Assembly Hall

Ill keep it brief, as this has likely been suggested in some capacity in the past.

Summary:

• SP to be extracted and sold in designated size volumes (units) that scale to the SP sizing system (ie a x1 skill might extract/fill with 5 increments, where larger x2, x3 skills require more via the same scale).


• Have a tool, station service or process that can extract the units from a skill of choosing. Those SPs would then be a commodity - ie "I now have 15 units of Advanced Spaceship Command to sell".


• I imagine a syringe icon per unit to reflect units extracted/bought/used.

Benefits:

• Eliminates (mostly) the need for character sales and removes risk from that exchange system. Allows people to buy and sell the same effective "time", but without having to exchange characters. All done via controlled market.


• Reduces the growing player skill gap - allows newer younger (ie less than 3 years old) characters to invest in skill trees with isk investment.


• Skill point sink for very old characters.

Cons:

• This is the eve community, you will certainly fill this post with cons. Given the current mechanics of SP scale and the character bazaar, I don't see them yet.

As constructive as that was, "You do know" that we already do this via the character bazaar? Selling SP is not a new "play to win idea" it is a solution to an existing system. And (not that you care) but it also solves legitamate problems with scale and needed SP sinks. If you cant see that, it is simply because you dont want to. Or, you just prefer to troll.

If you are going to posture as wise, please try harder.

I have no desire to engage you or respond to your objections.

Not then. Not now. Not ever.

The Character Bazaar is a necessary evil to fight RMT and unsafe character trades.

If CCP (and many others) had their way... they would do away with character trading.

As for the "skillpoint problem" you keep referencing... please refer to this:
"The Skillpoint System and You."
(tldr; the "gap" doesn't really exist unless you think that being able to fly the best and/or have the best possible numbers is the be-all-end-all thing in EVE... which it isn't)

Seriously? You did it again in the same post you are saying you are not doing it (see next quote).


The gap does not exist.

A 10 year old veteran is no better (character-wise) than a 6 month old player at the frigate level (assuming both have trained the relevant skills in that specialty).
In another 10 years... the 20-year old veteran will be equal to the 10.5 year old player at the frigate level (assuming both have trained the relevant skills in that specialty). And both will still be not much better (character-skill wise) than the new 6 month old player who has specialized in frigates.

The ONLY advantage that the older players have is "flexibility" in what ships and weapons he/she can use... and those all have pros-cons as well.
see: a veteran being able to use a HAC or battleship does not automatically mean that a newbie player cannot compete. Hell... it is possible for crap equipment to punch WAY above themselves if used correctly.

(btw... did you even read the thread I linked in my last post? It pretty much spells out the truths of the current skill system)


So why are you asking for a system that greatly enhances veterans and the people who can shell out large quantities of cash?

Skillpoints are not the issue. It is getting newbie players...
- acclimated to how things are (especially with regards as to how "harsh" and unforgiving EVE can be),
- teach them how to use their brain more than rely the game or the game's mechanics to do stuff for them,
- and discourage "die-hard, lone wolf" type personalities that insulate themselves from others and insist they should be be as effective as a group of players working together and/or that no one should be able to interfere with them (this is probably the most toxic type of player in a game where, by design, everyone affects everyone else for better or worse).

Giving newbies easier access to Tech 3 ships, and other "high-end" equipment just results in more expensive loss-mails that will cause more angst (along with the possibility of quitting) than said new player being limited to Tech 1 frigates and losing two dozen or so of them (which is still cheaper than the Tech 3 stuff).


No... character/account trading exists because people are...
- greedy
- lazy
- impatient

There is no "need" for it... merely a "want."

However, the current character bazaar exists because...
- players will trade characters/accounts anyways (no matter what CCP does... because players are greedy/lazy/impatient like that)
- Real Money Traders will take advantage of this, gaining profit from CCP's game
- less than savory sites will steal player characters/accounts and use them to farm and/or launder stuff for other RMT activities (causing headaches for CCP and issues with the in-game markets).

(hint: this is also why PLEX exists... to combat RMT and keep money and control in CCP's hands).

"Gap"
"Problem"
"Scale issues."

Same difference.

You are basically saying someone who is young can't complete with an older player because the older player has more skillpoints. And while somewhat true... it is completely false at the same time.
The skill system is designed around small percentages, diminishing returns, hard caps on how powerful you can be in any specific area, and the ships/weapons themselves are (mostly) balanced in ways to give advantages and disadvantages to both sides... provided the player him/herself is willing to use his/her brain and employ "creative tactics."


Once a veteran player has maxed out certain skills, he/she cannot become any more powerful in that specific area... no matter how long he/she plays (which means anyone can EASILY "catch up" in a short amount of time if they specialize).

Instead, the veteran has to branch out and train in other skills (if he/she so desires)... but that does not necessarily make the player more powerful. It just means he/she can do more things (i.e. be more "flexible").
And yet that veteran is STILL limited to doing one thing at any given time... because he/she is just ONE player. And each task/specialty that a veteran does carries its own pros and cons.

Taking an example from my skillpoint speil:
A battleship can potentially "one-shot" a frigate... but the frigate can fly very fast, making it difficult for the battleship's weapons to hit, especially at very close range... then again, the battleship can deploy drones to deal with the frigate... and the frigate can shoot the drones down... however the battleship might have a Large Energy Neutralizer fitted to nuke the frigate's capacitor power every 24 seconds... in which case the frigate could use a Small Nosferatu that sucks out capacitor from the battleship every 3 seconds... etc. etc.
However... this is assuming the player in the frigate engages in the first place. Due to the frigate's higher mobility and speed the frigate can just run away and do something else... leaving the battleship behind and with no way to catch up.

Now if the veteran with max-frigate skills and a newbie player with only level 4 frigate skills brawl (which takes around one month training)...
- assuming both are flying the same fit... yes, the veteran wins due to his/her higher stats.
- however, few ships are ever fit in exactly the same way... so if the newbie player has a Tracking Disruptor fit and uses it... the veteran's ability to apply damage is reduced by ~30%... giving the newbie an edge that can mean the difference between winning and losing.

It is not as cut and dry as you make it out to be. There are a plethora of factors that can make or break a conflict between a veteran and a newbie. And the skill system helps facilitate this by forcing the newbies to rely on their brain and use the mechanics of the game to their advantage rather than rely on skillpoints alone.