Player Features and Ideas Discussion

While I really like the functionality of the Orca, I feel like it is a ship that tries to fit too many roles into a single hull. The issue with piloting an Orca in a mining fleet is that you end up sitting in some safe spot doing absolutely nothing which is both incredibly boring and doesn't balance risk vs. reward. My idea is to separate some functionality of the Orca into different hulls.

Industrial BC

This ship would take the boosting capability out of the Orca. This ship would have the yield, ore hold, and EHP set to the average of a Procurer and Retriever (unboosted of course). It would be able to use 1 unbonused Warfare Link.

Industrial Command Ship

This would be a T2 version of the Industrial BC. It would have the yield, ore hold, and EHP set to the average of a Skiff and Mack. It would be able to use 3 Warfare Links and would get a 3% per level bonus to both Mining Links and Siege Links.

ORE Industrial

This would be what is left of the Orca, purely designed as a hauler for mining ops.

In order to not destroy the mining economy with this implementations, it should be released as a two part modification. The first would be the introduction of the two new BC hulls and skills. Once pilots have had a chance to train up the skills and the ship market has levelled out, the Orca can have its boosting removed.

This change would give the booster something to do On Grid and would add some risk to the reward of Mining Boosting.

You obviously have never used an Orca for real.

Orca is a wonderful all purpose utility ship.

Touch it, and I will personally gank you in whatever you undock in forever.

No, It's fine and I need it for non-mining purposes.

Orca is fine, could use another high and low slot.

Slightly larger tank, and maybe the ability to launch more drones.

You do know what BC stands for right? Industrial BC is a massive oxymoron...

If there's one thing that doesn't need a nerf in this game, it's the goddamn industry ships. Freighters already got neutered, how much more do you want!?

Wait... what?

I have taken part an A LOT of mining ops, and NEVER has the Orca sat in a safe spot.

Main Orca on grid boosting and all miners mine into it, secondary Orca/Hauler, takes everything out of booster and does the drop off.

While doing that the main Orca has combat and repair drones. The combat drones are for taking out rats and the repair drones, well that is kind of obvious, but now I would probably sport salvage drones now (haven't mined in years).

If you sit in a safe spot then it is really your own choice and not anything to do with the ship. I can understand this issues with a Rorqual and why it is not used in belts, but the Orca is fine just as it is.

sitting in a belt or a safe spot, the orca is still just going to warp, activate links, then go afk until the mining is done.

I really think the Orca should split into two T2 variants, while keeping the original T1 hull as a viable option*, if it's gonna get changed:

One focusing in more on supporting the actual act of mining and gathering/harvesting by retaining the mining links bonuses(Possibly boost to 4 or 5% bonus/level)* , a notably larger ore bay, smaller ship hangar, and extra high slot or two so it can run all three links and tractors(possibly a bit less tanky), and also receive a cap buff either in a larger cap or role bonus for links or tractors or something.


And another variant focusing more on the logistics and maintenance of a mining fleet:

much smaller storage bays, maybe 50k between the lot or straight up drop the ore bay and reduce the cargo hold to 1000m3 with a 40k fleet hangar, but a larger ship hangar, or possibly two ship hangars, one rather large(800k or something there abouts)* but only accepting barges, exhumers, industrials and the like, and a second smaller one that maybe holds 2-3 cruisers at best or a handful of frigates. This one could retain the mining links bonus but should probably lose a high and gain a low or mid.


My two isk anyway.


*EDIT: added a size approximation, added a clarification or two

You'd still have good old T1 orca for non-mining purposes :)