What I propose is the ability for a starbase to block public-market trade to an individual position or affiliation. Private too, but I'm suprised this isn't a feature of private markets already. Then at least having had yet another combat aff shake their battlefleet at me, I could at least choose to deny them my choice goodies or profitable markets, should I so choose. Nothing violent, just 'Your trade is not welcome here'.
As it stands, other positions have greater control over who I sell to than I do - I'm sure the presence of an IMP starbase on the same planet is inhibiting sales to the CNF. There was a DTR courier a couple of months ago that MIGHT have been shopping, but he vaporized before buying anything.
TonyH
| QUOTE |
| 'Might is right', and if an aff or grouping have a big enough warfleet, the other aspects of the game pretty much follow on. |
This is pretty realistic, don't you think? Other games avoid this by a variety of means, but to my mind this cripples them - they become hopelessly unrealistic "toy" games. One of the great strengths of BSE/Phoenix is that players make all the big choices.
| QUOTE |
| What I propose is the ability for a starbase to block public-market trade to an individual position or affiliation. |
I think that this would be a good addition. Big affs can open fire at unwanted traders, but small/non-military affs can't risk that - blowing up one courier might cost them the starbase.
| QUOTE |
| I'm sure the presence of an IMP starbase on the same planet is inhibiting sales to the CNF. There was a DTR courier a couple of months ago that MIGHT have been shopping, but he vaporized before buying anything. |
I'm not sure how your proposed change would help here - the DTR ship would still have been blown up before he got to your market, banned or not.
rob
| QUOTE |
| One of the great strengths of BSE/Phoenix is that players make all the big choices. |
Yes, and as it stands at the moment the only choice seems to be which of the big power groupings, with their big ships, to join. I've finished exploring one of the only two commonly known unclaimed systems in the game, and know of no other way out of megablock-controlled territory except by accumulating several hundred thousand research points in stellar cartography. Again, tending to favour a mega-aff. But this is off-topic.
| QUOTE |
| I'm not sure how your proposed change would help here - the DTR ship would still have been blown up before he got to your market, banned or not. |
- A try for a Humourous ending, vain attempt to lighten the tone.
| QUOTE |
| Yes, and as it stands at the moment the only choice seems to be which of the big power groupings, with their big ships, to join. I've finished exploring one of the only two commonly known unclaimed systems in the game, and know of no other way out of megablock-controlled territory except by accumulating several hundred thousand research points in stellar cartography. Again, tending to favour a mega-aff. |
I think you have to understand about phoenix is that these 'big affs' generally change over time due to the players in them. A little aff can become a big aff and be in control, its not a fast thing though. From my time in SMS it seemed thats its about being determined to be the best and not about saying 'Everyone else is too far ahead'.
As for actual claimed systems its best not to worry too much about that aspect - there is a lot of empty space around (like the 20 or so minor asteroids in the outer rings of each system). The best way to do things is to look fo rthe right angle not just a 'new area'.
I will add a poll ot the rules section.... for the suggestion
| QUOTE |
| there is a lot of empty space around (like the 20 or so minor asteroids in the outer rings of each system). The best way to do things is to look fo the right angle not just a 'new area'. |
Most claimed systems have a warning that all deposits found are the property of the 'system owner', and doing anything unauthorized gets you posted/blown away. So unless you have a big battlefleet you cant hope to hold onto a decent-sized territory to find anything worthwhile.
There used to be a niche in BSE for trading affs, or prospecting affs, with preserved advantages like faster trade transactions. Not any more - it's all technology-based, and I expect the relevent tech, like the AFT's Quantum drive, to be duplicated within a year (two affs have claimed as such). The only thing for trading affs is to start researching their version of the 100 heavy-hull gun platform and join in.
Bye the way, I built a specialist sensor ship and spent two months doing nothing but go round and round the outer three orbital rings of a single system. Found Zilch.
| QUOTE (ABBA @ Sep 18 2003, 01:38 PM) |
| Most claimed systems have a warning that all deposits found are the property of the 'system owner', and doing anything unauthorized gets you posted/blown away. So unless you have a big battlefleet you cant hope to hold onto a decent-sized territory to find anything worthwhile. There used to be a niche in BSE for trading affs, or prospecting affs, with preserved advantages like faster trade transactions. Not any more - it's all technology-based, and I expect the relevent tech, like the AFT's Quantum drive, to be duplicated within a year (two affs have claimed as such). The only thing for trading affs is to start researching their version of the 100 heavy-hull gun platform and join in. Bye the way, I built a specialist sensor ship and spent two months doing nothing but go round and round the outer three orbital rings of a single system. Found Zilch. |
Might it be that people wanting to establish outposts in system controlled by the "big bad affiliations" need to develop negotiation skills in order to secure the rights to explore for and then construct outposts in those systems? I doubt that the DEN would be granted permission to explore/place outposts in FGZ space but we would have a go to arrange something with the system "owners" just about anywhere else.
Further, irrespective of how the poll turns out in the end, do you really thing that a trade embargo is going to harm these affilliations that you don't want to trade with you? Are they doing vast quantities of trade at the moment? Can they not secure the trade items from another source?
The only application I can see for the restriction of trade capability is in systems where the starbase governor is not allowed to put unwanted visitors on the enemy list, such as stabases in Yank.
| QUOTE (ABBA @ Sep 18 2003, 12:38 PM) |
| Bye the way, I built a specialist sensor ship and spent two months doing nothing but go round and round the outer three orbital rings of a single system. Found Zilch. |
Surely this counters your comment about not being able to get away with anything? As you point out, finding these little gems isn't easy.
| QUOTE |
| Surely this counters your comment about not being able to get away with anything? As you point out, finding these little gems isn't easy. |
Not really. The system wasn't restricted to me in any way. I am now almost enthused enought to try and repeat the experience - it's the kind of thing you could set on automatic and review the turns after a couple of months, just before the ship falls apart. However spending ten days in a particular system to GPI one planet HAS got me warned.
| QUOTE |
| Might it be that people wanting to establish outposts in system controlled by the "big bad affiliations" need to develop negotiation skills in order to secure the rights to explore for and then construct outposts in those systems? |
Yes, maybe I could negotiate to have two entire peripheries, with restricted access, reserved for me? How DID the DEN get those - Negotiation?
As for the usefulness - I can imagine several current situations. How about the Cast HIVE market? Or those affs that distrust IND's. As for myself, maybe I'd use it because I'm not bothered about low-volume sales, but want to limit sales of restricted-tech items to friendly affs, without having to negotiate every individual little sale off-market.
| QUOTE (ABBA @ Sep 18 2003, 07:46 PM) |
| As for myself, maybe I'd use it because I'm not bothered about low-volume sales, but want to limit sales of restricted-tech items to friendly affs, without having to negotiate every individual little sale off-market. |
Before anybody gets annoyed, can I point out that theoretically every aff should be friendly to the AFT. :-)
That said, there are sometimes local laws about who weapons, for example, can be sold to, so the ability to restrict sales would still be very useful for us :-)
Richard
AFT
| QUOTE (ABBA @ Sep 18 2003, 01:38 PM) |
| Most claimed systems have a warning that all deposits found are the property of the 'system owner', and doing anything unauthorized gets you posted/blown away. So unless you have a big battlefleet you cant hope to hold onto a decent-sized territory to find anything worthwhile. |
The trick is that they have to catch you at it first
There is a lot of empty space in systems where its really hard to be detected.