Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Well since mining is such a low profit venture I would expect OffGB in the pos shields for mining boost only to remain, but at a reduced rate then OnGB, As CCP has separated the mind links for combat from mining I suspect this will happen.

However for the combat boosting, I have a new idea, it goes like this.

On the grid combat with a boosting ship on the same grid = full boosting bonuses,
the next grid out around the site of combat = a 1% boost reduction,
the next ring of grids out = 3% reduction,
and the rest of the system grids would get a 5% reduction.
This would let the fleet members do there jobs, and still get some level of boosting.

OR

Perhaps a whole new skill (and a new anchorable module can be added ( Booster Relay(ing)), one that lets a FC anchor relays in his current system ( or any pilot who trains the skill can anchor relays if on a fleet, ( anchor for corp or fleet )), this would relay the boosts to other fleet members not on grid with the CS .

1 grid ring out / 2 grid rings out / the rest of the system

1 relay anchored +1% / - / -
2 relays anchored +2% / +1% / -
3 relays anchored +3% / +2% / +1%
4 relays anchored +4% / +3% / +2%
5 relays anchored +5% / +4% / +3%

- = NO boost relayed

Skill level = the # of relays that can be anchored per system.

An anchored relay unit must be anchored more then 5000 m from any ship, approaching a relay ( friend or foe ), within 5000 m will have a negative effect on ANY ship that gets to close due to intense subspace particle bursts, that will scramble any electronic system within its AOE ( This effect is only active when a fleet booster is activly boosting, entering warp or a pos shield, or docking cancels the AOE effect.
Perhaps skill level can reduce this somewhat, but not fully.

All relays can be scanned down AND/OR destroyed

I suggested something like this several years ago.

The bonus penalty is too small to warrant commiting a fleet boosting tengu or pos safe capital being commited to a hostile environment.

The easiest way, and simplist way would be to give a big honkin 50% penalty to boost amount when not on grid, for each fleet booster not on grid.

It would be easy enough to implement, but the potential of adding yet another single point check to a 1000+ fleet fight could induce a lot more laaa.... ahem, special anomalies in such fights. I imagine this is why CCP hasn't considered implementing such a small mechanic into the game. But with time dialation now in place, this idea might be re-visited.

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But, back to the mechanical theory crafting.

A full chain of fleet bonuses usually comes from someone sitting in a fleet command or fleet boosting position who is safely warped to an appropriate BFE location somewhere in the system, Secondary Wing commanders and Squad commanders are usually the people with leadership or WC 5 and are fighting and swapped out as losses happen. Meaning that for the most part, huge 255 man fleets have 1 real booster (for mass combat). In a situation like this a straight 50% nerf from the off grid booster is in order and applicable as the actual bonus command structure is vulnerable and targetable.

But what if the team in question wants to do a full 3 ship bonus set (Fleet / Wing / Squad ) and only field their 10 man gang of doom and leave their pricy ships off in some safe grid?

That's a lot of down range bonus and boost with little to no risk to the pilots involved. So, run it as a stacking penalty.

If all 3 boosting pilots are off grid -

This is X% of total available boost- just to be clear

50% boost from Squad Commander
25% boost from Wing Commander
12.5% boost from fleet commander.

*Ass allways, only the highest bonus will apply*

Meaning that each additional 'safe' bonus is worth less than the previous, giving appropriate stacking penalties warranted in the game.

Now, what if you want to do a mix'ed bag of goodies to get around this? Well, that's simple, based on the position of the fleet booster and who is on grid or off grid. And we need to keep in mind the risk reward system. The more you risk, the less painfull the penalty.

Easiest way to do it is remove the penalty as those assets are commited, in a 'normal' zero zero engagement zone

Squad commander - On Grid 100% of bonus
Wing commander - On Grid 100% of bonus
Fleet commander - off Grid 50% of bonus

Or if the wing and fleet commander are off grid

Squad commander - On Grid 100% of bonus
Wing commander - 50% of bonus
Fleet commander - 25% of bonus

Simple enough. but wait! What about those weird situations where your squad commander is off grid, but your wing commander is on grid? how is that going to work? well, we still need to penalize, but we can "cap" the penalty to match the level of whats on grid / off grid, but continue the calculation progression.

Squad commander - Off Grid 50% of bonus
Wing Commander - On Grid 50% of bonus
Fleet commander - On Grid 50% of bonus

*ass above, but*
Fleet Comander - Off grid 25% of bonus



A mechanic like this would encourage those most directly related to YOUR bonus to be on grid giving you your boost. Meaning that the one pilot that gives you free resistances / armor hit points / cap usage / sensor boosts will need to be semi-vulnerable to enemy hostile action to get your full boost (250K away on the far side of the grid is still relatively safe....)

The penalty needs to be large enough to make commanders and small groups really weigh wether they want the full boost or keep that pricey command ship off grid. And in the event of multiple boosters, really make them weigh in on how much they are willing to commit.

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If we implemented such a changed, would mining bonuses be an exception to this rule? It's non combat oriented, so doesn't actually directly affect player on player interaction. But if they were, it WOULD encourage direct deployment of Roquals and orccas out of the pos bubbles and on grid to support their fleets for max boosts. Which might severely hinder a null sec mining operations (who mines in low sec?). As we know care bares have no need to risk seriously heavy assets. Victory in a PVP situation has strategic awards outside of isk ship values and both parties want to kill each other.

Combat against an industrial ship has a serious one sided risk assessment towards the aggressor, and is not quite the same

Just some food for thoughts.

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[EDIT]

One final afterthought -

Out of Corp Neutral Fleet boosting *Adressing High Sec Wars Here*

One very easy mechanic is to give the combat / criminal / whosamawatsit flag to fleet boosters including docking penalties to out of corp neutral fleet boosters. They are assisting in combat, they should be subject to their fleets actions just like a neutral RR.

Okay, That's it.

That works too. But with that system how do address having a squad commander off grid? Do they still get 2/3 wing commander boost or is the goal here to specifically keep the squad commander on grid with the specific squad at all times? What about having a fleet commander on grid but the wing booster off grid? Still 2/3rds?

I know that I've been part of fleets that have had to split on a moments notice between two gates and a station to hold a system.

Do you have a suggestion for a simple solution to handle that without being totalitarian "No Squad commander, no bonus" scenario? Or skirmishing inties who rely on just a little more sig radius reduction to bravely dive into a fleeing floe at the sun to snag a critical ship?

I wanna make it hurt, not take it all out. But yeah, I kinda like those numbers. The more they boost with less risk, the less the effective bonus is.