Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I originally posted this in EGD but didn't really get the discussion I was after. So this is essentially a repost in hopefully a more appropriate forum.

I’ve just completed the Crucible survey and I was having a good think about the way I currently play the game and what I would like to do.

I have a mix of characters ranging from mining, research & manufacture, trading and mission running. I’ve done my PVP stint in low sec and null. Just for now given time contraints I just chill in other activites.

OK enough of the background.

While completing the survey I was wondering about the eternal quandary, why don't I go to null sec more often? So some random thoughts.

If I was a merchant or trader in the wild west of the US circa 19th century I would certainly expect a bit of danger in my life. What I probably wouldn't expect though is every single soul I encountered would be interested in blasting the crap out of me. Yes, it could most certainly happen, but the thought of every trader meeting an untimely end would probably mean most far flung outposts would be ghost towns. Oh wait...

So why had CCP made it so hard for Alliances to manage commerce and traffic in sovereign space? Being set 'blue' is often a painful thing to obtain and onerous to manage. Why is there not something more useful? 

My thought is that EVE needs the concept of a 'permit system' that would effectively enable a person to buy 'blue' status for a period of time (say 30 days) for relatively 'safe' passage in Alliance held space.

Something like a permit system could enable Alliances to allow commerce more effectively. Specific classes of ships could be permitted to openly operate in sovereign space with some degree of safety. Permits and maybe a kind of toll or levy system (as well as taxes) could be imposed giving direct income to sovereignty holders, and overall market availability of items could improve for PVP goodness. How often do you go short of basic items in null? Yes - always. Honestly there are that many resources going begging in null sec would it really matter if people did some mining / manufacture in your systems? 

The permit could just be something you buy and consume like a PLEX from the market and requires no real effort to manage. An Alliance could simply 'manufacture' a supply and seed them in hi sec space. They could also simply be traded like any other market item. Managing supplies could be a lucrative earner for an Alliance.

Of course being set to 'Red' would trump any active permit, and the issue of spies not really relevant I feel they are everywhere already.

To prevent the staging of attack fleets permits would restrict docking and undocking to the classes of ships covered by the permit. Alternatively, permits for the battleship class etc. could be priced high enough to discourage staging of fleets, but may still be reasonable for a dedicated ratter.

This system would be totally opt in a Sov holder. Don't like it? Think it allows in alt spies? Want empty space? Cool - simply don't seed any permits, no change to EVE for you at all. Using it is just like setting people blue without the hassles of managing it or having to reset to flush out everyone.

Yes, OK there may be a few less targets, but did you really need to kill that Iteron?

I know it's probably not a perfect idea for a variety of reasons people will probably point out in not so nice tones but I think it would be ideas like this that would encourage players to venture into deep space for fun and profit.

Interested in constructive feedback and ideas.

I was thinking the same recently, something along the lines of a standings contract. Still it wouldn't guarantee your safety, since anyone can be in 0.0 not just blues so the value of such a contract would be questionable. Also you could get scammed since sov holders could have an alt corp that would gank you just the same.

Also they could deny docking just the same, regardless of your standings. So I think a contract for guaranteed station docking rights for a period of time would be a more useful and predictable thing.

Also in the past i proposed a free-form contract system with a variety of conditions, such as a given ship gets to dock in a given station (thus allowing guaranteed ransoms) and a spectrum of other possible conditions, such as docking rights, restricting a specified player, alliance or corp from entering a system etc. A lot of these would be possible to work around by creating alts but it's a general problem with EVE, there's no unique identity associated with a player. Also guaranteed ransoms could reduce the amount of destruction which is bad for the economy in general :)

Thank you all for the constructive feedback.

Nothing. I'm sure people buy or organise it all the time. I know I got set to 'Blue' by sitting in a home system once and annoying the heck out of people until I had docking rights to sell them stuff! However, it's a pain in the backside to manage for all parties. And doesn't make the Sov holder much ISK. My hypothesis is that as permits would be seeded on the market it's real value would be set by how much an Alliance was honouring the permits. No honour, no ISK.

The difference would be docking rights. It would not just be a permit to be blue, they would be issued for a class of ship. You would imaging people would fly cloaky haulers, but with the ability to dock (If that permit was seeded of course). In theory could a trader come in and buy your entire market and double the price? Well, yes - but the free market doesn't like that if you let in other competition.

Thank you.

Honestly, would this be used for anything besides awoxing and cynos?

I doubt it. Alliances tend to have their own market/trading/import guys, and I doubt they'd want the competition.