Since the incursion spawn rate nerf, Warp To Me Incursions (in game “Warp To Me Incursions” chat) has been experimenting with the new invasions in our “science” fleets https://forums.warptome.net/topic/1140-triglavian-invasions-the-scoop-so-far/ . We’ve found them to be mostly enjoyable, but there is a major problem with the payouts in them - the ninja salvagers.
Since the reward for doing invasions is all in the loot and salvage, the fleet needs to bring a dedicated salvager in order to pay out our guys to encourage them to come out and fly. In our most recent fleet we had a great group of around 16 pilots put together to run the foothold sites, but we were constantly being followed around by these ninja salvagers who were able to scoop much of the salvage out from under us. In the end, the FC decided it wasn’t worth it to run because of these guys and so we stood down. Since there was nothing else to run, we just logged out.
CCP, if you want to encourage the content creators to form up and run your new content, please change the payout mechanism so that these ninjas can’t steal the fun out from underneath the guys who are actively trying to bring players to your new content.
If you look at the way this content was introduced it seems clear to me that they want this to feel like an emerging situation.
The keynote speech with the CCP guy in the Concord uniform, the trailer where the pilots were taken by surprise, the fact that they released none of this in SISI for testing.
Looking at it from this perspective, there can’t be bounties or LP payouts as those things require time to organize and there was no advance knowledge in the empires of this invasion.
The things you are asking for, I am sure, will be along with chapter 2. When the empires giant Bureaucracies get organized as the invasion progresses from “scouting” to something larger.
I expect that when “sites” will become a thing as well.
The ninja salvagers are a thing, but you can adapt. Put a half dozen members in catalysts and gank the salvagers.
Like the invasion, that can be fun also.
I think the payout mechanism is fine as it is right now, espeically with the free for all salvaging and ninja looting. I would hate for the Triglav Invasion to end up becoming just another one of the mindless “fleet up, shoot X, receive ISK directly into your wallet” type of activity that is already rampant in EVE Online.
The issue isn’t strictly the poor payout system the invasions have, it’s also the issue that they have limited incursion-runner’s content as well. So they are forcing us to participate in these sub-optimal payout situations instead of giving us proper incentives to want to participate.
No one is really forcing you to do anything. And I think the common expectation of “every new event must be more lucrative than current activities” is a very poor way to approach things. Not every new expansion is designed for the sake of making you rich, and you shouldn’t expect it to.
If there have been so many incursions that everyone that wanted to could do them peacefully that’s a problem.
Every game mechanic should drive conflict.
Ganking, can flipping, ninja salvage, ninja gas huffing, old moon siphons, suspect timers on abyssal exits…
Everything can be interfered with, and if it can’t it should be.
If you can just log in every day and go about your marry way making phat ISK that’s bad for the game.
Edit: I get you don’t like it. I hate it when CCP craps all over J-space with one thing or the next unplanned consequence. We always have to adapt. Now you do.
Tell the other fleet to get the hell out of your site and if they don’t war dec them or gank them.
Every ganked miner, hauler or mission runner says the same thing.
Aside from that, I did not read anything in the patch notes or dev blogs about reducing incursions, so my guess is that it was unintentional.
Perhaps a conflict with the system that chooses invasion spawn systems…
Since it was not documented, I would think it is temporary.