Topic: What exactly do people want?

[Gook]

So there have been some suggestions for improvements, now some say they are not needed. Some say there are too many rules, some to few. Some want PvP centric dynas, with strategic element second, some want less emphasis on PvP and more team work and less "I am".

The reason I keep banging away at what peeps want is that the moans haven't really changed in 4 years of play. Drones, cheese, drones, Marines, cheese, BBs, not enough skill blah blah blah, lots of hot air and no action.

The last poll on Taldren was a 50/50 (effectively 2 votes in it) for more or less control. In the absence of any constructive immediately available solutions, it seems to me we just play alternate servers, one "laissez faire" the other more regimented and "Tourney" cruiser like where BCHs can have a jolly god bash at each other.

Now prove me wrong and post some constructive ideas which don't rely on months of coding and debugging, or we are going to remain in the same old rut?

Yep I know the DIPers have been beavering away and that will be coming out shortly, but BPV/Hull/scripting problems may have an impact and then as the system was worked out by a cabal there will be howls about its effect, (as we have seen already) about its structure from those who were not privy to its evolution. So we need constructive public debate (less "soundbites").

Post away, even if you think nothing should change.

[Bonk]

I want to see a server where fleets are allowed (CnC as close to SFB as possible) with a F&E style OoB (perhaps a bit generous). You choose the implementation. I want it NOW!

Edit: in the interest of making a constructive suggestion, how about this implementation:
The OoB file must be downloaded and added to the scripts folder as an scr (just a text file but make it a validated file to help force it being read). Then add the following to the server description:
"If you have never played SFB or have no idea what a F&E OoB is - DO NOT LOGIN!"
i.e if all the players read the OoB and are familiar with SFB CnC and can work within an honour system then it will work fine. No coding, no debugging and its ready now.

That will exclude a lot of players however, so a server with no rules whatsoever should always run concurrently so that people can fly all the BBs they like if that's what they want.


I'll still be working on an automated, customisable OoB system anyway as part of the php webmap, which admins can enable or disable as they see fit. (If they use the webmap at all).

[FPF-DieHard]

What do I want?   Working on it now in SGODev.   Some reall advantages to owning your own server . . .

Pretty much what Bonk had posted above.

Pretty much make the game as close as possible to SFB and F&E.

[Max Power]

I'm in development of a campaign that will be played out on GSA, with full orders of battle, etc, etc. If you're interested in that contact me - I could use some help with the work (especially).

[Grim]

I want there to be a variety of different type of servers, some with OOB and rules and some fun servers. I personally dont want some kind of standard procedure for future servers where they all follow the same OOB etc.

In terms of OOB i feel that the DN's/BB's, are the only ships that should be restricted, best method imo is to have the high price and high VC option on these. Yes i know this stops the casual players, on the other hand it may inspire them to play more and thus get that ship that they want. I find some of the talk of balance is excessive as the game aint supposed to be 100% balanced, some races have advantages over others, some ships have advnatges over others etc.

Basically what we have now is a mixture of servers IMO, and i think it should stay like that.

[Lepton]

OK, I'lll say it simple and fast.  Rip the D2 out by the roots and salt the earth it was planted on.  Replace with a GSA-based online campaign that uses a web-based F&E style map, OoB, production, etc, etc.  All games are PvP.  No stupid AI.  No hex flipping.  Just SFC.   Scenarios either generated by Race Leader map movements of actual fleets or generated at random from a set of condition.   The model that this is based on is the General War Campaign and STOC in the first instance and Virtual Eastern Front in the second instance. 

No sides.  No server numbers.  People log on to play the scenarios, not to take sides and win.  The game for the sake of the game.

Any and all complexity in any campaign could be handled by an SQL-based database and web app that would be exactly what admins seem to be clamoring for without having to leverage it on a D2 server kit that isn't stable for SQL at the present.

Unpopular?  Besides the point?  Irrelevant?

Oh, to be certain, but that is the only thing I really want.

[Hexx]

I want...
people to realize that this game isn't SFB with all that that entails,
I want
people to realize that SFB's basic background and history for ship designs doesn't really make alot of sense, so stop trying to make them work in this game
I want
people who play SFB and like it to have fun playing this game
I want
a server that has some restrictions so that people who have nothing but time on their hands don't end up in BB's, who consider it fun to smack around people who havent earned enough prestige to compete.
I want
 to be able to play on a server where I have unlimited access to CWLP's/D5L's and other's can fly what they like
I want
the people who want restricted OOB's to be able to play on a server and have fun
I want
People to realize that the game has survived this long because every server has been a little different and that there is no perfect system that's going to keep everyone happy.

[FPF-AJTK]

Im in 100% agreement with HEXX.

A mix of servers is what keeps people going. If they are all regimented, SFB/F+E types, your only catering to a portion of the player base, whereas on the other hand, if it is all 3 BB fleets flying around, with no rules, etc that will run off the more SFB/F+E types.

Have it like it always has been:

Fun servers, with no restrictions
Controlled servers, with Full/Limited OoB.
Perhaps a server with the systems Bonk and Gook have suggested as well, that would have to be more on the Full/Limited OoB I would imagine, but I suppose it could work on the Fun server as well.

I think GW2 was the best server I have played on yet. I liked SS2 as well, where you could BUY a BCH if you wanted, but if you died it gave VCs to the enemy.

While I prefer the GW2 type, or even a more restricted type OoB server, Im the type that I will pretty much play on anything that sounds good. Im sorry Dizzy's SG3 is gonna be for EAW, as I uninstalled that when I got OP and have no intention of taking a step backwards in my SFC play. (HOT chicks tho, Dizzy!  )

Make it however you want, as DH's poll showed, it appears that of the interested community that actually comes to the boards, its pretty much split right down the middle.

Seems to indicate we need both types of servers, and perhaps some blended servers that have both elements.

I frankly am skeptical of the DIP project, but hope to be proven wrong in LB5. Of course, as one of the "Evil SFB Purists" I dont like the idea of modifying things to make BCH's more like Tourney ships, nor do I like the idea of modifying things so historically slow hex flipping races can compete with the other races. Its not about "fair" its about picking the race you like.

Ah well, do as you will. I will happily try whatever you hard working boys and girls put out. 

[FPF-DieHard]

I want to play a game that has more tactics than a death-drag . . .

[FPF-AJTK]

I want to play a game that has more tactics than a death-drag . . .

Ok, I know what a death-drag is regarding fighters, but what is it other than that?! Call me a dumbass and color me stoopid but I havent a clue.

[FPF-DieHard]

I want to play a game that has more tactics than a death-drag . . .

Ok, I know what a death-drag is regarding fighters, but what is it other than that?! Call me a dumbass and color me stoopid but I havent a clue.

Kzin Anchor, Gorn Anchor. 

[FPF-AJTK]

Ahh, ok. Had not heard them called that but obviously am WELL aware of those nasty little things. Not just kzin, any droner, lol. Heh, I remember on SS2 thinking I had Crims D5D on the run in my F-BCG and was chasing him at speed 26, so his medium drones couldnt catch me. The nasty bugger set me up the bomb and tractored me and slowed me down. I hit em with photons and whatnot, but didnt kill him. Used up my phasers on his 12 drones chasing me, then he fired 6 more and SP'd. Bleh.

Rule #1 when fighting a droner: NEVER CHASE HIM, EVER. 

Lol, what a humiliating bitch slap that was, lol. Served me well, havent died from a droner since. 

[Bonk]

I want...
people to realize that this game isn't SFB with all that that entails,
I want
people to realize that SFB's basic background and history for ship designs doesn't really make alot of sense, so stop trying to make them work in this game

We realise that, three ships does not make an SFB fleet. (Real-time, not turn based... etc...)

Adapted SFB CnC is still valid. I'll say it again: Adapted SFB CnC is still valid, and addresses a lot of these concerns.

SFB ship designs don't make sense for TNG Star Trek simulation, but they make perfect sense for naval simulation.

I guess the question is TV simulation vs naval battle simulation. Seems we have two kinds of gamers here.

[kbf-jd]

I want to play a game that has more tactics than a death-drag . . .

I want a Darwin server,  in other words, if you are so stupid as to get tractored, you do not live to reproduce....

jd

[FVA_C_ Blade_ XC]

I want Peace in the Middle East................And a nice inexpensive good 50yr old single malt!

[FPF-AJTK]

I want to play a game that has more tactics than a death-drag . . .

I want a Darwin server,  in other words, if you are so stupid as to get tractored, you do not live to reproduce....

jd

 

[Grim]

Its simple, admins run the servers how you see fit if you want a fun server or specfic rules implemented then run the server how you want to.

At the end of the day the player will chose whether to fly it or not.

And based on the poll that DH made on Taldren it seemed more or less 50/50, so there is still some numbers who would play either type of server.

[Rod ONeal]

Its simple, admins run the servers how you see fit if you want a fun server or specfic rules implemented then run the server how you want to.

At the end of the day the player will chose whether to fly it or not.

And based on the poll that DH made on Taldren it seemed more or less 50/50, so there is still some numbers who would play either type of server.

I agree. I also like that it came out even on the poll, Let's both sides know that they aren't in the majority and should quit thinking that it's either a missinformed few or the SFB nutter minority that are the problem.

[Fluf]

Yep, thats why I didnt vote in that pole.  Im 50/50 myself on these issues.  I never played SFB, played the FASA game before it..  So I guess Im more of a SFCer.  Thats why I dont like restricting myself to SFB rules when it comes to this game.  I ran the first OOB server, and had fun. I will continue to run a variety of servers, to try to just have fun with all types of stuff.  Litterbox servers have always had something new to try out, so they are a testbed of sorts for alot of things that happen here.  Some will like it, some wont.  Oh well, I just want to play the game!

[KBF-Crim]

Ahh, ok. Had not heard them called that but obviously am WELL aware of those nasty little things. Not just kzin, any droner, lol. Heh, I remember on SS2 thinking I had Crims D5D on the run in my F-BCG and was chasing him at speed 26, so his medium drones couldnt catch me. The nasty bugger set me up the bomb and tractored me and slowed me down. I hit em with photons and whatnot, but didnt kill him. Used up my phasers on his 12 drones chasing me, then he fired 6 more and SP'd. Bleh.

 

Rule #1 when fighting a droner: NEVER CHASE HIM, EVER. 

 

Lol, what a humiliating bitch slap that was, lol. Served me well, havent died from a droner since. 

Heh...havent run into me again since either

Honestly..I'm honored you even remember....