Sectors in Conflict

[seekeronos]

Introduction

There are a handful of "new" (read: unreleased or in development) sectors that are either hinted at with the presence of hypergates (such as Moto and 2-3 other gates in 61 Cygni) and certainly quite a umber of undeveloped maps (as hinted at by some of the locations mapped out at http://isometricland.com/enb/enb_javascript_map.html )

Could it be possible to work out a system, where by players could compete for faction standing (and ultimately, faction control) over some of these new zones?

For example, one of the Moto maps has a Progen gate and a Terran gate into the system, with a Terran battleship of some sort roughly in the middle.

I'd like to propose that this zone (and others like it) be used as a late game (Lvl. 70+) area where players could compete via PvE in the following ways:

- Resource Extraction --- players from each of the three major races compete by the number of times a field clearing bonus is garnered/triggered by a player (ideally, this might involve teams of PS's vs. JE's vs. TS's competing in resource fields to clear it the fastest.

The key event that would be recorded would be the "last roid" that gets popped for the field clear bonus; that player, and any player in the experience granting zone who is of the same race as the player triggering the bonus, would accrue double points for their faction, and these points would count as "conquest points" toward the next tally. Other players in the "experience bubble" (such as those grouped with the player who triggered the field clearing bonus) would gain single points.

- Factioned mob killing --- while killing factioned mobs ordinarily results in a negative faction point accumulation for the player, in this zone, any faction mob that gets killed by an opposing faction will accumulate one "conquest point" per kill. Named faction mobs would accumulate from 2 - 5 points, depending upon the level and rarity of the named faction mob. By contrast, getting killed (incapacitated) by a faction mob will REDUCE one conquest point from the running tally.

- Trade Goods runs to outposts --- At hidden points on a conquest map, there are three outposts. Each outpost (could use a standard mining station asset, such as the one the Chavez mining stations or Orsini Mining Platform uses) is non-landable, non-killable, and staffed by an NPC trader loyal to a particular race faction (collectively, either Jenquai, Progen, or Terrans)

These outposts might be protected by gravity wells and secured by medium-to-high level security NPC mobs (faction aligned as Shinwa, Centuriata, or EarthCorps respectively)

These outposts are not displayed on sector map, nor are they immediately targetable (i.e. no hitting the X key and getting a cheap warp straight to the outpost directly from the gate EXCEPT for whichever faction group currently "owns" the sector.

For example: say that the Progen currently control Moto as a result from last week's conquest tally; the Progen outpost is visible on the map to anyone who has "explored" it (normal game mechanics) but the Jenquai and Terran outposts are not.

This means that players of Progen factions can easily target their outpost, and run trade goods from the Battlestation (explained later) to the outposts, and intel reports (SITREPs) from the outposts back to an NPC in their race's military homeworld (Tarsis/Arx Tiberius).

Trade runs from the Battlestation to outposts would accrue a fixed number of conquest points (remember that while shorter than a Fenris-Somerled run, it will be a very, very nasty and dangerous trip accross the sector) - good traded would not be an experience points machine like Fen-Som, but would be profitable for the time taken (expect to take about 15-20 minutes to go from the Battlestation to the outpost, much of it on thrusters and involving cloaking (if you have it) or outrunning aggro or killing stuff in your way.

For comparison, think of a slightly scaled down version of the trip across Lagarto to the Hyperion staging area, with some seriously nasty aggro tossed in.

The trade goods involved would be mundane things like food, supplies, etc. from the Battlestation to the outpost, and running SITREPs (situation reports) from the outpost back to the station. Alternatively, they can run the SITREPs back to their homeworlds for more conquest points per trip, and certainly more experience (but not necessarily more profitable).

For the two factions not in control of sector, they will only have the option to run trade goods from their homeworlds' military command centres (Prasad Station in Xipe Totec for Jenquai, Arx Tiberius in Tarsis for Progen, and EarthCorps High Command in Zweihander for Terrans) and SITREPs on the return leg.

Outpost Visibility and NPC mob combat

Visibility here means that the (in our case here with Progens controlling Moto) Progen outpost will be brightly visible to everyone arriving in the sector, especially to opposing factions, who might decide to kill off the NPCs that patrol the space around the outpost for (easier) faction points. The controlling faction's outposts would get a bonus to the respawn rate of its mobs, a double count of faction/conquest points for each kill, and a greater chance of spawning a named mob with very nice loot (specific to the non-controlling factions, i.e. killing a named mob such as "Proconsul Valerius Titus" would not drop a CFB, but a much wanted Terran-only or Jenquai-only item)

This will create incentive for attacking the controlling faction's outpost by non-controlling factions, and of course, the controlling faction will want to find and kill the opposing factions' outpost mobs (which will respawn more slowly, with lowered chances named NPC mobs and he normal count of faction/conquest points tallied).

Only mobs with factional alliance (these mobs might have names such as Progen Trade Escort, Sabine Reclaimer, Sharim Trader, Shinwa Recon Patrol, or obvious named mobs such as Ken'Shao Kagetora or Prelate Gallus Aetelides) would yield conquest points. Other mobs with grievances against a player faction might passively "assist" friendl(ier) factioned players, i.e. Anseria or Psi mobs in Moto attacking the Terran controlled outpost mobs but ignoring Progen or Jenquai

Players might also choose to support their faction defensively by healing NPC mobs or regenerating their hulls while they are being attacked by their "enemy" factioned players (this introduces a limited form of PvPbE (player versus player by environment).

Battlestations

This could use an common asset for a Highport such as the asset for Chernevog Station or Trader's Fort (a non-major faction specific station) and it would be surrounded by as many as six L66 gate guns within a 10km sphere of the station, at each of the cardinal poles (north, south, east, west, up and down).

These guns could be masked by cruiser or capital ship placeholders (a Progen Pax, or an ECS cruiser, or a Shinwa Destroyer) to give a truly imposing effect of a battlefleet ready to hold its space, along with about a dozen or so of their respective fighter escorts (each at least CL50 with healing abilities, and AI not allowing them to stray to far from the station). The nastiness factor for non-controlling factions getting too close would be about the same or worse than that Vrix Hiveship that was station-camping Arx Tiberius at the beginning of ST4.

The station itself would be a normal station, with a vendor area, a lounge, and a central lobby; the vendors would include L5-L9 components vendors, the trade good vendor (selling stuff to his outpost), a weapons vendor, and equipment vendor (also L5-L9). The components and equipment sold would depend upon which faction controls the station, and at the L8/L9 levels one might expect to find some unusual and rare items for sale.

And of course, assuming an enemy faction member could even get close enough to land, she will find that the station is unlandable!

HOWEVER: there would be a very large Conquest bonus to opposing factions that killed the six (disguised) gate guns and their fighter escorts.

Tallying Conquest Points

Each player participating in a kill event (either actively or passively, by being in an area of the kill equal to that of the "experience award bubble") accumulates a fixed number of faction points per kill - equal to 1 point per kill for controlling factions killing non-controlling faction mobs, and 2 points per kill for non-controlling factions that kill controlling faction mobs.

Likewise, players completing battlestation to outpost trade runs will accrue one point per item in their cargo hold sold to the outpost, and one point per SITREP returned to the battlestation. Traders who run the SITREP back to their respective military's

headquarters for two points per SITREP, and return with trade goods for one point per trade goods item.

The Jenquai would probably enjoy a little bit of an advantage with regards to the Conquest trade runs; therefore, using (or receiving the effect of) the Create Wormhole skill (JE) and L7 Fold Space/Teleport Friend to Registered Port skill (JD) would be impossible while holding a SITREP in the cargo hold. Trade goods would simply loose a percentage of their quality as normal.

In similar manner, the Progen Warrior ability "Self Destruct" might be rendered ineffective if that PW held a SITREP in his hold.

Miners could team up to clear fields in Conquest sectors, and upon triggering the "Cleared Field Bonus", points are tallied for each roid in the field that was cleared for all players within that field who were eligible for that bonus, and a second round of points tallied for all players of the same faction as the player who triggered the bonus, regardless of which faction controls the sector.

For example, there is a certain resource field containing 45 objects (roids). Four miners are in that field, two PS's and two JE's and three TS's; the Terrans have a TT flying fighter cover against any resource field guardian mobs; there is also a PW and a JD somewhere about flying cover for their respective groups. The TS clears the field, popping that last roid, and triggers the bonus:

The PS and the PW gets 45 Conquest Points each, for a total of 135 Progen Conquest Points.

The JE and JD each get 45 Conquest points, for a total of 135 Jenquai Conquest Points.

The three TS's and their TT each get 90 points, for a total of 360 Terran Conquest Points.

As an additional wrinkle, the ore guardian might be a factioned mob that will ignore players of the same faction as itself, but will beeline right for opposing factions. Killing that mob would have the expected faction and conquest point rewarded to the player executing the kill.

At the end of the Conquest period (arbitrarily, we'll make it Sunday night, at midnight central European Time) the points are tallied, and "control" of the zone will be handed off to the winning faction for the next week.

If there is a tie... then the unthinkable happens: the sector is uncontrolled, and while the station will spawn, no supporting NPC mobs or station guns will appear. Instead, high-level mobs typical to that sector will spawn and range in a 20km area around the station.

The station will be open to all players, with only have the landing deck and central lobby areas open (ships can restock items or ammo from their vault and get repair service) but no vendors or trade goods will be available. Any terminals that would normally be available (refining/analysis/building) will be available.

System Messages for Conflict

Upon zoning into a sector that is under Conquest rules, the system message will have a text that reads:

"We have entered Moto Sector in the 61 Cygni System. This system is in conflict, and is currently controlled by the Progen Republic. All Terran vessels will be seized and searched. Resistance will be met with lethal force."

In other words, there would be a formula of that text is "We have entered x sector in y system... controlled by {the controlling faction}, warning against {the faction rising most significantly this week in conquest Points}.

If a particular controlling faction is very strong, and no opposing faction is posing a particular threat, you might see something to the effect of:

"Welcome to Achenar Sector in Eridani. This system is in conflict, but rest in the certain knowledge that the Jenquai Heirate prevails. Stay alert and report any suspicious vessels to Shinwa Control."

If near the close of the Conquest tally week, the tally for an opposing faction has an apparent run-away lead, we might see this:

"Achenar Sector is under attack..." -(static)- "...repeat, all Shinwa, rally to outpost..." -(static)- "resist to the end against the Progen dogs!" --- END TRANSMISSION...

And lastly, an uncontrolled sector might present this message:

"We have entered Moto Sector in the 61 Cyngi System. This system is in conflict. Be aware that military warships may be operating in the area."

End Notes:

The concept of "Conquest" is based largely on a faction/zone control or influence idea that existed in Final Fantasy XI Online. I think that borrowing from that idea and adapting it to the EnB universe might have interesting results, especially in our largely PvE system.

[seekeronos]

I see that I misposted in General, where I had intended to post this in "Suggestions".

Would a moderator kindly move this to the "Suggestions" category?

Respectfully yours,

[Ayami]

As you wish

/moved

[seekeronos]

Thanks

[Trekker]

This is actually a really cool idea. If it can be managed, it could certainly add some much needed high lvl content...

[AZwoodman]

sounds like eve....