Both FOBs and RW seem to have some problems attracting people. Both are very good content in some sense. I mean I do NPC miner hunting in FOB systems, love it. I tried FOB solo when it was still possible, I didn’t use droneboat and I didn’t succeed, but it was fun trying this and that… I did RW sites, it’s just that I find LP store a scam and non LP reward a joke, but the sites themselves are very engaging and fun.
My list of issues which stop me personally from doing them:
-
RW sites are spread out too much. Going mining one expects numerous belts or ice/ore anoms. You don’t expect you’ll have to travel a lot to find asteroids, certainly not in a barge/exhumer going for higher tier sites.
-
FOBs are pretty hard, I mean 15 waves of elite cruisers and BSes, and they respawn (indefinitely?), under citadel neut and ecm. And highsec players are not used to the idea of even chance losing ships to NPC. I mean who loses ships in missions, in exploration, or mining?
-
There supposed to be 10-40 participants and only 1 lootbox in the end, so unless its a corp event some one guy is getting luckier than all the others. There is bounty for killing too, but bounty seems attractive only if you go killing several of them FOBs nearby.
So, my idea of fixing it. Make an FOB equal to system wide mini-incursion. Influence meter and all.
Initially FOB is like it is now, or even harder, with full armor and shield, guarded. But It also spawns a number of signatures and beacons, combat sites, data sites and RW sites. Running those makes FOB weaker.
Running data sites breaks shields. Running combat sites and RW exhausts defenders. Those sites respawn overtime, but if at any moment there are no sites left, then FOB becomes exposed, loses shield, armor, defenders, becomes visible on overview and empire military start bashing it. Everyone including noobs and alfas then may participate.
Devide BPC into pieces, drop several cans with those parts. Loot spew mechanics once used in data/relics may be used.