Nice to see somone actuallly likeing the idea
How about when the player is not online (or hasnt given a command in a certain time in case they have been booted off the net without logging out, or a bandwidth issue is stopping them giving commands), the phase line into their space is "hidden". That way, no-one can touch the players space until they return. If enemy ships are in the players space when they log off, then all phase lanes lead out to a neutral. The most you lose if you log out while under attack, is the planet under attack.
Whilst I am troubled by the idea of large players( say people who own 100+ planets ) just 'phasing out' the idea has merit. But what of enemy ships caught inside the territory as it phases out? And what if the attackers go deep into the defenders space, bypassing several occupied planets just to get to one that, say, has and artifact. when the defender phases out, they'd be trappped. That's why I like the idea of the neuytral contracts - it allows peopl to fly throught the space but not attack it. As for logging out while your under attack, since phasing out costs nothing, why not( if you are losing a battle ) just phase out until the attacker gets tired an moves away. Perhaps a cost to phasing out might discourage this?
The maps just need to be dynamic enough so that even if all players were absent, the map could be navigated around, perhaps all the neutrals space being explorable and the unclaimed space. That way, the actual playable map would be dynamically changing according to who was online at any time. And offline players are fully protected.
I was aiming for a core of nations in the middle that you coulden't attack, but can in fact, pass through. and if all players are absent, I'd buy about a dozon colony class frigates and get moving. Or at the very worst, try to upgrade my space to be more profitable. Perhaps neutral nations could reward players who attack overly hostile alliances. Maybe to keep the game dynamic, small alliances who attack bigger ones might be rewarded cash. And bigger ones who stick around get special bonuses.
Also, I like the idea of a starting core of a few planets, but if instead of one way lanes, you make the lane in hidden, then the core worlds are protected. That way no one player can ever totally take out any other player, and everyone gets the chance to start again if they get destroyed. You just ensure that all core worlds lead to a neutral that leads to unclaimed space.
Yeah, this is where your hidden phase lanes would work perfectly - it would be harder to camp if you couldn't see the phase lanes leading to your enemies base. "You just ensure that all core worlds lead to a neutral that leads to unclaimed space" - well said. I'm also a fan of keeping the players in the game and allowing them to start anew. Not many people would be fond of dieing and getting the boot in an MMO.
