Player Features and Ideas Discussion

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT HERE TO SUGGEST ANYTHING RELATED TO AFK CLOAKING

Hello Features and Ideas,

As you are probably aware, cloaking devices in EVE are some of the most beneficial modules for traveling about in dangerous territory if fitted properly. A ship with a cloaking device in wormhole space may practically not exist. A ship with a covert ops cloaking device in regular space (barring unlucky gatecamp events and silly people who warp to zero) may also practically not exist. Cloaks are powerful, yet balanced: the taken highslot does much to remove potential DPS.

Before I begin, I did do some searching, and could not find any relevant suggestions to my ideas (I did find suggestion threads about cloaking tweaks, but they had nothing to do with my ideas).

As powerful as cloaking devices are, I believe some minor quality of life experiences will serve to benefit everyone who cloaks:

1) Make it clear when you are cloaked and when you are not.

The idea for this is simple: a HUD tweak. The module icon for a cloaking device when activated should clearly display when it is active. You can also get an audible voice message (think of "Autopilot Engaged") telling you when you cloak, and when you decloak.

For example, if I am sitting out in space and activate my cloak, the cloak module icon will glow red (notifying me very clearly that it is engaged) and I will hear Aura say "Cloaking Device Online" (or something along those lines. When I decloak for any reason, the module icon will return to its default state, I will hear a "Cloaking Device Disabled" message loud and clear, and my ship will leave cloak all at the same time.

If this change is implemented, gone are the days of people not even realizing they are decloaked whilst in system scanning mode until it is far too late.

This does not simply have to benefit people with an active cloak: it should also apply to people who recently used a stargate (albeit with the snippet related to the glowing red cloak module icon not applicable, obviously). This brings me to...

2) (Stargate Only) Have a visible countdown timer until you decloak.

No explanation really needed here. When you jump in, have a timer somewhere visible that counts down until you decloak.

3) "Decloaking Radius" on Tactical Overview.

The concept is simple: upon mousing over the cloaking device module icon while tactical overview is enabled, a sphere appears on objects that is 2.5 km in diameter (alternatively, you can have a sphere 2.5 km in diameter encompassing you instead). If you enter the "sphere" of the object whilst cloaked, you will be forcibly decloaked.

And last, but certainly not least...

4) Bring back the old cloaking effect.

The current cloaking visual effect we have now is quite bland and boring, but it is a necessary evil: CCP added it in for people to better understand when they are cloaked, and when they are not (please correctly if I am wrong about this).

If the above changes are implemented, it would render the necessity of this rather boring effect unnecessary. Henceforth, we should revert back to the old one.CCP has rolled back on visual changes in the past (ship engine trails at high speed, for example), so I do not believe this will be too unorthodox. It would just make cloaking that much more visually thrilling.

That about sums up the list of changes I had in mind. Any constructive criticism and feedback is much welcomed.

+1

I like most of the suggested changes. They would be a nice improvement to cloaking. There are a few things I'd do differently though.




First off, it would be better to have a visual clue telling you wheter or not you are cloaked. Either in addition to the auditory signal or insted off. After all cloaking is for pvp and it's hard to pay attention to auditory notifications if you're in a fleet and a bunch of drunks are singing over the voice comms. Also some (many/most/few?) disable client audio for pvp.




A really good idea. No need to zoom back and forth wondering wheter the gate cloak is still on. And it would be nice to know how many more seconds one can still loiter around the gate before the cloak wears off.

On a side note, I think there should also be an Invulnerability timer when undocking or titan bridging.




Also a nice improvement.




Of this I have no opinion, since I have no idea what the old cloak effect looks like. I like the "new" one though. No need to change it imao.


Also, sorry about the typos that propably are there. Too lazy to proof read this thing.

Some really great ideas here OP! I came hating and left thinking "Finally something decent for Cov-Ops Pilots!". Include in this the "Show Timer Countdown 'Til Reuse is Available" and that's what cloaking needs!

@Katsumoto Moliko: I agree, I like the "new" cloaking effect but correct me if I am wrong but when you Titan\Jump Bridge Jump you should know what you are jumping into as it'll be a Cyno or Jump Bridge connection so I personally don't think Invul is the right thing for this unless they are unable to target\do anything until they move etc like the same mechanic as undocking.

Threads on Coutdown To Reuse Timers available here for people to support (first is the original and others didn't use SEARCH :))):

Making reactivation timers visible

indication of time remaining for various things

Timers rollback re-use modules

Also why not swing by my idea in my signature and see what you think