Astro Galaxy - a realistic space exploration game
  March 29, 2024, 09:29:54 AM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News:
 
   Home   Help Search Members Login Register  
Pages: [1] 2
  Send this topic  |  Print  
Author Topic: Big december update: Mining more profitable, balancing and new features  (Read 13277 times)
SirEmi
Administrator
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +258/-134
Offline Offline

Posts: 2163



View Profile WWW
« on: December 02, 2012, 11:56:46 AM »

- Mining more profitable! Planetary resource distribution improved.
   -> New deposits have been found, and generally there are more uncommon / rare resources to be mined.
   -> Smaller moons / planets generally have a much higher chance to have uncommon / rare resources, but are harder to defend.

- You can now use Quantum Points to speed up attack timers! 1 QP speeds up an attack by up to 60 minutes. The attacker as well as the defender can use QP to speed the timer.

- Balancing: exchange rate for selling QP for solars increased to 50k solars / QP
- Balancing: exchange rate QP to RP increased to 10k RP / QP
- Balancing: exchange rate to buy QP with solars increased to 250k solars / QP

- Balancing: decreased the chance to get QP from voting, you get 1 QP for every 15 votes on average now.

- on step 21 of the SEA, you only need to vote for 3 vote sites to complete the task now. Please note that votes before getting to step 21  will not be counted, so sometimes you need to wait a bit and make sure you vote for all three sites in the same session.

- some SEA rewards changed a bit

- When graduating from SEA with only 1 ship license, you will get the graduation ship and an additional license. If you have 2 or more ship licenses, you will need to buy the extra license, though you can still use the new ship.

- Navigation officer bonus is now -33% navigation jump calculus.

- Combat balancing: when looting  mining modules / station cargo bay resources, 20%-30% of the resources gets wasted in the looting attempt.


« Last Edit: December 02, 2012, 12:53:23 PM by SirEmi » Report to moderator   Logged

JamJulLison
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +55/-44
Offline Offline

Posts: 1710



View Profile
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2012, 12:55:24 PM »

Some of this is good and some of it is horrible.  In particular using QP to speed up the attack timer. Those who are rich in real life can already get ahead quite a bit in the game. While I don't like it, it doesn't quite break the game.  What can though is this with attack timers. Anyone who actually has real life money they can spare for the game can now get a huge advantage in the gamer. Say there is a larger station and the attack timer is pretty large but still under an hour or a little above it. Someone can easily swoop in, spend their QP they just bought, rob the station and planet blind/destroy everything and then swoop out again before the defender has really figured what is going on. They might be online and see the attack. But they might not have had a chance to look over the enemy forces and decide the next step.  The same holds true for attacking other people's ships. Someone can be going around doing transports or whatever. They are waiting on the timer to jump again. They see their corp member left them a message. They go to check it. As they are reading and replying, another person shows up with a lot more power. Decides to attack them and then speed up the timer in the matter of just a minutes or so.  Even more caution will be needed now when our ship arrives at a planet that has several space stations or even just one large one. Cause now they can shell out some money for qp, attack with their stations and advance the count down timers before you have a chance to respond.

Something needed to be done about the attack timer time but this wasn't it.  This is just something that will set the rich apart from the poor. Those who can afford shell out money to the game now have a big advantage over those who are poor like myself and can not afford to spare any extra money to the game. Believe me if I could afford to donate to this game I would.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2012, 12:58:29 PM by JamJulLison » Report to moderator   Logged
JamJulLison
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +55/-44
Offline Offline

Posts: 1710



View Profile
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2012, 01:16:46 PM »

I just noticed a screw up too. In this little update of yours you have given Earth Resources. Doesn't this kind of screw with the setting of the game itself? Though I guess those resources it does have now aren't the greatest. lol
Report to moderator   Logged
Tumppi
Private First Class
*

Reputation: +1/-0
Offline Offline

Posts: 30


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2012, 01:26:41 PM »

"Vote for QP" should be changed to "Vote for Solars" no qp any more happy
Report to moderator   Logged
SirEmi
Administrator
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +258/-134
Offline Offline

Posts: 2163



View Profile WWW
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2012, 01:27:25 PM »

I just noticed a screw up too. In this little update of yours you have given Earth Resources. Doesn't this kind of screw with the setting of the game itself? Though I guess those resources it does have now aren't the greatest. lol

Not really, you can't drop modules on Earth. The Earth resources are gone now though thanks 1


"Vote for QP" should be changed to "Vote for Solars" no qp any more happy

There's a 1/15 chance you get 1 QP when voting.
Report to moderator   Logged

JamJulLison
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +55/-44
Offline Offline

Posts: 1710



View Profile
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2012, 01:31:29 PM »

It screwed with the setting just from the story. Glad it is fixed now though.

Any comments though on my concern about QP for shortening attack timers?
Report to moderator   Logged
SirEmi
Administrator
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +258/-134
Offline Offline

Posts: 2163



View Profile WWW
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2012, 01:34:59 PM »

Any comments though on my concern about QP for shortening attack timers?

There's no problem there, the QP value went up with the update so they have to think twice if it's worth it to speed up the attack timers. My guess is it will only be used in extreme circumstances to gain a tactical advantage or if they really want to get revenge on some pirates etc. I don't expect anyone to trow out QP blowing everything up.
Report to moderator   Logged

JamJulLison
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +55/-44
Offline Offline

Posts: 1710



View Profile
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2012, 01:40:54 PM »

Any comments though on my concern about QP for shortening attack timers?

There's no problem there, the QP value went up with the update so they have to think twice if it's worth it to speed up the attack timers. My guess is it will only be used in extreme circumstances to gain a tactical advantage or if they really want to get revenge on some pirates etc. I don't expect anyone to trow out QP blowing everything up.

Alright but I suggest keeping an eye on things with it. If you get any kids in here with Rich daddies they are likely to not care how much it cost to buy the QP and do it anyways.  I do have a suggestion though that would be better then shortening attack timers with QP.   As you know you already have some officers stuff. Perhaps you could add one that reduces the attack time by a fixed percentage.  Even as large as 50% could work.
Report to moderator   Logged
SirEmi
Administrator
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +258/-134
Offline Offline

Posts: 2163



View Profile WWW
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2012, 02:16:08 PM »

As you know you already have some officers stuff. Perhaps you could add one that reduces the attack time by a fixed percentage.  Even as large as 50% could work.

The thing with attack timer is you have a timer for both attacker and defender. When you apply a bonus it has to work both ways. Not to mention a 50% less attack time officers is way too overpowered. Maybe we'll add an officer like that, but it will probably be max 10% - 15% less attack time. In combat missions, the attack time is very important, it's a direct measure of how well you do and how much solars / hour you can gain.
Report to moderator   Logged

JamJulLison
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +55/-44
Offline Offline

Posts: 1710



View Profile
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2012, 02:28:42 PM »

As you know you already have some officers stuff. Perhaps you could add one that reduces the attack time by a fixed percentage.  Even as large as 50% could work.

The thing with attack timer is you have a timer for both attacker and defender. When you apply a bonus it has to work both ways. Not to mention a 50% less attack time officers is way too overpowered. Maybe we'll add an officer like that, but it will probably be max 10% - 15% less attack time. In combat missions, the attack time is very important, it's a direct measure of how well you do and how much solars / hour you can gain.

I was just giving a number. 10 percent would be good. You could make it only get applied with someone on the offense has it. I doubt many on the defense end would want a decrease in the timer lol. I think it would be a little more fair and balanced then QP for decreasing the timer. You could also make some sort of module for helping to speed up attack times.   I am just trying to think of ways that could help to improve the game without risk destroying the balance between paying players and free players. After all the game needs both. Free players are good for telling their friends about the game and with every person who joins, there is always the chance one of them will end up becoming a paying player. Paying players are needed to help with server cost and stuff. I accept they do deserve certain extra perks. It is only fair.
Report to moderator   Logged
Sydney
Lance Corporal
*

Reputation: +6/-0
Offline Offline

Posts: 50


View Profile
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2012, 07:24:03 AM »

I applaud the resource update. I especially like the aspect that smaller planets are more likely to have higher value resources, its a nice idea.

I do have a few questions regarding it that affect how i should plan for the future.

1) Will this be a regular thing, or is it a galactic wide once off ?

Ie do i need to get into the habit of re-surveying systems on a regular basis to spot new resource deposits, or is a once off survey enough?

You have mentioned that systems in unknown space will go Super Nova and new systems will replace them.

2) What are you planning as the requirement to go Super Nova?

all resources depleted? a percentage of resources depleted? a specific total value of resources remaining? ... basically to help with planning id really appreciate a little advanced warning about how this will work. I'm a little skeptical about its use if it is planned that all resources (Iron, Hydrogen, Nickle etc) must be depleted from a system. Primarily because the large volume low value of these resources means that its very time intensive to remove all of them, and thus incurs a large opportunity cost. People are much more likely to just skim the valuable stuff and leave the low value resources.

I do have to say im a little less enthusiastic about the changes to the attack timer system. I understand the need to drive QP sales, but I think this really plays into the hands of those that are only running combat missions. They can now use QP to do even more missions. not only to speed jumps to COM signals but also to shorten the attack timers, the profits can then be used to purchase more QP, and ship upgrades. It also means that anyone with a small store of QP can effectively entertain a blitzkreig against any player, Using QP to speed jumps to targets, and QP to speed attack timers. Id hate to see someone like myself, Morbius, jaqvaar or any other player that has invested considerable time and effort in setting up some bases be 'taken out' in 2 mins by someone with a few QP. All you'd need to do is convert QP to purchase a small arsenal of nukes, and then use QP to power the Blitzkreig.

I suspect the changes to the QP award for voting is in response to people multi voting to farm QP. However it makes voting daily to eventually be able to afford to go VIP now impossible (at least for those of us with fixed IP's)

The changes to the QP exchange rate, effectively wipes out a lot of the time that current players have invested, as a new player can now 'donate' and be instantly as powerful or more powerful than players that have be playing for a long time. The other side effect of this is that it makes everyone a lot more vulnerable to players that join up buy some QP then get board and decide to go out with a bang.

It is one thing to have your mines looted of resources, and loose a couple of days of mining profit, its another thing alltogether to have months of invested time wipped out in minutes, with nothing you can do to stop it.
Report to moderator   Logged

Syd Happens
SirEmi
Administrator
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +258/-134
Offline Offline

Posts: 2163



View Profile WWW
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2012, 08:55:10 AM »

I applaud the resource update. I especially like the aspect that smaller planets are more likely to have higher value resources, its a nice idea.

I do have a few questions regarding it that affect how i should plan for the future.



Q: Will this be a regular thing, or is it a galactic wide once off ?

A: The resources distribution is a one time only, to buff out the resources and balance out mining vs. SoS vs. Com vs. trade. The resources will not respawn again, rather the respawn in 0,0 will be very slow with a new deposit popping up here and there as the planets get depleted, and miners are advised to look further then 0,0 for more profitable opportunities.


Q: What are you planning as the requirement to go Super Nova?

A: http://forum.astro-galaxy.com/index.php/topic,8276.0.html


Q: They can now use QP to do even more missions. not only to speed jumps to COM signals but also to shorten the attack timers, the profits can then be used to purchase more QP, and ship upgrades.

A: Like I stated before, since the QP value went up while mission pay remains the same for COM at at around 2x the power of the mission, then you need to twink twice before spending QP for it. For example, you get 1 mil Solars for destroying a 500k power combat mission ship. To win the mission, you'll need a ship of around 750k power. This all equals to about a 6 hours attack time, meaning you'll need some 6 QP to attack. Now if you spend 6 QP, you gain 1 mil solars, provided you win the fight. If you don't win it, then you just lost the QP, it's a risk. Also sometimes you lose personnel / armor etc. For the reward of 1 mil solars, you can exchange it into 5 QP. So there's not much incentive to use QP to speed up combat missions, unless you've got a really really good ship with low power rating that can blast the combat ship in a lower attack time. Now of course, some players that do donate, they may want to speed up the attack timers a bit, to get more solars / QP, no issue with that if they take the risk of combat. The combat mission pirate ships will only get smarter in time also.

I also intend to keep the same balance between time vs. reward for future COMbat missions, keeping the balance in check.

As for taking out bases that you invested in, I sincerely doubt there will be any issues. Think of QP as nukes, it gets spent and both are valued at around 250k solars each. If the loot from your base in not worth the effort to spend the QP, then why do it? Tactical advantage sure, but profit hardly.

Report to moderator   Logged

Tony2x
Private
*

Reputation: +1/-1
Offline Offline

Posts: 19



View Profile
« Reply #12 on: December 03, 2012, 09:59:43 AM »

I have just noticed the extra minerals poping up..I have traveled 165LY from SOL and recorded over 1000 planets on excel, that has just been made redundant, but i am glad for the resourses
Report to moderator   Logged

When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Sydney
Lance Corporal
*

Reputation: +6/-0
Offline Offline

Posts: 50


View Profile
« Reply #13 on: December 03, 2012, 10:01:54 AM »

Q: They can now use QP to do even more missions. not only to speed jumps to COM signals but also to shorten the attack timers, the profits can then be used to purchase more QP, and ship upgrades.

A: Like I stated before, since the QP value went up while mission pay remains the same for COM at at around 2x the power of the mission, then you need to twink twice before spending QP for it. For example, you get 1 mil Solars for destroying a 500k power combat mission ship. To win the mission, you'll need a ship of around 750k power. This all equals to about a 6 hours attack time, meaning you'll need some 6 QP to attack. Now if you spend 6 QP, you gain 1 mil solars, provided you win the fight. If you don't win it, then you just lost the QP, it's a risk. Also sometimes you lose personnel / armor etc. For the reward of 1 mil solars, you can exchange it into 5 QP. So there's not much incentive to use QP to speed up combat missions, unless you've got a really really good ship with low power rating that can blast the combat ship in a lower attack time. Now of course, some players that do donate, they may want to speed up the attack timers a bit, to get more solars / QP, no issue with that if they take the risk of combat. The combat mission pirate ships will only get smarter in time also.

I also intend to keep the same balance between time vs. reward for future COMbat missions, keeping the balance in check.

Ok I acceot the argument about Using QP on Combat missions to adjust the timer. If the rates stay as described then its not a good long term strategy, the QP would be better spent on shortening the jump times to pick up more missions. and only shortening the Attack timers by a small amount rather than reducing them to zero.

I still think the ability to use them in a blitzkreig is nasty. Previously If someone attacks and is vastly superior in power (eg has nukes on board) then i allways had the option to jump into orbit and defend. or perhapes scoop everything and make a hasty retreat, which meant that a battle was never fought entirely under the conditions of the attacker. Using QP to manipulate the attack timer guarantees the attacker that does so that the battle will be fought on their terms. If they have the advantage then they have nothing to fear from the attack.

I very much doubt that QP will be used in pirate raids against undefended planets or even smaller stations, but they might against larger installations where the possibility of a good profit might make the idea interesting, The will however allmost certainly be used on capture/destroy attacks. And in that situation id suggest that the actual QP cost is irrelevant compared to the satisfaction of destroying the target instalation...

If it was made so that QP couldnt shorten the attack bellow say 25% of the initial attack delay then i think that would be reasonable. You could use QP to cut the attack timer to 1/4 of its initial value, but the defender would still have the opportunity to defend. .. another alternative is you cannot shorten it shorter than an hour... or whatever aslong as the defender really does have the option to actively defend.

Report to moderator   Logged

Syd Happens
SirEmi
Administrator
First Sergeant
*

Reputation: +258/-134
Offline Offline

Posts: 2163



View Profile WWW
« Reply #14 on: December 03, 2012, 12:42:59 PM »

I have just noticed the extra minerals poping up..I have traveled 165LY from SOL and recorded over 1000 planets on excel, that has just been made redundant, but i am glad for the resourses

It's not really redundant, what was deposits where there is still there, just new deposits added to make it better for mining.
Report to moderator   Logged

Pages: [1] 2
  Send this topic  |  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!