I think the pirate system of SoaSE could be improved.
Current System:
- Pirates have locked bases, and, in mercenary style, take the highest bidder.
- Players can only give gold to pirates as incentive to attack other players.
- Bounty relatively does the same thing each time, and is thus predictable.
- The only thing a player can do to knock the Pirates off of him is to put more bounty on another player than there is on himself.
Now lets make a few improvements.
- Players can give money, metal, or crystal to Pirates as bounty. This will all allocate into the bounty "number." Gold steadily increases the number, but metal and crystal increase it according to the black market. For example, if the crystal market is booming, Pirate bounty will increase greatly from crystal (more than it would if you gave them solid gold, but you still have that option of course).
- Pirate raids are not broadcasted. Bounty is viewable, Pirate movements are in the interest of the Pirates (i.e.) they aren't going to tell who their bombarding so that they lose more ships trying to collect bounty. It would behoove players, in this manner, to somewhat frequently check the bounty list, and be on the lookout (If there's 6000 bounty against you, don't be surprised to see a flock of pirates suddenly appear at one of your asteroids)
Now we have a better system for the people putting up bounty. What about the victims? Here's more...
- Pirate Failure: Let's face it. If a player doesn't put out enough bounty against a tough player, the pirates are going to lose. In extreme cases, pirates will simply turn around after calculating their odds, and the original bounty will be wasted (spent bounty stays spent). Of course, overdoing it has no guarantees. Pirates will always remain neutral, so they aren't going do whatever you please just because you offered them 10,000 bounty.
- Pirates do not go against extremely tough players if it's not worth it. Thus, if pirates are continually defeated by a certain player, the bounty needed for them to attack that player will increase (there could be some notification of the % likelihood that pirates will launch given the bounty). For example, 2000 bounty is placed on red, and red defeates pirates. The pirates now refuse to launch against red for 2000 bounty; they're more likely to if it's 4000.
Now for some other, scenario-istic features that Pirates would have, differing from before.
- In the event of a player attacking a pirate base, all Pirate bounty is forgone - the Pirates' only concern is to defend themselves. If pirates have ships outside their base, and a large enough force attacks them, all current fleets will return, ignoring current bounty values. Of course, the pirates aren't going to freak out if a scout ship passes through.
So now lets look at the new system
- Pirates have locked bases, and, in mercenary style, take the highest bidder.
- Players can give gold, metal, or crystal to pirates. Metal and Crystal will increase bounty depending on the Black Market.
- Bounty effect changes based on the players. Pirates will require more bounty to be convinced to strike a tough opponent, such as one that has defeated their assaults before.
- Pirates will cease to attack a player depending on the strength of the player, the Black Market / Bounty, or if the Pirate Base is threatened with enough force.
- Raids aren't broadcasted - be on the lookout.
Thoughts? Concerns? Thought I'd throw that out for now.
