These forums have been archived and are now read-only.

The new forums are live and can be found at https://forums.eveonline.com/

Player Features and Ideas Discussion

 
  • Topic is locked indefinitely.
 

Ship Power-down (And a revision to sensor mechanics)
Author
Previous Topic Next Topic
Torenth Fayiz
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2012-05-14 23:35:03 UTC
This is something I've been toying with in my mind for a while now, and would like to see if there are others who like the idea. I alo welcome folks who think it's a bad idea, but please have some constructive reasoning as to why.

Picture this: A pilot is on a recon flight, scouting a system for hostiles. Suddenly, the local channel explodes as an enemy fleet enters the system. They know he's there, and the search begins. The pilot makes a run for the gate home, but the fleet has already cut him off. He warps to a planet, then to a moon. Finally, he hits the nearest asteroid belt, maneuvers amongst the rocks, and then disappears from the local channel. How did he do it? By powering-down his ship's systems.

But the enemy fleet can just warp to the belt and blow him up.

Not at all. While powered down, his ship will simply be an "unknown object" on the scanners of any ship passing through the belt. As will all the other asteroids around him, and any other objects beyond a certain distance from the ships searching. That exact distance would depend on the ship's scanner strength and the target object's signature. (i.e. A frigate will identify a battleship much sooner and farther out than it will identify another frigate.) Adding modules like sensor boosters will now enhance a ship's ability to identify objects at greater distance because of the boost to sensor resolution.

With this, I would propose the introduction of a new scanning module. Similar to the Survey Scanner, this module would allow the scanning and detection of ships at great distance, but only to the user of the module. With it, a fleet member could identify and broadcast a target to his fleet members.

Another thought to this: When a ship powers down, begin a 'cooldown timer' that slowly reduces the ship's signature to a fraction of its original value. Perhaps 25% after a few minutes?

So what's the penalty? The pilot loses connection to all channels when powered down. This includes Local, Corp, Alliance, and any custom channels. The ship cannot use any modules or drones. The ship loses all shields, and cannot receive any boosts from other pilots/ships. The ship has limited scanning capability. It cannot identify targets as far out, and cannot use d-scan.

Powering up the ship will take a certain amount of time. (At least as long as powering down.) The sequence would consume at least 75% capacitor. (The cap could still recharge while powered down, albeit at a significantly reduced rate.)

So yeah, that's my idea. Any thoughts are welcome.
Lin Gerie
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#2 - 2012-05-14 23:54:23 UTC
This idea has great potential, and in more ways then just what you've shown. However at the same time I feel like this is a GIANT change in how combat could work and the potential for scope creep from this idea is just too large. If CCP wants to implement something like this in a future expansion I would get behind it, but if the choice had been left to me I think I would let this idea pass.

1. PvP is complicated enough as is without the ability to power down ship systems
2. Giving a module to counter this will just mean any pursing fleets will have at least one ship which is able to hunt down powered down ships thus bringing us full circle.
Danika Princip
GoonWaffe
Goonswarm Federation
#3 - 2012-05-14 23:56:10 UTC
Feature exists.

Cloaking device.
ShahFluffers
Ice Fire Warriors
#4 - 2012-05-15 00:52:01 UTC
Guy: "Hey guys... there is an 'unknown object' here in the belt. What should I do?"
FC: "Point and shoot it to be sure. We're on the way."

How did you Veterans start?
James Amril-Kesh
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#5 - 2012-05-15 02:50:14 UTC
Well it fixes the AFK cloaking issue for sure, but only because those who make it an issue will have something worse to complain about.

Enjoying the rain today? ;)
Torenth Fayiz
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#6 - 2012-06-06 06:37:46 UTC  |  Edited by: Torenth Fayiz
ShahFluffers wrote:
Guy: "Hey guys... there is an 'unknown object' here in the belt. What should I do?"
FC: "Point and shoot it to be sure. We're on the way."


You missed the part where other objects will register as the same.

And yes, this would drastically change how combat worked. There would be no need for a "counter module". The idea is that objects are identified at a given range based on ship scanner resolution and ship scan signature. (The same math that determines how easy/quickly you scan something with a probe or lock onto an object to shoot it.) That means that different objects would be identiifed at different distances. (And yes, there are some very small asteroids out there.)

To the cloaking device comment: Yeah, that helps you disappear, but folks still know you're in the system. The only reason someone leaves local now is if they log off or jump out. Instead, give a pilot the power to disappear in a belt or in a field of junk/wrecks.

Ultimately, there are a lot of kinks to work out with this kind of idea. I suspect it would take a complete rework/rebalance of how ship sensors, resolution, and signatures work. On the other hand, it could be a powerful tool for long-term recon, or evasion.
Feligast
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#7 - 2012-06-06 07:11:38 UTC
Danika Princip wrote:
Feature exists.

Cloaking device.


No, he wants to disappear from local.

Feature exists.

It's calling logging off.
Katalci
Kismesis
#8 - 2012-06-07 02:20:26 UTC
Cloak or log off.
Reaver Glitterstim
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#9 - 2012-06-07 03:56:56 UTC
If they're on your grid, they shouldn't have any difficulty determining what your ship is. On scans, sure, it might appear as a hunk o' junk. Maybe it'll show up as a wreck. Speaking of which, wrecks should be scannable. And that would mean.....the best place to hide is in a cleared sanctum!

Also, the ship would take several seconds after power down for its signature to disappear, a cooldown period. Both because it makes sense and because it would be too easy to escape otherwise. And then if they find you, they can start shooting at you and if you're powered down, it'll take several seconds to power back up. Also, your ship's shields would gradually drain while offline.

But I like it. Fun stuff.

FT Diomedes: "Reaver, sometimes I wonder what you are thinking when you sit down to post."

Frostys Virpio: "We have to give it to him that he does put more effort than the vast majority in his idea but damn does it sometime come out of nowhere."