Efficiency Based Scoring

[SpongeJr]

Here's an idea for alternative scoring: use the player's efficiency at completing objectives and killing enemies, rather than a straight tally.

By efficiency, I mean that doing things in a shorter time (either real time or game time... autopilot and being docked would be two places where the two would differ) would result in a higher score than taking a long time to do them.

Number of shots fired, or hit/miss ratio could also be considered, though I'm not sure if that'd be a good metric.

I can think of a number of interesting formulae for how to do this.

A straight up score penalty per time unit (or shot fired, or whatever) would be a bad idea. Players could wind up with a score of 0 or less.
Instead, applying a divisor to the current score system based on time played would be better. Although, if this number were to grow too large, score would approach 1 and then shrink to a fraction of a point. So perhaps an upper limit should be placed on this divisor. For example, if you were absolutely minimally efficient, your score would be divided by as much as 4. A multiplier could be introduced if you were especially efficient, multiplying score by as much as 4. (Obviously, other numbers could be used... 1/10th, 1/2, whatever.)

Why do I like this idea? Because scoring is currently of limited usefulness. Especially considering a player can currently just farm Centauri or whatever in Eridani and rack up all the points they want. This would discourage that, and it would allow players to compete not just based on how many points were scored, but how efficient the player was in his deeds.

Also, last time I checked, scoring was only based on killing stuff. One-time point awards for completing missions or completing other game objects would also be neat! I know of at least one player who would probably like to see points award for pacifist behavior, too.

This idea could be considered similar to how some roguelikes track the number of turns taken and people compete based not just on winning the game, but on how quickly they do so.

[Song]

I know of at least one player who would probably like to see points award for pacifist behavior, too.

Why hello there!

The technical-pacifist conduct (which is currently unworkable given the current issues with autons) does have some scoring mechanics, because auton kills count towards the players killcount. The bigger concern isn't really scoring (frankly if you can finish a Nethack style pacifist run you've got all the reward you need, speaking from experience), but making it possible in the first place (and maybe adding it to the conducts eventually).

But while it's a fairly low priority, it would be nice to look at alternative, more complex systems for scoring. The trouble is that it can become impossible to know how the game's scored (admittedly, I don't really know how it's done right now). If it's possible to have a more complex score system that still makes sense (or, thinking ahead to plans for RTS/other stuff on the engine, allowing scoring to be altered at the extension/campaign level), that would be a pretty neat thing for the long-term.