Player Features and Ideas Discussion

All details being considered and weighted... It seems the answer to AFK Cloaking's terror aspect is to ignore it while they are cloaked.
(A cloaked vessel not being capable of inflicting damage directly)

As it is not currently possible to evaluate threat levels properly under the current system, I suggest we upgrade local to exclude vessels which are not capable of interacting with ships and objects directly.

For balance, I would deny these classifications from accessing local at all. Let them be sent chat information in a version of local missing the pilot roster, no free intel for them. (Fully delayed local for all pilots present but not listed)

The vessels which should fit this classification for full local exclusion I described:

Vessels within the shields of a POS (They cannot target or fire, AFK POS items are misleading)
Vessels docked at an outpost (They cannot target or fire, AFK Outpost items are misleading)
Vessels cloaked in a system (They cannot target or fire, AFK Cloaked items are misleading)

Upgrading local intel with improved relevancy in this manner will benefit players wanting to know the actual active players present.

Absolutely.

A passive activity misleading active players needs to be addressed to restore game playability.

If someone is cloaking and active, and still wants to inspire terror, they should need to be more proactive in communicating the level of threat they are claiming.

Entering into chat that they are present, and possibly watching player X, makes things more interesting for all, I believe.

This is effectively true. So long as information locating cloaked vessels inside the system is not given out for free.

Cloaking, at least the process leading up to the ship itself being cloaked, requires effort along with the right skills and hardware.

Balance requires comparable efforts to counter a tactic or effect. They either need to make a blind assumption and look for a cloaked vessel based on faith, or deduce it being present by clues and details.
Either way, they need a reason to hunt for a cloaked ship.

This meets the popular level of requirements often referred to for justifying the ability to hunt cloaked vessels.

You are correct.

But, if we get it to provide less intel, we solve two problems.

Null bears are bound and determined to use Local Chat as a source of intel. Regardless of how this lowers the bar on some aspects of gameplay, they have grown attached to this.
By eliminating items that confused them, they get the benefit of only needing to be aware of things they can affect, that can also affect them.

By curious twist, being visible in local chat is also what haunts people who are AFK, and wish to be ignored. With the exception of AFK Cloaking specifically, none of these want to advertise their presence.

If local is being used for intel, then let's include the proper limits for the benefit of gameplay.

Noone sees cloaked ships = noone feels threatened by cloaked ships. Cloaked vessels can still deliberately broadcast threatening messages in local, but they won't be mistaken for AFK either.

Same goes for people docked in an outpost, or lurking behind the shields of a POS.... no local for them to respond to, and they are out of touch to intel the same as they are out of touch to interacting via PvP.

With the exception of one detail, you are suggesting pretty much the same as I am regarding cloaked vessels.

That detail being local's total removal. I am advocating for it to be shifted to total delayed mode for cloaked vessels, with no pilot roster at all visible to them. They can be able to read chat comments, and post their own, but they will never see the roster so valued by those wanting it for it's intel capacity.

I am also advocating for vessels inside the shields of a POS or docked in an outpost to also be treated this way. Their is no reason they should enjoy immunity to PvP as well as this free intel with no risk.

To place a point on that detail, if you can see local chat's pilot roster, you can also be shot at by other pilots. Whether they follow this up or not is secondary to the fact it is possible for them to shoot, and be shot in return.

I like this idea, +1 all around.

The point of cloaking is not to be hidden, it is to never be seen. ( Yes there is a difference )

Needs more +1's RAWR!

If you are close enough to a POS to be affected by any guns, I doubt you need local pointing out the obvious.

As to undocking, well then, they would appear then, the same as someone logging in

Missed this.

+1

Your idea about letting any pilot anywhere join any local chat channel was better.