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As far as I can gather there isn't a limit to the covert upgrades you can get. However it does tend to get harder to achieve the next one as the prices increase exponentionally with each upgrade so odds are there will be one upgrade too far away for anyone to gather enough naquadah to purchase it. But however much naquadah it costs it will only cost $50 with the new ultimate supporter status. Although I don't want to drain funds from this (fantastic) site, may I instead suggest a maximum covert level is set (similar to the siege/fortification limits) that allows all the advantages of the bonus to a newcomer but wouldn't allow other people to achieve heights unobtainable without an external influence.


J.G.G.
just an idea

i completely agree here, i think max covert multi is in need of being set. the next level of covertion i see is 1,114,000 Naquada ...or £25. I know what i'll be doing next payday -chuckles- however not everyone has the same option i do. If a covert level max was set then after achieving that level it would simply be down to the amount of troops you train as spies, being then more in line with the rest of the game ie Offensive and Defensive upgrades being a mutli set to a max upgrade and then only strengthened by troopage and weaponry.

I agree there should be a limit......otherwise others with really high covert levels will continuely sabotage ppl that are just getting started

GhostyGoo wrote:i completely agree here, i think max covert multi is in need of being set. the next level of covertion i see is 1,114,000 Naquada ...or £25.

You sure that's the cost of the upgrade? But it's ballpark anyway and I think that upgrade would probably be the most anyone could afford with naquadah whereas if you are willing and capable of putting money in then you get a lasting massive advantage over those who cannot donate.


J.G.G.

the trouble with having a limit is that in the end everyone will have the same as everyone else therefore it will get boring. i like the idea of unlimited covert levels.

But does everyone have the same defense and attack power? You can still improve your covert ranking without buying the upgrades and I think that way would lead to a more balanced game.


J.G.G.

some covert ops equipment to buy, and boost your spy skill with them?

I think the main problem here lies within the size of ones Naq Vault. It would take well near 1200 (guesstimation in the nation) untrained units to achieve a vault capacity large enough to be a position to pay for the upgrade mention before. Assuming you have this many soldiers and bags of time, you'll get there - eventually - It remains particularly obvious however, that once you have paid for the upgrade, you back to square on in your attempts to achieve the next level.

As a new recruit amongst those with supporter status, I've benefited from the +1 covert, however, if I'd have used my fifty dollars after getting a further upgrade using the game only, before hand (difficult but possible) I'd have far more to write home about now. Achieving the next level without a real cash input seems almost impossible.

Perhaps - for those who can't/won't pay fifty dollars to keep that covert rank rising (myself included) some sort of upgrade should be available to improve the capacity of the cash vaults. Ironic it seems that getting rid of money would could help you get more.

Just my thought on that anyway.

I think the best and easiest solution is probably to limit the spy levels - this probably would have happened naturally as people progressed and costs rose (I doubt people would ever be able to afford an 50 or 100 mill upgrade). Seeing as there are limits in place on fortification and siege upgrades, why not on covert?

J.G.G.

Just thought I could bring this idea up again...

I really don't see how it could hurt the game to set the limit at covert level 15 - is anyone ever going to save up 200million naq? If people want to improve their covert levels, get more units involved not up the multiplier (as is the case in attack and defense powers). Many people have complained about methods used in gaining higher covert levels and are regarded by a lot as illegitimate tactics. Maybe the best and easiest thing to do is impose a limit on the covert level upgrades.


J.G.G.
may I ask who agrees/disagrees?

I agree to an extent but...

as you wrote:...the prices increase exponentionally...

Some may argue, so does everything else. As the game progresses, the numbers become higher as you're fully aware. Troop production reaches stupid amounts, and as a result, along with a click or two here and there, so does the number of troops. Achieving the next level is simply a case of a longer time in waiting to upgrade than the last time around unless one can determine a more superior strategy than his enemies in order to counter balance the amount of time it takes. There are ways, you simply have to find the strategy. The game is one big honkin' tonkin' mathematical formula.

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING

Yeah, I think those at the top receive as much spy power for one spy now as the rest of us get in attack power for one weapon. And there's some really sneaky tactics being used to get that one extra level the rest of us can't get to yet.

diamond-dust wrote:I agree to an extent but...

as you wrote:...the prices increase exponentionally...

Some may argue, so does everything else. As the game progresses, the numbers become higher as you're fully aware. Troop production reaches stupid amounts, and as a result, along with a click or two here and there, so does the number of troops. Achieving the next level is simply a case of a longer time in waiting to upgrade than the last time around unless one can determine a more superior strategy than his enemies in order to counter balance the amount of time it takes. There are ways, you simply have to find the strategy. The game is one big honkin' tonkin' mathematical formula.

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING

Not everything increases in value and function - only covert levels and unit production (yet unit production serves all areas of the game).

It is true that in time every spy level could be affordable but as Sleipnir said 'there's some really sneaky tactics being used to get that one extra level the rest of us can't get to yet.' Those tactics bypass the means available to all players.

It still makes more sense to me to impose the limit, as was done on attack and defense. Why do we need an infinite number of covert levels when there is no such limit on covert units. Give the replicators their unit production bonus or on covert units (10% off) and I see no reason in keeping the unlimited number of levels.


J.G.G.

the only problem with the covert level limit is that once everyone (or at least everyone in the top 250) get to that level what else is there, cause being number one would do u no good in sabbing anyone, cause when people are on the same level the number of spies needed to sab someone would be alot and you would lose a ton and thus lose a compontet of the game. i don't get why there needs to be a limit it is limited by doubling in price after each one so basically it allows others to catch up why you have to save twice as much and once u get to a cetain level it will take forever to get to thus limiting the level.

A limit is required as the pursuit of a higher level to avoid being sabbed by those with a higher level (hence the vicious cycle) has detracted from the overall game.

As stated by many above - you can still increase your overall covert action by buying more spies.

The other suggestion of purchasing spy type weapons is also a good one - this might also help take away, the 'untouchable' spy saga if these spy weapons can be destroyed by sabotage.