Player Features and Ideas Discussion

To a lesser extent PvP can be exerted through the licenses and forcing them to get "stuck" on gates/flagged as suspect by customs (as already discussed). And interactions with customs officials and faction have already been discussed to some extent. Any ideas for specifics?

As for the carbonite read https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=119995&find=unread
The trophies rooms in there had a carbonite option suggestion :D

Previous thread the idea was presented as:

Customs Detection Chance= ((Sec status of system x 100%) +(Random % Based on level of Official)) - (Player Skill x 10%) - (Equipment Mods)- (Rig Mods)

Consequences of detection by NPCs dependent on sec status with Customs for that faction:
5 to 10: Asked to eject cargo and pay fine. If you refuse you are flagged as suspect and sec status loss.
-5 to 5: Asked to eject from ship and ship impounded unless heavy fine paid. Impounded then ship will be transported to nearest station and remain there until fine paid. Sec status loss. If you refuse flagged as suspect and heavier sec status loss.
-10 to -5: if detected asked to forfeit ship. Sec status loss. If you refuse then flagged as criminal, very heavy sec status loss.

Sec status can be repaired by flagging smuggler players and by running Customs missions. Intercept convoy here or stop illegal manufacturing there (with the option of taking the drops and smuggling them).

If detected by another player the player has the option to flag. Also opens auto dialog box allowing players to negotiate.

Just some ideas.

I was thinking that this could fix the 'day to day' objection to making faction ammo restricted. But if payloads of illegal goods totalling uner 5 million isk or something wouldn't be fined or confiscated, then you could be safe with just the stuff used for missioning or pvp.

Interesting thought of fines based on amount. My thinking was more along the lines of how contraband is treated now, there is a limit and once you cross it then you meet the requirements of committing an offense.

Not that I wouldn't want missioners, which I sometimes am, to have to think about what they are doing.

Because if you want CCP to spend time on something, it needs to be a feature that they feel a lot people will enjoy and use. Using the market interface increase visibility.

If you can't understand that, not much I can do for ya.

What you say makes sense, but keep in mind there is Empire control in lo sec. Part of the concept is that certain items will be legal in some faction space but not in others (ex. slaves, faction equipment, etc.).

But what you propose could add a neat little wrinkle, POS manufacture of contraband. Being able to construct a drug lab in lo or null and have that structure be attackable/reportable/flaggable would be an interesting twist. Having the lab be mostly undetectable (if some dummy parks his ship outside of it you could still detect the ship) except when offloading at which point it is scannable for X amount of time, now that would be interesting.

By approaching every aspect of the game as the whole, what you end up with its lots of poor content. Every time they release an expac. It doesn't update every aspect of the game. You focus modular on separate aspects of the game. Naturally these can mutually influence each-other and are better for doing so.

You could for sure (and i hope this happens) expand on the smuggling with other items, new ones perhaps or reclassifying current items. But for drugs? Think about how they are perceived in real life. In legal terms at least. It doesn't make sense that they appear in the market and to remove them and add some slight tweaks really impacts that focus of the game. Now granted it doesn't make it more popular. And to get a serious development change it needs to be a big thing.

I'm talking smaller scale, something that might actually be achievable and make a noticeable change with minimal effort. Don't get me wrong I'd love for CCP to go the whole hogg and make something mind blowing but its unrealistic to expect/ask for a miracle every time.

I feel my suggestions above make sense and are achievable and can be built upon over time.



As for someones POS module suggestion. I think that really boils down to POS changes themselves than smuggling in particular. Something cool to consider particularly when CCP starting looking for solid POS changes/feedback.



Also, I don't feel every feature in the game needs to be a primary feature. Sure everyone should have a chance at it, but niche aspects of game play are not a bad thing. Its not a failing of design when something is a niche (well not always :P) In my mind, smuggling is a niche business just as it is in reality. If smuggling was mainstream it would be... hauling...

See currently on TQ the actual physical act of smuggling is Hauling-cloaked. Its not very involved and well... yeah... hauling cloaked is exactly what it is. Not that amazing really!

But what makes the current iteration of smuggling good is the... I guess you'd call it "Meta" In that a player will come to me (as a returning customer) or our sales channels. He/she will speak to a dealer in private, there is a rapport and a reputation you have to uphold and a certain level of conduct you must adhere to, you negotiate quantity and location, perhaps haggle price in some cases and come to an arrangement. Then the planning kicks in, choosing routes and methods, ships and fits for the job. Coordination with your drug cooks to have the drugs ready. It is THIS aspect of the game which would be bolstered through a removal of highsec narcotic market listings as it encourages the social and personal person or person level of contact and business. Don't get me wrong either, I want BOTH aspects to be overhauled for sure! But most of all I don't want to lose that excellent aspect of smuggling and to hurt that would be a crying shame. Sure not everyone wants to do that stuff, not everyone wants to risk death. Not everyone wants to fight against blobs. Not everyone wants to mine. Attempting to appeal to everyone wont work and shouldn't be done. That is my angle here.

And finally (mostly this was a reply to Adunh) I was tired yesterday when i snapped back. I apologize, its easy to misinterpret tone through written word.

There is a rather obvious oppertunity right now with DUST514 picking up speed, to use smuggling as an introduction to the integration of the two games.

Rebalance the booster, and make them game crossing. So boosters used by EVE pilots are made or supplied from DUST, and vice versa.

Make the illegal flag cause inability to dock with customs officers station, but on an escalating degree. So you get a temporary bad standing with the faction, and the more times you get scanned, the more stations you loose access to. Based on security status ofc, so the higher security rated systems are lost first. The temp hit to standing would be higher if your discovered in higher sec systems, and the discovered system is always closed to you.

Make it possible to put illegal goods in contracts, but remove all boosters and related specific raw materials from scc market.

Add a warning that can be dismissed on trading these items.

Boosters to skill training speed would be really useful to even out the gap between old and new players. Make a tiered system for the boosting like with the new tag system.

Preferably the boosters for DUST players should be produced on planets and only low and null sec can produce.

Something like this might help integrate DUST and EVE, and also give a very concrete incentive to venture into low and null, if only occasionally and to get access to these rather unique benefits.

A little more detailed concept to consider as a Smuggling mechanic.

Contraband Thingy

Contraband and smuggling could be altered so that all contraband items are recategorised into three categories, A, B and C.

These legality classes would be defined by threshold limit for detection, aka “personal use” limits, and modifier for the length of time of the global criminal flag *see further in for details.

NPC detection could be increased so that there is a chance of detection if contraband is either put into a contract, or received in a contract in addition to upon entry to a system.

Upon detection by customs officials, the following would occur;

- A suspect flag would be applied to the individual. The duration of this flag would be determined by:

Which class of contraband was being carried at the time of detection

Security level of the system in which the detection occurred

Total value of the contraband detected

- A temporary bounty would be applied for the duration of the suspect flag

Bounty payout would only be made to individuals involved in shooting the suspect who have faction standing of 5 or higher towards the faction which has placed the bounty.

The bounty is based on the value of the contraband detected, and payout would be full, as opposed to the 20% of value under usual conditions.

- NPC contraband would always have 50% of its value destroyed, and the bounty would be for valuation prior to destruction. This is to avoid “printing isk”.

- Within the mechanics for NPC smuggling, upon destruction of contraband, the nearest appropriate NPC station would spawn a buy order for the destroyed quantity, at 10% above global average

- When an npc order spawned by above system is filled a new random stock of the same type and 10% more volume spawns at appropriate station type, at between 2-10% below global average.

- To stabilize the value The npc contraband could be introduced to the appropriate LP store. Example would be Slaves in selected Amarr LP stores, or as a mission reward, or drop in missions fitting the type of contraband. Drugs in drug factories in mission etc.

A strong smuggling profession by requires that the stuff has to be produced in null/low (preferably low because it needs the love) and in high demand in highsec.

1. Remove learning implants from the game. They need to go anyway to encourage PvP.

2. Introduce Learning Boosters that last a week/fortnight/month (or whatever balance you choose).

3. Learning Boosters can only be produced in lowsec. Or, a critical component is only found/produced in lowsec and is also contraband.

4. Allow contracts to include contraband but stick a whopping warning on it and a popup for publics. They can be sold on the market so why can't I contract a smuggler? Or maybe create a new contract type (Public Courier, Contraband).

Benefits:

- Exorcise the curse of learning implants. Seriously, these things are a horrible mechanic that either make the pilot risk averse or not want to PvP because of training time loss.

- Increase activity and traffic in lowsec.

- Create an actual profession by allowing formal, accountable contracts.