These forums have been archived and are now read-only.

The new forums are live and can be found at https://forums.eveonline.com/

EVE General Discussion

 
  • Topic is locked indefinitely.
123Next pageLast page
 

What about Off Grid Boosting?

First post
Author
Shaleb Heworo
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#1 - 2014-12-03 16:52:20 UTC  |  Edited by: Shaleb Heworo
o/

Since this is my first forum post and to make you better understand where my point is coming from i'll write a few words about myself. I'm relatively new to pvp and I have been mainly engaged in faction warfare. So far I had a great time doing solo pvp and currently I'm learning how to pilot manually and this means -as any pvp related learning process in eve- losing a lot of ships.

I don't mind losing a lot of ships, really.... What is annoying though is losing them not mainly because of personal failure but because of a mechanic which greatly shifts the odds against newer individual players in favor of players who are willing and able to pay for a second account . I personally use speed implants only to stand a chance against boosted targets and i have to risk them all the time against the odds of dc and smartbombing battleships. If I wanted to have that extra web and point range that come with the fleet booster I had to fly slicers at the cost of a pirate cruiser!

Boosted pilots on the other hand get all these bonuses at the price of minimal Risk . While pilots without a second account have to throw all their assets into the ring every time they engage in combat boosted pilots just park their booster at station and dock up as soon as any danger occurs. It seems to me that off grid boosting therfore simply breaks the most important meta mechanics of eve pvp: Risk vs Reward. This is exactly why fighting boosted pilots can feel like playing a game of rigged cards.

I don't know if i'm right about everything I stated here and I'm glad to hear different opinions on this but there's one thing i know for sure: This mechanic is not good to acquire new players. In fact it's terrible in that regard. It massively shifts the odds against individual entrepreneurs in favor of "older" more established players and groups of players due to "out-of-game" physics aka paying for a second account with rl money.

I suspect that's why many boosting pilots i talked to stated they don't like using links but they feel forced to use them to compete. Therefore my question: Are there any plans to change this mechanic? Making boosts (rightfully!) show up on kb's would imo be a step in the right direction. What else could be done? Or am i seeing things the wrong way? Please discuss :-)
Paranoid Loyd
#2 - 2014-12-03 16:53:20 UTC
Soon™

"There is only one authority in this game, and that my friend is violence. The supreme authority upon which all other authority is derived." ISD Max Trix

Fix the Prospect!

Jarod Garamonde
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#3 - 2014-12-03 16:54:11 UTC
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.

That moment when you realize the crazy lady with all the cats was right...

    [#savethelance]
Doc Fury
Furious Enterprises
#4 - 2014-12-03 16:55:28 UTC
This thread should attract some reasonable and courteous debate.

There's a million angry citizens looking down their tubes..at me.

Primary This Rifter
Mutual Fund of the Something
#5 - 2014-12-03 16:56:17 UTC
I've been on these forums a few years.
I've never heard any substantive argument for removing OGB.
Shaleb Heworo
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#6 - 2014-12-03 17:02:55 UTC
Primary This Rifter wrote:
I've been on these forums a few years.
I've never heard any substantive argument for removing OGB.


can you please explain why breaking the risk vs reward meta mechanic which kind of constitutes eve is not a aubstantive argument against off grid boosts?
Shaleb Heworo
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#7 - 2014-12-03 17:05:09 UTC
Jarod Garamonde wrote:
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.


Can't do that without a probing account. Which brings you back to the point where a second account shifts the odds to a point where you basically "need" one to compete in pvp. Can you see how this might discourage new players?
Beledia Ilphukiir
Proffessional Experts Group
#8 - 2014-12-03 17:13:19 UTC  |  Edited by: Beledia Ilphukiir
Shaleb Heworo wrote:
Jarod Garamonde wrote:
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.


Can't do that without a probing account. Which brings you back to the point where a second account shifts the odds to a point where you basically "need" one to compete in pvp. Can you see how this might discourage new players?

You don't need to argue about it. You've already won the argument. OGB has been confirmed by CCP to be undesirable and the code rework to make it possible to replace the current system with something more interesting has been going on for a long time already. There is no exact timetable on this though, since it seems to be a major code rewriting project, so it'll happen when it happens. Until then you'll have to adjust and live with the system we have.
DaReaper
Net 7
Cannon.Fodder
#9 - 2014-12-03 17:14:23 UTC
you would have the same issue with on grid booster, it will still be 2v1 or 3v1 or 4v1 and you will still die. Only now that guy boosting could add his own dps to the fight and you die faster.

Off grid booster is not that hard to counter but yes you need a buddie. thus making it 2v2.

OMG Comet Mining idea!!! Comet Mining!

Eve For life.

Paranoid Loyd
#10 - 2014-12-03 17:15:01 UTC
Beledia Ilphukiir wrote:
Shaleb Heworo wrote:
Jarod Garamonde wrote:
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.


Can't do that without a probing account. Which brings you back to the point where a second account shifts the odds to a point where you basically "need" one to compete in pvp. Can you see how this might discourage new players?

You don't need to argue about it. You've already won the argument. OGB has been confirmed by CCP to be undesirable and the code rework to make it possible to replace the current system with something more interesting has been going on for a long time already. There is no exact timetable on this though, since it seems to be a major code rewriting project, so it'll happen when it happens. Until then you'll have to adjust and live with the system we have.

TL;DR Soon™

"There is only one authority in this game, and that my friend is violence. The supreme authority upon which all other authority is derived." ISD Max Trix

Fix the Prospect!

Mr Epeen
It's All About Me
#11 - 2014-12-03 17:18:36 UTC
I'm fine with OGB and I'll tell you why.

To make a good booster takes a long time. It's not like banging out a gank alt on a trial. It's more than six months of focused min/max training to do one simple thing. To add on grid capabilities to that would be another number of months.

So I feel there is enough of a penalty involved in training one that the balance is maintained. And as mentioned above, they can be probed down and easily blapped.

Mr Epeen Cool
DaReaper
Net 7
Cannon.Fodder
#12 - 2014-12-03 17:21:39 UTC
There are plans, but the coding is a pita from what the devs have said, and it think oddly its tied into another system they need to fix before they can tackle this. For future reference, there is this nice little tool call 'the search bar' if you used that you would of found your answer instead of making another topic that has been talked to death already

OMG Comet Mining idea!!! Comet Mining!

Eve For life.

Primary This Rifter
Mutual Fund of the Something
#13 - 2014-12-03 17:21:59 UTC
Shaleb Heworo wrote:
Jarod Garamonde wrote:
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.


Can't do that without a probing account. Which brings you back to the point where a second account shifts the odds to a point where you basically "need" one to compete in pvp. Can you see how this might discourage new players?

Gee, who'd have thought. Two accounts is better than one when you're facing someone with two accounts.
DaReaper
Net 7
Cannon.Fodder
#14 - 2014-12-03 17:23:07 UTC  |  Edited by: DaReaper
Mr Epeen wrote:
I'm fine with OGB and I'll tell you why.

To make a good booster takes a long time. It's not like banging out a gank alt on a trial. It's more than six months of focused min/max training to do one simple thing. To add on grid capabilities to that would be another number of months.

So I feel there is enough of a penalty involved in training one that the balance is maintained. And as mentioned above, they can be probed down and easily blapped.

Mr Epeen Cool



Exactly. if the booster has to move and be active or even if forced to cloak then off goes the boost. This is eve, pick your targets correctly or put a little work into making the playing fields even

OMG Comet Mining idea!!! Comet Mining!

Eve For life.

Shaleb Heworo
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#15 - 2014-12-03 17:30:09 UTC
Beledia Ilphukiir wrote:
Shaleb Heworo wrote:
Jarod Garamonde wrote:
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.


Can't do that without a probing account. Which brings you back to the point where a second account shifts the odds to a point where you basically "need" one to compete in pvp. Can you see how this might discourage new players?

You don't need to argue about it. You've already won the argument. OGB has been confirmed by CCP to be undesirable and the code rework to make it possible to replace the current system with something more interesting has been going on for a long time already. There is no exact timetable on this though, since it seems to be a major code rewriting project, so it'll happen when it happens. Until then you'll have to adjust and live with the system we have.


I didn't know that but it certainly is good to know. Even though having no timetable on this is not so great tbh since this is pretty much the only thing which really annoys me about eve pvp

DaReaper wrote:
you would have the same issue with on grid booster, it will still be 2v1 or 3v1 or 4v1 and you will still die. Only now that guy boosting could add his own dps to the fight and you die faster.

Off grid booster is not that hard to counter but yes you need a buddie. thus making it 2v2.


It wouldn't be the same issue at all since you could see the booster and respectively decide not to fights it try get an isolation or most importantly try to kill it or drive it off grid. Same as with ecm and and logis which you can very much deal with as a solo player.
Charlie Firpol
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#16 - 2014-12-03 17:30:53 UTC
DaReaper wrote:
you would have the same issue with on grid booster, it will still be 2v1 or 3v1 or 4v1 and you will still die. Only now that guy boosting could add his own dps to the fight and you die faster.

Off grid booster is not that hard to counter but yes you need a buddie. thus making it 2v2.


Offgrid Boosted Garmur vs your usual lowsec frigate fleet: the Garmur kites forever

Ongrid boosted Garmur vs your usual lowsec frigate fleet: the booster gets roflstomped

Offgrid-Booster have been a HUGE pita for every lowsec pvper that doesn´t have one. They´ve divided the playingfield in lowsec into 2 groups and they´re really REALLY bad for the amount of fights (and fun) you can find there.

I still believe that the effects of the different ways to boost your ships attributes are way out of shape.

- offgrid booster have the lowest risk but a huge effect
- drugs are way too expensive for their comparatively small effect (and a further risk of bad effects)

- implants are kinda fine, the good ones are really expensive, the cheap ones dont do that much

The Butcher of Black Rise - eve-radio.com

Jarod Garamonde
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#17 - 2014-12-03 17:34:25 UTC
Shaleb Heworo wrote:
Jarod Garamonde wrote:
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.


Can't do that without a probing account. Which brings you back to the point where a second account shifts the odds to a point where you basically "need" one to compete in pvp. Can you see how this might discourage new players?


YOU don't need a second account. This is not a solo game.
Every PvP corp has several blokes with more than one account. Often, it's the CEO and/or primary FC who has the booster. And as for the prober.... well, it's either the booster alt, or someone else in the fleet will have such an alt.
It only takes one.

Your strawmen are at least putting out an effort, here, but your argument still falls flat on its face under scrutiny.
If you are solo PvP'ing in EVE, you're either uncommonly good, or universally foolish. But mostly both.

That moment when you realize the crazy lady with all the cats was right...

    [#savethelance]
Shaleb Heworo
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#18 - 2014-12-03 17:38:00 UTC
Primary This Rifter wrote:
Shaleb Heworo wrote:
Jarod Garamonde wrote:
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.


Can't do that without a probing account. Which brings you back to the point where a second account shifts the odds to a point where you basically "need" one to compete in pvp. Can you see how this might discourage new players?

Gee, who'd have thought. Two accounts is better than one when you're facing someone with two accounts.


I'm not arguing about this. A second account should come with benefits. Understand me right: I want Eve to grow and prosper and that's exactly why core "physics" of eve need to stay intact for players with or without a second account! You need to risk what you throw into the ring and against a player with only one account this general rule doesn't apply for boosters. When the booster is parked at station even against groups of players with multiple accounts the risk of losing the booster is almost not existant -correct me if i'm wrong. Do you understand th point i'm trying to make?
Orla- King-Griffin
#19 - 2014-12-03 17:48:17 UTC
Hahahahaha!

Ah shite...

Unsuccessful At Everything
The Troll Bridge
#20 - 2014-12-03 17:50:14 UTC
Shaleb Heworo wrote:
Jarod Garamonde wrote:
Paranoid Loyd wrote:
Soon™



Off-grid boosting should stay.
Don't like it? Probe down the booster alt, and kill it.


Can't do that without a probing account. Which brings you back to the point where a second account shifts the odds to a point where you basically "need" one to compete in pvp. Can you see how this might discourage new players?


Why the hell do you need another account just for probing? There is literally nothing stopping you from training probing skills and strapping a probe launcher on a combat ship. OGB alts are usually untanked, sitting at a safespot, with mids and lows full of ECCM and sensor backup arrays. The good boosts are coming from Command ships, which would only be able to fit a t1 or improved cloak.. which cant be used while boosting. T3s have less boosts, but can be covert cloaked/nullified.. but once again.. not while boosting. T3s would also be running command processors, taking more midslots. And during combat, most OGB alts aren't tabbed to or d-scanning.

TLDR, Drop some damn combat scanner probes and start probing while other people are fighting. Best case scenario, you get a hit, you warp to it, point it and **** it, worst case scenario.. the OGB alt is d-scanning, sees your probes and either warps or cloaks.. effectively taking them out of the fight anyways.

WTL;SDFR (Way too long:Still didn't ******* read) Stop blaming OGB because you are averted to effort.

Since the cessation of their usefulness is imminent, may I appropriate your belongings?

123Next pageLast page