Feature Request - Resonator Downgrade

I suggest adding a resonator downgrade option to Ingress. The resonator downgrade option would allow an agent to lower the level of their resonators, but not increase them. (So, the conversion is one-way)

That way, if a level 7+ agent lives in an area with lots of level 6-8 portals, they can still make use of all those level 5+ resonators that would otherwise get recycled. It would also resolve the level 5 resonator issue brought up here:

Although, the need for low level resonators may be the only thing that's keeping some areas from having nothing but level 8 portals, and having nothing but level 8 portals is bad for the low level game, so this may not be great. But, when I'm recycling a bunch of level 5 or 6 resonators and I see my dwindling supply of level 4's, it makes me want to downgrade a couple to fulfill my need for lower level resonators.

Comments

  • No, just hack low level portals and get low level items.

    If you have all L8 portals, then use virus, destroy portals and get low level items.

  • This would be strategically exploited to lower a difficult-portal-to-reach down to an L1 to save on power cubes. I think part of keeping portals charged up is the risk that your teammates will also upgrade, which makes the maintenance harder over time. L8 (or higher-level) portals SHOULD be hard to maintain.

  • I think there may be some merit to this idea, but some clarifications may be needed.

    1: does this work on resonators already deployed to portals? I can't get behind that, as it would be abused to damage portals more easier.

    2: if this works only on resonators in the inventory, might I suggest a slightly different approach based on the following facts:

    * many people would prefer the ability to upgrade resonators.

    *recycling resonators for XM already exists. Converting them directly into a useful item might imbalance the game considerably.

    RESONATOR ALTERING CAPSULE

    A Very rare capsule, which can only hold resonators. In addition to the load. And unload buttons, there would be a downgrade, and an upgrade button.

    Two resonators of one level could be downgraded to one resonator of the next lower level.

    Four resonators of one level could be upgraded to one resonator of the next highest level.

    In this way, getting resonators of a significant difference in level would require lots of resources, making it more desirable to just find, or make portals of the desired level when possible, but still allowing this to occur in situations of real need.

  • No, it would not work on resonators on portals. It would only be for one's inventory. Sorry for the confusion.

    I suggested this because if an agent finds themselves with too many high level portals around, like I found myself when the level 7 reso cap was changed from one to three, then they could downgrade a couple of their higher level resonators in their inventory instead of throwing them away. In addition, It would make level 7 and 8 resonators much more valuable, because those could always be used, even if they have to be downgraded eventually.

    Although I do agree, if one finds themselves with too many high level resonators, then one can find some low level portals to hack.

    Sacrificing 2 high level resonators to get a low level resonator is an interesting idea.

    I don't recommend upgrading resonators in inventory because it would reduce the risk a single agent takes when they create a level 4 or level 5 portal. When an agent does that, it requires resonators that are 2 levels higher than the portal created. That's a fairly rare payout. An agent might not get those resonators back. And, that portal may not be there the next day to hack again. But, if an agent has a reliable way of upgrading even a couple of resonators to 6's or 7's, then the risk is removed.

  • I see your point.

    Downgrade only.

    I still kind of like making it take two.

    During certain events, when multiple L8 and L7 resonators can be deployed, a single player can make level 6 portals as well.

  • LandelerenLandeleren ✭✭
    edited December 2019

    Ooooh! I knew one could deploy 3 level 7's during the 7th year anniversary, but I didn't know those events happen periodically. Cool! (:

  • Ugg.....

    You can 'use up' lots of low level res (and get the points for builder) by upgrading your own res while deploying (Until I'd got Onyx builder I deployed every res I hacked - usually 20/portal, sometimes all 45.)

    If you are short of low level res you can get plenty from glyph hacking partially deployed portals.

    You can always convert a P8 into a P7 or P6 by not recharging all its res for a week. If you miss out your own ones you can upgrade it later if you find it was a mistake.

  • An interesting idea, but bear in mind what the unscrupulous would do.

    I think we’d get overrun with level 1 spoof accounts that go around downgrading portals to aggravate the other team. Level 8 portals would become almost non existent with the misuse.

  • Another scenario would be an agent goes around with a backpack account with the opposite faction, downgrades all the resonators to Level 1, then switches back to their main account to fire a few bursters to wipe out a heavily shield (but P1) area.

    It would be very difficult to detect cheating / abuse of the feature if all you get is attack notifications, but not the resonator downgrade.

  • A single player can make a P5. During that build, they can deploy 876655, glyph hack the portal at L4, then deploy 2 R4s. When their R4s outnumber their R5s, fully deploy before hacking. If you have a lot of 6-8 portals around, this method and regular hacking will ensure you never run out of low level Resonators. To the point that you're deleting them.

    This "feature" is not needed.


  • That is true. If one has too many high level resonators, then they can hack some lower level portals. And, more than likely, one is not going to encounter a time when all the portals in their area is 6+ outside of events like the 7th year anniversary did. Or, if they do, then it's going to be a temporary thing.

    Again, I'm only talking about downgrading resonators in one's inventory. it would NOT be for resonators on portals. Sorry for the confusion.

    The goal would be to allow one to use excess high level resonators by downgrading them instead of throwing them away. This would reward people who say, make large high level portal farms with their friends, but get so many 6+ resonators that they can't use them all,. Meanwhile they may look at their supply of 5- resonators and realize they don't have enough of them.

    I see. Ok.

  • NineBerryNineBerry ✭✭✭✭✭

    Î disagree with this idea, because resource gathering is a major aspect of the game. If you want to build portals on your own, you cannot only do so using L8 resonators, you need a diversity of other level resonators.

    Someone only farming items at a L8 farm would have a huge advantage. Today, these players (I am one of them, regularly visiting L8 farms to fill my inventory) are forced to also do farming at other places. This is a good thing.

  • Quite. This and variations (eg. 766554 hack) makes it impossible to run out of 5s and 4s as long as you've got the higher ones and know how to glyph.

  • Have had similar thoughts regarding a reso (and burster) "combine to upgrade" capsule as a means of getting higher level kit to isolated players. Doesn't strike me as unbalancing as the output's never going to compete with portals of the appropriate level. Downgrading I don't really see as useful because making low level portals and managing low level resos just isn't challenging.

  • Thanks for the clarification.

    On further consideration, I think this feature would oversimplify the game too much. At the moment, players make strategic choices about how many Level 7, 6, 5, etc resonators to keep in their 2000 item limit. It’s a trade off. Having more low level resonators to build quickly means giving up on types of kit. We make that choice based on what kind of game map we’re dealing with: do I need more space for weapons? Will I be farming resonators as I go? Etc.

    A feature that downgrades resonators would just mean everyone just carries Level 8 resonators and skips the thinking part. I’m not sure that’s an improvement as it removes some of the richness in decision making.

Sign In or Register to comment.