Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I had a few ideas on my way into work this morning.

disclaimer: Having done my due diligence and read through the common posts, and recent posts. I feel confident that most of my idea's have been covered so I will only pay them lip service here, however ones that weren't covered, afaik, deserve a moment of separate consideration.

new control towers (replacing current POS and outpost mechanics):
small, medium, large, x-large, super

Anchor restrictions based on mass of orbital body. i.e. small - large for "moons", x-large and super for "planets".

control towers once anchored would offer a construction hanger as others have suggested to place packaged modules inside (only packaged modules), and a new interface to interact with the tower. Here in the interface the owner would fit modules based on PG and CPU similar to how you might fit a ship.

Once fitting is complete, one would "click apply" and the tower would go into construction mode, perhaps using fuel in the process, as well as take time. Once completed, something resembling a space station would be onlined. Aesthetics could be either player controlled placement of modules during configuration, or seems like it would be easier to just let the computer decide what the station will look like based on your modules and configurations.

Points to consider:
1. Modular station should allow for reconfiguration, if you swap out a package it will end up re-packaged in the construction hanger. require fuel/construction time for remodeling.

1a. no more dragging and positioning modules in space, just have slots that you put stuff into in the interface configuration and that stuff will end up in the place you want it to be. Yes, it will standardize placements of things like guns, but i think this would be a welcome trade off to spending potential hours on POS setup. who wouldn't want to just drag and drop the contents of your freighter into the tower you just onlined, open up the "fitting" window for the tower, drag and drop modules, and click done?

2. this way null sec can configure useful stations to revamp industry in 0.0, eliminating current POS and Outpost logistical nightmare that makes import/export better. custom configuration allows for the "jack of all trades, master of none" station or specialize and be good at just a couple things.

3. add a "ship dock" module to allow for docking, limited perhaps based on size or mass. if you could dock even at a small/medium/large tower that might make life in WH much better, as well as add better usability to that personal moon station you have where you'd just like to be able to dock up and be under the protection of the station shields/guns while you run to refresh your drink.

4. control tower possibly upgradable with a control tower upgrade construction package? like upgrading a command center in PI.

5. make option available to advertise station, making it appear in the overview and station list; if you hold sov and have rights. these mechanics already exist for customs offices and outposts right? (you have no choice in the case of pocos).

6. Drops!! since the towers will operate more like fitting ships with modules, lets have them drop loot like modules as well, and maybe be salvageable when destroyed. I think they should be completely destroyable like current POS's, but smarter people then me can figure out what to do about docked pilots. I say a destroyed station pops out docked ships, like a pod out of a ship, which then of course if the pilot is not online executes a typical in-space log off. What to do about clone services? maybe what do we do with clone vats on capitals? Would also need some sort of alert to pilots docked and active when station comes under attack. good opportunity to have flashy red spinner lights in station and Klaxons. have a voice over the loud speakers chime out info. mothership voice from aliens: "Red Alert, Station Under Attack, Strontium reserve depletion warning; station shield reinforcement failing in t-minus 90 minutes" *Klaxon sounds*

6a. since we are making things destroyable, and rewarding the attacker for their efforts, lets make sure they don't end up as just pinyatas, and give them proper defenses. i think stront reinforce mode is the only logical method in a game where people play at different times, but maybe allow the station to continue to operate as normal instead of shutting down during reinforcement. Of course the bigger the control tower the more defenses it will need in order to require a proper assault, but also since its bigger, more goodies to loot if you kill it :)

aye, I was pleased to see the content of your links already covered many of the ideas i came up with on my own. I feel like based on CCPs implementation record, something like giving the player the option to construct stations with refined detail like in minecraft or similar, would require a lot of new code, and is cost prohibitive as it won't draw as many new players as other fixes or new features would. I work in software, and that is the eternal battle, what do you spend development time on that will make the most money, or please the most people which in turn generates revenue?

Having some standard looks and giving players an option for aesthetic adjustments (possibly module placement with respect to standardized connections, maybe color palettes and station skins bought with Aur currency CCP? eh? eh?) this seems like something easier to create into the current system as they can barrow a lot of code from other areas of the game; namely pocos, outposts, POSs, and Station mechanics.