While I expect some trolling I hope the following post is discussed maturely.
I am like most here an avid EVE player. I have lived in wormholes and Factional Warfare space (Minmatar) and more recently Null Sec. I enjoy Null sec and many aspects of the SOV system and I also enjoyed most aspects of factional warfare although the mechanics allow for farmers to too quickly switch sides too keep a flow of isk going. This being said my time in Null sec has shown some aspects of those mechanics that could work well in FW. I spent years in Minnie Faction Warfare in leadership roles (until 2016) in the AU TZ and hope the following high level proposal is is met some fierce but mature discussion. I hope to see FW become the power house it once was many many years ago.
So here is my high level proposal:
Change of Mechanics for System Teiring and Infrastructure Hub upgrades
Currently it is too easy for farmers to farm LP and then use that LP to upgrade I-hubs. Once farming has hit a certain level it easy to maintain a high teir while farming is required for isk.
This creates a meta game situation as unfortunately non-farmers cannot easily defend against this onslaught unless of course they happen to also have farmers on their side. Unfortunately this farming behaviour allows for large numbers of system flipped over the space of a week or even a few days. The farming also takes away from game play mechanics as it is easy enough to fit up a warp stabbed Tristan to run sites on an afk alt.
So on this note I propose that FW mechanics remove I-hub upgrading through LP and instead make it based on the level of activity in a system (similar to Null Sec). I would also propose that the buffs are based average numbers logged in, Combat (PvP and PvE) activity and industry (yes… including mining and manufacturing). The level of system would determine how many Victory points were required before a system becomes vulnerable and possibly determine the number of timers required to take a system. E.g. Shield, armor and hull timers when at Level 5; Shield and Hull at Level 3; Shield at Level 1; No timer once vulnerable at Tier 0.
I would also propose that if one system is at level 5 then all neighbouring systems at a minimum of level 3 automatically, and +2 systems - level 1, with further systems not getting any benefits.
Effects on full FW Zone Teiring
I would propose to keep the Teiring system and bonuses the same as they are now with possibly some tweaks to numbers due to the effect the changes above would have on the possibility of achieving a high level teir.
System Level Rewards
Industry in low sec is difficult to say the least, mainly due to the terrible nature of asteroid belts. Of course moon mining will have changed this a little. Unfortunately reward versus risk is no where near that of Null Sec.
So on this note I would suggest that manufacturing time based manufacturing effects be put in place based on level as well asteroid belts based on level. Similar to Null sec although of course based on available materials in low sec (as I wouldn’t expect A-B-C-S to be available in low sec).
Hope to get some discussion…