Topic: Economic War: Piracy Points (Read 5145 times)

Herr Burt · « **on:** February 06, 2006, 02:27:54 pm »

When I posted my early planning thread about the rules for Economic War, Chuut asked if we'd be allowed to betray our cartels in order to increase our own individual profit. That's a wonderful roleplay idea for a piracy server, but I balked at the idea of players being able to swap sides at the drop of a hat. That could lead to problems.

Then Chuut offered this idea:

Quote

What about this as a propossal for betrayin'

In any mission where a bug takes place and you and your wingman are hostilke to each other, all alliances are off and you cain claim wealth equaling 1/2 the price of his ship if you destroy it, representing salvage value, the full price if you capture it. Of course the pilots could simply choose to fly off the map, but then again they might not. Be a shame to waste such a rare opportunity, and wouldn't it be fun to be happy to get a bugged mission like that for a change

I liked this idea. In face, I liked it so much that I'm thinking of instituting a seperate score-keeping count called Piracey Points. Naturally, the profit you make from such a betrayal would not be reported to your Overlord. (He'd have you strapped to a slow drone and fired at an NEC.) Instead you'd keep this money to enrich your own worthless black life. With Piracy Points we could keep track of something outside of game VC's and have a sperate contest of who's carved out the biggest name for themselves as the blackest, most foul-hearted or swashbuckling pirate.

I don't know if we can think of any other ideas as good as this one for Piracy Points, but we may as well try. Sooo...... put on your thinking caps, best beloved, and figure out other ways to enrich yourself without teling anyone else. Perhaps even enrich yourself at the cost of your Cartel.

What other ways might you -- in-game -- be able to be a better bastard? A certain way to finsih a mission? A certain mission in a certain place? A way to place or collect a bounty? Something much more creative?

I'd love to hear any ideas.

One big restriction: It can't involve me giving you or anyone else a different ship via DB edit. That's the (only?) one thing my editor isn't going to be able to do. It would also be nice if it didn't involve the person you are backstabbing/pickpocketing to have read a rule and abided by it. Better if it is entirely something you do to some unsuspecting simpleton.

Other than that be as viscious as you like.

-Herr Burt

762_XC · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2006, 03:09:38 pm »

Only problem is those missions always CTD as soon as one ship blows up.

Could still work I guess, just something to keep in mind.

Herr Burt · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2006, 03:19:10 pm »

Quote from: 762_XC on February 06, 2006, 03:09:38 pm

Only problem is those missions always CTD as soon as one ship blows up.

Could still work I guess, just something to keep in mind.

Good point, but I don't see that as a problem yet.

You'd definitely have to report the kill for it to count, but that's OK. You have to do that with all kills.

The mission crash I'm actually looking at as a feature rather than a bug. Lack of the script reporting the outcome to the DB -- and thus no changes on th map -- would help reinforce the idea that you are doing this to enrich yourself rather than to support your cartel.

-Herr Burt

EschelonOfJudgemnt · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2006, 03:47:41 pm »

The only downside I can see to this would be that it is very much "luck of the draw". If everyone gets these missions fairly often, then it isn't a problem. If they are sporadic and random however...

Along the same vein, perhaps if the scripting community is game you could introduce a few new missions with similar effects, ala 'The Dilithium Crystal Asteroid". These are missions where all alliances are off and he who hauls off the most booty, derelict spacecraft, freighters, etc. gets a huge 'pirate prestige' bonus.

BTW, has anyone tried snagging that crystal or whatever from the other player after he beams it off the derelict in that derelict mission? Or perhaps stealing the ambassador in the diplomatic mission? Just curious if it could be done.

Also, it'd be cool if all those freighters in those 'convoy raid' missions had goodies you could beam off for bonus prestige. Perhaps one freighter is carrying a particularly valuable commodity (Orion Slave Girls?), and he who makes off with it gets rewarded handsomely!!! If these convoy raid missions draw multiple players, then again all bets are off as far as the goodies are concerned...

And the convoy defender would also be wanting to 'protect' these special items, and would similarly be rewarded for saving them from the predators (i.e. beam it onto YOUR ship if you can't save the freighter, which would give YOU the bonus prestige for the goody).

As far as your cartel boss is concerned, he'd probably overlook any 'transgressions' when you hand him his percentage of the booty... Results are what counts, and he who brings home the most assets is an asset!!! And as for the guy who came home empty handed, well that is why his prestige reward would reflect his pirating skills...

Hexx · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2006, 06:19:46 pm »

Also of concern (although I do like the idea) are the missions where only one person isn't allied
ie I can be in a match with you and not showing you as an ally, yet you show me as an ally.

762_XC · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2006, 06:27:41 pm »

Those are the best!

GDA-S'Cipio · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2006, 08:59:50 pm »

Quote

The Frog says
The only downside I can see to this would be that it is very much "luck of the draw". If everyone gets these missions fairly often, then it isn't a problem. If they are sporadic and random however...

I agree with your concern. That's one of the big reasons I thought this would be best as Piracy Points, a fun side-game, rather than campaign Victory Condition points.

Quote

The Kitten says
Also of concern (although I do like the idea) are the missions where only one person isn't allied
ie I can be in a match with you and not showing you as an ally, yet you show me as an ally.

Hmmm..... is that a bug or a feature? The evil Herr Burt leans towards feature.

Quote

The t00l says:
Those are the best!

-Herr Burt

Bonk · « **Reply #7 on:** February 07, 2006, 09:17:24 am »

Using missions that are known to CTD will foul the db more quickly, requiring more frequent db cleans and adversely affect server stability.

762_XC · « **Reply #8 on:** February 07, 2006, 10:10:48 am »

Is it only certain missions that do this, or is it just a sporadic connection issue? I always assumed the latter.

KAT Chuut-Ritt · « **Reply #9 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:50:48 am »

Hiost left missions seem to hit every type of mission from my experience....

Moving right along,

Here is another idea for Pirate points. You know those little odd icons of things you can beam out on certain missions that have been labeled various things such as Romulan ale, tribbles, a spy, etc. Make some of these icons worth something. In particular have some represent pieces of treasure maps. A player gets one and takes a screenie of it one his ship and Herr Burt PMS the individual with a piece of one of his treasure maps. Each map can have several pieces and could be part of the actual webmap, or clues. There could be several diffent maps as well. When the player got them all they could go to the proper hex take a screenshot and collect the treasure.

Might be a bit too admin work intensive but figured I'd throw the idea out for consideration. A pirate campaign would need treasure maps I think.

Herr Burt · « **Reply #10 on:** February 07, 2006, 04:51:54 pm »

Quote from: 762_XC on February 07, 2006, 10:10:48 am

Is it only certain missions that do this, or is it just a sporadic connection issue? I always assumed the latter.

Like 762, I believed the issue to be connection issues between the players. That means that this will be DB errors we are having to deal with anyway, so no extra trouble will be caused by using them for something good for once.

If I'm wrong let me know.

-Herr Burt

Herr Burt · « **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2006, 04:55:53 pm »

Quote from: KAT Chuut-Ritt on February 07, 2006, 11:50:48 am

Here is another idea for Pirate points. You know those little odd icons of things you can beam out on certain missions that have been labeled various things such as Romulan ale, tribbles, a spy, etc. Make some of these icons worth something. In particular have some represent pieces of treasure maps. A player gets one and takes a screenie of it one his ship and Herr Burt PMS the individual with a piece of one of his treasure maps. Each map can have several pieces and could be part of the actual webmap, or clues. There could be several diffent maps as well. When the player got them all they could go to the proper hex take a screenshot and collect the treasure.

Outstanding!!!!!!!! That's a brilliant idea!

Quote

Might be a bit too admin work intensive

That's my worry. Don't fret about it. I love the idea.

Anyone got a complete list of all the little things you can find?

I recall:
Romulan Ale
Dilithium Crystals
Tribble
Harry Mudd

Any others?

-Herr Burt

Hexx · « **Reply #12 on:** February 07, 2006, 05:29:14 pm »

medical supplies

762_XC · « **Reply #13 on:** February 07, 2006, 05:41:48 pm »

Scotch.

Riskyllama · « **Reply #14 on:** February 07, 2006, 06:24:15 pm »

diplomat?

Dfly · « **Reply #15 on:** February 07, 2006, 07:04:40 pm »

Better be some Gold pressed Latinum in there somewhere.

Bonk · « **Reply #16 on:** February 07, 2006, 07:09:16 pm »

From the scripting API:

Code: [Select]

enum eScriptTransportItems
{
	kTransNothing = 0,			//kNothing
	kTransGornEgg,
	kTransSpareParts,
	kTransCaptain,
	kTransBlueStar,
	kTransDilithiumCrystals,
	kTransGravTank,
	kTransMarineDude,
	kTransHarryMudd,
	kTransInfiltrator,
	kTransNovaMine,
	kTransRomulanAle,
	kTransTribbles,
	kTransAlienArtifact,
	kTransCaptainDude,
	kTransWeaponSchematic,
	kTransMedicalSupplies,
	kTransAwayTeamItem,
	kTransDiplomat,
	kTransInjuredDude,
	kTransMedicineJar,
	kTransScientists,
	kTransLifePodDude,
	kTransDeathPlague,
	kTransBlackBox,
	kTransPsionicDisruptor,
	kTransIonicProjector,
	kTransEngineers,
	kTransPrisoner,
};

Though I doubt all of them are in existing dynaverse missions.

Riskyllama · « **Reply #17 on:** February 07, 2006, 07:22:03 pm »

darn i was about to do that too bonk.. i had it copied as well but from the strings file

NuclearWessels · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2006, 07:51:54 pm »

I don't know about any of the other mission sets, but three of the NW scripts can contain these beasties:
- Met_NW30Salvage (which isn't recommended for servers - can't remember what the bugs were)
- Met_NW14Enigma (I think that's strictly 1v1, but has lots of the goodies)
- Met_NW19Scan (which can be 2v2, and has a chance of goodies)

Lists of which things are in the scripts are below,
dave

---

The 14 enigma/derelict mission can contain these:

kTransBlackBox
kTransHarryMudd
kTransRomulanAle
kTransTribbles
kTransAlienArtifact
kTransWeaponSchematic
kTransMedicalSupplies
kTransInjuredDude
kTransMedicineJar
kTransDilithiumCrystals

The 19 Scan (planet survey) mission can sometimes contain one of these:

kTransDilithiumCrystals
kTransHarryMudd
kTransRomulanAle
kTransLifePodDude
kTransBlackBox
kTransAlienArtifact

And the 30 Salvage mission can sometimes contain one of these:

kTransBlueStar
kTransDilithiumCrystals
kTransGravTank
kTransRomulanAle
kTransTribbles
kTransAlienArtifact
kTransWeaponSchematic
kTransMedicalSupplie
kTransMedicineJar
kTransDeathPlague
kTransBlackBox
kTransPsionicDisruptor
kTransIonicProjector
kTransSpareParts

KAT Chuut-Ritt · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:30:48 pm »

Quote from: Herr Burt on February 07, 2006, 04:55:53 pm

Outstanding!!!!!!!! That's a brilliant idea!

Your finally catching on, all of Chuut's ideas are brilliant. I'll likely think up a few more after I give it a bit more thought.

News:

Topic: Economic War: Piracy Points (Read 5145 times) var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};

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Topic: Economic War: Piracy Points (Read 5145 times)