Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Before you say this idea idea should be posted in the Science and Ideas forum (or whatever it is called), this is my sixth attempt to post this idea. I tried to post it in that other section five times and I kept getting a blank when I tried to post.

So, I am posting here.

When CCP provided the Gecko 'super-heavy' drone for their 11th anniversary birthday bash, I looked at the Gecko's stats. I was immediately stuck by how the Gecko's stats were about doubled the stats for the other 'heavy assault' drones, but nowhere close to the stats for the massive fighters. I noted this 'doubling' matched the separations between the Light Scouts, Medium Scouts, and Heavy Assaults. I knew CCP had announced they would rebalance drones this summer, but their devblogs did not mention doubling any of the drones' stats (other than the fighter-bombers).

My conclusion: the gecko was the prototype for a new, unannounced line of 'super-heavy' drones (which I'll call "Supers" for this article).

I realized the Super was too massive for a standard combat vessel to make full use (a squad of 5) of the drone. The Carrier and Super-carrier would use the drone only if the fighter and fighter-bomber were not available.

A new class of carrier (the "Light Carrier") was needed. This ship would start with the ability to deploy a squad of Supers and would eventually work up to deploying two squads, but would lack on-board weapons (due to optimizing for the function).

I have known for some time none of the main factions have 'Tech 2' or 'Navy' variants for their 'attack battlecruisers' ( Amarr Oracle, Caldari Naga, Gallente Talos, and Minmatar Tornado). I figured this was an excellent chance to provide that variant.

Changes of the battlecruiser to the light carrier:

High power slots reduced to "3" (no hardpoints for Gun turrets or Missile launchers)
Medium power slots unchanged
Low power slots unchanged
Rig slots reduced to "2" (medium sized)

Gallente Talos drone bay enlarged to 550 m3
Amarr Oracle, Caldari Naga, and Minmatar Tornado have 525 m3 drone bays installed
ALL FOUR vessels have 250 Mbit/sec bandwidth

ALL four ships will use the model, mobility, and shields/armor/structure of the battlecruiser they are derived from (with maybe a new paint scheme).

TRAITS:
Role Bonus... the light carrier may use warfare links

Skill Bonus... ehancement of an aspect of drone performance (e.g. damage, speed, Hit points, control range, ect) per skill level in *faction* Light Carrier

This is my idea.

Thank You

▬▬► Features & Ideas Discussion
FuryBot™ 0.86

Well, first off, this idea sucks.
Second, it's in the wrong forum.
Third, Geckos are a limited item that will eventually deplete as they are destroyed. It makes absolutely no sense to introduce a special ship class just to facilitate their use.

Moving this from General Discussion to Features and Ideas.

Just a thought, have you seen the new Mordus Legion battleship model? http://imgur.com/r/Eve/a5IoojA
Though we have no stats on this yet, does that look like a fighter carrier to you? I suspect though the "geckos" may get killed off, that something strong is going to take their place maybe a gecko variation - smaller than a fighter, larger then a heavy drone.

So, you looked at a celebration event item, that didn't even get its own unique model, instead borrowing from a fighter, of which there are no other drones in its class, and assumed that there is going to be a new ganglinking mini carrier that completely goes against CCP's crusade to lower the number of drones on the field?

As for changing the current attack battlecruisers into a new ship class, when they are incredibly enjoyable as is, and fill a useful role, I'm not sure I can put into words what a stupid idea that is.

Hey, I knew the idea would be flamed, basted, and char-broiled, so your words mean nothing to me.

Other posters have said WHY it's a bad idea and THEIR input is greatly appreciated.

Sorry but your conclusion is off. In the drone updates coming in Kronos drone interfacing is changing. The reason Geckos have considerably higher stats then other heavy drones currently do is because Geckos follow the summer model of having half of drone interfacings bonus baked into the drone (i.e. +50% to damage). This means that with drone interfacing maxed Geckos presently have 50% more damage then they should, and when the skill changes come you'll see the damage on Geckos be closer to the other heavies in comparison. That's my understanding regarding their damage at least. Any other stat discrepancies can probably be accounted for simply due to Geckos being a limited edition drone (I haven't heard about any process that will allow for more Geckos to be acquired or built being implemented sans the current milestones).

As for the idea, I see no reason to create a line of T2 attack battlecruisers solely for the purpose of a new size of drone and/or Gecko use. I feel that this would either be pointless or undermine the capabilities of drone battleships. Current division of drone-to-ship size is fine IMO.

I like the idea as it would allow for a light carrier like you said to be introduced into High Sector. I was messing around with a Vexor and was able to create a flight of 1 Gecko, 2 TII Hammerheads and 1 TII Hobgoblin that was able to reduce a BS at the Comet in Deltole to shreds in around two minutes.

I was using t2 drone damage modules in the lows as well as velocity modules so the possibility of creating a light carrier is feasible.

Light Carriers in High Sector would be interesting to say the least and would bring a new flavor to high sector pvp. So yes I am for the idea.

Your light carrier would have two drone bays one for normal drones of 100 m/3 drone volume and one for the Gecko Hybrid of 200 m/3

max bandwidth would be enough to manage the four Gecko's but would still be limited to only five normal drones when normal drones are used instead of the Gecko's.

As you can see, I altered the original post.

I think the doubled drone bays is a wonderful idea, but I have not seen any ships with such a setup for drones.

I have not encountered any capitol ships other than orcas and freighters, so if the carriers or super-carries have that setup, I haven't seen it.

I tried to come up with a reasonable compromise, though. I hope leaving the drones bays enough space for a backup gecko squad (5 per squad) and a squad of light drones does the job.

Note I maintained the Gallente Talos' 25 m3 advantage in the drone bays, tho it's not quite so much an advantage when the bays hold this much.

Even when I posted the original post, I was trying to avoid making an overpowered ship type. If I had wanted 'OP', I would have derived the Light Carriers from battleships. Of course, such ships would have immediately been nixxed by CCP and anybody else with a brain.