Search the Community

Idea: The Big Wipe Equalizer Short version at the bottom @admin You’ll need a glass of red for this one… The topic of the Big Wipe before the full game launch is never far away. It’s a hard problem with no easy answer. However, I wanted to give you an idea that just might work. I would ask that you read the whole post and come at it with an open mind. Then tear it to shreds… The Point of View Problem 1. The Current Player (Hardcore) He has Rank10, Craft7(50) loads of Knowledge and rare books. After a few thousand hours of grind, books and knowledge to even contemplate starting all over again is depressing. Maybe a game stopper. Why do we need a total wipe? How many new players are we expecting…? Not many my guess 2. Inactive Player Same as above, but he’s going to wait for the launch. There is no added value grinding anything at the moment. No Fun and to what end? Or he stopped playing more than six months ago for many reasons. May give it a go on launch but if it’s a totally wipe that feels like hard work starting over… 3. New Player Buys game on day1. He’s got issues with the above Hardcore Player. If he’s allowed to carry over his rank craft knowledge skill books etc… what chance do I have? Plus, he’s also got all that game experience… Think I’ll pass on this… Now obviously these are some very broad strokes, but probably covers most players over three categories. In my humble opinion I believe in a total wipe. However, if we do this, we are in danger of killing the current customer base. The Inactive player may try it, but he’s already quit once. He’ll also need to reclimb the grind ladder… The New Player is an unknown entity. Marketing drive and push will bring in new players. Flat playing field is fine for him and expected. So, the New Player will need to replace the other two and add more to build on the game for the future. I’m not expecting a massive influx at first… this could be a problem. If we allow certain carry overs… knowledge or craft or whatever to placate 1 & 2 then 3 won’t join. These categories highlight the juxtaposition problem. Am sure you can think of many more conflicts as well, but this paints a simple picture all the same. Carry-Over Problems Imagine back to when you first started at Rank1. Now think about how long it took to get to Rank10. Between 1 & 10 how much Gold and Resources where added to the economy and game as a whole. Do the same with craft from 1 to 50… How much gold, resources etc…? It’s quite a lot you’ll agree. If on day1 on the new Universe YOU redeem both Rank10 & Craft7(50) how much have they contributed to the economy or game as a whole? Actually zero, and in that lies a massive economic sink hole. Do it with Knowledge or skill books or whatever its still the same result. The below link is my old ‘Junkie & the Dealer’ post about the May’17 wipe. We’ve all learnt a lot since then, but I wanted to highlight ‘The Dealer’. The Dev’s softening the blow (excuse the pun) giving away a couple of ships and both your Rank & Craft xp seems fine. https://forum.game-labs.net/topic/20652-the-junkie-his-dealer…/ Unfortunately, the economy took an age to get going, why? There was no impetus to climb ranks and thus there was an invisible sink hole in the economic game. Have a think about for a minute. I highlight players looking at a 10day Universe with 4,000+ hours of game time. This is important because all testers will carry over in game time play into this new Universe. Side Note: I genuinely believe the Game promotes way too quick. This I would like to see change at the launch with a mix of xp and time component hurdles. This is the link below… https://forum.game-labs.net/topic/28448-do-we-promote-too-fast/ Idea: The Equalizer Imagine NA-OW launch. The day before everything is wiped from the STEAM Client apart from your in-game name. You launch the game, asked to change name option, pick a Nation and location etc. Upon port entry in the Redeemable box you’ll find a number of Doubloons and REALs. The amount will be defined by ONE In-game hour played = ‘x’ number of Doubloons and ‘x’ number of REALs. An example might be 0.5 Doubloons and 500 REALs per hour. If you look at my profile in STEAM, you’ll see I have 4,000hours. So, let’s look at a few players… @Norfolk nChance 4,000hrs 2,000 Doubloons 2,000,000 REALs @Liq 12,000hrs 6,000 Doubloons 6,000,000 REALs New Player zero hrs 0 Doubloons 0 REALs @Jeheil 2,600hrs 1,300 Doubloons 1,300,000 REALs The FX Rate… The cross rates of 0.5D & 500R to 1hour might be way off, but what do you think it should be? Less or more and the ratio of Ds to Rs. It must reflect the time a player has given to the game fairly. The Possible Point of View 1. The Current Player (Hardcore) He’s not happy having the whole restart thing, but what an opportunity. With all his peers starting at the same level he can forge or carve out a much better position than before. Careful resource planning and strategic locations plus he won’t be out gunned or ganked by clans to start. 2. Inactive Player The fact that we all start the same level means the Current Hardcore don’t have that strangle hold to start with. A quick learning curve, with the cash from the hours spent works really well at holding him into the game up that grind ladder. Haven’t played for a year and yet his hours of input are worth something. This is the hook that draws the Old guys back in like @Jeheil… and helps keep them. 3. New Player He expected a level playing field and got one. The cash the old players have the New Player doesn’t need to start with. In fact, it’s a massive anchor. How many new guys buy a Bellona after a couple of weeks? Get jumped clubbed to death dropping back to a Snow unable to afford a Cerberus no cash no resources etc. Summary It’s not a perfect solution by any means, but it kind of works. The kicker is the REALs will need to be spent on inward investment by the player. It can’t be all at once, he won’t be able to sail a line ship for sometime but will need to carefully map out his path. This means the economy grows from the very start and expands as the player base rise in both craft and rank levels. It should be a good hook for past players also. The level playing field with Gold… The key is the Ratio’s to hours played. This is more for the Current Hardcore guys and Dev’s to suggest. I’m too out of touch. Sorry for the length, and thank you for reading Norfolk nChance [ELITE] Short Version Over the last few years Denzel Washington, and in the 80s Edward Woodward were able to level out the playing field against some mountainous problems. What we need come launch day is an Equalizer… STEAM Client account sees a total wipe apart from the PCs Name. Rank1, Craft1 no nation clan knowledge book or assets. 1hour Gameplay before launch = x amount of in game REALs. In the redeemable tab each tester will receive x amount of REALs equivalent to hours played prior to launch. New Player happy will all starting on a level field. No REALs are ok as he doesn’t need them yet. Old Player maybe more tempted to try it again with level start and a cash bump Current Player not overly happy but will see the freedom of the fresh start and challenge. The REALs would be invested in the new economy. This kicker is much better than allowing Books and ranks to cross over which add no value but inflation.