My idea is a very simple approach to the entire planet stealing problem. Just make it so that planets can no longer be stolen. Instead, the conquer planet attack is replaced with a liberate planet attack. If successful, this will take the planet away from the owner, and add it to the galactic reserves again, where another mothership may pick it up during a regular exploration mission.
So, what does this accomplish?
- People that claim their planets are "protected" will find this protection means very little when the planet is gone with no way to retrieve it.
People that set up multies to steal planets and then hide them through a couple of swift transfers will find their cheating tactic has become useless.
No more selling other people's planets. You can't sell what you can't obtain.
Planets will regularly be returned to the galaxy for others to pick up. Giving everyone the chance to have one for at least a while. Big players will likely be able to hold on to them longer, but not forever.
Big players will gain a vulnerable spot. Even if you can't mass their account, you can at least remove a planet. There's nothing they can do but retaliate. They won't be able to get it back. This opens up a new liberator type player as a tactical component of alliance strike teams.
Hopefully the tension about stolen planets will alleviate. Fewer massings because of stolen planets. It won't bring the planet back anyway so revenge is the only motive.
Downside, no one will be able to steal planets anymore so the good guys lose an option due to the bad guys' abuse of it.
At the same time there may have to be an update to make liberating a planet slightly more expensive, more towards the cost for upgrading them. There's plenty of suggestions on that already so I'll leave that part to the other threads.
