Player Features and Ideas Discussion

TL;DR:

75% of null rat bounties are paid out like normal. The other 25% is delayed for an hour and then paid out to the ratter if an ESS structure anchored to a planet. If at least three assaulting players right click the ESS, remain near the ESS for a set amount of time, and do not cloak, then any players remaining on grid once time is up will instantly share the 80%of the 25% that would have been paid out to the ratters an hour later. If the ratters reship and defend the ESS, then 80% of the 25% each player earned would be returned to them.

This is not exactly what it is but this is the best way I can sum it up in so few words.

/TL;DR

The ESS will be a new upgrade structure placed on a planet. It will be the lowest barrier of entry upgrade structure available and will only be destructible after a system has changed hands. It need not have excessive ehp, it need not be very expensive.

Unless the ESS anchored to a planet, the system’s ratting payout will be 80% of what it is now.

IF the ESS is operational, 75% of null rat bounties are paid out like normal and the other 25% is delayed for an hour and then paid out. So first payment of that 25% will occur an hour after that player destroys his/her first rat. Payment can still be collected if that player logs off.

[Possible difficulty: what if a ratting player switches system? Each system would have to have its own independent bounty payout.]

Players hostile to that alliance can “attack” the ESS by using their ship’s computer to “hack” the ESS. It will require at least three characters [possibly just one?] to “hack” the ESS. This “hacking” requires no additional mods on a ship. Every ship in the game can do this through a right click option on the ESS. Once a character has “hacked” he/she is now “linked” to the ESS. More than three characters can “hack” and be “linked” to the I-hub at a time, but they lose this “link” if they warp off grid.

Once the ESS has been “hacked” four things happen:
1) A timer starts counting down.
2) That 25% bounty that a ratting player has accrued is added to a system-wide pool.
3) That additional 25% bounty can no longer be collected by any player or entity while the counter is counting down.
4) A system-wide alert is sent out in the current system that the “hack” took place.

“Linked” players must stay within 30km [room for tweaking this number] of the ESS for the duration of the timer. The “linked” players are also required to remain uncloaked. If there are less than three players “linked” two things will happen:
1) 80% of that 25% bounty that was added to the pool will be paid out to the player that ratted for it (perhaps paying out that player before his/her hour time).
2) A system-wide alert is sent out in the current system that the “hack” has been averted.

If the attacking players succeed in keeping at least three players “linked” for the duration of the timer then:
1) 80% of the pool created by the 25% bounties is paid out to all players currently “linked” to the ESS that have been linked for at least 3 minutes. [This time could be tweaked]
2) A system-wide (and adjacent systems) alert is sent out broadcasting those players success.

Options for balance:
-adjustment of the length of the timer
-adjustment of the number of players required to make the initial “hack”. [Could possibly require less characters if an actual hacking game like the ones in data and relic sites is won? This would have to be limited to one attempt per hour.]
-adjustments in the amount bounties delayed an hour
-adjusting bounty payout to something along the lines of each player gets 25% delayed, but “hackers” get only 15% (10% of isk is destroyed).
-increasing/decreasing the range of the system-wide broadcasts.

How this enriches the sandbox:
-Small groups of players can seriously hurt a large alliance’s ratting income if the alliance members don’t do anything to protect it.
-Players that were previously ratting are encouraged to reship to fight attackers to win back their 20% bounties.
-Ratters that are reshipping are given time to do so.
-Raiding gangs well be incentivized to attack these ratting systems, even if they can’t catch the ratters themselves.
-Gangs organized to break up the hackers do not have to be the ratters themselves. Alliances could hire out such gangs. (i.e. the “pvp-ers” and “farmers” or more likely: “farmer alts” and “pvp alts”)
-Assaulting gangs are incentivized to move around as once the ESS has been hacked no more 20% bounty is added to the pool.

Additional thoughts:
How could we reward the ratters for defending their I-hub as if they never left their ratting ship? Think about it for a bit. There are slew of ways players could get alts to exploit this.

"adjusting bounty payout to something along the lines of each player gets 25% delayed, but “hackers” get only 15% (10% of isk is destroyed"

Thank you for reminding me that not everyone reads posts all the way through. I will amend the OP to reflect this statement.