I doubt a single developer would disagree that there are too many systems. Too many low quality systems at that.
Generally speaking we did not choose to go in this direction. It happened due to a number of situations and events outside of the current development team's control.
We will be working to address the quality and uniqueness issues in 4.87...I'm certain of it.
Proud member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"
I agree with everything you said except for the statements regarding the remote points. The increase in distance between Omicron Alpha and Omicron Gamma was done to deter OORP Outcast/Corsair raids. According to vanilla lore, these two groups should have no knowledge of the Omicron Alpha-Omicron Theta jump hole. They aren't even supposed to be at all-out war with each other since their conflict is only based on who has control over the Sigma smuggling routes. As for the Leeds-Cambridge-Omega-3 jump hole links, they're still there, but the Leeds-Cambridge jump hole was moved on both sides (although the move is much more significant on the Cambridge side). The past configuration of the jump hole made it faster for traders to use the jump holes rather than the trade lanes and the jump gates to get through Bretonia. This made the civilized areas of Bretonia pretty much empty, which the majority of other players wanted to fix in 4.86.
Carlos Rivera: Corsair Brotherhood Pirate - Retired, shifted to Tripoli Shipyard's Research and Development engineering teams Anthony Cameron: Guild Core Bounty Hunter - Killed in Action, committed suicide after being trapped in Omicron Minor following its destruction Juan Ruiz: Outcast Ghost of Razgriz Pirate - Killed in Action, killed by the Sirius Coalition Revolutionary Army during Bretonian piracy raid Michael Winchester: Liberty Security Force Agent - Missing in Action, likely killed during Rheinland espionage mission or trapped in Rheinland Space Eric McCormick: Order Pilot - Retired, shifted to planetside training of new recruits
Yes, too many systems, and too many of them with crazy-huge gaps between jump points, especially when there are no lanes.
LOVE the idea of 100% neutral lanes. The RP would be that even if you're red to the faction of that system, you're getting away with using "their" lanes by hacking the system maybe? I dunno.
Lots of work, hundreds of hours worth easily, to make what we have. But in that great universe, let us not lose sight of our homeworld (yeah wrong game but..). Keep things.. a little more cozy to encourage player interaction/encounters.
