Player Features and Ideas Discussion

No.
Why because... No need to change that.

There is a matter of balance to handle here.

Clones cost Isk and work as a form of Isk sink.

So to have some balance, remove default (40%) insurance on ships but at the same time make clones free. nor more SP loss, and no need to upgrade a clone.

Players can then choose what to risk in forms of ships (insured or not), implants, modules. and not worry about clones.

What if we integrated the building of clones with Dust? I'm not thinking of replacing the current system, but offer an alternative. If resources are gathered some how via dust interaction, shipped into eve, then processed into clones then people could buy and sell base clones. Being that the capsuleer's production process would be in its infancy the clones would then have to be processed further into the different clone grades for use in eve or as is for use in Dust. The additional processing would be used as an isk sink, at a reduced rate compared to what it is now though, and the current system of just buying the clones outright from npc's is still viable and needed to insure that there is never a shortage of clones. This system wouldn't replace anything, but allow for a less isk intensive way to get clones and has a viable connection with dust. This would strengthen the connection of the two games because if Dust mercs have eve connections they are responsible for their equipment only, reducing their isk risk in a battle and thus are more likely to act like mercenaries. The devs have stated that the moving of dust clones via eve pilots is on their To-Do, so why not extend that further and include the industry side of eve with dust in a very hands off way for now. This gives eve characters a caveat for doing so even if they have no dust connection and would build up the supply of clones to levels that could eventually meet the requirements for dust. Have the materials and clones be openly traded on the eve market, but the materials only harvestable in Dust. This essentially rewards folks for investing in the eve universe beyond eve or beyond dust and would bring the two games closer quickly in a way that won't cause a complete economic meltdown.

As much as I want to like this idea, I can't support it on the ground that it punishes people for acquiring higher level implants, that is, if I get some nice new implant I may not be able to use it on my current clone, I might need a higher level one with the slot. This essentially means that I lose out on all my existing implants if I want to upgrade and plug in a new, fancier implant and therefor runs counter to implant progression. I do kind of like where you are going with this, saying that more expensive clones should provide better benefits instead of holding more SP (and therefor punishing older players) but I don't think it should be tied to implant slots.

If I was to rework this idea I would be more in favor of advanced/faction clones that provide progressively better passive benefits, or that provide an additional boost to particular implant sets. A clone that gets an extra bonus to the snake set for instance would be fine. But having to re-buy all your skill implants so that you can get into a clone that can fit a snake implant is too harsh to be considered a good mechanic; unless the ability to transfer implants is implemented (which, depending on how a new clone system is set up might be ok, but it's not something I think CCP wants to do in the current system due to implants being one of the larger ISK-sinks). The only possible exception to this might be T2 implants, I would kind of make sense to require a larger initial investment to get into the higher tech.

We know that CCP is implementing the ability to build implants with Rubicon and that they have also kicked around the idea of the ability to refine biomass into new implants based on skill(s) (still a topic of conversation) and some kind of faction/T2 clones concept may lend itself well to that system should they ever decide to go that route. But I'll stop here, lest I seem like I'm hijacking your thread.

On second view, obviously. This is why I shouldn't post when tired.

Something that I think you are forgetting is the "science" and lore behind what implants and clones are. You are suggesting that someone can switch to a completely different body and take augmentation with them that is installed in a completely different one. While what you are suggesting makes sense from a game mechanic standpoint, it is really hard to explain from a lore and "science" standpoint. Both are needed for a feature to be changed. That being said having a body that has a specific number of augmentation slots actually makes more sense to me then having a brain that can only fit some much information.

Is the whole replacing implants going to be a big deal though, if capsuleers can manufacture them? Under your original system demand would be higher because every time you want a new implant then you also have to buy a new clone and a new set of the old implants, or you plan ahead like you would if you were going to do an extensive medical procedure. IMO your old system makes more sense. Not only would it benefit the manufacturing of implants, but also the manufacturing of clones. (That is assuming what I said above is implemented as well.)

This is all fine and dandy, but IMO this would be a nice addition to the game, not a replacement for the current system.

You would not necessarily need to create a new cone to add the extra implant, you would just pay a bit more than it would have been to add it to the clone upon creation for a "procedure/surgery" that would be done to you to allow the new implant slot into your current clone. Like an upgrade.

Yes, just like Benar proposed. When you want an extra implant slot, you pop into your local medical facilities for a little brain surgery lol. You keep the same clone, just with a little extra hardware upstairs

If skill point loss is a mechanic that players and/or devs would want to preserve, then I have a contingency plan for that too:

Implants can be installed without upgrading the clone, but each implant beyond the current clone grade introduces an amount of skill point loss upon pod death.

Here's an example. You jump into a fresh clone which you intend to use as a fleet booster. You are supremely confident in your logistics pilots so you plug in a full set of High Grade Slave implants and a Navy Mindlink, filling your last 3 implant slots with whatever else comes to mind. But alas, the plan goes to **** and you end up slow boating your pod to the edge of a warp disruption bubble when suddenly... BOOM! You wake up in a station... and to your horror, you realise that you forgot to upgrade your clone before your excursion. Having died whilst in a clone with a head full of implants and no hardware to support them you have just lost a metric **** ton of SP and now you can't fly that command ship at all! Mwuhahahaha

My comment on this great idea, my feeling is CCP will say no becuase medic bays tend to take ISK out of the system. Forcing people to play the game.

However, great idea.