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Why so little love for Drone Navigation Computers?

Author
Hao ZhuYi
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2012-04-01 21:11:59 UTC
They're rarely recommended on Gal fits here or on Battleclinic... For context, after about a year banging away with sentries in Domis and Megas, I bought an Ishkur to have some fast-moving fun (BTW: lock times=clearance times for so many little anoms - Hideaways in particular - that they start to look worthwhile when they're 40 seconds of work each.) Fitting a DNC, for me, was just a "theme of speed" move but I love them now. The main annoyance I have with drones is having to recall the damaged ones: one DNC means it's rare day any rat even gets in a glancing blow. Add an OTL and rat frigates insta-die, while 5 Ham 2s will take out a cruiser faster than I can with blasters. I get why DNCs aren't worthwhile on a sentry BS that's only going to use smaller drones for clearing frigs but is there a reason they're not more commonly fitted on smaller ships? I'm already getting far better drone survival using them on my WH plexing Myrm...

Opinions/why I'm an idiot very welcome.
FT Diomedes
The Graduates
#2 - 2012-04-01 21:21:12 UTC
There are so many other things you can fit in your midslots that are much, much better.

CCP should add more NPC 0.0 space to open it up and liven things up: the Stepping Stones project.

Hao ZhuYi
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#3 - 2012-04-01 21:59:05 UTC
FT Diomedes wrote:
There are so many other things you can fit in your midslots that are much, much better.


Not saying you're wrong but that seems a little harsh. If you're not filling your mid-slots with cap rechargers, you've got options. An option that increases the speed at which damage is applied, the speed at which drone sizes/types can be changed, and keeps your main (or nearly so) damage-dealer in the fight and healthy for longer isn't chopped liver.
Alexa Coates
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#4 - 2012-04-01 22:05:38 UTC
well your first mistake is using battleclinic. They're really only ever used on Domis, Ishtars, and occasionally carriers. And maybe on the flying barrel aka the phoon... if you're an idiot.

That's a Templar, an Amarr fighter used by carriers.

Kasutra
No Vacancies
No Vacancies.
#5 - 2012-04-01 22:21:58 UTC
Because DNC benefits don't show up on EFT stats?

And yeah, they do have a lot of competition for the midslots...
Large Collidable Object
morons.
#6 - 2012-04-01 23:01:12 UTC
I recently experimented using them on an ishtar now that there's a T2 version - in combination with an OTD and a drone speed augmentor the results with Minmatar drones were quite good against smaller ships.
You know... [morons.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gjOx65yD5A)
Derkata
#7 - 2012-04-02 19:33:03 UTC
Kasutra wrote:
Because DNC benefits don't show up on EFT stats

And yeah, they do have a lot of competition for the midslots...


They don't? Last I checked (before crucible) they did, unless it is broken now. Right click the drone in your bay and look at attributes. Should reflect any drone mods.
Lost Greybeard
Drunken Yordles
#8 - 2012-04-03 00:50:38 UTC
They're very nice for PvE. Then, my PvE boat is a domi because I'm lazy as all hell, so there's that.

My main argument against it in PvP is that there's not really any situation where some more warp suppression or webbing wouldn't help more than getting drones in and out faster.

(Also planning to upgrade the PvE machine to an Ishtar, might use one there as well.)
Baneken
Arctic Light Inc.
Arctic Light
#9 - 2012-04-03 09:32:21 UTC
problem with dnc is that you should be using sentries in PvE and in PvP drones often tend to get left behind and the fact that dnc rarely gives you enough benefits to justify leaving other stuff out because of it.
Though even if warrior II's that zoom 12km/s, while harassing ceptors, would be funny as hell are dnc's benefits often downsized with pitifully small engagement range you have with drones (ceptor is out of drone range in like 6 seconds or so ).
Tobiaz
Spacerats
#10 - 2012-04-03 10:57:08 UTC
I'd imagine roaming 'hit-and-run' style Ishtars and Ishkurs have some use for them, but other then those? Straight

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Helicity Boson
Immortalis Inc.
Shadow Cartel
#11 - 2012-04-03 14:36:02 UTC
Because Drone Nav units mess with the Tracking on your drones more than they do anything useful for you.
FT Diomedes
The Graduates
#12 - 2012-04-03 15:19:00 UTC
Helicity Boson wrote:
Because Drone Nav units mess with the Tracking on your drones more than they do anything useful for you.


They only apply when the Drone's MWD is on, so it doesn't affect their tracking.

CCP should add more NPC 0.0 space to open it up and liven things up: the Stepping Stones project.

Adian Grey
Hedion University
Amarr Empire
#13 - 2012-04-03 15:35:13 UTC
FT Diomedes wrote:
Helicity Boson wrote:
Because Drone Nav units mess with the Tracking on your drones more than they do anything useful for you.


They only apply when the Drone's MWD is on, so it doesn't affect their tracking.


Smaller ships can go fast enough to cause them to use MWD again and they become useless.
Uppsy Daisy
State War Academy
Caldari State
#14 - 2012-04-03 16:04:20 UTC
It is a good point

There is a lot of confusion out there regarding drone DPS, mainly because there is no reliable way of working out how much damage a drone will do to a target given all of the possible variables. Some (but not all) of these variables include

1) Drone speed
2) Drone MWD speed
3) Drone tracking
4) Drone weapon range
5) Target velocity

In the absence of such a formula, all of the fitting tools, including the in-game one, model drone damage as equal to maximum possible drone damage.

This is inaccurate.

I have tested a large cross section of drones, targets, skill levels, drone modules. The DPS quoted in EFT is sometimes attainable, but there are many many cases in which it is not.
Raven Ether
Doomheim
#15 - 2012-04-03 17:30:03 UTC
I fit one Drone Nav Computer II on my rattlesnake for semiafk lvl 4 running. The ogre IIs are quite fast with it and have no problem getting around.

They appropriately slow down when they have to orbit, tested myself.

They also greatly help ogres chase down small targets like elite frigs and spider drones.


Very worth it, don't pay too much attention to the forum fitting metagame. Only use it as a general direction guide.
Xyrcaryn
Ministry of War
Amarr Empire
#16 - 2012-04-03 19:47:09 UTC
As of now DNCs boost drone MWD thrust, not velocity directly so it only results in better acceleration and higher top speed on mwd and doesn't wreck your tracking(it used to do that when bonus was just velocity)