Preface: Guard systems were initially (for the most part) bought by official factions and they were given leeway to develop them on their own. This led to many of them being powergamey on a number of levels, as there was little supervision. Factions worked it into their own player group roleplay, even though yes, they were previously considered ooRP locations. Their sudden appearance as places within lore, without first fixing them, was a big oversight by predecessors of mine.
This is the reason for the removal and repurposing of many of them. We're looking to make the whole Sirius Sector a more fluently connected place with purposes for as many systems as we can, while cutting others as a means to help consolidate activity. Not all guard or excess systems could be salvaged into something viable, nor could all be retconned away. We looked for many things here, such as (but not limited to) NPC faction roleplay, regional lore, global lore, regional economy, global economy, and gameplay. Gameplay itself broke down into three key aspects: transit, destination, and encounter. There are a multitude of other guidelines that we follow as well.
Anyway, we also tried to treat guard (and excess) systems across Sirius as equally as we could, but situations for different regions vary quite a lot. Merging two systems may work for X and Y, but not Z. Introducing new assets and elements to A might liven it up, but not for B. Maybe C could be easy to delete, but D has too many bases or provides key jump links to an area. Things like that.
Also, let me clear it up that I'm not the only one to contribute to the 4.88 change plans. @Echo 7-7, @Durandal, @Blodo, @LunaticOnTheGrass, and @jammi have all worked together with me on these, and we've consulted as many faction leaders as possible, where relevant. In some cases, the other devs out voted me in discussions, or back before I was in charge, made executive decisions about a few things, and I'm not the vindicitive sort to backstab their plans the moment they leave.
End preface. Begin the quote war ...
Quote:And may I ask why Omicron - 100 is risking the coping. Lock? Currently it is one of two fully controlled systems by the Order, and one of our final fallback points. Any particular reason it is risking removal?
It's staying in for now because removing it could harm the economy by shortening a specific route, plus it has four Order bases that would need a home. As with many other guard systems, the faction got too tied to the roleplay and infocards written for that system. For now, it will likely remain, but if a problem arises with it then we are open to any solution, including removal if necessary.
Quote:We told you it was a bad idea, and you're still doing it . ANd when i see the number of deguarded systems that are being kept, it just makes me sick.
Quote:Now if Derry doesn't exist, the Molly don't have to protect it, nor they'd have to commit forces in the omegas fighting a far more powerfull, numerous and older entity that is the corsair empire.
I honestly tried my very best to think of ways to keep it, and pushed the other story/system planning developers to do the same, but I was alone in that regard. Several lore contradictions were also pointed out to me, and have since convinced me that this is the proper path to take here.
Also, unlike many factions, the Mollys will actually be able to keep all of their bases from 'Derry, plus a toned down Cork. These will be placed in locations that fit the region better, and may in fact keep alive the reasons for the Omega conflict. You don't even have to be that creative to come up with ideas for that.
Quote:Chester is a really cool system. Tell us again why you are moving it to a generic looking system like Inverness?
Quote:Otherwise, yeah why do we have to get rid of Chester? Why does it have to be fused with Inverness? I'd struggle to imagine both systems fusing or having their layouts changed, as they both look so nice the way they currently are Sad
Both Chester and Inverness were systems with half a purpose. With Chester's content moving to Inverness (perhaps think of it more as a merge?), the result becomes much more viable. As we work on the Bretonia update (not yet), we will consider putting some of the coolness from Chester into its new home. Also, expect events between the Hive and Battleship Atum.
Quote:Also I thought Zeta was being deleted, so it's being turned into an entirely new system instead? What sort of links will it have? Any further details?
As mentioned, it will connect a Sigma to an Omicron. Much like Ellesmere, it won't be the Zeta you know, rather a different system with a different concept. I haven't named it because there's a working name, but it's likely that it will be changed, so I'm preventing confusion.
Quote:As Puerto Rico, o-74, and so on ?
Quote:And isn't O-74 like, the one system Zoners have, period?
Quote:Also @ removing 74 and placing it's assets into Kappa instead.:
Quote:Does that necessarily make sense? Wouldn't that create immense problems for the Zoners due to unrelenting attacks from the Kappa AI, making maintaining bases in that system unwise?
Quote:why would anyone build there in the first place, the whole system is supposed to be deadly to Humans
Omicron-74 is being partially merged with Kappa. There will be Zoner, Corsair, and Gammu AI elements within. Each faction's bases will be fairly isolated from the others so as to prevent any immediate dangers, however non-allied interaction is generally good as a whole. The assumed deadliness of the system can be toned down a smidgen to make human outposts feasible, but given what the Omicrons are, that's a given.
As such, it will be a more integrated system with many of the aforementioned properties that we look for. This combines a guard system with what some still consider an "easter egg" system, making neither what they were. Much like other systems with multiple names inRP, Kappa and 74 can be considered synonyms. The Zoners will still have Omega-49, Omicron Theta, and Baffin as their "home" systems.
Puerto Rico is changing, and may change more later as needed. Unlike Londonderry, it will be able to sit in a place with viable, non-redundant connections and get to incorporate additional IFFs inside. The infocards will be adjusted (as we get to them) to fit the mod lore, as necessary.
Quote:What will happen to Humboldt's Tefe (Copper ore) & Careiro (Silver ore) asteroid fields? Also going to Kansas? I can only assume that these fields were put in Humboldt in the first place mainly for unlawfuls (?).
@LordVipex, the current mining developer, has been instructed to move one of those fields into Kansas and the other to a reworked Vespucci, when the time comes. They will still be readily accessible to unlawfuls.
I tried to answer all your questions openly. If I missed something, let me know. Some comments (bringing back the monkeys on Primus, for example) were ignored for obvious reasons. Blodwyn, you have my Skype, and I think @Stuffz already mentioned that he'd try to have another chat with you. We'll discuss this more, as we had tried previously.
With luck this clears some things up. I'm open for more discussion, and will reply as time permits.
PS: If this discussion continues, I'll probably split this into a new thread just so that it's easier to track everything properly
