Hex-flipping or PvP. Hex-flipping is the lot of those too unskilled to match the dynaverse PvP elite and who, anyway, could not afford the capital ships that such PvP engagements require on this server and others in recent memory.
I disagree. Capital ship affordability is 5k away from your starting pp. If you want the big big ones, then 15k. You dont have to work that hard for it. And it's not for the elite. Hippo isnt a regular and he was sporting a CVA earlier.
I realize on this server that we have the mosh pit area which would seem to alleviate some of this situation, but the strategic situation of the server makes entering that area an untenable option. I realize this is the playground of the regular players and especially of those that actually pay and work to have servers running, however I chafe at the notion that there is little role for the casual player on this particular server, and certainly little role within PvP battles that matter.
The role is that at the center of this area there is a 10 PvP kill equivalent hex that if under your control at the end of the VC's in just under 6 hours from now could tip the scales and be the deciding factor if a side gets a VC point or not. PvP is crucial in this area if fought over and with no penalty for dying, there is plenty of incentive to duke it out mission after mission.
Casual players have a big role in PvP battles... With the way pvp points are setup a mere loss or two a a cruiser doesnt hurt that much at all. Especially when Duck and Tool are losing Dreads left and right and I keep losing multiship fleets, haha.
I would submit that the presence of capital ships and that of PvP points has potentially lessened the availability of player versus player interactions and with this server in particular that the existence of the 1 hex radius disengagement rule has also lessened PvP opportunities. The PvP battles that are occurring on this particular server are the occassional accidental ones, and those that seem invariably to involve capital ships that are expensive and only "trusted" to the PvP elite, seemingly despite their actual inability to protect them from destruction.
Well... I suspect there are those few who simply have decided not to participate this server because of the 'area' disengage rule. I have come to notice, however, that it isnt that bad... There are two to three routes to working toward an objective and hoping between one or the other usually draws a response. I do agree it decreases PvP a little bit... but only so far as hex flippers are concerned. PvP players will find you no matter where you go, but if you are run out of a hex flippers hex, then he likely will continue working that hex and you'll have to wait to go in and stop him... But when do hex flippers pwn pvp players? Its an interesting dilema. But there are always places to go that are on the front lines that will draw a response.
If the purpose of PvP on the server is in some sense merely fun, then why must these exchanges be amongst ships only available to the few and the stakes of those battles particularly high? If the role of PvP on this server is meant to be more strategic, why are many capital ships coming to an end with what seems to be a bit of frivolity?
We have lost two DN's Lepton, sh*t happens. We didnt throw them away. And exchanges between players do not always involve capital ships. The alliance didnt have any capital ships last night after duck and tool lost their dreads because of the heavy iron 12 hour penalty. PvP battles have involved cruisers for the most part which everyone can afford several. The limited heavy iron on the map allows 2 PvP's to be going on for the alliance at once. There are more than just two pvp opportunities when we have more than 6 players per side.
If I could make a suggestion, I would suggest a serious reconsideration of the use of capital ships and their role on servers. If the dynaverse PvP elite would be as happy jousting in CAs or CLs as the enjoyment is in the gameplay itself and not necessarily the strategic use of capital ships on the map, then why have the heavy metal there at all? Frankly, the metal creates a system of haves and have-nots and actually puts the casual player on a significantly less even playing field than the nutters and PvP elites and decreases the number and frequency of honest PvP exchanges that occur amongst players in general.
What? I've seen plenty of casual players fielding heavy iron. I know DH and I will fly cruisers and wing with newer or casual players in heavy iron so they have fun. We have done this before. This capital ships business flown by elite players only is total crap. It doesnt always happen.
I have not taken all of my thoughts to their logical conclusion, but I would suggest that I offered at least a little bit to get a discussion going.
yeah u got it going allright...