CCP Rattati wrote:Kain Spero wrote:CCP Rattati wrote:Booby Tuesdays wrote:Simply remove Components and Scrap Metal from the list of tradeable goodies when Simple Trading comes out.
That's the obvious fix. Alt farming of any kind is not playing the game.
Any way to have a more elegant solution that doesn't involve limiting the player economy down the road? Really all assests should be tradable.
Why?
Because EVE?
Honest question. You are basically saying "All games should have all assets tradeable all the time". Not to start a huge argument, and I still know this will flare up, but because EVE is not a reason.
Especially with PSN accounts being completely different from EVE accounts, since, you know, they have to pay a subscription to alt farm.
Not Because EVE at all.
With all assets being tradeable basically any arguments around what items are available for ISK or AUR go out the window. If simple trading doesn't allow things like boosters and BPOs to be traded I will consider the implementation a failure.
On components, I think that any system that shows that it can be abused by alt farming in a free market just means that it has core problems that need to be addressed. Active generation of items should always be the main driving force for any asset creation including Warbarge components.
I would be much happier with the barge system if there was no passive generation of components at all. Rather than claiming components passively give players a consistent EOM drops that they put into the factory to generate components for example. A better factory generates components from EOM drops faster or as in the current system can convert a higher maximum EOM drops per day. If you add a time component to converting an EOM drop to components you could always then add an option to pay to speed up the conversion.
WIthout the ability to trade components though it will vastly limit the component's ability to be used as a commodity and a potential resource. I think you all have created something that could be a perfect resource to generate from active play in pubs but more so planetary conquest. The passive generation through the mobile factories on alts though puts a damper on things and I think the issue with free alts shows a flaw in the system.
Components being soul-locked to a character makes the whole system just feel like a different form of passive SP that I just happen to be able to buy more of than a tangible resource I'm using to build and upgrade my own personal vessel.
CCP Rattati,
The more I think about it though the more it seems that it would make more sense to change the first slot on the barge to something that just increases your chances of getting warbarge components at EOM or increases the quantity when you do get drops. This would eliminate the passive aspect of barge generation, reward players for playing more, and allow players to pay to grind less.
Last, it would kill off any issue regarding alt farming of components without limiting player freedom in the economy, which I think is going to become a truly key pillar of Dust once you all implement trading and simple crafting.