Encounter Surveillance System: Difference between revisions

Every sovereign nullsec solar system has an '''Encounter Surveillance System''' or '''ESS'''. The ESS stockpiles a portion of the bounties awarded in that system, and then slowly pays them out to the pilots who earned them—if, that is, no one else steals the money first.

=== Mechanics ===

The ESS is available as a beacon in space which anyone can warp to. At the beacon there is a [[deadspace]] acceleration gate, which is restricted to hulls of [[cruiser]], [[battlecruiser]], and [[battleship]] size only. The beacon is surrounded by a “non-interactable object” which will decloak any ship and is a bit over 100 km in diameter, centered on the beacon itself. The gate leads to the physical ESS tower itself, which is surrounded by a 75km-radius Warp Interdiction field which disables

=== PvP implications ===

The ESS space presents a significantly different set of mechanics to normal known-space PvP contexts.

== ESS banks ==

Each ESS is divided between a small and easily compromised "Main Bank" and a much larger and much more secure "Reserve Bank". Note that, counterintuitively, it is the Main Bank which is the smaller of the two.  

=== Main Bank ===

The Main Bank is where 40% of the bounties generated in the solar system by players will be retained, rather than going directly into the player's wallet. It is paid out every 2h45min if no one steals it in that time period. It is paid out, independently on whether the capsuleer that contributed to the main bank bounty is in the system or even online.

=== Reserve Bank ===  

The much larger Reserve Bank can be accessed using special keys which are themselves expensive and difficult to acquire. When these are used the money in the Reserve Bank is paid out over time at a rate that spools up and then drops down.

=== Agency information ===

The [[The Agency|Agency]] window includes, in its Exploration tab, a section which displays ESS bank amounts, which can be filtered by proximity (2, 5, or 10 jumps) or by specific map region, and by the amount stored up.

== Robbing banks ==

Though it is risky, and though it is not especially profitable in ISK-per-hour compared to some more reliable moneymaking schemes, bank robbery can bring in money, has a low start-up cost, and is a good way to learn about moving through hostile nullsec territory.

A PvP-fitted gang can also use the ESS system to try to provoke a fight in enemy territory, with the prospect of an ISK payout if the enemy won't engage.