Alert hoppping - empire switch timer needed

PlanetSide 1 had an empire switch timer of 12 hours. PS2 needs the same to put an end to alert hopping. Alert hopping to TR is making winning alerts very difficult for the VS and NC.

Make it happen SOE. Put an end to alert hopping.

While I have no idea just how much damage alert hopping does, I don't think a full 12 hour timer should be put down on the game. I don't know how hard this is to code, but how about once we are notified that an alert is going to happen soon you can't switch factions until it's over. Some people play two factions because their friends play another faction or something, and prohibiting them from doing that wouldn't be that great, as well as youtubers would be annoyed as they can't review every new empire specific weapon in one day.

On Waterson, alert hopping causes a 10-20% population shift during alerts, usually to the advantage of the TR.

Oh I see, that 20% is pretty bad lol, but I still think the idea I threw out there is less intrusive and still solves the problem for the most part.

No empire hopping during alerts would be sufficient.

/bumpity

It does this:




Taken just 2 minutes ago with 30 minutes left of an event.

Events just break the server. STOP doing them!

Seriously. NC population was 31%. Alert started. 5 minutes later, NC population was 26%. TR went from 33% to 40%. With half an hour left, the TR have captured 8 out of 9 AMP stations (and have gained another 4%), and what NC population are left are just frantically trying to find a decent fight. They're not competing in the event; they're not able to compete. All they're doing is ignoring the objective and holing up in defensible bases so they at least can salvage some XP from the situation.

f2p game, 3 accs gg np.

This just about sums it up. Alert hopping breaks the event/alert system.

I was just talking about this with someone else a few minutes ago. Although not at the 12-hour level.

Here's what I wrote,

"Locking characters sounds like a good idea. Although, with the 15-minute alert notice, people will just leave earlier. Unless the alts are locked just prior to the 15-minute warning. Then even with that, from my understanding, Alerts run on a set timeline, so its still predictable, and the lock can be circumvented. Overall, it would still help reduce the issues.

I also agree with what you said about not being able to create an opposite faction character on the same server. Although since it's a free-to-play, I wouldn't doubt those who want to 4th faction, would just create another account with their many email accounts, and continue doing it. However, it would still help reduce the issue, atleast with those who don't feel like messing with making multiple accounts."

While it's true it wouldn't stop it 100% it would in theory reduce it as you say .. Due to account wide unlocks and / or Membership making it more practical ( and cheaper ) to have all your characters on the same account ...

/bumpitybump

That's why instead of character locks they need to have population locks on the alert continent and a re-working of alert objectives. No faction may gain new members on the continent once they have a 5% population lead (or whatever), until the other factions close the gap. They tried spreading it out over multiple continents but that just makes the problem worse as it rewards higher population even more.

It's the only thing I can think of that works that can't be easily circumvented by multiple accounts, or screw over players who don't fourth faction but do play multiple factions on the same server.

The TR have a 21% pop advantage in the current alert.

No. I want to be able to switch to my TR alt on Briggs so I can get free CERTs from alerts that no one on NC can be bothered participating in.

Pretty sure all the 4th faction kiddies are too lazy to run multiple accounts since they are too lazy to stick with an empire to earn a win.

I love when people say this like it means we shouldnt do anything to stop it since "someone will work around it", still means we should stop what we can.

I never liked the idea of being able to play the other faction on the same server in any MMO or MMORPG game. It creates imbalance in games were you compete with the other faction or in PvP on other MMO's. If I play the other faction, its on a different server, not the same one. I think if friends were really friends with each other and 'wanted' to play co-op together they would choose the same faction.
A lockout timer to prevent switching during alerts is cool I guess, definitely better than what we have now - but i would prefer if you could only play one faction on that server. I just don't like the idea that any person can easily &quickly switch to the other faction if they are losing or even if just to see what the other faction is doing/saying on coms. Granted nothing completely eliminates that of behavior but making it where you can only play 1 faction per server would reduce that type of 'imbalance' by a lot imo.

a fix for those who log on to set off the free cert timers without restricting the char you want to play is simple in theory, when you are in the warpgate SOI you can log in and out of characters with no penalty BUT once one of those characters steps outside of the gates SOI then they are locked on the switch char cool down.

I feel the game could do with this, although a 12 hour limits is a bit much. 6 at most, 4 hours at the least.

12 hour between factions on the same server.

Blackweb is spot on.