Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Even as a lowsec PvPer/Miner, I can't take this seriously...
Move Slots
If you put another highslot on barges for a cloaking device, 99.9% will use that slot for another Strip Miner.

Covert Ops Barge
It would have to be redicioulus expensive (500m+), or better yet, simply not exist. Prospect is fine as it is, since it's a frigate, low yield (compared to barges) and is already slippery like its T1 version, Venture.

Drone Boat Miner
This one I see no issues with though, only gives a bit of variety. Mining Drones still needs a fix though

New Hauler Type
So... You want a flying station container? No seriously, use a freighter or Orca to move ores from belt to POS and compress the ****. You've got plenty of tools, use them.

Mining Cloak
Are you ******* serious? No one would ever use anything else, and would probably just AFK mine behind a belt in some position where he'll never be found. No risk = Good reward = Bad, very very bad.

Seconding this. As someone who often flies solo or with 1 friend, I've found that even a lone skiff or procurer can be a pain to take down in an inty. Null sec mining can be quite safe if you're prepared to take the necessary steps. Just simply paying attention to intel channels will mitigate nearly all of the risk.

As a long term player myself (industry mainly) and as one who has seen interesting changes to mining over the decade+ EVE has been running I have to say this: ummm... what?

Much of what you are asking is already present in the game. For instance:
- While none of the current mining barges have bonuses for mining drones, all of them can use mining drones. Additionally, there are rigs to obtain the requested bonuses you seek (mining augmentor). Still... it would be nice if there was a natural bonus to drone mining yield on some if not all of the barges.
- Except for the Covetor and Hulk, all current barges have sufficient ore holds to do the job right. Even then, the Covetor and Hulk, given their overall nature, are not designed to be solo or self-supporting miners: they need to work in a fleet.
- There are several ships capable of carrying large quantities of ore already: Orca, Deep Space Transports, Miasmos, Rorqual and freighters.

As for Covert mining itself: don't see this happening any more than I see people using any other module while cloaked. A larger version of the prospect might be interesting, but how many people use the prospect in it's current form anyways? Its a niche product at best right now, why ORE would make a larger version might not make "fiscal sense" That said: a dedicated high slot for the addition of a cloaking device - not a covert type, would be handy.

I hope your right, i really really do

nah, they should just be harder to kill and have actual teeth

generally PVP is funner when the opposition shoots back, I think that rationale should be extended to all industrial ships.

The premise of an industrial ship is the fact that it is not a warship.

Look at modern day fuel barges and cargo ships, they use fire hoses as weapons to keep themselves safe. Now put one in a match up with a navy destroyer, submarine, aircraft carrier, etc and tell me who will win? And i know you shouldn't compare EVE with RL in terms of these things, i try very hard not to when possible, but it does provide a pretty clear image of what we are dealing with here.

The simple fact is these ships are designed with offense as an afterthought, not the priority. "how fun it is to kill them if they can fight back" is not a factor in their design at any point.
They have enough design relegated to Industrial purposes; be it a giant floating cargo bay with engines, a series of ore extraction lasers and specialized bays to promote efficient extractionand transfer of materials or to haul said materials to station or towers. and then defense systems to help keep precious cargo safe. Offense is a gift on these ships, not a right.

-Freighters got buffed and gained tank slots, there are ways to get a freighter over a million EHP, its expensive and possibly impractical but even a lesser version using cheap modules or T2 can get 600 - 750K. Thats EHP that matches a carrier out of the box. And yet people still anti tank, autopilot, and think "oh it wont happen to me".

-Barges and exhumers were re balanced to have more tank and firepower, particularly the skiff and the procurer. Look at people using them as bait ships or battle barge fleets, that speaks for itself

-Industrial ships were overhauled so the Itteron V wasn't the only way to go, now they all have a purpose, and some of them can be in and out as fast as a blockade runner.

-Speaking of: Blockade runners got utility highslots and more cargo, which can be used for a cyno if needed, ive seen people drop gangs off these ships to protect them or simply as bait, ifyou wanted to it could also be used for a gun/missile.

-Deep Space transports got massive tanking bonuses and even more massive holds, a medium micro jump drive, and can burst tank like a battleship.

When does the outcry for these ships to "Get buffed because they are too weak" end? In complete safety?
Use the tools provided, CCP has given you soo much and yet he we are again discussing the same issues we've been discussing for years.