Make mother ship damage worth twice the amount of points. Also add destructible hull section around the mother ship with 2 layers. So you have to destroy these 2 section before you can attack the vulnerable center of the mothership.
I find the dogfighting very limited. There is no tricks you can do really that can save you from a stronger player. Maybe a dogfighting system where the gun shots are much smaller. Also make counter rocket systems where you can use afterburners or an ant-missile interception system. This way you can dodge out of harms way and get an edge on your opponents. Also make it so that when you stop, your space ship will float for a much longer time, like strafing and such.
But there are tricks, and it really doesn't matter how strong/high rank a player is. I often get the basic equipment and do PvP just to be sure everything is balanced. Here, check out this guide on PvP: http://pfs.cagy.org/?a=riio-guide
But the game is built to be this way? You must not get hit. Its about evading stuff, not taking damage unlike those mmo games built for casual gamers that has been around lately.
Also more shield = less kp for you. Other players will be harder to kill too in the end :)
IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN EVEN ON NORMAL MODE. You lose your opportunity to win when your enemy reaches futuristic. I would need like 1 million gold with 10 god wrath's to win.
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But there are tricks, and it really doesn't matter how strong/high rank a player is. I often get the basic equipment and do PvP just to be sure everything is balanced. Here, check out this guide on PvP: http://pfs.cagy.org/?a=riio-guide