Player Features and Ideas Discussion

wow, you experienced the terror of having some hostile around, I'm creeping. Where did this happened, in null? I can only imagine the frantic excitment for this new experience.

People focus on cloaking part too much. Like botters, it's the afk part that bothers most people. Gaining in-game advantages without even having to be playing is an issue.

Tears.

They collect in the chat logs and forums to be collected later.

I guess they get a bunch of whine, too, but it's usually a noveau vintage and lacks any interesting flavor.

From waaaaayyyyy back...in 2009....

Introduce skill to probe out cloakships
Magnetic Pulse Module--basically a module that will decloak all ships on grid.
Cloak Breakers. Basically an ECM like module that will cause a cloak to "blink" or some such nonsense.

The only problem with AFK cloaking is that the minority complaining about AFK cloaking aren't willing to use the tactics employeed by the people that don't complain.

You don't have to directly rat with people, but being in fleet is a great counter to AFK cloakers as if they attack someone, they tend to bail as soon as they see more ships on d-scan. If people aren't willing to use the counters available then they deserve to be victimised for choosing to be victims to an easily countered tactic.

Since this thread is attempting to collect data on this unending debate, let's get some more perspective on this.

I am talking about Game Push, for lack of a better term.

Game Push, or GP for short, is about which direction people are trying to push the game towards.
We can use terms like cloaking, local chat intel, cynos and such, but these are really game play mechanics that represent styles of play.

So, what IS really going on then?

The group pushing for cloaks to be reduced in function. They want simplified game play, and while they appear to some to want zero risk, they are actually just seeking control over it.
They need risk to feel good about playing, at least the perception of it. They simply don't often want to deal with it when it is not convenient for them.
And Null sec is the cool part of town, where all the really awesome stuff happens.
So, they do want PvP, but ONLY when it suits them. And in exchange for what PvP they do perform, they expect to be able to PvE with the ability to reliably avoid any conflict with minimal effort.

The group pushing for Local Chat to be reduced in function, often hand in hand with some compromise towards cloaked operation. These players are looking at the designated areas, High / Low and Null security space, and trying to remove part time efforts they see being used. Specifically, they do not see any reason for anyone PvE playing outside of high sec to be able to avoid them with such reliable degrees of success.
It frustrates these players even more to see complaints appear on forums from the very same PvE pilots, who complain about stalemate situations that sometimes occur because of these conflicts.
They view the existing game as compromised in an attempt to satisfy low effort players, and let them into 'dumbed down' aspects of play rather than remain in high sec space where this play is often considered acceptable.

The group pushing for no changes. These players see balance already existing, and find their play needs met well enough to need no changes. They understand why both sides are frustrated, and often side with those offering a compromise rather than an unbalancing one sided solution.
Again, they see no need for change, but if one is demanded they at least want balance to be maintained.

Bump

I think it might be working.... the artificial complaints department has been slowed at least.

Have not seen a new cloaking thread in a bit.

Right!