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~!!~ Rethinking Social Zones ~!!~
nabreeki
Member Posts: 2,657 Arc User
Many of the "social" zones in STO seem to be floundering as of late, and I think we can generally narrow the decline down to three factors: general playerbase population decline, too many options, and unsavory "other" players.
1. Less players = less populated social areas.
2. The more social zone options for less players = less populated "core" zones
3. Some players don't want to mix with other players (normal players/RPers; Space rich/space poor; etc)
There have been efforts by the Devs to remake some of the social zones, with mixed results (new ESD club, very good; new Drozana, not so much). Those re-makes took a lot of Dev time and effort and are now generally unused (Old Droz was a major social hub). You get a few year-round Risians, some Quark's regulars, but zones like the ESD club and Paradise City are generally dead. Yet the demand to re-vamp certain zones remain.
The Devs should consolidate the number of social areas players have access to based on pre-selected "flags" or character options, thus streamlining the social experience for the playerbase. It could be a similar process to the PvE queue system, except the maps you access are pre-chosen.
Case in point: Someone creates a toon with the intention of using that character for Roleplay. By selecting a "roleplay" box on the social tab, your social zone options are limited to three "roleplay appropriate" containment zones: Risa, Andoria, Bajor.
By selecting one of the three options, RPers will not only be placed in zones with other RP-flagged toons, they will not disturb other players in other social areas. Note that once a toon has been flagged for RP, there is no way to undo it without creating a new toon for "normal play."
Some social areas can also restrict access based on a refundable "cover charge" system. Space billionaires can pay a 1 billion ec cover charge (refunded after exiting the zone) to access certain zones, like Quark's, or maybe a "high-roller" zone for players of the same ilk to socialize, play dabo, do some off-exchange trading, and so on.
Players with less than a billion can pay smaller cover charges for other zones, say 50,000 ec for Defera, Ganalda,the K-7 lounge, and so on.
This would allow space rich players to have normal conversation without others begging for ec, ships, items, and lower-tier players can talk about whatever it is they talk about.
Players who have been flagged repeatedly for disruption (by other players) will eventually only be given one option: Paradise City.
The point is to consolidate certain zones for heavier social traffic and to create community through matching players with like-interests together.
1. Less players = less populated social areas.
2. The more social zone options for less players = less populated "core" zones
3. Some players don't want to mix with other players (normal players/RPers; Space rich/space poor; etc)
There have been efforts by the Devs to remake some of the social zones, with mixed results (new ESD club, very good; new Drozana, not so much). Those re-makes took a lot of Dev time and effort and are now generally unused (Old Droz was a major social hub). You get a few year-round Risians, some Quark's regulars, but zones like the ESD club and Paradise City are generally dead. Yet the demand to re-vamp certain zones remain.
The Devs should consolidate the number of social areas players have access to based on pre-selected "flags" or character options, thus streamlining the social experience for the playerbase. It could be a similar process to the PvE queue system, except the maps you access are pre-chosen.
Case in point: Someone creates a toon with the intention of using that character for Roleplay. By selecting a "roleplay" box on the social tab, your social zone options are limited to three "roleplay appropriate" containment zones: Risa, Andoria, Bajor.
By selecting one of the three options, RPers will not only be placed in zones with other RP-flagged toons, they will not disturb other players in other social areas. Note that once a toon has been flagged for RP, there is no way to undo it without creating a new toon for "normal play."
Some social areas can also restrict access based on a refundable "cover charge" system. Space billionaires can pay a 1 billion ec cover charge (refunded after exiting the zone) to access certain zones, like Quark's, or maybe a "high-roller" zone for players of the same ilk to socialize, play dabo, do some off-exchange trading, and so on.
Players with less than a billion can pay smaller cover charges for other zones, say 50,000 ec for Defera, Ganalda,the K-7 lounge, and so on.
This would allow space rich players to have normal conversation without others begging for ec, ships, items, and lower-tier players can talk about whatever it is they talk about.
Players who have been flagged repeatedly for disruption (by other players) will eventually only be given one option: Paradise City.
The point is to consolidate certain zones for heavier social traffic and to create community through matching players with like-interests together.
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
1) New Romulus for Romulans
2) Q'nos for Klingons
3) DS9 for sellers/spammers
4) Drozana for dancing on tables
5) Risa for.. whatever they do on Risa
6) ESD for arguing about Trump
7) Sector space - for complaining about whatever is being talked about in the above
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I see exactly what this thread is for
Why do you have such a problem with roleplayers and casual players? What's wrong with doing the work yourself to avoid negative confrontations on your behalf?
Seen that myself, when that happens I notify Medical personnel through a chat channel and the doctors come to help the person....
Fleet leader Nova Elite
Fleet Leader House of Nova elite
@ren_larreck
And then if someone posts something you don't like in zone chat put them on ignore. Or better yet just use a channel specifically to chat with your preferred players.
No reason to restrict players you dislike from going anywhere, you can just block their comms from being visible yourself.
#FunnyThat
"I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
"I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
On the slim chance that a developer actually reads this thread, let me say that I give my full and enthusiastic support to more focus being placed on private maps such as Fleet holdings (starbase, etc), which - in my experience - is where most RP takes place in this game, away from those who might be bothered by it. Many of those maps have not been updated in years, aside from implementing the new lighting model, and are inadequate to the needs of large fleets and/or armadas; I have observed many Fleet events where some members of the fleet(s) were unable to attend ceremonies and other gatherings due to the caps on simultaneous players.
This literally hard-coded limit on these maps' utility as social zones sometimes raises the question, what other utility or purpose do they have? What is the value in implementing such areas in a way that leaves them not fully adequate for their primary use, yet gives them few or no others? The new colony map at least has a clear reason for being capped at exactly the maximum number who can take part in an invasion scenario, but that cap renders it less than suitable for any other Fleet use.
I would like to see the Devs take another look at the player caps for all Fleet holding maps, from the oldest (Starbase) to the newest (Colony). The more who can fit on those private instanced maps simultaneously, the fewer are left to bother other players who are uninterested in participating.
"I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
I try to come up with such. Simple, elegant, and effective
Hell, if they wanted to do something with age check (link to accounts, perhaps? So verify through PSN/XBL/ARC), they could even add a few ERP areas for 18+
Actually, I could see that, if nothing else, fleets could get exemptions about that sort of thing. Allow multi-faction fleets to share areas.
What he said. The ability to mute someone one finds objectionable is already in-game. Then again, I long ago disabled all local chat. If I really need to have a word with someone, I'll go to a channel they are a part of. I even have a few channels just for friends.
But what if one wishes to trade and RP?
And knowing is half the battle!
21 'til I die!
> lordsteve1 wrote: »
>
> Simplest solution is let people go where they want, unrestricted.
>
> And then if someone posts something you don't like in zone chat put them on ignore. Or better yet just use a channel specifically to chat with your preferred players.
> No reason to restrict players you dislike from going anywhere, you can just block their comms from being visible yourself.
>
>
>
>
> What he said. The ability to mute someone one finds objectionable is already in-game. Then again, I long ago disabled all local chat. If I really need to have a word with someone, I'll go to a channel they are a part of. I even have a few channels just for friends.
> soullessraptor wrote: »
>
> Simpler solution for that is to separate out various instances, and funnel players based on selectable flags. So players flagged for RP might go to ESD 1-3, While players flagged for trade might get 4-6
>
>
>
>
> But what if one wishes to trade and RP?
> @jamieblanchard said:
> lordsteve1 wrote: »
>
> Simplest solution is let people go where they want, unrestricted.
>
> And then if someone posts something you don't like in zone chat put them on ignore. Or better yet just use a channel specifically to chat with your preferred players.
> No reason to restrict players you dislike from going anywhere, you can just block their comms from being visible yourself.
>
>
>
>
> What he said. The ability to mute someone one finds objectionable is already in-game. Then again, I long ago disabled all local chat. If I really need to have a word with someone, I'll go to a channel they are a part of. I even have a few channels just for friends.
> soullessraptor wrote: »
>
> Simpler solution for that is to separate out various instances, and funnel players based on selectable flags. So players flagged for RP might go to ESD 1-3, While players flagged for trade might get 4-6
>
>
>
>
> But what if one wishes to trade and RP?
Then perhaps, depending on hub size, there would be hybrid instances
And to be fair most RP’ers probably use dedicated channels too.
So no reason to segregate players based on arbitrary descriptions of their preferences.
And if someone is being inappropriate and what not then you just put them on ignore or report them for harassment/bullying/sexual content etc.