PROJECT: Territory Control Proposal (with Images, Maps)

[Darren_Kitlor]

- Territory Control Proposal -
(Faction vs. Faction Territory Control Maps)

( - Take the poll - )

Discussion: Good idea? Bad Idea? Have a better one? Discuss

Introduction:
A number of players would love to see PvP get expanded - either to full, open PvP or a form of territory control. However, won't more PvP options fragment the PvP queues more?

This proposal, with community feedback and design, could help create persistent, PvP territory control without drastically changing the PvP Queues themselves.

Sound exciting? Read on...

Table of Contents:
1. Synopsis

a. Territory Control Interface
b. Territory Control Map
i. Grids
ii. Gaining Control
iii. Key Markers ("Assault Maps")
iv. Nodes (grids protecting key markers)
c. Leaderboards [need feedback]
d. Rewards [need feedback]

2. Benefits to Developers / Players
3. Balance Issue Discussion
4. Supplementary Ideas

a. Faction Fleet vs. Faction Fleet Territory Control
b. Co-operative Territory Control

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ImageShack Map Downloads:
1. View starting map
2. View active map
3. View full-color map
4. View in-game interface

===========================================

Synopsis:
a. Territory Control Interface

A new tab would be added to the PvP menu. It would be called "Territory Control." A sub-tab would read "Federation vs. KDF."

( - Click here to view the in-game interface - )

b. Territory Control Map

The "Federation vs. KDF" sub-tab would present a territory control sensitive map of the Eta Eridani Sector Block, presented in grid format. Players could then select a grid to join PvP in that area.

( - Click here to see the starting map - )

i. Grids
Each grid is a capturable space (like a chess-board). There's no limit to what grids a faction can attack. Existing PvP maps would be randomly cycled on each grid space - players could still do their PvP matches while opting to contribute to Territory Control.

ii. Gaining Control
When a faction wins a round in a grid's random PvP map, they gain control of that grid on a cool-down timer. It cannot then be attacked for (x) number of seconds.

( - Click here to see an active map - )

iii. Key Markers ("Assault Maps")
Larger, more unique maps with more PvP objectives than deathmatch/capture the flag are available. These would occur where key locations are listed on the Eta Eridani Sector Block. For example, Deepspace K7 is a "Key Marker" location. These Key Markers (or "assault maps") would be suited for 10 v 10 or larger.

iv. Nodes (protected key markers)
Grid spaces overlapped by a key marker would need to be siezed before the Key Marker itself could be contested.

In battle, surrounding (or even flanking) the enemy can cut off their supply line - allowing an assault on their prized territories (for example, Deepspace K7 cannot be assaulted unless surrounding grids are captured).

( - Click here to see an active map - )

c. Leaderboards

Players can see a running total any time they wish.

Federation and Klingon grid totals would be tallied periodically for daily and weekly status. These numbers would be averaged over the course of a play week to determine which side "won" for the day and week.

Scoring (while up to developers) could work like this:

• 1 point for contested territory
• 2 points for controlled territory
• 3 points for protected key markers

d. Territory Control/PvP Rewards:

The faction to win a healthy majority gets a small bonus (be it PvP badges, small stat bonuses, all of the above, etc.)

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2. Benefits to Developers / Players:

On the development end, this system could easily be carried over for each faction (or even multi-faction territory control). It would use existing PvP queues to funnel players into Territory Control (they could opt out).

On the player end, we'd have territory control presented as a strategic conquest of systems.

3. Balance Issue Discussion

Players have already responded that balancing can be tricky. With this in mind, feel free to come up with ways in which to balance the queues or maps.

For example, this is how I'd balance it:

1. No map would begin until complete teams are formed. The criteria could be any of the following:
   • Like-ranked only
   • same average rank/grade (average grade for both teams needs to be x or average rank needs to be x)
   • symetrical ranks/grade ( RA on each, Cmdr. on each, etc.)
   
   
2. Have overflow, standard PvP queue (essentially, you'd play regular PvP queue before getting tossed into the grid of your choice - to keep things fair).
   
3. Send me to next available Grid Option (easiest and ensures ever distribution as much as possible).

4. Supplementary Ideas
a. Faction Fleet vs. Faction Fleet Territory Control

Allow Fed Fleet vs. KDF Fleet challenges (i.e. My Fed Fleet loads into queues to fight your KDF fleet - just fleet on fleet action, fight for control over the course of a week)

b. Co-operative Territory Control

[needs feedback; essentially, factions could go head-to-head in PvP or compete indirectly for control in PvE).]

[Darren_Kitlor]

[Reserved for future content]

[Darren_Kitlor]

(added in-game interface mock-up image, poll)

[Intrepidox]

can you not just put the images on imageshack, not gunna bother downloading jpegs...

[Charred_Wreck]

Dynaverse2 from SFC2

[trailblazen]

My antivirus had to quarantine a virus when I went to the download site (I run a clean system with daily sweeps/checks and it popped up when I went to the website). saw one of this pics but Im not looking at the rest. Screw that, glad AVG catches alot of things more so than other anti-V software. Post the pics here in the forums, dont link it..............

[Darren_Kitlor]

Originally Posted by Intrepidox

can you not just put the images on imageshack, not gunna bother downloading jpegs...

Originally Posted by trailblazez

My antivirus had to quarantine a virus when I went to the download site (I run a clean system with daily sweeps/checks and it popped up when I went to the website). saw one of this pics but Im not looking at the rest. Screw that, glad AVG catches alot of things more so than other anti-V software. Post the pics here in the forums, dont link it..............

Switched to ImageShack for primary download link. No more false-positives any more.

For those unaware: the new yfrog addresses are designed for shorter url embedding on Twitter, Facebook, etc.

That said, it goes to ImageShack from there. No worries, no false positives.

As images posting direct from the forums - can't. For some reason the [IMG] tags won't work on the images. I tried but this is the best I could do.

[Intrepidox]

looks good, hopefully what cryptic has planned is something similar and just as good, perhaps even better.

[Darren_Kitlor]

Originally Posted by Intrepidox

looks good, hopefully what cryptic has planned is something similar and just as good, perhaps even better.

Hopefully, they have better ideas in the pipeline.

That said, what did you think of the various mechanisms at work? (i.e. Nodes, Key Markers, etc.)

[Gabsau]

Great idea. Reminds me of the system used in World War 2 Online.

It also uses the maps already in game which would hopefully make it easier to implement on the development end.

A really good idea so far.