Hi!
I am a relatively new player with no PvP experience, and my knowledge about faction warfare is entirely based on Eve university wiki, so bear with me…
I think faction warfare could/should be a great opportunity (especially for new players like me) to get and grow into PvP on a relatively level playing field (e.g., T1 frigate vs. T1 frigate), also without ruining the security status. Of course there are still factors like good/bad fittings and skills, but that is about as level as it gets… However, there is this:
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I have to leave my corp in order to participate (annoying, but “sort of” ok…)
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I become a legal target anywhere in New Eden for players of the opposing force. Now THIS is a real deal-breaker for me. I guess I would do like 1/6 to 1/3 of my game time PvP and the other time stuff like exploration, abyssals, missions, mining, etc. Being a legal target even in High-Sec, this would severely limit my ability to play relatively relaxed when I want to (I know there is no absolute safety), since I would need to keep an eye out for attacks at all times (and all gates). So – no, thanks!
Possible solution: introduce a rank system, e.g., like this:
Private: can only access complexes of type “Novice”. Can legally attack/be attacked by opposing players only inside war zones. Can only fight for a single faction with which he has standing higher than 0, must obtain the (new) “Reserve Private” rank for the faction he wants to fight for (can be done in Militia office). No other consequences/implications.
Officer: can only access complexes of type “Novice” and “Small” (maybe allow non-faction T1 cruisers in “Small” or squeeze in a T1 cruiser complex between “Small” and “Medium” that can also be accessed by “Officers”?). Can legally attack/be attacked by opposing players while inside war zones and all other areas of Low-sec. Can only fight for a single faction with which he has standing higher than 0, must obtain the (new) “Reserve Officer” rank for the faction he wants to fight for (can be done in Militia office, after serving as Private for X days). No other consequences /implications.
Commander: basically faction warfare as it is today. The player must leave his corp and join the ”Militia” corp of the faction he wants to fight for (can be done in Militia office), which grants him the “Militia Commander” rank. Alternatively, when joining faction warfare as a corporation, all corp members get the “Militia Commander” rank.
“Reserve Private”, “Reserve Officer” or “Militia Commander” rank for faction X is displayed for the character under “Standings” in the character sheet and character info.
“Reserve Private” and “Reserve Officer” ranks can be dropped anytime. Single-player “Militia Commander” rank is removed upon leaving the ”Militia” corp, “Militia Commander” rank obtained by the corp joining faction warfare is dropped when the corp leaves faction warfare or when the character leaves the corp.
o7