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Player Features and Ideas Discussion

 
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Ideas for the new pos/outpost system
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Beta Miner
COBRA Logistics
#1 - 2013-01-10 08:42:52 UTC  |  Edited by: Beta Miner
Just to stir up some discussion, I’d like to throw out a simple concept for a new pos system. This system is supposed to be fairly versatile, having something for everyone. Also, I often hear CCP talking about updating/replacing obsolete code so it doesn’t have to maintain it anymore. This system also trys to do that by replacing the existing (and separate) pos and outpost codes with a single system.

1 – five new pos structures

Major outpost - to replace player outposts
Large outpost – to replace the large control tower
Medium outpost – to replace the medium control tower
Small outpost – for the small tower
Minor outpost – the ‘small holding’, suitable for things like very small scale industry or supporting a few/individual players in a remote area, or system where you don’t have access to local bases.

2 – Deployment

Setting up a new outpost is similar to setting up an old style outpost where an Outpost Construction Platform (the ‘egg’) is anchored and filled with the necessary components for the station to build itself. Only now there are five different sizes. While a Major Outpost Construction Platform would need to be deployed from a freighter or cap ship, the Minor Egg would be small enough to be deployed from T1 hauler so that a small group or solo player can easily deploy/support their outpost.

3 – Customization

Each outpost would have considerably less pg/cpu that it’s predecessor (lets just say half), however it would also take considerably less fuel (again, we’ll say half) to operate. From here the operator can fit special outpost class modules to customize his new outpost depending on what task he needs it to perform (ie: auxiliary generators, co-processors, armor plates or shield extenders, ECCM*, etc).

These outpost modules consume extra fuel, so if the operator just needs a simple logistics base he can spend less on fuel.

* A Minor Outpost has the unique advantage of being small enough signature that if you fit ECCM to it, it is unscannable. Therefore anyone trying to probe it’s position will have to keep an eye on d-scan and probe down any ships that loiter too long outside the outpost.

4 – Modular system (Flogging the dead horse)

While the modules mentioned in section 3 are dropped into the Outpost and won’t be visible on grid (but can be scanned with a ship scanner), silos, factories, habitats, corporate offices/hangers, market outlets and others will be plugged into the outpost just like the ‘flogging the dead horse model’, because it’s still a great idea.

5 – Racial types

All four racial type outposts will still be available, with similar bonuses to what is available in the current control towers. Also, a full line of ORE outposts will be introduced with bonuses that will allow operators to approach 100% refining.

6 – Location

Outposts can be anchored anywhere with the exception of on grid with other perminate objects (stargates, asteroid belts, other outposts, etc). Also the operator has the option of setting the pos to ‘visible’ so that it will show up as a starbase you can warp to. They can also be set up at planets as a means to defend a POCO. Multiple outposts (inc. Majors) can be set up in a system.**

7 – Destruction or capture

Outposts have a strontium bay and a reinforcement mode just like a pos does**. All outposts can also be destroyed or torn down and redeployed. An outpost that has left reinforcement is vulnerable to hacking for 24hours while an offline pos is permanently vulnerable and very easy to hack. Larger outposts would of course be harder to hack than smaller ones.

** Right now the original outposts have two reinforced modes and can only be deployed 1 per system. For simplicity I’ve only given the Major Outpost 1 reinforcement cycle and balanced it out by allowing more than one to be deployed per system. Also, this system allows for Major outposts to be deployed in high sec as long as they can supply the charters.

AFK Cloaking? An afk cloaker has never ganked me. In fact a cloaker at his keybourd has never ganked me either.
Axe Coldon
#2 - 2013-01-13 19:17:45 UTC
For the most part I like it. I worry if all outposts could be destroyed. Or are you saying a fleet has the option to hack them and take them over?

A big part of living in null is the outposts and knowing if you lose the station before you evac you can at least sell your stuff to the new owners. If they were destroyable? (living there would change alot) It certainly would change null and what was kept there and such.

I want an outpost you can dock supers at. Well if they replace pos's..I would think you need that. Not used much except for construction but there are Capital SMA's you can put in a POS.

cloaked outposts?

I think they need to change the refining rate of outpost. All but minnie are so low they are worthless for refining. Hence the majority of all outposts are Minnie refining ones.

Why not leave outposts as they are and make the changes to the pos's. Dockable pos's. that are expandable. I would like to be able to have more then one outpost per system, like in High. Yes it would make taking the system harder but that can be a good thing if you are the one trying to save your system. If you are the aggressor, getting 2 stations to flip should still be doable. But for those living there, be nice to go refine then move to manufacture without jumping all the time. Course I would like outputs upgrades to be tweaked so amar can get 35 or 40% refine if upgraded to 3. like wise Minnie getting more manufacture slots if upgraded to 3.

No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
Malcorian Vandsteidt
Alpha Trades
Solyaris Chtonium
#3 - 2013-01-13 20:02:50 UTC
I agree with this post, would also make wormholes far more interesting and livable.

Speaking of which Ice belts should be added to class 4 and higher WH's.
Beta Miner
COBRA Logistics
#4 - 2013-01-14 03:55:32 UTC
Axe Coldon wrote:
For the most part I like it. I worry if all outposts could be destroyed. Or are you saying a fleet has the option to hack them and take them over?


Yes to both. You can either destroy them or hack them. Honestly, large and major outposts are so valuable that it would be better to hack/capture them of course, but it all depends on your situation and the time you have to devote to the task.

I don't think I properly stated it, but this concept has ships docking if you have the proper docking module fitted.

And not cloaked outposts, but the smallest being unscananble. This way someone can set up thier homestead and not loose it to some guy in a battle ship as soon as he logs off. It will still be visible on the d-scan so can be observed from a distance, but scan probes won't be able to scan it down. But it'll still have vulnerability because if you are hanging arounf out side long enough for your ship to get scanned down, they'll also get your minor outpost location.

As for leaving outposts as thery are, that's certainly an option but ...

Beta Miner wrote:
... I often hear CCP talking about updating/replacing obsolete code so it doesn’t have to maintain it anymore. This system also trys to do that by replacing the existing (and [TWO] separate) pos and outpost codes with a [MORE MODERN]single system.


You have only one set of code to maintain, and you also only have one system for the players to learn, so someone familiar with operating a minor oupost already knows everything he needs to run a major.

How does that sound?

AFK Cloaking? An afk cloaker has never ganked me. In fact a cloaker at his keybourd has never ganked me either.