Time to re-read some of the most recent DEV Blogs, starting with the Bounty and Kill-Right changes.
http://community.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&nbid=73446
I remarked on the bounty system update previously. In summary – bounties can be placed on any individual, corporation or alliance, they don’t give kill rights, and payouts are based on the value of the damage done to the target.
I can see areas where it could be exploited and played, and in some ways it gives the rich an almost consequence free method of griefing people. As I’ve read in a number of blogs, it could also work as a replacement insurance payout for suicide gankers, just targeted against those with bounties. Despite the Carebear probably being more on the receiving end of this, I like the idea. EVE is meant to be a sandbox, and this mechanism promotes the generation of game content between players.
The blog also covers kill right changes – which has seen a whole heap of rage, tears and tantrums in the response from some quarters. Previously you got a kill right if someone illegally destroyed your ship. There are a lot of people who get kill rights who have no real practical way of exercising them – new players, low SP, purely industrialists and so on.
The changes mean that if someone illegally attacks you in Empire (successfully or not), or pods you in Low Sec, you will be able to sell the kill rights. (I assume you don’t get the ISK, and that it just goes to Concord.)
A player with available Kill rights shows up on the overview. Those rights can be purchased on the spot in space. Now here’s the odd thing – the rights are not just taken on by the purchaser, but instead the target is flagged as a suspect for the next 15 minutes, meaning anyone can attack them. If they are killed, the kill right is spent. If they escape, and continue to do so, they can be flagged again repeatedly until 30 days passes.
Now I must admit that surprises me. I’d have thought it would only be a one on one type basis. I can understand why people are upset by that. But then they open their mouth and vile Carebear hatred spews forth. *
Apparently this makes Empire too safe. The reality is the change does no such thing – you can still perform all the same actions as before, it is just that now there a notable consequence for doing so. If you can’t handle having to look over your shoulder for the next 30 days, then the problem lies with your risk aversion, not Empire.
The baser, more immature aspects of my personality are amused by the blubbering angst being generated. Apparently some want PVP, but only when the opponent is unaware they are about to partake in it, generally are flying ships that can’t fight back, and mostly can’t effectively seek revenge.
Now the truly badass pirate might in fact welcome these changes. Imagine all the ill-advised Empire dwellers trying to exercise kill rights on them. It could well generate a whole lot of extra PVP.
I also like the fact that the group of players who like to follow the Police / Sheriff type role now have a mechanism to do this within.
My main worry (again) is for the gaming and exploiting of this type of system, but overall I think it increases the options for player interactions, and is a good thing.
The blog goes on to say they will be adjusting the ASB modules, implementing the Micro Jump Drive previously suggested (just not sure about how useful those will be), and bring in Salvage drones.
So – Bounty and Kill right System changes- I’m happy with both concepts. (Even if I end up on the receiving side of them!)
(* Oh – truth be told, I do think it seems too harsh for a kill right to be converted into a suspect flag for 15 minutes. I guess the difficulty is in how to make a kill right expensive enough to stop someone just buying it for themselves and using an Alt to remove it, but not so expensive as to stop anyone ever buying them.)
Evehermit 