would increase/decrease these values by some small amount, and this feeds into what missions the Flash Point offers the players to choose from (not just this player but any player involved). For example, if the intelligence level in a Flash Point system drops the chance of an intelligence gathering mission increases. If the intelligence level is higher the chance of a offensive installation attack mission or assassination mission is increased. If the defensive strength is low the chance of a more defensive mission is increased etc.

mission examples:
basic intelligence : scouting patrol (i.e. lvl 1 combat mission, fly to several dead spaces (speedy frigate concept))
high level intelligence : hack installation (single site, smash the defenders and hack the site to get the intel (heavier ship concept))

front line supply / medical evacuation (i.e. hauling missions)
protect the haulers (defend an npc hauler from npc pirates, ideally you could lose this mission if you take too long / if the pirates can damage the hauler enough, with negative Flash Point effects; still getting paid for going out though)

strike on "pirate" gates to stop the flow of hostiles into systems (low level missions)
commander assassination / installation attack (higher level missions)

repair missions? (stop a npc friendly installation/ship/whatever being destroyed, a reason to try out remote repair modules/drones/different fits)

With the removal of agent levels missions should indicate what size vessel is recommended i.e. "you'll need a battleship for this one", "you'll be hauling 10k m³" but shouldn't be a rigid requirement; you could brute force the mission with 50 pilots flying frigates etc. :) If you pick one too hard for you there is always a handy channel to ask for help in...

Each Flash Point has some "completion" value, for a combat theme it would be something akin to a FPS spawn ticket; so many commanders, or installations etc.

For a "save the population" theme it would be a number of afflicted people until they're healed or dead ( :( ).

Players running Flash Point missions get a break down of their impact, npc causalities (or whatever) and overall capsuleer interaction at the end, the overall state of the Flash Point during. They also get an automatic shared chat channel in the same way incursions do (chat is very key, automatically "groups" mission runners sharing the same end goal and similar activity in a local area => potential for cooperative/competitive play... or just minimize it and enjoy playing the new content solo).