Hello,
like majority of players, we are testing TLA game until wipe.
In TLA, there is IMO good idea: bases are visible on world map, so you can visit it. Because of looters, there are these was of protection:
(i will describe it for players who did not visited TLA). Also you can place your base where you want on the world map, because you use GECK. (not mountains, ciities, of course)
Whole base map is divided into 4 sections:
1. free accesible area around base itself. if you enter from world map, you can spawn there
2. base is surrounded by unbreakable walls, with only one possible entrance: Main gate with plasma field. When is plasma field on, you can not enter base. Only members can turn of and on this plasma field. The plasma field is supplied by generator. You have to maintain it by Small energy cells or MFC.
3. In base, there are several buildings. You can enter free to every of that building, if you get yourself thru the main gate with plasma field. So if your field is down, items are unsafe and everybody can steal it. With one exception:
4. To enter main building, you have to use computer to open doors (and close too). So even if your plasma field is down, you are safe in that area. As a member, you can leave your base by secondary, hidden exit, and if you enter the base from world map and you are member, you will always spawn in the main building (so you can safely leave and enter this area). Only way how to get in, is if sobody will go thru main gate, and in sneak mode he will enter main building in the moment, when you have opened doors.
5. In main buildinng is armory: room with a lot of lockers. You have to be member to enter this area (same principe like main building entrance - computer). So even somebody gets inside, he will need to sneak twice to get to your most valuable stuff. Also you can very f equip your self and leave your base, because armory is near exit grid.
6. If you use this exid grid, you can leave this place even if you are not a member, so this is way how to sneaker could left this place. If you are member, you enter directly the main building, without need of entering thru the main gate.
I like this concept very much. Bases are visible, you have to maintain your plasma field or it will disapear. If there will be small changes: workbenches in the base area (not in the main buildings), so you will have to turn on your field to craft without possibilities of enemies. Or fiber field outside the base, so you will have to sometimes open main doors,... This is opportunity for base raiding, thiefs, but it will not ruin the gang.
If i compare it to the 500k caps vault: it takes more time to left it, than in basic cave and cave gives you almost the same possibilities like nearly 20x expensive vault.
Why dont implement it in 2238. It could be also only place, where you can plant mines. And of course, i like the idea with sand bags. All this could generate another PvP elements without do hard work (map and scripts already exists in TLA).
PICTURES:
http://img842.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=screen25082010202513.jpgBase area and gate with plasme field, outside base, near the end of map are brown exit grid hexes
Main building, you can build your own sand bag wals and move it somewhere else:
Armory and exit from map:
