Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Not going to say I fully agree with all of this but drones do need a change, even if it only he UI.

The list system of control is horrible and I agree that needs to be changed, would be nice if drone control was added to the HUD and made more visual, a radial menu would be nice too.

Customizable drones would be an interesting approach I kinda like the idea that we could have more useful drones. I can see where there would be issues with server load, but maybe this could be a new approach like we used to be able to fly 10 drones, and it got cut to 5, maybe having fewer but more powerful drones could be the answer, well considering the proposed changes to the Worm where it has 2 drones and 300% DPS and HP increase, I could see that being the way drones go.

Small disclaimer: before anyone gets too upset this is kinda just how I would do it, not saying this should be added to the game.

If I were going to do customizable drones, it would probably be best to give them maybe some default systems similar to civilian modules so when you buy them they are not completely useless, then it is up to you if you want to add ship modules to them . Then if you take the racial approach giving bonuses to, lasers for Amarr, missiles for Caldari, Hybrids for Gallente and Projectile to Minmatar, that would work well on the basic combat T1 and T2 models. The current specialized types ECM, web and neut drones would have bonuses to that area, but they maybe could have extra slots for weapons or more a powerful ship module. A drone might have maybe 1 to 2 high slots as well as 1 or 2 med slots depending on the type and 1 low slot they should be able to fit regular ships modules, but I agree to a point there could be restrictions on this but warp scrambling drones could be too much fun to not have . If they are also using ship modules the drone would also have to carry ammo and suffer from cap usage if the module uses it, so they are not forever they might only work for a short time. So in essence drones become small ships that you tell them go fire all your modules at that ship,so noting really changes in the game play other than you might have 2 to 3 drones doing the job.

Then the size of drone could determine the size of module it could fit and the type of ship it could be used on, so light drones on Frigates and Destroyers, Medium Drones on Cruisers and Battlecruisers, and Heavy on Battleships only. This isn't necessary such a bad thing using the Caldari as an example you could have medium and large drones fitted with a single rapid launcher to deal with smaller ships, that could be fun , though I some how doubt anyone would support that idea .

Fighters and Fighter Bombers, probably wont get effected till Valkyrie is out and there would probably be different customization then.

drones could come with civilian modules equiped as default (since civilan modules are hard to obtain from out of the tutorials for now), you would have to remove them when you're gonna fit them, those civilian modules can be sold, but no reprocesed, and instead are meant to be either destroyed or collected as cheap fun modules (rookie ship cheap PvP)

another idea here is to make DDAs like a mix between a weapon upgrade module and an omni, the normal module gives bonuses to the general damage of drones, but with certain scripts it would work as a gyro, ballistic control, magstab or heatsink, while the omni is the tracking module..... finally, the prop mod of drones would be the navigation computer, which could get a script to work as a microwarp or AB, this could prove interesting dont you think?

the same as the spaceship, it would get a tab for it or something........first tab is spaceships, second one is drones, this also opens the field for a fitting menu that doesnt require you to mount the ship, you just fit the ships you have in the hangar with one ship covering each tab......

thread bumped for discussion.....