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Dust filled boarding torpedoes
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Hesod Adee
Perkone
Caldari State
#1 - 2013-10-04 20:35:52 UTC
Something to create some direct interaction between Dust and Eve players, while also emphasizing how different they are from each other.

The basic idea for this is that Dust mercenaries and their gear get loaded into boarding torpedoes (which may have little to do with existing torpedoes beyond both being missiles of some kind), which then get fired at a target ship. If the missiles hit the ship, the mercenaries aboard are free to fight their way through the ship causing problems, while the capsuleer in command of the ship tries to kill them by giving orders to the ships internal defenses through an RTS interface.

Other things that sound like interesting additions:

- Given the difference in scale between ship and mercenary weapons, I doubt the mercenaries will be able to carry anything that can reliably damage the ship itself. Especially when boarding would probably be mainly used against capital ships. Though internal defenses and sensors are a different matter.
- If the mercenaries can reach the pod and destroy it (assume that the pods connections to the ship require it to open weak spots), then clean up the wreckage, any capsuleer with the right skills can steal the ship.
- The mercenaries will remain on the ship even if it warps away or changes system.
- Mercenaries would be able to cause problems for the pilot by hacking parts of the ship. I’m sure you can think of all sorts of potential trouble there. For example, if they hack navigation, then can then they can give the ships location to their allies. Meaning that if the ship jumps away, the allies know what system it is and, once they reach that system, they can warp right to it.
- The only ways for the mercenaries to be resupplied would be to get more boarding torpedoes to bring more supplies, which requires the mercenaries to find where they hit the ship (bring near the impact site when the torpedo hits won’t be pleasant for the mercenaries) or to loot stuff from the defenders. Maybe let the mercenaries choose to bring something that can reprocess loot and/or crew bodies into needed supplies, but make it large (so they need to think about bringing it along) and stationary (so they need to defend it)
- Ship cargo could play a part. Either to help the defense (marines) , lootable supplies (small arms) or volatiles (mercs causing the ships ammo to explode)
- If modules are overheated then any mercs in the areas of the ship containing those modules will take damage because of how hot those rooms are. But so will ship defenses in that area.
Batelle
Federal Navy Academy
#2 - 2013-10-04 20:37:05 UTC
no

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Hesod Adee
Perkone
Caldari State
#3 - 2013-10-04 20:45:15 UTC
Batelle wrote:
no

Why not ?
Eliza Loney
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#4 - 2013-10-04 21:02:38 UTC
Too much dependance on other players you cannot Punish / Kill / Eject from airlock when they decide to AWOX you.

I think the next DUST / EvE cross should be stations and fighting for control internally.
Arya Regnar
Darwins Right Hand
#5 - 2013-10-04 21:58:00 UTC
No.

Use search function.

Won't happen.

EvE-Mail me if you need anything.
ShahFluffers
Ice Fire Warriors
#6 - 2013-10-04 23:13:04 UTC
Unsuccessful At Everything
The Troll Bridge
#7 - 2013-10-04 23:17:31 UTC
Can I bombard other DUSTbunnies with torpedos filled with their own kin? Nothing says 'I love you" like tubes filled with clones slapping the ground at hypervelocities.



Since the cessation of their usefulness is imminent, may I appropriate your belongings?
Luc Chastot
#8 - 2013-10-04 23:32:16 UTC
This again?

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

Danika Princip
GoonWaffe
Goonswarm Federation
#9 - 2013-10-05 00:07:07 UTC
How do you get these torpedoes through my shields, armour and hull, given that no other weapon can do it?

Given that my pod can survive hits from bullets bigger than the dust bunnies are, what are they going to carry that can dent it?

How do you beat FPS kiddies with RTS controls and a one second server tick?
Hesod Adee
Perkone
Caldari State
#10 - 2013-10-05 01:02:05 UTC
Eliza Loney wrote:
Too much dependance on other players you cannot Punish / Kill / Eject from airlock when they decide to AWOX you.


What's the most harm that the mercs could do when they try to betray you ?

When they are boarding an enemy ship, the worst I can see them doing is failing.

If you have them running around your ship to defend it against other boarders, then they could team up with the boarders. Which means you'll lose that ship.
Or maybe you could require friendly mercs be fitted with something like an explosive collar that remains under your control before you let them aboard your ship.

Danika Princip wrote:
How do you get these torpedoes through my shields, armour and hull, given that no other weapon can do it?


I'll admit that this is a problem.

Quote:
Given that my pod can survive hits from bullets bigger than the dust bunnies are, what are they going to carry that can dent it?


I'm thinking that the connection between the pod and the ship relies on opening holes in the shields and armor to run cables through. Which means holes the mercs can aim through. Though I'm expecting that managing to reach the pod room will be difficult. Killing the pod before the capsuleer notices and ejects, even harder.

Quote:
How do you beat FPS kiddies with RTS controls and a one second server tick?

By running the boarding action on the Dust servers, which don't have the one second tick problem.

Also, think about how much control a typical FPS allows over the player character compared to how much control an RTS player gets over an individual unit.

I expect a competent mercenary to be able to solo any single security unit, or at least be able to run from it. For capsuleers to win a fight, they will need to use their superior ability to monitor the battlefield to force an engagement where ship security forces outnumber the mercs.