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i cant scratch my ass without drones exploding

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Fiora
EVE University
Ivy League
#1 - 2014-03-26 08:54:35 UTC
I dont like to constantly stare at my drone's hit points, waiting for them to take damage so that i can tell them to return. I do not like to stare at one spot on my screen, and I dont like that I cant look away for more than 6 seconds without risking the death of a drone. I literally dont use drones now because its too goddamn annoying to constantly watch and babysit them. I dont mind having to recall them when they get atttacked, but I would like to be able to effing look somewhere else other than at 5 tiny little health bars.

I actually just decided to check the in game settings to see if there was some sort of 'audible warning when drones attacked' setting. WHO THE EFF AM I KIDDING?!?!?!!?!?!!?!! HAHAHAHAHA

I dont like talking in all caps but I dont think you will effing realize how much I hate staring at my drones hitpoints, waiting for them to take damage, so here goes.

STOP MAKING ME STARE AT MY DRONES HITPOINTS, GOD WTF I CANT EVEN SCRATCH MY ASS OR A DRONE WILL DIE BECAUSE IT GOT TARGETED MID-ASS-SCRATCH!!!!!!!

all i want is a 'beep' when my drones get attacked. then i can LOOK. i just dont want to have to STARE at that ONE spot. im tired of it, i am EFFING TIRED OF STARING AT DRONE HITPOINTS DO U EFFING GET IT??!?!?!! SCREW DRONES CUZ I AM NOT A GODDAMN BABYSITTER!! I DONT MIND PRESSING SHIFT-R WHEN MY DRONES GET ATTACKED BY I DONT KNOW THEY GET ATTACKED UNLESS I STARE AT THEIR EFFING HITPOINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARE U SERIOUSL EFFING KIDDING ME THAT I HAVE TO STARE AT MY DRONE HITPOINTS OR THEY DIE??????? WHY CANT I SCRATCH MY ASS?????? WHY CANT I SCRATCH MY ASS WITHOUT MY DRONES DYING?????????
Fiora
EVE University
Ivy League
#2 - 2014-03-26 08:58:44 UTC
you are practically imprisoning me by forcing me to stare at my drone hitpoints. it is taking a TOLL on my FUN in the game!!!!!!! cuz i am seriously fed up with staring at these effing hitbars. and if i look away for more than 6 seconds, a drone will die.
Petrified
Old and Petrified Syndication
#3 - 2014-03-26 09:15:35 UTC
No offense, but have you tried flying something that does not use drones?

Now... I think you really meant to ask two questions:
1 - Can we add an audible warning to drones being attacked? - Hey, nice idea.
2 - Can we add a short cut command to recall drones or recall damaged drones? - Cool idea, there is already a shortcut whose default is Shift-R to recall all drones to the drone bay. But maybe add one specifically for recalling damaged drones? Maybe you can have a setting to determine the level of damage for the command to respond?

Cloaking is the closest thing to a "Pause Game" button one can get while in space.

Support better localization for the Japanese Community.
Corraidhin Farsaidh
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#4 - 2014-03-26 09:38:21 UTC
Solution: Don't scratch your arse, just wiggle the cheeks a bit and you'll be fine...

Being a drone boat pilot means managing your drones, you would still need to be watching them otherwise they'll return to drone bay and cut your dps without you realizing. Fine the way they are for me.

Trust me on the cheek wiggle thing...
Captain StringfellowHawk
Forsaken Reavers
#5 - 2014-03-26 11:14:29 UTC
Get a little more exercise in your life and Shrink dat ass... You will have less to scratch and be back using the mouse in to time!
Corraidhin Farsaidh
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#6 - 2014-03-26 11:35:33 UTC
Captain StringfellowHawk wrote:
Get a little more exercise in your life and Shrink dat ass... You will have less to scratch and be back using the mouse in to time!


Do you call all of your Assault Frigates 'Airwolf' by any chance?
Komodo Askold
Strategic Exploration and Development Corp
Silent Company
#7 - 2014-03-26 12:12:13 UTC
I wouldn't use the 'rage' typing when trying to get attention from devs. However, I agree with you: the only way of knowing your drones are getting hurt is to keep looking at that tiny window, and most of the time you'll be multitasking.

I suggest damage reports -the ones that cascade in the upper middle of the screen- to also include damage taken by your drones. Something simple and concise, such as: "Garde II - 213 from Mercenary Overlord". Perhaps also an extra warning such as a beep,and/or the drone UI window gently blinking red. Even the drone icon (the one at overview and space) blinking a bit when under attack.

Also, I'd like to see the "missed shot" mechanic also working for drones. Sometimes I feel nervous when I see an enormous laser shot landing perfectly on my sentries... only to discover it was a missed shot, but the missed shot animation hasn't been implemented yet for drones.

I guess CCP is planning a drone revamp-rebalance to continue with the general rebalance efforts. I think this very matter should be one of the basis of that revamp.
Mike Voidstar
Voidstar Free Flight Foundation
#8 - 2014-03-26 12:29:58 UTC
Snarky comments aside, OP has a valid if already much lamented point.

Drones need work for everyday play. Seriously. They have needed it for years upon years.

Big alliances finally using them does not change this, the AI change was needed but poorly implemented because it only addressed half the equation- if we are going to put in agro mechanics, we need tools to manage agro.

Drones never in danger is bad, it makes a drawback meaningless. Drones always getting eaten regardless of any other factor is also bad, it makes a drawback crippling.

Yes, it's a PvE issue. PvE players also pay to play, and their issues deserve attention too.
Corraidhin Farsaidh
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#9 - 2014-03-26 12:43:18 UTC
Place your drone control window under the target list at the top, you'll always be checking there for target assignment anyway so the drones are in your peripheral vision. You see the shields going pretty easily then...
Noxisia Arkana
Deadspace Knights
#10 - 2014-03-26 14:36:13 UTC
Agree that current drone mechanics are frustrating. Outside of sentries, and lights for close orbiting frigs, drones are dead in PVE.

Heavies are more useless than ever. Poor Ogres :(
Daichi Yamato
Jabbersnarks and Wonderglass
#11 - 2014-03-26 16:32:14 UTC
Noxisia Arkana wrote:
Agree that current drone mechanics are frustrating. Outside of sentries, and lights for close orbiting frigs, drones are dead in PVE.

Heavies are more useless than ever. Poor Ogres :(


when rats were changed switching targets and attacking drones (especially frigs and destroyers) it was the best change PvE has had in years.

i dnt mind ppl having an alarm if they want one. but how should the mechanics be changed exactly?

EVE FAQ "7.2 CAN I AVOID PVP COMPLETELY? No; there are no systems or locations in New Eden where PvP may be completely avoided"

Daichi Yamato's version of structure based decs
Noxisia Arkana
Deadspace Knights
#12 - 2014-03-26 17:37:17 UTC
A T2 Hobgoblin is 500k? If I'm in a raven, I literally lose DPS off my baseline when a drone gets popped. If you're careless or inattentive, sure maybe you had it coming.

However, I've run a plethora of L4 or sleeper sites where a drone is targeted and it's dead in the next server tick. No time to recall. If I send a hammerhead in a new L4 room outside of 15km I may as well write it off (even in a ship with a drone durability bonus). There's no way it's getting back.

However, with a single remote rep - I can let my sentries TANK entire L4 rooms (obviously not all L4s). Since sentries have a huge SP requirement, it seems a little unfair to kill our new player experience with drones and their intro level 4 missions so thoroughly.

This is especially problematic for newer players that are being disrupted and getting their drones insta popped. They are essentially stuck and hoping they can perma tank the room.

Drones should either have enough HP (or speed) to make it back before popping in a simple L4, or the aggression mechanics should be rebalanced.

I don't like the AFK rattler any more than anyone else. However, where we are at now - you may as well use T1 lights and treat them as ammo.

This is especially frustrating when you are using heavies, or 'pure' drone boats like a prophecy or domi. It completely obsoletes a weapon system for a group of players.
Corraidhin Farsaidh
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#13 - 2014-03-26 17:42:54 UTC
I always assumed that ogres would be used by a drone boat set up to brawl. Are there no fits for this? I'd be interested to see suggestions along these lines as I'm an active drone pilot so don't mind getting in close and managing my little mechanized monsters
Batelle
Federal Navy Academy
#14 - 2014-03-26 17:44:09 UTC
Noxisia Arkana wrote:
Agree that current drone mechanics are frustrating. Outside of sentries, and lights for close orbiting frigs, drones are dead in PVE.

Heavies are more useless than ever. Poor Ogres :(


Heavies have niche use cases. For gruistas or serpentis anoms, a wasp ishtar has better drone dps than any sentry setup. The wasps track very very well and move at 2.7km/s

"**CCP is changing policy, and has asked that we discontinue the bonus credit program after November 7th. So until then, enjoy a super-bonus of 1B Blink Credit for each 60-day GTC you buy!"**

Never forget.
Noxisia Arkana
Deadspace Knights
#15 - 2014-03-26 18:20:18 UTC
Batelle wrote:
Heavies have niche use cases. For gruistas or serpentis anoms, a wasp ishtar has better drone dps than any sentry setup. The wasps track very very well and move at 2.7km/s


Damn you Batelle with your facts. I still use heavies in my brawling nuet-geddon too. It doesn't mean that I think they are well balanced. That said, very good point.
Noxisia Arkana
Deadspace Knights
#16 - 2014-03-26 18:26:07 UTC  |  Edited by: Noxisia Arkana
Corraidhin Farsaidh wrote:
I always assumed that ogres would be used by a drone boat set up to brawl. Are there no fits for this? I'd be interested to see suggestions along these lines as I'm an active drone pilot so don't mind getting in close and managing my little mechanized monsters


In incursions, a Vindi set up with ogres can pack out a huge amount of damage (and is the recommended set up).

You can brawl like a boss on a wormhole or a station with heavies, though you are likely to lose them quickly (using a navy mega or a domi). This is of course more of a PVP application. The nueting armageddon pairs well with heavy drones in a fight.

Hyperions can still use heavies to a limited capacity to brawl, but cap can be a big issue since you're going to be using a MWD to chase down ships in missions.


All that said, it definitely was not worth my time to train up for Tech II heavies. It hasn't paid of noticably in the time I've had it.

Edit: Just saw this same issue in missions: https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=331989&find=unread
Daichi Yamato
Jabbersnarks and Wonderglass
#17 - 2014-03-26 19:20:41 UTC
honestly dnt see it as an issue. i have an astarte that loses drones all the time because im too busy lowering transversal or pulsing modules. but thats the price i pay for having a brawl ur face of epic isk making machine thats also fun to fly.

why should ur drones be immortal in missions? or why shouldnt missions have teeth?

EVE FAQ "7.2 CAN I AVOID PVP COMPLETELY? No; there are no systems or locations in New Eden where PvP may be completely avoided"

Daichi Yamato's version of structure based decs
Batelle
Federal Navy Academy
#18 - 2014-03-26 19:26:25 UTC
Daichi Yamato wrote:
honestly dnt see it as an issue. i have an astarte that loses drones all the time because im too busy lowering transversal or pulsing modules. but thats the price i pay for having a brawl ur face of epic isk making machine thats also fun to fly.

why should ur drones be immortal in missions? or why shouldnt missions have teeth?


If you're going to treat drones as ammo then t2 ones need to be cheaper and drone bays need to be larger.

"**CCP is changing policy, and has asked that we discontinue the bonus credit program after November 7th. So until then, enjoy a super-bonus of 1B Blink Credit for each 60-day GTC you buy!"**

Never forget.
Daichi Yamato
Jabbersnarks and Wonderglass
#19 - 2014-03-26 19:32:17 UTC
Batelle wrote:

If you're going to treat drones as ammo then t2 ones need to be cheaper and drone bays need to be larger.


ppl generally use T1 ammo. the idea of using T1 drones doesnt sound so crazy to me. i may just try it.

perhaps if CCP saw everyone using T1 drones they might think a change is needed. but ppl will still use T2 drones for PvP like they do T2 ammo. so maybe they wont think it a problem.

EVE FAQ "7.2 CAN I AVOID PVP COMPLETELY? No; there are no systems or locations in New Eden where PvP may be completely avoided"

Daichi Yamato's version of structure based decs
Corraidhin Farsaidh
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#20 - 2014-03-26 19:44:34 UTC
It'll be a pure cost/benefit ratio. If the t2 drones will give someone in PvP the extra few dps required to win the fight they will use them regardless of cost ( to a degree). Same in missions but to a lesser degree.
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