Server Settings to make an old-style server.

[duece]

I think most people agree that 'easy' servers don't really capture the old starport. So what would you guys pick to make that work?

In my opinion, it should be more rewarding to attack other corps (war). It used to be much faster to invade someone's empire than building your own if you could win. So first:
-Increase Nuke/Laser production. It used to be so that any volcanic could make 75 nukes per, any non-volc could make 37.5. This also requires that equipment/uranium costs to produce weapons be reduced.
-Increase tax revenue.
-Cap solar shots (I'm thinking a max of 5).

My rational with the first two, is to reduce the investment it takes to stage and supply a war effort. For the third one, I want to make defending harder, so things are more defense through offense. The only way to protect an empire used to be through deterrence (threat of massive retaliation).

The problem is I think this craps on builders. People won't spent a lot of time on colonies if they're so much harder to hold. So I think you also have to:
-reduce pollution
-reduce consumption or increase harvesting
-further boost reproduction/morale rates on lesser used planet types

Basically, the main goal is to facilitate invasion by encouraging people to make more colonies. The food chain is Invaders > Builders, so building has to outpace invasion. The idea is to speed both up.

One problem is that it isn't really desirable for the galaxy to get flooded with built colonies because it becomes hard for new people to get a foothold (this used to be a huge issue). So to address that
- Huge galaxy map, something like HC but maybe bigger
- Or just implement this for an extended bang where it's not a problem if it fills up.

Modules, are tough. The simple solution is make it no-mod, because I think that's makes space fighting more enjoyable. But idk, in my opinion mods need to be re-balanced.

These were my thoughts, I'd like to know if other people who want the same thing have a different vision for it. Basically the point is encouraging war, which used to be much (much much) more frequent and intense than it is now.

[Luna]

Things that would make builders more inclined to build would be things like, shorter build times, with less resources needed to complete builds. Give more experience for completed builds, and make research more specific to the actual type of planet it should benefit. Why have research on planets you can't receive real benefit from? Make domes come with more colonists so you spend less time hauling them from ports, and for a new twist give aliens some sort of job or reason to exist. Not sure on any ideas for this other than make them more aggressive to invaders, not hostile to the colony holder. Perhaps make aliens able to be flown over by the colony owner rather than having to dodge them while defending. I often removed ones that were annoying to move around while putting down defenses, even though they would be more annoying to anyone invading. Aliens have needed more purpose for a long time, and they've mostly been empty filler. It would be funny to see people die to aliens as long as they weren't overpowered.

Just random thoughts, so I wrote this without giving it a ton of thought.

[BardockSGE]

If a old-style server were to be released, Bardock has ideas!

Bring back the old research system. Where your planet would have one of each research. If I remember correctly old Strip Mining = Lvl 3 Strip Mining Modern. That's about right, if not, close and you know what I'm getting at.

Also, I'd want the old bidomes back. Meaning, level 2 = 2.5k level 3 = 5k.

The issue with mods is simply this, they had no chance in hell of ever being balanced. That's the blunt and honest truth. Modules were a good idea, but they had nearly no chance to be balanced.

BRING BACK SECOND GENERATION NUKES. DEAR GOD PLEASE. I wouldn't even care if IGS had 16 hardware holds with 2nd gen nukes. Why? Because they were balanced. Dodging them completely depended on the player! If you were good, at the correct angle, you could dodge them! And vice versa! If you timed your shots and LOOKED FOR OPENINGS, you'd have a fair chance to hit! It almost scares me how ridiculously balanced 2nd generation nukes were.

For me and a lot of people, space fighting was the best aspect of this game. Hands down.

If you don't remember the difference between 2nd gen and modern day nukes, it was mainly curve. The speed of your nuke was based on your ship's motion. If you accelerated into a shot, it flew, if you fire backwards, it had a bit of slug before picking up speed and slowly built its way to top speed.

Modern day nukes have a more set rate in which they pick up speed. Truthfully, I haven't effed around too much since their 10000 changes since my activity. So I would like a more competent vet to post on this. Thanks!

[Dark.Cloud]

I like everything you're saying with a few quirks.

When i started even with 10 shots, invading quickly and efficently solo or with a duo was not a problem, the problem arose when mods and new layouts that random people drew up came to be.

The old layouts, if they are all there is will ALL be built as opposed to being skipped over, which then no one wants to go fill in a system owned by someone else by building a crap colony.

Allow builders something extra perhaps, I'm not sure what, but I don't think reduced pollution is incentive enough for someone who doesnt invade at all if they can't hold onto a colony long enough for it to pollute. Maybe a bonus for owning a system, or something along that lines, perhaps additional protection when you don't aggress at all.

The mods need to be abbolished, not give everyone the same mods. Set the stats somehow similiar to what they were, the nukes i wont talk on since I havent played recently so I'm not sure how they are.

They should be distractable( lock onto closets thing, even when impermeable object is inbetween).
In space they should swing wide when turning.

Igs, should have 8 holds, make its improvements to the speed and maneuvering, maybe give it a larger cargoe space for goods, like 180 or 200.

ISC fast, but not quite as well maneuvering, only slightly slower than igs though.

CEO, big bulky slow acceleration hard turning, with the third best top speed.

Battleship - perhaps revamped into legitiment ship?
maneuvering rivaling that of igs, top speed same as ceo, with slightly better acceleration, and a 14-16k shield boost?


These are my opinions, discuss.

EDIT:

BRING BACK SECOND GENERATION NUKES. DEAR GOD PLEASE. I wouldn't even care if IGS had 16 hardware holds with 2nd gen nukes. Why? Because they were balanced. Dodging them completely depended on the player! If you were good, at the correct angle, you could dodge them! And vice versa! If you timed your shots and LOOKED FOR OPENINGS, you'd have a fair chance to hit! It almost scares me how ridiculously balanced 2nd generation nukes were.

[D-Tox1]

I think most people agree that 'easy' servers don't really capture the old starport. So what would you guys pick to make that work?

In my opinion, it should be more rewarding to attack other corps (war). It used to be much faster to invade someone's empire than building your own if you could win. So first:
-Increase Nuke/Laser production. It used to be so that any volcanic could make 75 nukes per, any non-volc could make 37.5. This also requires that equipment/uranium costs to produce weapons be reduced.
-Increase tax revenue.
-Cap solar shots (I'm thinking a max of 5).

My rational with the first two, is to reduce the investment it takes to stage and supply a war effort. For the third one, I want to make defending harder, so things are more defense through offense. The only way to protect an empire used to be through deterrence (threat of massive retaliation).

The problem is I think this craps on builders. People won't spent a lot of time on colonies if they're so much harder to hold. So I think you also have to:
-reduce pollution
-reduce consumption or increase harvesting
-further boost reproduction/morale rates on lesser used planet types

Basically, the main goal is to facilitate invasion by encouraging people to make more colonies. The food chain is Invaders > Builders, so building has to outpace invasion. The idea is to speed both up.

One problem is that it isn't really desirable for the galaxy to get flooded with built colonies because it becomes hard for new people to get a foothold (this used to be a huge issue). So to address that
- Huge galaxy map, something like HC but maybe bigger
- Or just implement this for an extended bang where it's not a problem if it fills up.

Modules, are tough. The simple solution is make it no-mod, because I think that's makes space fighting more enjoyable. But idk, in my opinion mods need to be re-balanced.

These were my thoughts, I'd like to know if other people who want the same thing have a different vision for it. Basically the point is encouraging war, which used to be much (much much) more frequent and intense than it is now.

Back in the days when Permaverse began it wasnt easy to invade colonies like it is today, thats why most corps had to build colonies ( that produced Nukes ) local to systems where hostile Corps had their main bulk of Colonized Planets.
This way they could launch an attack and hope one or a few of the colonies they took had a healthy Nuke supply on it - in order too continue invading the next Planet.
Correct me if im wrong ( i expect Original Broken Monkey members can answer this best ) - but i think it was a Builders Heaven back then .. any attacks made had to rely solely on Starbase Nukes and Negs or as mentioned from purpose built attack colonies. - other than that it was a case of getting someone to barge to the System you were invading in.
This aspect of the game - has sadly gone .
Because of the Original setup of Starport it encouraged Teamwork as a top priority and effort also - sadly this again is in its demise.
If youre going to make something that resembles the " Old days " of Starport - you have to try and bring back the fundamentals of what MADE it great .. and that was the stability of it between Invading and Building.
Building was profitable because you knew if you built colonies 20 hops from any Starbase you were relatively safe from attack - therefore enabelling further builds - and onwards towards an Empire.
Invading was also profitable - but required effort and teamwork in order to do any substantial damage to a Corp that had been building on that Server for say .. 6 months.
Agree or Disagree i honestly believe that patches such as " Port Negs, Ship Purchases from Ports and also Ship Mods " - have made it far too easy to wipe people from Perma Servers - hence making Starport " boring" to a lot of what used to be " regular Players".
TBH the "Ore patch" hasnt done much good either - all its done is made what was easy using Port negs and Mods - even easier now the Planet that used too sufficiently hold 8 shots now only being able to hold 3 or 4.
Starport has been made into a relatively easy game of late, Toonces should be trying to make it harder for Invading instead of making it easier.
People groan about Permas having Corps that " Rule the Server " all the time - but thats the whole point of it .. theyve done their job Building the Empire - and its probrably taken them months and months of hard work doing it - it should take the Invaders just as much time and effort too take the colonies from them - instead of the one week cap 500,000 followers from them issue we have currently on Starport.
Just a thought - i think what you guys are suggesting is a great idea and it should be done , but he has to bring back the benefits of Building back into the game as it used to be - far too many quality Builders left because of vast gap between Building and Invading.
Building has become basically pointless and Invading has become far too easy = drop in excitement, Teamwork and ultimately playerbase.

Tox

[Faint]

toonces made alot of changes to increase activity and invading again (port negs) he tried to put in more tactical fighting and invading (mods). I agree with tox tho..this killed the old style of working hard to invade cols..not so much the skill of taking them..but the work to set up the invades..we used to dome a planet in system or even 1jump out..rush refinery and wep factory..fill 2-300 nukes and then plan a day to attack since u have 3 days of u.n..2 days of which you could save fuel. Now u just get 5 ppl in CEO ships or igs's 5x16=80 negs..if im not mistaken is about 4 negs to kill a laser..so each land is 20 lasers/flak destroyed..and maxed defs is like 120..so think about it..6 lands and and any eater col is done..3 lands with nukes..and these days everyone uses tons of cmines..so even less...and all u need is plates.


enuf of all the crap..if u make a new server..no port negs. no mods. 10k col cap but adjust the production to equal a 25k zound currently. IF everoyne has tons of $ and nukes..they will fly..also we will never have the old sge back...the game was ready to rise and it couldnt back then..heres a chart of sges sucess p1___/'''''''''''''''*v^v^v^---------....___today. only when im bored i post stuff like this btw. feel free to post your own sge sucess charts rofl

[EkomS]

i believe we should delete some servers and bang some new old style ones. lol maybe get rid of a few dead ones like The Orion Spur, Boundless Sea Possibly. maybe Herclues Cluster... Idk about Dark matter jungle thats ben pretty active. but idk :\ old style 2nd Gen nukes would be kick donkey great idea bardock lol

[omlow]

oh yeah. just grab 6 people in ceoships... easy for us to say. for a noob who knows nobody it's a totally different story and invading isn't really an option. solo invading needs to be made "smoother" (prefer smoother to the word "easier") without making team invading much easier than it already is.
MUCH more dodgeable solars will make this the case. i still think my idea of making everything 1 shot and instead of being able to adjust the number of shots having it so that you can adjust the intensity of the shot is the best thing that could happen to invading right now.

[Faint]

ur right omlow which reminds me..i think sge needs to advertise to get more new players again..and a way to capture them once they do download and try it. The newer ppl allways give life to any game. Im gonna go ahead and relate this to women. We need new hot chicks with tatoos and peircing and sexy accents from italy or some BBQ..that we can teach "how to play" and possible create new "wars" and "friendships" not old hags with phanny packs and beepers who think they know everything sitting in the rocking chair sewing a shirt over and over again until they die. i win at being a forum troll i should stop.

[Biggi666]

I agree with tox on this one....all i gotta say