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Curving AFK-Cloaking, a proposal
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Sagarkor
Science and Trade Institute
Caldari State
#1 - 2013-02-08 23:55:44 UTC
It's probably safe to assume that a good number of EVE pilots have been on the giving or receiving end of cloaky tactics. After all it is part of the game mechanics and brings spice to EVE.

What brings my post today is "AFK cloaking", which can be resumed as a pilot being cloaked in a system, with the intent of disrupting (or give that impression at least) the systems activities, but with the difference that the real person behind the pilot is probably sleeping, catching a movie or doing anything else, BUT being at the helm of his/her ship hunting for targets.

I'm sure there is a thread buried in the forums about this, but if you permit me the "bump" of the topic to a more recent date.

While some may be in favour of such tactics, because it's easy to do and it represents no time investment from the player and little to no risk, I think it's somewhat similar to AFK-ratting/missions and AFK-mining, in which it shouldn't be possible without human interaction. Not to mention it may find ties to the concept of "Grief Play", and from what I have been reading in forums and Dev blogs, CCP is attempting to cater to a new generation of players. This behaviour certainly tends to disrupt others gameplay experience.

And please, don't get me wrong, I do not disapprove of the cloaking tactics, but I think it's fair to say that, the pilot doing it, MUST BE present at the helm of the spaceship (aka, sitting at the computer, very much alive and active) while engaged in these tactics.

So in an effort to curve AFK-cloaking and preserve the role play feeling, an idea:

***
Let's assume that New Eden has been the subject of space distortion of unknown origin that affects cloaking devices, by polarizing the ships hull and in conjunction with the cloaking field, it attracts "space dust", if left alone for too long, the space dust becomes enough to disrupt the cloaking field and thus the ships looses it's cloak.

What the pilot can do (because he/she at the helm, right), is to relabance the cloaking device refraction patterns, or in other words "shake off the dust", which will allow the pilot to remain cloaked for let's say another 20-25 mins, before he/she needs to perform the operation again.
***

As for the actual interface implementation, think of it as a mini-game. Imagine you're presented with a wave pattern that belongs to the current cloak field, and you must manually alter by moving maybe 3-4 sliders, to match a new random pattern. The on-board computer is too busy maintaining the cloak, to be able to enact this adjustments on its own. (this of course to prevent 3rd party programs or "bots" usage)

There's probably loopholes, here and there on the idea... but it's just a general concept.

Thank you for your time, any thoughts?

/Sagarkor
Judas Lonestar
Stryker Industries
Stryker Group
#2 - 2013-02-09 00:30:30 UTC
How about we remove local and all you K spacers can HTFU.

Respectfully proposed of course. :)
ButterNut
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#3 - 2013-02-09 00:45:38 UTC
Remove local.
Daichi Yamato
Jabbersnarks and Wonderglass
#4 - 2013-02-09 01:14:59 UTC
Quote:
I'm sure there is a thread buried in the forums about this, but if you permit me the "bump" of the topic to a more recent date.


really? u think we should? i suppose there hasn't been two such threads on the front page for the past week, and at least double that over January...if only there was a search function where u could check if ur idea was already in discussion. Roll

afk cloakers cannot harm u. they are afk.
if u think and afk cloaker is going to suddenly comeback to his keyboard, bait him out with friends nearby.
why do u think u should u be able to rat in null sec, the most 'dangerous' space in the game, without risk?
afk cloaking is the balance to the flawlessness of local and will haunt u as long as u dnt get off ur own back to deal with it.
if u are not capable of defending urself or ur friends, u do not belong in null sec. go back to hi-sec, no afk cloakers there.
use the search function before making new threads, or at least look at the first page

i'd surely be banned if i made this post more sincere.

EVE FAQ "7.2 CAN I AVOID PVP COMPLETELY? No; there are no systems or locations in New Eden where PvP may be completely avoided"

Daichi Yamato's version of structure based decs
samualvimes
Brothers At Arms
#5 - 2013-02-09 01:19:51 UTC
ButterNut wrote:
Remove local.



pretty much this if you nerf cloaking. As someone said if they are AFK they can't hurt you and if they aren't then they aren't AFK. Superpowerful free intel as local is countered by cloaking and vice versa..

If you've never tried PvP in EvE it's quite possible you've missed out on one of the greatest rushes available in modern gaming.
Sura Sadiva
Entropic Tactical Crew
#6 - 2013-02-09 02:07:44 UTC
Another one??? Ther're at least 3 active in this forum, 2-3 in gd, some stelath one in warfare and tactic, an I dunno where else, cannot keep them under control alone. It's like alien invasion. They're coming outta the walls. They're coming outta the goddamn walls
Derath Ellecon
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#7 - 2013-02-09 02:21:05 UTC
Sura Sadiva wrote:
Another one??? Ther're at least 3 active in this forum, 2-3 in gd, some stelath one in warfare and tactic, an I dunno where else, cannot keep them under control alone. It's like alien invasion. They're coming outta the walls. They're coming outta the goddamn walls


This

You must be new here. This is one of the most brought up topics on the forums.
Nariya Kentaya
Ministry of War
Amarr Empire
#8 - 2013-02-09 05:56:45 UTC
When i can actually fight your carebear-ass without you warping off adn docking up in your INVICIBLE AFK STATION the second you see a non-blue enter local OMNIPOTENTLY, then you can nerf my cloaks.

but heres this:

Any attempt to address cloaking as a mechanic must meet 3 pre-reqs:

1) Address the omnipotence of local as an intel tool, and the extreme advantages it gives to the defender.
2) address stations and their perfect 24/7 protection for the defenders anytime #1 provides them with intel on hostiles
3) in no way, shape, or form, ruins my wormholes. i mean it, you break our holes, well come after you, and you dont want a bunch of angry wormholers having a vendetta against your alliance, doesnt end well.
Iminent Penance
Your Mom's Boyfriends
#9 - 2013-02-09 08:38:54 UTC  |  Edited by: Iminent Penance
oh this again... afk botting is no bueno,
afk griefing is different,
99% of eve will agree you're a "carebear" and/or "bad at eve" for daring to not notice the difference.

Godmodes were programmed to be godmodes, until goonswarm cries enough to fix it. Sorry!

edit: delay local 30 seconds, or implement required visibility, add fuel cost to cloaking. Boom, no more afk cloaking, still pvp tactical uses, no more "im in the enemies base for weeks on end untouchable as a tracking titan in lowsec, umad?"