Starbases & experience

The problem with experience for Starbases is that you don't control what they fight. Starbases are mostly defensive, they come under attack. If they survive, they gain levels.

People aren't going to attack a level 10 Starbase if they can hit a level 1 Starbase instead by going another direction. They'll just fly past the level 10 one and hit softer planets (PJI Starbase please!).

I've noticed a lot of people want to turn Starbases into capital ships, with things like experience and phase jumping. I'd prefer to keep them unique, and thus also keep capital ships unique.

        If crews get better at fighting with the more combat they see, a starbase that sees alot of action is of course going to be a better starbase than the one you built in the middle of nowhere. So it makes sense that starbases increase xp with more action. A level 10 starbase would be one that you put in the right spot thus the high experience level.

A level 10 Starbase will be the one that the enemy attacked but failed to kill the first time. After that I'd just go attack easier targets.

Which is highly unlikely to begin with, since normally no player would attack a starbase on a wild gamble - everyone will be at least reasonably certain that they can get the job done.

Much like you don't rush a few lone frigates against a capital ship

What about a moderately increase in firepower for the starbase, and make it semi-mobile, by that i mean, perhaps move at 100 mph, which is the speed of a capital, but keep it confined to the gravity well? In this way, between the moderate increase in firepower and the limited mobility the starbase is not so easy to go around? In that way it keeps its uniqueness, but becomes more effective in the gravity well and is slightly more powerful, but not over-poweringly so.

Just a thought,

-Teal

Why?

Starbases don't move.

I Think would make since for starbases to gain levels.  But insted of new Sepcial ablitys it would make since that they would gain power up related to there best upgrades. like a level ten starbase that specilazied in strike carft would have a maxuim 12 squads or maybe some sort of super strike craft. And starbase that speclezied as reapiar depot attculy buffed ship that it had worked on. So on and so forth.

How about making it even easier than that

starbaess get currently upto 8 purchasable upgrade slots. with experience make that number say 10. its more powerful but it still costs resources as well

the benifit beign that a well palced base that lives once can potentionally be more ready for the next assault - at least in theory - or the next fleet is better prepared.

Interesting thoughts, guys.  Thanks for the posts.

My thinking was also that to avoid a rebalance (which may not be an issue, considering that's a part of what's going on during the beta testing phase), you could have just a few levels:

green/rookie crew: effectivly 85% of current standard damage/armor

veteran crew: effectively 100% of current standard damage/armor

elite crew: effectively 115% of current standard damage/armor

I wouldn't want starbase experience to be dependent upon combat because they don't move, and as such your oldest bases may never gain any until it's too late for them.

As for adding additional slots, I could see that as being a potentially easier way to go except it seems too much like they'd be viewed as static capital ships.  I'm not sure if that's a valid concern either, but I figured I'd put it out there as well.

Go ahead and rip my ideas to shreds at your leisure

Now, I dont mean to rip anything to shreds my fellow sinners but the way i see things that is a good thought but i dont think it will work. If players are able to end the game before it begins by building a mobile starbase that is like a massive fleet all in one unit that would (in my opinion) ruin the game.

 Just imagine. You have started a game on a wonderful map. I mean percfect there is little resistance on planets with enourmus amounts of resources and artifacts all around. You have this awsome plan that you must begin at once that will grant you with a massive fleet with extraordinary potential then your enemy gets a starbase just when you plan starts to come together and just sweeps you clean. Leading you to rush into a frenzy to protect your remaining planets. But the enemy has taken over all your key resource producers.

I think I speak for a lot of people when i say planning your assault and glory, watching everything come together, and just playing the game for longer than a half-hour is half the fun. If you could win just by immediatly building a nearly invincible starbase in 10 minutes and 20 clicks of the mouse then it would be pointless to have anything but starbases. fleets would be useless. Even starbases moving in a gravity well would be too much the Starbases already have the ability to prevent enemy planet take-over and colonization

I do agree with having the starbase ability cap go up to 10 instead of 8 though

I like this ideal.  It could enhance a SB a little more than a regularly upgraded SB.  This could make it more interesting at least.

I would rather see Starbases with less upgrade slots.

Weapon and Defense upgrades are pretty much mandatory so they shouldn't cost upgrade slots at all. And the remaining "customization" slots could be one time deals giving more bang for the buck. Having 2 step upgrades for Trade, Culture and Frigate Factory etc. seems like an unnecessary complication.

Don't like the idea of giving Starbases XP as you have no control over what they fight or don't fight.

Well you sorta do have control - you get to place it.

often times I end up dropping a SB in a nutral just so i can build another trade port since it would appear that they changed how trade routes work.

also the vasari population is a good money maker in itself

I'd prefer not to have SB experience. I like the way they are build and upgraded just fine. just tweak around a bit on the edges and it will be fine. I think I already made my point as to what specifically I would like changed.