DevTracker: Power specific modules

Source

I'd like to take a few moments of your time to let you folk know our viewpoint and what we're up to.

Power-specific modules are pretty cool. They're not meant to be super, over-powered monsters (and if they turn out this way we'll change that); they offer slightly more exotic benefits than their standard counterparts, though often with a counterbalance, such as requiring more power than an equivalent module.

They're meant to be fun rewards for taking part in the Powerplay system. Of course, we understand that they will automatically have a high inherent value simply because of their uniqueness, and that this will be further enhanced by the gates they sit behind. We're cool with that.

It looks like two worries have come to the surface in discussion: that casual Commanders will never be able to access these modules due to competition, and that the gates we use pit Commanders supporting the same power against each other rather than against other powers.

Both these issues are valid concerns, though solid arguments can be launched from ether side of the fence.

Taking this feedback into account, we're considering an additional mechanic that we think might address both of these issues, without losing the concept of competition that is at the heart of Powerplay (and rightly so in our opinion).

The mechanic would measure the average productivity of each power against every other power at the end of a cycle. This is not the same as how well or poorly the power did, simply how much time and effort its supporters poured into it, as a group.

The power with the most productive average supporter would, for the following cycle, relax the rating 3 requirement, allowing all of its supporters to purchase the power's module.

The next two most productive powers would relax the rating 3 requirement, allowing supporters of rating 2 to also purchase the module for that cycle.

This would not affect the standard gate of being with a power for a month, and Commanders of rating 3 or above would always retain the ability to purchase the module.

We think this mechanic might be pretty cool for a couple of reasons:

1. It's focused on a team play
2. It still requires effort
3. It pits power against power

We think this addition could compliment nicely the other benefits powers offer, from the scaling reward at rating 2, to the prestige reward at rating 5. It doesn't hand the module on a plate, but it does enable Commanders to work together to obtain it, letting those who can invest more help up fellow Commanders who might otherwise struggle.

Make no mistake, one element of Powerplay is about competition within a power - that's intentional, but it's also about grand scale territory control between powers, offering context and reward for consensual PvP competition and letting Commanders feel part of a team, which this mechanic would support.

I hope this gives folk an idea about the direction we're heading in.