Usefullness of trading factions. Or uselessness rather...

[jakub963]

After all, this is a roleplay server.

Yeah, but even fighter RP character needs feeding so you have to make credits one way or another...
So all in all, griding to be able to do something you are required to do...

On another note...
Everybody wants you to roleplay, though doing so makes your game harder... We proud ourselves(sometimes) that we are an RP server. Thought there is ZERO encouragment to RP. Other than sanctions anyway... Le whut?

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[Knjaz]

Well, there's really a very simple solution:

Make an official trading faction-only transports with significantly increased cargo. Say, 6-6.5k, or even more. Make 5k transports available to newcomers. (there shouldn't be any difference between "indie" and official faction incomes for new players, at least official faction shouldn't provide less opportunities).

Maybe, turn 4 "house" trains into this, and instead give indies smth civillian sirius-wide with 5k cargo, like a Titanic.
EDIT: Except for IC. Or any other faction, that can freely trade almost everywhere. Otherwise, everyone will run into IC.

Do this, and you will get flooded with recruits. So there's a drawback:
() Due to increased number of players, you will have to spend WAY more time checking your players behaviour, there will be more incidents with lolwut players getting into your ranks etc. But I guess it would be managable.
() You will get alot of attention from players, that would never want to be RPing traders, and would like to join you for profits only. How bad it is, is another question, since increased faction activity is always good, even if said player will leave you in future. All he need to do is to RP while he's with you. And some of them, in the process, may get friends and change their mind.

Also, if something like this gets implemented, admin team should watch over trading faction recruiting procedures, so they wont turn into closed "elitist" group.

Why increased cargo hold, and not nerfing current system, by giving 4-5k transport to officials only? Because this game does NOT require any more nerf, especially in income area. If you do this, then you will see 2 things
1) Powertraders will have to grind their money for Longer period of time.
2) People will leave from trading into mining, since it gives significantly higher income per cargo unit.


IMHO, with all drawbacks, this may work.

Last, but not least. Just an advice to official trading factions: RP is good, but the main reason for your existance (well, many of you), is to make profit. Of course there're other missions, but profit is essential for any commercial private-owned company. Dont restrain newcomers from making profit. By doing this, you're pushing yourselves too far into "quality" side, and your "quantity" stays where it is now.

P.S. And, uhm to better understand the general idea, regarding balancing of trade routes, official-faction only ships etc.:
1) I'm suggesting official trading faction member may be getting 120% of the profit, and indie 100%, NOT 80% for indie and 100% for official.
2) I'd never suggest making official-only ships for ANY other factions other then trading ones. It's just that trading faction need a serious buff. Especially since they're THAT well visible to pirates via Player list.

[Daedric]

I'm confused as to what your complaint is now? That trading factions don't offer anything over being an indy trader? If so you are quite wrong. Trading factions are role play devices. You are right, if you are trading just for the credits to feed another character and you have no interest in trader role play, there is zero point in joining a trading faction. However, if you are interesting in trader role play then trading factions are for you. As a bonus you get to make a neat stack of credits too.

What would you suggest as a way to make them more useful in your opinion without screwing over indy traders? I mean, who says a faction trader deserves more than a indy trader?

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[Dashiell]

I'm confused as to what your complaint is now? That trading factions don't offer anything over being an indy trader? If so you are quite wrong. Trading factions are role play devices. You are right, if you are trading just for the credits to feed another character and you have no interest in trader role play, there is zero point in joining a trading faction. However, if you are interesting in trader role play then trading factions are for you. As a bonus you get to make a neat stack of credits too.

What would you suggest as a way to make them more useful in your opinion without screwing over indy traders? I mean, who says a faction trader deserves more than a indy trader?

/signed.

Trading & mining are a tad crappy right now. That probably caused a lot of trading factions to go inactive. But it's still fun to do in an official faction. If trading becomes more worthwile in the future (I hope) trading factions will see more activity. and the lulz of being in an offical trading faction with epic convoys will come back.

I miss the old Bowex) days, but that doesn't stop me from Bowex)-ing

Elitism over indy traders just to 'lure' people to official factions? nah, not cool.

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[Backo]

Escorts? Yeah... sadly, having escort means to pay. Paying a pirate every 5th-6th run is still better than paying escort for those 5-6 runs...

The guild of all that is "2milordai" and the liberty roggz with it are ready to fix that, feel free to tell us when exactly you want us on your lane? :cool:

On a serious note, some people really do enjoy company when trading and like to RP a trader. Remember how they all whined for their rights when the "space is dangerous" thread opened?

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Republic of the Sword and Sun

[Knjaz]

I'm confused as to what your complaint is now? That trading factions don't offer anything over being an indy trader? If so you are quite wrong. Trading factions are role play devices. You are right, if you are trading just for the credits to feed another character and you have no interest in trader role play, there is zero point in joining a trading faction. However, if you are interesting in trader role play then trading factions are for you. As a bonus you get to make a neat stack of credits too.

What would you suggest as a way to make them more useful in your opinion without screwing over indy traders? I mean, who says a faction trader deserves more than a indy trader?

Well, I personally do not trade and, therefore, I have no complaints about it. It was an answer to the "Trading faction inactivity / people unwilling to join". And to the thread topic too.

And as you may seen, I didn't propose to screw indy traders, did I?

1) I'm suggesting official trading faction member may be getting 120% of the profit, and indie 100%, NOT 80% for indie and 100% for official.

Edit:
P.S. And well... there's always another option to solve it - <strike>rebalance trading and trade routes.</strike> Meh, actually I'm not sure if rebalancing trade will solve official trading factions recruitment problems, since there's just no difference, except for RP part. At least, not that much difference to make people join and have the O.F. restrictions imposed on them.

[Ayem]

As an old pirate and a current faction trader, the tag isn't what gets you caught by pirates- your rank and name are.

People name their trade vessels differently to their fighter vessels.

If your name has DHC- or Bowex) in it, that just makes the guessing game easier.

All you need to do is learn what people name their pirates.

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[jakub963]

The guild of all that is "2milordai" and the liberty roggz with it are ready to fix that, feel free to tell us when exactly you want us on your lane? :cool:

Nice try but i am not trading inside liberty.

Basically there are 3 types of factions.
Fighting ones(navys, pirates, mercs...) which offer you role play and help in forms of backup, intel, ETC...
Mining ones(IMG, Dauman, Kruger...) which offer you role play and help in forms of infrastructure (mainly)...
Trading ones(Republican, IC, Samura, Kishiro) which offers you role play but no other help...

Ignoring stated above that its even makes it harder and so on...
Come on, dont tell me that it cant be balanced out... Its just downright stupid...
You say that they have role play...
[color=#CC0000]Everyone and everything (official) have role play here but they also have some good bonuses on top of that while trading factions have nothing else.
If you (directed at trading factions mostly) are okay with that, fine. Your turf, your toys, i wont touch it.

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[Veygaar]

Join Samura, they seem to have lots of..... fun.

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Veygaar for Admin Moderator 2013!!!

[Daedric]

Well, I personally do not trade and, therefore, I have no complaints about it. It was an answer to the "Trading faction inactivity / people unwilling to join". And to the thread topic too.

And as you may seen, I didn't propose to screw indy traders, did I?

I was talking to Jakub. :P

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