Suggestion: Add A New Production Level Between Limited and Minor

[Errreembuhr]

So I'm a big fan of the Factory, I have a lot of fun making subs in general. But I feel like there's currently a massive gap in the production levels between Limited and Minor, something that is potentially a bit problematic and limiting in regards to what can be submitted.

Limited (Only one small group of characters. IE: Small task force, not entire factions.), Minor (Large groups of characters. (IE: Multiple factions, companies, or groups.),

In the past I've done submissions for starfighters and weapons at limited and was asked to specify which groups could use the submissions at Limited or drop it to minor and readjust the ratings to compensate for balance. Which is an understandable thing. However I feel like going from Minor, where multiple factions or companies are allowed to utilize a submission, to Limited, where only small groups who are not entire factions is a very egregious gap.

As a solution, I'd suggest another production level in between. A level that would limit the submission to use by a single faction or company to bridge the gap between "several companies or factions" and "not entire factions". Currently this is covered under the Affiliation section, however Affiliation does not count towards balancing, meaning that if you submit something under Limited and affiliate it with a faction, you're still required to specify which sub-groups can use it.

Under a new Production Level between Minor and Limited however you could still allow Limited to keep its specialized nature while also giving more flexibility one step lower down the scale. It seems easy on paper, however I do understand that things like this are often more complicated than they seem, especially from a balancing point of view. I just thought I'd throw my two cents out there and possibly get a conversation started on the subject if one wasn't already in progress. Thanks for reading!

 

[Nixia Amabilia]

Couldn't either category fit that purpose after some explanation to Factory judges? I know I haven't been around for too long but communication always seems to sort things out and the Factory judges are really nice guys and gals too. In my view I dont see it as too big of a problem as long as I can openly communicate.

[member="Errreembuhr"]

 

[Asaraa Vaashe]

I'd agree that there is a marked jump between Minor and Limited, and a small difference between minor and major. Might it be worth scaling down what counts as minor to only a faction or 2 to bridge that gap?

 

[Olivia Dem'adas]

Eh.

They made Limited into what Semi-Unique used to be and made Unique x2 (x3, x8, exc) into Semi-unique. They also gave a reason for minor production to be valuable (if only for starships). I'd argue that the only time when a Limited production value would matter / be restrictive is in the case of fairly rare starships and tier 6 companies using restricted materials. Which, in such cases, is sort of a good thing. Sorta. I'd also argue that, in the case of large starships, the current quantifications for "Limited" means that you might as well just sub the ships at Semi-unique, as you're unlikely to see more than 5-6 at a given time anyway. And in the case of smaller warships (also tech and vehicles), your best bet is to just sub one version at limited for each Faction you wish to supply. However... This only matters if you're pushing for the +1 starship rating or working with restricted materials. In all other cases, there really isn't any reason for you to not simply produce a submission at a minor value.

 

[Errreembuhr]

[member="Nixia Amabilia"] you're definitely right, they're pretty much always open to discussion regarding these sorts of things, and it's great. This suggestion would just be something to cut down on the need for that and speed up the process. It isn't necessarily a problem, and like [member="Olivia Dem'adas"] said in most cases you could stick with minor to avoid needing to specify small groups for a submission. The suggestion was meant to be more as a conversation starter on something I feel is a bit egregious in terms of the gap between the lower end and the higher end of production ratings. Not everyone is gonna agree that it's something that should be changed, and that's fine.

As for how it might be implemented, maybe call it Private, limit it to single companies or entire factions, and use the affiliation section to specify which company or faction. It should be enough to explain who it's made for and who can use it, while giving a better balancing position to come with its more specialized nature without supplanting Limited. If anything it would make Limited more viable in the circumstances where it could be utilized.