Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Faction warfare is probably 80% frigates and destroyers, with a few cruisers every so often. Plus a bunch of missioning bombers.

I would like to see a reason to use more larger ships.

I suggest two things:

1. A more even spread of plex sizes.
(how many large plexes do you see?)

2. Limit the ship sizes able to count down plex timers.

Leave the gate entry requirements as they are.
However, require at least one ship of the maximum size allowed for that plex, to start the timer.

For example,
Small plex - Frigs and destroyers get in.
Frigs by themselves would not start the timer. A destroyer would be required.

Medium plex - cruiser required for timer
Large plex - battleship required for timer

This would go some small way towards use of all ship sizes.
Farmers can still farm. They may need to swap ships or stick to certain plex sizes though.

I've always disliked the require largest ship to run a timer idea. First, please define largest ship. For a small which is larger, a T2 frig or a destroyer? Based on your answer to the previous question, should I require T2 cruisers for mediums? Finally, I guess in order to run a large plex I need a titan.

When I roam alone, I typically fly in a t2 frig or a dessy as this gives me access to the most plex while still being in a ship that can handle itself. Requiring me to be in a cruiser to run a medium timer just means I won't even look at medium plexes when I roam. I do agree to needing more large plexes though.

The current "plexing" system doesn't lend itself to the use of bigger and bigger ships. The risk versus the reward isn't balanced.

Requiring a BC or above to open a Large Complex requires that the reward be worth the risk of undocking. A few Loyalty Points aren't going to cut it.

Faction Warfare would become more interesting when there is real skin in the game. For example,

1. Members of the Faction militia can make ISK by being active members of the militia.

2. The lower the tier level of your faction, the more tax you pay for goods across the board. Assume that the giant federations have real costs, and those real costs are somehow passed to the members of the races. Declare yourself to be neutral and trade in high sec, expect to pay handsomely for the privilege of trading in those areas. Be neutral and trade in low sec, pay less, but subject yourself to more danger.

3. Give rank a real benefit. Real rank based on performance, not plex grinding. Give ranked players an ability to get small amounts of hard to get items or materials. For example moon minerals, balanced over course.

4. Make it easy to live in High sec, but hard to prosper. It it harder to live in Low Sec but easier to prosper.