Starbase Ownership

Starbases - A long time coming but the pinnacle of achievement for any Guild or Captain. Information as its released will be collated here in this section.
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Coops
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Starbase Ownership

Post by Coops »

Starbase Ownership
This post is an early heads up on how starbases will work when it comes to ownership and deployment. It's NOT definitive and does not cover all the rules as these are still being ironed out as we go. But it will give you a 'heads up' on getting and deploying a starbase.

First off let's clear up one myth that seems to be doing the rounds. You will ONLY be allowed ONE starbase per Captain. This is clarified below as there are other things to consider when employing this rule.

Deploying a Starbase has certain requirements. Let's run through them in 'logical order' shall we?

1: First I would expect a person / Or Guild to have ALREADY crafted and have in their possession 10 Starbase Hubs. The hubs reside on a Captain account and can be located by viewing your Captin Bio. You COULD bid for a 'Deployment License' without already owning the Hubs BUT you only have 60 days to complete the Deployment from winning the license so point ONE is fairly important in planning.

2: Deploying a Starbase requires a 'Starbase Deployment License' - to get one of these you first need to open a 'Starbase Owner Account' - the location for this will be published as these become moved to the live server. It's a simple process. You will require 10 Million credits to open an account, the funds are refundable upon successful deployment of a starbase. Note the cost is JUST for the account.

3: When signing up for a 'Starbase Owner Account' you will be asked at the time if you are applying to deploy a starbase for YOU or for your Guild. This is important. Remember earlier I said you could only have ONE starbase. If you create an account and answer 'for a Guild' and manage to obtain a license AND deploy then that is YOUR ONE Starbase used. Inversely if deploying one for You - that's your ONE starbase/

IE you can deploy one for you OR your Guild but not both. You do not need to be a Guild Owner to deploy on your Guilds behalf but you must at least be an Officer. Guilds can have multiple players who belong to their guild deploy on their behalf IF they are crazy rich and REALLLLLLLY like a challenge :)

Each 'Starbase Owner Account' comes with an Escrow account. Funds used during bidding come FROM the Escrow account. If bidding on behalf of a Guild you will (once the bidding begins) have access to bid with your Guild Escrow funds. Of course, if bidding on your own behalf you will need to top up the Escrow account from your personal account.

4: Now you have Ten Hubs ready to go and have a Starbase Owner Account (with funds deposited) you can start bidding on a starbase Deployment License.

Starbase Deployment License
These will be issued by ME. I will update and add to these over time as they are won and used. Initially, you can expect there to be around 10 Licenses issued. Each one is for a SPECIFIC location (system) and the winner can ONLY deploy their starbase hubs at that location.

The location of the Licensing Office will be released later when its rolled to live. It is likely that whilst you will need to visit a specific location to start the bidding process on a License. Updating your bid is likely to be accessible remotely to those who have made a bid or involved in the bid process.

License Bidding
Only those captains with a 'Starbase Owner Account' can take part in the bidding process on a License. There will be a minimum floor cap on the bidding process. After that bids can be made in 10 Million+ increments. Those bidding on behalf of a Guild will have access to the Guild Escrow Account, if not you are bidding with your own escrowed funds.

Each increased bid above the active high bid resets the licensing bid session. A winning bid will be the highest bid that has not been out bidded for ten consecutive days. This is so that EVERYONE can have a chance to bid and take part in Starbases. Not just those who have the most time online. Some players play once a week some all day.

ALL Bids are HELD in escrow with the starbase management system Untilyou are outbid. If of course, you win your held funds will pay for the license.

The winning Captain will be issued a 60 Day license to BEGIN the deployment stage of their Starbase. (hence having the bugs beforehand is a good idea). Deployment takes time and is not instant, but as long as the owner of the new shiny license begins the process within 60 days all is well.

THERE ARE ZERO - N0 - NADA refunds! Spend 'X' billion on a license and fail to deploy within 60 days and you LOSE the license.

Starbases are Forever - Ownership maybe not
OK you paid an exorbitant planet killer amount of money for your license. You deployed your starbase and made off into the sunset. Let's move forward a few years and you lose interest in CE and your account falls fallow and is eventually removed. What happens then?

We will (later) release an arm of the Official Receiver that Auctions off (using the same principles and requirement for a Starbase Owner Account') Starbases. Of course, these will have increase starting bid points based on the starbase level at that time. But this ensures that a starbase REMAINS in location for as long as CE runs.

Guild Ownership
With Guild Deployed Starbases this is a little different. It's likely having laid out all the information above, Guilds will nominate a Main 'Deployer'. This person is the actual 'owner' of the starbase but in real terms only has a few more abilities than the Guilds Officers. Once deployed most options will be open to Officers of the guild. So as long as a Guild remains in operation and has Officers it will remain within that guilds control. Note you dont need to be the Guild Leader to deploy on behalf of a Guild. At this time I don't see any issues to Guilds running more than one Starbase as long as the usual rule of 1 Starbase Deployment PER Captain.

Losing Control of a Starbase
You can think of a starbase as a VERY large settlement. IT will have its ups and its downs. It must be maintained and its financial requirements meet along with its staffing morale kept up. If a Starbase falls into bad management through either of the aforementioned issues it is likely to be turned over to the Official Receiver and later Auctioned off.

Final Note & Important One
Don't expect the License to be cheap. At this time an estimate would be 1+ Billion floor level for the license. Players will, of course, inflate that with bidding and time. Then there are the deployment and running costs. Once deployed a starbase no matter HOW good your hubs will need investment and management. All costing you funds and resources over time.

Don't forget the warning above that you will need to be able to maintain and keep the starbase running smoothly as well. You should think VERY hard before applying for a Starbase Owner Account and then bidding on a Starbase deployment License. Starbases will be the pinnacle of ownership in Core-Exiles. There will be nothing more 'shiny' than these but they come with responsibility and of course Risk!

HAVING SAID THAT - it is intended that a well run and maintained Starbase will eventually turn a profit (over time) think minimum 2 + years and you're in the right ballpark.

The above is a rough Guide as it currently stands on how to obtain and begin the deployment phase of a starbase. It is NOT definitive and will be updated prior to the first deployment of Live code.

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Q: Coops what if my guild wants more than one starbase.
A: That's fine simply sort out which Officer members of your guild will be doing the Bidding and Deploying. Then get them to sign up for a Starbase Owner Account (Guild). Each one can then bid on (different) licensed spots and hopefully win licenses for your Guild.

Q: Coops I want to deploy my own starbase but I'm IN a Guild?
A: That's not a problem. You need to apply for a Starbase Owner Account (Personal). This will allow you to bid on a starbase license for YOU. But it won't stop you accessing any Guild starbases that your guild has deployed. (You will need to be an officer to have management access to a Guild Starbase)

Q: Coops can I apply for a Starbase Owner Account at any time?
A: You will need to be level 40+ and have 10 Millon credits on hand in your ships account. But yes you can apply at any time. Obtaining the Starbase Owner Account will give you access to the Bidding process, but it does not mean you have to actually bid until your ready. The Account won't expire and you won't get your 10 Mill investment back till the day you deploy a Starbase.

Q: So I can't deploy one for me and one for my Guild?
A: Sorry NO - As per above numerous times, you can ONLY EVER deploy ONE starbase per captain in his / her lifetime.

Q: If I sign up for a Starbase Owner Account say for a Guild can I change my mind?
A: No - At the time of creating a Starbase Owner Account you will need to decide Personal OR Guild. Once that leaps been made that's it.

Q: I'm going to get an Account to deploy on behalf of my Guild, do I own the Starbase?
A: As the person who deployed it you have Senior owner rights to the starbase. You have a top tier of management options. Below this, the Officers of the guild have a subset of management options. This ensures should you go 'missing' the Starbase will remain operational and looked after. No matter what happens to YOUR account (should you leave CE or the Guild) the starbase remains under the management of the Guild it was deployed for.

Q: What If I deploy a starbase for myself and my account is deleted?
In this instance, after a period of time, the starbase would be handed over to the Official Receiver and the starbase eventually Auctioned off usinf the starbase license bidding system.

Q: What if I deploy a Starbase on my Guilds behalf and my account is deleted.
A: Guild officers still have management operational control, and a new Starbase owner can be voted on through the starbase interface, but ONLY if the original deployment owners account is deleted.


Coops
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