we want your opinions PT I

Literally almost nothing right now, but why are the hoarders essentially being punished for taking risks in the first place, and people calling it abuse?

If its impossible to take anything but dung borders whats the point of ever fighting

It`s one thing to vm to avoid counters, but another to do it to protect colonies. It`s possible to have a couple bad days looking for borders and suddenly they have none. I`m sure we are all aware that hoarders can`t explore, so why should they be forced into death at the hands of people who freely explore borders every day with no repercussions?

wait i dont think the point of VM is to protect clusters haha - not in a oh no i just ran out of borders and will VM so nobody can hit me kind of way

Yes to VMer will be ignored as far as ranking goes.

Let`s keep the objective of vm simple:
1) to protect empire when real life got in the way
2) to protect important cluster

Hence VM building is unfair. But we still want empire to protect their cluster when border is low. Hence the max pr player could have in VM is maybe cap at 20mil. High enough to protect themselve when vm end, but not too high which become unfair, especially during uw.

Chain VM is ok in my opinion. They still allow protect important cluster and sometime real life really got in the way. It`s not affecting the game in any way if an empire keep on renewing vm. Especially if VM PR cap is introduce to prevent VM building, chain vm is no longer unfair.

Top 5 bonus should ignore those in dp. Those bonus should be only for active fighting in the rank, hence those in dp should be ignore.

I know I`ve been chain VMing recently but life happens. As such I think some of the suggestions are good and some not so much. Anyway for the record my views:
1. Fleet reduction: I like BW idea, this fixes the VM building issue and the top 5 issue at a stroke without causing problems for non explorable empires coming out of VM with no fleet.
2. Change to dp. I think that most of the disscussion is based around explorable empires for whom this is reasonable but would be an absolute disaster for non-explorable empires. I think this could be addressed by having short term VM treated as it currently is but long term VM (7 days or more) treated differently. I would suggest that empires coming out of VM gain half maximum turns (to give some chance to build on longer TB servers) but only a short VM period (say 1 hour). I don`t like the idea of a lag before DP is awarded I think reducing DP at the end when it is possible to defend yourself is better then leaving empires hanging as Pinatas.
3. Counters. I`m not sure if this is even feasible as neither BW or EE has mentioned it to the best of my knowledge but this is often what annoys my about others VMing. I think if you VM counters against you should be extended to 14 days after you come out of VM thus giving a positive disincentive to VM to avoid counters.
4. Slaves. Rather than Autofreeing slaves I think the enslaved empire should be able to free themselves. This allows enslaved empires to remain slaves if they so desire.
5. Chain VMing. I don`t see this as a real issue. I have been chain VMing for a while and have lost a couple of my empires through just not being able to get online to reset my VM. I`ve deliberately chained together 1 week VMs mostly as I`ve no idea when I`ll be able to get back into playing. I think giving the players the flexability of either an extended fixed period VM or a more flexible rolling VM.

Also, you lose your counters but those with counters on you get to keep them. The length of the VM only postpones it

24 hour cooldown makes sense.. as far as fleet deductions, I say no. Leave the fleets alone.

Regarding #4 Ank, keep it at 24. The only reason I say this is because of rare life experiences when traveling on a plane for 16 hours non stop have been an issue where it gets delayed and acts more like 24 when you estimate your DP exit time.

LMAO :p

1) Counters should be frozen when you VM - specifically, counters against you. I dont care if your own counters are frozen, and in fact I dont think the VM`ers own counters should be frozen - dont want to give a counter only to have it used on you a month later.

2) I think most people here have agreed that VM SHOULD result in a % loss for fleet, albeit all kinds of numbers have been thrown out. I think we just go with BW`s 10x base. 200k land, max pr, thats still only going to give you around 80 million max pr to vm at, and thats fine. I dont know land on TB, or what high pr is, but if people have like 200k land over there, Id say maybe TB gets 5x base pr (unless `high` pr there is similar to here, but im assuming its lower).

3) when someone sets VM, I want it to happen immediately - keeping in place the 24 hour restriction. If they VM purely to hide when they have no borders, theyre likely going to lose their own counters making it only harder to win some back. I find this even more acceptable if we can freeze our counters against VM`ers, meaning VM is less of a hiding place for them.

4) Id be fine with reducing the DP granted after long VM to 12 hours.

5) I dont know if someone suggested it or if someone was simply replying to it, but I think I am in support of top 5 being top 5 on the out of DP rank list.

6) If someone VM`s I dont think we auto free slaves. I think VM should just autoset you to 1500 pr. This solves both VM`ers in top 5 and VM`ers with slaves. If your master sets VM for even 3 days and is at 1500, you have no real excuse for not freeing yourself. In some cases, I actually dont mind being a slave - especially like say Im a food terran - I kind of like the fact that I might get support from them. Id be in favor of locking the support function of course - having a slaver who doesnt send support, thats really awful haha

and lastly I don`t play everyday. if people notice I haven`t been active on RT much past months. and I have two degrees multiple other qualifications like first aid which I won;t use to save you if you ever needed it. I have my own place. anyhow.

by the way blazed it wasnt me that said about peoples mothers dying it was mompy so at least attack those who actually state it seems false excuses

blazed all im going to say is I have waited for you to end dp numerous times with counters on you with low borders and or no borders and you vacation all those times so the fact you personally need to attack me after me stating a fact about you in game is cheap and shows how immature you really are. One thing Im going to say is this. life would certainly be better for everyone without you in it your a trump fan no doubt

My thoughts on the matter:
1) remove 15% of the fleet when entering VM
2) top 5 bonus should not ignore those in DP, but those in VM. Basing can be used tactically to protect people climbing.
3) What AM said. When you hit the VM button it takes 24 hours before the DP kicks in. But the you will have to override the "hit anyone in the past 24 hours", and make it such that if you hit anyone after pushing the button the VM doesn`t activate.

I know VM is used a lot by those who doesn`t have tons of time to play (we all end up there eventually) but the I think it`s fair that you don`t get to compete in the high ranks. Invest the time to get the dime! I made my RT guard to be able to play high PR with an explorable empire for when my time got limited, but I do by no means think that it is fair that empires such as mine or Raist/Blazed have that advantage.

Anyways, I don`t want this thread to get to arguing and bickering. I`m just saying my piece sticking up for the empires who like playing GC but don`t have the time that we did 10 years ago.
Just for a reminder, I think counters should be put on hold if you VM
You should lose a certain % of your fleet. 5% for everyday in VM for a max of 75%.
You shouldn`t lose borders...lets remember what it says on the vm page..

Things to do before activating vacation mode:-
1. Use all your turns.
2. Build up your defenses and your border planets.
I think AM is on to something with the VM starts after 24 hours...
you should be able to chain VM.
Funny that this topic is going on the day I finally got internet and getting out of VM. Though I"m about to VM again because I`ll be away from the house for 8 days...working the next two, packing a getting ready for a trip outta state to meet up with my pregnant fiance who is 6 months pregnant and I haven`t seen in two months and also my parents who are all driving 8 hours so we can meet up and I can get my cats to bring back with me and spend one night with my fiance and finally feel the baby kick. Then after that I won`t see her again until the birth of my son, well we are hoping I make it there for the birth of my only child (who`s IQ I`m sure will surpass EP`s the moment he learns how to cry) Then I won`t see them again for two months when she`ll finally move up here with me..Then more than likely, around October when I get a good amount of time to play GC I won`t be able to this year cause I`ll be spending that time with my new family.
But I`m sure you`ve all that heard that one before and I`ll have probably aquired quite a few counters to hide from while being in VM.
Don`tmind me, I`m just grumpy cause I had to shave my goatee...a policy I`m hoping to change but not having great feedback from corporate on that issue.

This thread has gone crazy.

That`s what I mean Mompy, you just don`t know or understand people`s schedules. Not everyone lives in momma`s basement sucking on a thumb. Some people have carreers, and/or families. You think making $175k-$250k a year comes without having to make sacrifices? Well it does, and the sacrifice is a lot of time from your life.
So while little 8yo`s like EP who think they knows everything about everyone and people like you who think everyone makes up excuses....not everyone does. People`s mothers do die. Peoples careers come before GC. A new baby needs more attention than a silly online game. The corporate office calls and tells you they need you to wake up after 2hours of sleep, drive 1.5 hours to the airport, fly halfway across the US cause an employee with the IQ of someone like EP thought it`d be smart to drive a vehicle with a combustible engine through an area that has signs posted saying that a special permit is required for just that cause there`s a chance of having high LEL levels and could cause an explosion, you go, and hopefully you remember to sneek into the bathroom, log in from your phone and VM..that`s hoping you have data service. Have you heard that one in the past years? So while your life might enable you to play everyday, not everyone elses does and they shouldn`t be punished for it. What`s the bigger problem, a lot of empires in VM or a lack of players that causes you to notice all the empires in VM? What`s going to fix the lack of player problem? Making it so people`s empires die because they VM?
I shouldn`t dog you to much EP, we need people like you to work at our gas stations to sell the gas we make..So thank you for keeping our customers happy..up until you give them the wrong change for a $20 cause you can`t subtract $16.37 from $20 without the help of a calculator that you no longer have cause you smashed it out of frustration from it being to difficult for you to use

vm shouldn`t give instant damage protection.
Press 1 week vm instanly go to zero turns but dp is awarded 24 hours later so that it can not be used in any circumstance to replace not having borders

thats what i mean peeps
if ya VM it should be of an good reason.. not evry week your mom dies or ya need an extended walk with the dog. Ive heard them all in the past years ... also the ones ya prenounce blaze :)
Its abuse the system thats not should be allowed.
VM is short for vacation mode... some of us go on vacation for 20 or 30 times an year lol