I'm concerned if the price is too low and the clone pack to0 useful we'll just end up with everyone using clone packs rather than their districts. The higher price also makes sure that locking with clones packs is done at a significant loss.

And increasing clone pack size is such an easy change.

Chance, when people are talking about a hotfix it means only server side changes are made not client side, and if you put in some kind of timer you would have to communicate that to the player in-game and thus it would require client side changes and likely UI elements. Also, I'm sorry but your ideas of putting completely artificial timers and barriers on how much PC players participate in is just plain bad and completely counter to the sandbox. Vet players will just resort to using their numerous 10 to 15m SP alts to bypass an arbitrary system like that. Simply, you would be adding an annoying logistical layer with no real benefit.

The solution here is not by creating some kind of corral but by adjusting the incentives. Eliminate auto sale and make fighting of much higher value than sitting on a district collecting clones and watch the sparks fly.

Dust is a lobby shooter and that isn't changing, so yes if someone has better players they will beat you. Long term one of the issues that needs to be resolved is the fact that every PC fight is for the ownership of the district. SInce it is such high stakes there is an expectation that you field your best or hire someone that can actually compete against your enemies.

FYI -

Hotfixing = changing numbers

Hotfixing =/= adding anything new whatsoever

Of course you have to touch code to make any changes. It's a matter if that code is being handled by the server or the client. Example: changing a clone pack from 120 to 150 doesn't require any code changes on the client running on the PS3 and thus you don't have to download a patch for it. I'm by no means a programming wizard, but I do understand how CCP is able to handle updates and hotfixes.

The system still needs to be balanced and adding mechanics that will add long term problems isn't the best course. I don't think the mechanics should go out of their way to punish players for being good.

I put out some pokes about the window issue and I'm also in the process of getting a meeting set with CCP so these issues can be discussed. When I hear something back about how much the timers can be manipulated I'll let you know. We just need to be careful we don't swing the pendulum so far one direction that it becomes the blob always wins or Planetary Conquest becomes something you MUST do every day to keep your district.

Agreed. The most important thing for these suggestions that they be low bandwidth.

Have multiple clone packs that offer different amounts of clones for a different price. That way a small number of clones could be bought to just add to the count for just a small amount of ISK. A corp may have limited funds but think they could win with 50 more clones.

I also think dropping the time down to around 18 hours may help also.

I think folks are underestimating the value of effective clone packs. I'm also curious now if a raiding mechanic can be implemented. What if instead of auto sale on the reinforce timer it spawns a match that you have to go into and win to get the ISK from your auto sale. The match spawns in other contracts for the attacker side where anyone can join. Attackers win they get ISK from the clone sale instead. Each side gets 40 clones.

The effect would be a way for corps without land to siphon ISK from the big boys and potentially use that ISK to fund effective clone packs rather the relying on just taxes and donations. (My concern is this idea would require too much bandwidth)

I'm fine with entertaining the idea of smaller clone packs I just think you won't solve PC 1.0 self attacking with clone packs unless the packs exceed the ISK you get from killing it combined with the passive ISK. Although with the above idea or turning off passive clone sales that problem would be largely eliminated.

When have CCP ever added something new in a hotfix? They fiddle with numbers and fix bugs but anything even remotely new they leave for the big updates, even a lot of the bug fixes!

Changing numbers of clone packs or removing passive isk I can see as doable in one of these hotfixes without too much bother but do you really believe that they'll be able to manage anything grander than that with PC1.0 without a proper update and before PC2.0 comes out? Do you really think they'll bother to monkey with the mechanics when they're going to tear it all down and replace it in a few months anyway?