Player Features and Ideas Discussion

This.

The OP's suggestions fail to recognize the usefulness of assisting drones to another player, ability to guard another player, and being launched but not aggro'd yet on aggressive mode. These are important functions that make drones the interesting and flexible weapon system that they are now. Removing the ability to launch, orbit and assist just makes them fancy missiles.

Yes, the UI could use some help in the launching, grouping and feedback realms, but losing functionality for simplicity is not the way to go.

I do like the idea of drones being the thinking-man's weapon system, where we can program them ourselves in some manner, but that's on the dream list.

Yes, make them flash red when someone is trying to target lock them. Because if we have to wait until rats actually start shooting at them (and we do) it's already too late.

See you did it again.

Launch drones >click engage>retract drones

Launch drones >set to assist (or defend) and get on with your real job (like logi)>retract drones

Launch drones > leave orbiting on agressive to auto-aggro on targets you could not otherwise lock (ecm drone protection vs gankers ftw)>retract drones

So its incredibly basic with three possibilities but op wants to remove 2 and make it completely basic and just another weapon system. Removing drone mechanics just so npcers have one less button to press is beyond a backward step. Instead ccp should be adding lots more.

I think you have misinterpreted my post on decent mechanics. I did not mean that drones mechanics are decent and don't need changed, i meant that the op is wanting to remove what parts of drone mechanics are decent (the ultra basic AI parts) and just leave 1 single mechanic (the no AI at all part) with a marginally more useable UI.

The idea of groups being like launch buttons on UI is fine, and if you could program those buttons you would be laughing.

So group 1 could be set to launch and attack selected target like the op wants, or could be automatically set to assist, or automatically set to launch and orbit on agressive. You can then make the options as complex as you like. ECM drones programmed to launch and jam anything that has a point on me, logitics drones programmed to launch and answer rep broadcasts in fleet, logistics drones programmed to rep self (surely it is time this worked btw). It all depends how much automation you want in game.

I like this, but I think it would be better if all drones just did omni damage and we kept the speed or damage trade-off the same.

Mayby some jobs are too small? You ever do a big house renovation and then never get around to doing that last little touch up for like 3 years?

https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=1772981#post1772981

I posted this awhile back.

I agree with the "don't expect it to happen soon" analysis :)

You would need customizable Icons and the ability to create groups of mixed drone types. Not only do my Wardens look like my Grades look like my Bouncers, but ships like the Vexor or Myrm often launch groups of mixed drone types( 2 heavy, 2 med, 1 light).

Find a way to fix utility drones. Most EWAR drones are pretty useless due to a combination of being weak and having a stacking penalty.

Thanks for your feedback everyone. Some really good suggestions in this thread!

RE: How to group your Drones..
Using the weapons console would be relatively easy. When you undock for the first time weapons that aren't group take up the whole console. Just as this happens, the same would be true for Drones. You would need to simply drag and drop the various drones on top of each other for them group up, just like weapons. This becomes very important for the next part...

Someone raised a good point about my massive oversight towards assist and defend. My bad, and agreed - a solution is required.

So, my solution to that issue is to continue taking advantage of the existing way in which weapons are used.

Each module - whether it is an INDIVIDUAL drone or a GROUP of drones could look like the following:

Module Mockup v1.0

As you can see from the mock up whether you deployed a single or a group of drones you could decide whether they were to launch in Attack / Defend or Assist mode.

More importantly - this continues to consolidate the mess which is target management whether it is for engaging with your drones, defending or assisting them. Simply lock up your desired target, select the group of Repair Drones which you have set to "Assist" and hit F1.

How do I know my drones are being attacked?
I've also added 'Flashy' tactical feedback. So that when your drones are attacking their module flashes Green. When they themselves are under attack, they will flash Red. When they are returning OR switching targets they flash Yellow.

What about the health bars?
Mousing over the module will give you the health feedback on that group or individual drone.

What about when the drone(s) dies?
The module stays in place until all drones in the group are killed, and then it shows an empty slot.

So, what is the real benefit to PVP/PVE?
By making these more like other weapons systems it introduces some consistency with the gameplay. Not only that it means that when you are rocking out a small drone frigate that only has a couple of drones, alongside a compliment of weapons - you're actually able to launch and use the drone as effectively as possible without having to take your eyes off your target.