Killed In Its Cradle

RIP Trollceptor… we never knew you.  We will not mourn your passing.

Today, Fozzie released the details on the changes to the original null-sec sov revamp plan.  And boy, do I like what I see.

The major issues with the original plan, as identified by players, were the following:

• Time zone control effectively locking ownership of systems into certain time zones (ie. if you can’t log in during EU prime, you’ll never be able to take an EU system) and disincentivizing alliances from spreading across more than one time zone.
• Alliances regularly using their systems should have an even easier time when defending them.
• The initial wave of proposed changes would make it difficult to maintain control over your capital.  Typically, it attracts a lot of enemy attention and has hotdroppers regularly, making ratting and mining extremely hazardous.  With indexes, ironically your staging system would be MORE vulnerable to conquest.
• The ability of players to use entosis links on ships that are uncatchable and unkillable, particularly those that can bypass gatecamps.  The community was concerned that this could create a means of players to reinforce dozens of systems they had no intention of contesting with minimal risk.

Time zone vulnerability that scales based on the combined index of the systems… designated capital systems providing a bonus to indexes… increase in maximum modified from 4x to 6x… each of these provides a good solution to these issues.  While Fozzie repeatedly states that CCP would prefer to use the simplest solution to a problem and I’m not sure these qualify in all cases, I can live with them.

But the best change rests in the stats of the entosis links themselves.  I’ll reproduce for ease of reference:

T1 Entosis Link:

• Requires Infomorph Psychology 1
• +250,000kg mass when online
• 5 Minute Cycle Time
• 25km range
• Fitting requirements: 10 PWG, 1 CPU
• Capacitor use: 50 Capacitor per cycle (0.1666 cap/s)
• Consumes 1 unit of Strontium Clathrates per cycle

T2 Entosis Link:

• Requires Infomorph Psychology 4
• +1,000,000kg mass when online
• 2 Minute Cycle Time
• 250km range
• Fitting requirements: 100 PWG, 10 CPU
• 500 Capacitor per cycle (4.166 cap/s)
• Consumes 1 unit of Strontium Clathrates per cycle

Both the 100 powergrid requirement and the 500 cap requirement for a cycle of the T2 link destroys any possibility of fitting a T2 EL on any frigate, let alone an interceptor or other extreme-speed ship.  You can get the powergrid.  You can get the capacitor.  You can't get both.

Which means that while frigates can still participate, they have to remain within 25 km of the item they’re reinforcing.  Ships orbiting in a 50km diameter are easy prey for a sniping ship.

This is an elegant solution to the problem, reinforcing Fozzie’s statement that, “…the Entosis Link mechanic is a way for the server to tell who won (or is winning) a fight in a specific location,” represented by gaining “…effective control of the grid by simultaneously keeping your forces alive and eliminating your opponents.”

Yes.  Oh God, yes.  A thousand times, “Yes!”

More than a victory for anyone who wants to keep balance in the game, the way CCP is handling these null-sec changes represents an elegant and inclusive way of including player feedback while still ensuring that CCP’s primary objectives are achieved.  And that’s a great sign for things to come under the current regime at CCP.

In fact, I’m hard pressed to think of any changes I haven’t liked recently, except for interceptors’ bubble immunity.  But the guy responsible for that is gone.

And the game appears to be in great hands.  I no longer have any objections to the sov revamp.  In fact, I’m really looking forward to it, and am happy to say I’m pleased with how it’s turned out.

Here’s to hoping that the next set of changes CCP contemplates bring more activities into the sov index calculations!  From what I’ve seen, I feel confident in that hope.