Fire_Away

Good luck with that (no snark intended). I was just going to comment about what happened to the base "red name" rep (Sunstorm) right after I talked to him at one of these events. But then, I just happened to go back and notice that our "red name" rep has a red name once again (it was white for some time and I have no idea what this change back means).

Anyway, it looks like there will be a SF/San Jose Bay Area Meet and Greet that will be announced shortly. I wasn't going to go for a fourth year in a row (cause there never has been a commitment or timetable for base development announced at one of these that I have attended, but they are a lot of fun otherwise)... but now I do not think I can resist.

Bummer, I was sort of with you in the beginning but it got worse as you went on. Your analogy was appropriate but not like you think (You and I may just eat the food but plenty would call the staff on the carpet on the spot for something like no salt and pepper on the table both publicly and privately Who do you think would end up with salt and pepper quicker?).

Also, can I get a reference on what you have read that indicates a larger portion of attention will be paid to SG bases and that we can expect something within a year (especially something other than decorating that would make bases more functional for everyone)? Cause I've been at this awhile and could sure use some good news for a change. I really think a patience proverb to a gang that, by and large, are some of the nicest in the game (yours truly excluded)... who have waited for years (to the point where many have flat out given up) is sort of lacking.

I get that we are fortunate to have bases at all. And I've lauded some of the people responsible (like Pohsyb) in person and in public. But I will not just be quiet, or apologize for wanting to make "a good thing", with massive potential, "great". I salute those who have respectfully and persistently stuck with this cause... in the face of little to nothing in return for quite some time.

This is really none of my business but I've read about this sg with great interest and amusement elsewhere. Think like this in terms of a theme/style: In RL, these folks would light a cigar with a hundred dollar bill. What would their base look like?

How curious (and yet somehow typical of the past year or so).

As a mere player with a more than passing interest in the bases aspect of the game, I plead guilty to trying to analize everything said or done publicly by the devs on this subject. My goal is to try and understand the thought process behind the (very few) things that do occur with bases. My reasoning is that that will provide some kind of insight on what the devs find important and perhaps an inkling of future direction.

So far that has mostly been an exercise in futility (frustration) for me. Oftentimes, like this, the soda pop bottle just drops from the sky: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gods_Must_Be_Crazy

Guess I need to just accept that and move on.

You speak volumes in few words. I'm hoping for the best out of this (namely that bases become more fun and functional for everyone). My expectations are a bit lower (a request to pipe down in the forums, a couple of months of behind the scenes mystery and now the potential of contests for elite base builders are the sum total of what I know so far about this particular effort... and that doesn't have me "clapping in the aisle" yet).

Still, mentioning devs... excited... bases in the same breath has to be a positive sign. Right?

You bet it is logical/reasonable. As much as I'm "pro dev team", there are many examples where the devs have stepped in quickly and drastically to "correct a perceived imbalance" in game play. Sometimes the "cure" is even worse than the "disease".

Not sure if you were in closed beta when the CoP was (re)introduced. If you were, you can gauge for yourself how much player comments/desires impacted the end result. I am not, unfortunately, at all surprised at what has happened since this went live.

Love the devs... but gotta call'em as I see'em.

Every trial/tf/sf doesn't have up to 24 people flinging well placed nukes to fight a single AV.

It's just as likely that some dev (on an incognito account say) watched the CoP AV drop like a stone after a bunch of nukes and said "We can't have this.".

I can't argue with you there (pushing for SG related development has not been a particularly successful endeavor for some time). I still would be very pleased if this were to finally happen in the near term.

For the record, I was referring to the fact that currently 1,000,000 inf buys 2000 prestige (the exchange rate of 500 to 1, not the inf to prestige earning ratio). And that most certainly can be adjusted in a more favorable manner to presumably improve the incentive to convert inf to prestige. I would speculate the total inf that actually left the game with an even moderately better exchange rate would actually increase.

[significant edit add; somewhat technical and skipable for those not interested: Perhaps I should explain my reasoning for the last paragraph. Given that people (such as yourself) make inf from "ebil marketeer PvP activity" which is independent (blind to) the source of the original inf (sg mode or no...even other game play or no), it's a misnomer to label the "true" inf rate 250:1. People can and do play the market and convert inf often to meet their prestige needs. That is where we need to focus. At best, the 250:1 figure is more of a "floor" perhaps, "the best deal" you may wish to retain as a reward for people thinking ahead and playing in sg mode to obtain prestige (i.e w/o "punishing" sg mode players). The "ceiling" currently stands at 500:1 (what you'd pay for prestige for 100% no sg mode play). That ceiling can (and IMO should) be lowered.

You could actually have the market determine the "true" cost of prestige outside of sg mode... but I would vote against that... too many ebil marketeers out there ready to prey on people in a perceived "bind" for prestige. There's a lot of leeway, however, for a fixed (or semi-fixed with "specials") conversion rate between 250:1 and 500:1. Also, there's really nothing magical about a floor of 250:1... just that below that level you are currently better off buying prestige directly with inf and the so called "punishment" factor enters into play. Although I would view that as a, probably temporary, opportunity rather than a punishment... much as giving players a 250:1 rate (just as if they had played in sg mode) via prestige conversion though a matching give away (or say, giving players a free character server transfer to use an analogy) is an opportunity.]


Maybe my call for "system" changes when it comes prestige is an exercise in futility but I figure it's worth a shot.

Anyway, congrats on another successful give away program and sorry for horning in on your topic.

Interesting perspective and you are certainly entiled to that view. I'd counter that you'd very likely find someone out there in forum land that would say either the above or this:


About near any proposed base incremental improvement (by incremental imrprovement I mean any restructuring of existing cost/capability wrt bases). It's hard to find empathy when the situation isn't personally applicable. [edit add: you have the big inf, you don't care about the wait, 300-400K prestige means little, yada, yada, yada].

Tell me what you want done with bases that I could care less about and I'll be at the ready to play the "suck it up" or "limited development resources" card at a moment's notice. Nature of the business.

Also: Never meant to imply anyone was a fraud in any way. But I will say this: Can any one person or small group be a multi-billion inf earner in this game? Sure. Can we all wind up being so (to the point where all of us will have our inf desires met in short order) under any kind of market system? Nah...

And with that... I'm all worn out on this topic.

Fair question. Can't, of course, provide any hard data outside of my personal experience. I feel on pretty safe ground saying most small SGs are start up enterprises. I am too ok about saying that many large SGs actively recruit anyone they happen to team with with promises of "large base with full ammenties", etc.. I have seen individuals lured away in this manner (done the luring myself hehehe). You can draw your own conclusions (I admit I did). Acknowledge, however, people join, stay, or leave an SG for a variety of reasons. [edit add: throw bases and what they offer (don't offer) into that mix.].

Hey, big props on all your mad skillz in the marketplace Fulmens. Even bigger props on your generosity to the basebuilders in the process! I mean that sincerely.

I'm going to ignore the urge to rehash the whole "anyone can be an ebil marketeer and make big inf in a snap to throw at prestige or whatever your game desires may be" infomercial this time around. Congrats btw for "making hay while the sun shines" with the market merge, initial AM pricing return on investment value etc.. Let's have this conversation on AM's a year from now. Ok?

My question is: Why have a hump to get over in the first place? What's wrong with an intermediate point where a fair price in prestige is paid for a fair commensurate amount of power and control?

Sounds perfectly reasonable (with all due respect to the batcave, the genre, et al).

Guess that would depend on your point of view. With most people playing Praetorians (where they don't see a base or prestige until level 20) or a side switcher (and thus going into "limbo") seems to me like the squeeze is on especially smallish SGs/VGs more than ever. If there was a noticable "gap" before GR it's only more pronounced now.