What about removing planar communication restrictions? If I wanted the feeling of loneliness and like I was "out in space", I'd, well, NOT play a multiplayer online game. I'm sure there a ton of single player games out there that I could enjoy!

Wink wink.

I think the planar restrictions hurt the newbies. It certainly discourages me from traveling to aetherspace, and I know more than a few newbies have trouble when they're out there and need help and just can't communicate to anyone else.

Sure is a sad, lonely place, so I'd say that if that's what they are aiming for, the admin definitely got it right. I hope, however, that this is not the case.

To be honest, aetherspace isn't really designed for newbies for the most part. It is one of those systems that you have to be more experienced to get into. I personally enjoy it quite a bit, since you can shut yourself in with a group of friends. Either way, I think removing the restrictions completely probably won't happen.

On a related note, I believe GNT was recently changed so it can be heard from anywhere...

Admittedly, I was thinking specifically of the nexus worlds when I was referring to the newbie parts, as they're EASILY accessible for newbies. =)

But then again, everyone just communicates through messages anyway, so I guess there already is a way around the system.

we had some discusion on this in celest's aether clan, as we experienced that the jinsunjolt only worked while there was someone on the ship, was this a bug that is now fixed or does there still need to be someone on the ship?

and yes the destroyed ships lose flashpoints

And for communication I think the empath should have a skill of 10 power that allows him to put someone into the armada channel of that ship that can be heard anywhere in aetherbubbles/nexusworlds and in portal rooms on normal planes (well if possible). Only five people at a time should be possible though (aetherships should still be about isolation for hunting)

I was just about to make this comment, actually.

Wouldn't that be so you can't just jolt someone's ship when they're not around and blow it up?

no you can not jolt ships from prime anyway

Honestly it's sounding like most of the problem here has to do with not having equal numbers and/or not having sufficient people skilled in or focused on aether battles rather than the actual mechanics of it. If your organization does not have battleships at its disposal, skilled crew (those that specialize and invest a lot are of course preferred but just having people who know how to fly, how to fire, and how to heal the ship go a very long way to successful aether missions regardless of whether they have a lot of skills or not), and a solid understanding of aetherspace tactics you are going to be very vulnerable to bombard. It is the same if you do not happen to have very many skilled combatants and are trying for a ground defense. Mines are not gone "shortly" after. They're gone in an hour. And just putting mines all over the place with no plan (spending 200p on mines seems to indicate this) is probably not a great strategy. Give it some thought and you'll probably find other solutions. And you can definitely mine with flashpoints in mind.

In my experience with aether battles bombarding ships are by far the easiest targets to take out. They are sitting ducks and you're a mobile force. With good timing of moving in and out of firing range you can take out a much stronger ship. Having specialized skills makes it that much easier. Of course, as people get more experienced with aether battles it becomes that much more complicated but it's definitely never boring and arguably provides the most interesting aspect to the weakenings!

As Anisu mentioned, Celest and Magnagora have both sacrificed a lot of power and experience improving in this area. I definitely don't want to sound patronizing or anything but it's possible you're going to have to get out there and work on improving before judging the overall strength/weakness of bombarding.

Choking the passage in, plus the vulnerable area around the dock itself, with mines. Probably used more than we had to, yes.

It doesn't change that even with equal numbers, being on the defense with Bombard the way it is is an extremely frustrating and un-fun waste of time, and that there should be a greater emphasis on bombard being *support* instead of the meat of the battle as it is very unfulfilling.

It is unfulfilling for you (or possibly the whole of the glomdoring) based on reasons that seem more personal than mechanical. Quite a few people have said that they find the aether battle portion of weakenings to be the most exciting part. You have every right to your personal dislike of it but I can't see any real mechanical basis in your arguments to change it.

It would still exist either way. I have not advocated removing it, simply shifting some of the focus off of it. You would still be able to use aetherships to attack and defend, and all of that would exist-- there would just be less focus on bombarding itself.

I agree with Xenthos. The colossus should do most of the damage; bombard should just be a backup that does a little extra. It shouldn't be able to outpace construct healing on its own.

Are we supposed to be able to focus positively on it to restore energy? I thought I had read we could, but it seems not.

Also-- does it ever call for help when being attacked in this way? It also doesn't seem to...

You sure? When the Altar dropped a while ago I lost Moonchilde and had to go get it back when it was put up again.

EDIT: Not that I'm sure why this is even being argued. Not like they can put lich up again.

I don't see there being much of a problem besides numbers. We managed to communicate between nexus world and ships quite effectively, so it can be done as it is now, and I remember dying many times to Magnagora launching a ship (or ships) from their nexus world at us. As for flash points, you, too, can have a flash point at your nexus world for quickly getting there from aetherplex or nexus if you want to completely avoid jinsunjolt at the dock. One of the first things we did when attacking was set flash points for both nexus worlds, in case a ship got past us to ours if we had a capable commander. I was quite happy with how our aetherbattles were going with Magnagora when we had them. After the first several times dying and working out strategy, I found it quite satisfying, no matter who ended up dying.

Give equal numbers, I don't see how the defender isn't at an advantage if they take the time beforehand to prepare (considering my experience in our fights with Magnagora, at least.)

First impressions- terrible idea to make it based off of the moon. Going to be doing this for three hours, and not everyone conglutinates. We're only getting bodies because both sides agree that people without conglutinate having to pray is crap. :/

People definitely need to conglutinate in their home nexus world during mini-weakenings (they do during normal weakenings, right?)

This just in:

They didn't, but they do now.

(Needed change.)