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Player Features and Ideas Discussion

 
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Drone UI
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Zarnak Wulf
Task Force 641
Empyrean Edict
#1 - 2012-10-27 20:20:31 UTC
The short, simple version:

Add drones to the combat bar. (F1 - F8). Click on the drone symbol and the drone will automatically launch and attack the designated target. Deactivate the symbol and the drone will return to the bay. If a drone starts to take damage it will show as similar to heat damage.

The long, complicated version:

Fire group the individual drones of course. That creates its own problems though - especially with dedicated drone boats. How do you group different drones? How do you recall individual drones? How do you replace destroyed drones? I suggest coupling the combat bar drone symbol with feeder drone symbols.

Let's take the new Amarr destroyer as an example. It has a 25/75 bandwidth/ dronebay. Our intrepid pilot picks 5 warriors, 5 hobgoblins, and five light ECM drones. Upon undocking the drone symbol in the combat bar is grey. Close by the symbol we have 3 buttons. There is a button each for the warriors, hobgoblins, and ewar drones. The pilot clicks on the warrior button and the universal drone symbol lights up. You have picked one drone to launch. The pilot clicks on the warrior button 4 more times meeting both the bandwidth as well as the five drone limit. The hobgoblin and e-war buttons grey out. The warrior button turns red.

Click on the universal drone button and all selected drones will launch or dock. Click on the red warrior drone button and you can recall a warrior one at a time. If a drone starts to get shot the warrior button will automatically flash. Clicking the red warrior button will select THAT drone to return. Once it docks all the drone buttons will light up again. You can launch your pick at that time. If a drone dies- drone buttons that fit the available bandwidth will also light up. Lastly, if the pilot is weird and picks two warriors, two hobgoblins, and an e-war drone - then all three buttons will turn red...

Hopefully that isn't too confusing.
Ranger 1
Ranger Corp
Vae. Victis.
#2 - 2012-10-27 23:15:10 UTC
I like much of this, and I think CCP is already working on something similar.

My only input would be to make better use of the "group drone' feature.

On a separate bar above your weapons have an appropriately labeled button appear for each drone group you create. Clicking this button will launch that group (if not already launched) and attack whichever target is highlighted (or just orbit if no targets are highlighted). If there is an active target and the drone can attack the button lights up like an active weapons does.

Clicking the button again brings the drone back to orbit (or into the drone bay if already in orbit). Conversely the button could be configured to just bring them back to the drone bay when deactivated. Your target dying could have the same effect. Either way, the button becomes "unlit" at that point.

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Luc Chastot
#3 - 2012-10-27 23:42:49 UTC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME2815NN-Xc

Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot.

Alexila Quant
Versatility Production Corporation' LLC
#4 - 2012-10-28 01:50:40 UTC
There are hotkeys for virtually all of this.
Charlie Jacobson
#5 - 2012-10-28 02:20:13 UTC
Alexila Quant wrote:
There are hotkeys for virtually all of this.


As far as I know there are still no hotkeys for launching drones from your bay.

I support James 315 and the New Order of Highsec
Zarnak Wulf
Task Force 641
Empyrean Edict
#6 - 2012-10-29 12:17:16 UTC
Post weekend bump. Big smile