Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I'll start it from an unusual point.
EVE Online universe looks close in some points to the Star Trek one, especially old EVE. And the old cloaking visual was resembling the ST universe one.
So... Cloaks there were with different levels of superiority and feature sets, so I suggest an overall change to the system.

All but the best cloaks have some emissions, that allow to counterdetect them. Let's say they "stink", and sensors can smell "cloaky ship somewhere there". This might work even for system-wide scans. The amount of smell might be accumulative, so if a cloaky ship stays in place for long, it would be easier to detect. Also, it should be delayed, just because it makes sense for the "smell-like" detection way.

There should be some cloak detection rating for ship depending on its sensor configuration (sensor strength, scan res, something else?), and some cloak strength for the cloaky ship (depending on some of its own parameters, starting from signature size and up to anything (mass? Makes sense with gravimetric sensors we have), but modified by the cloak itself). Detection should decrease with range, and if detection strength gets higher than cloak strength, the target will appear with decreased signature. Sig will never be the same as for uncloaked ship, let's do it this way:
cloaked sig = coeff * normal sig * (cloak detection - cloak strength) / cloak detection
with coeff being a balance feature to ensure you're not ending up with 120 m sig instead of 135 (kinda useless tradeoff, isn't it?)

Dropping out of cloak.
I suggest this to work this way: prototype cloak deactivates when targeted or hit (smartbombs, anyone?), improved - when shot at or hit, covert - when the pilot wants it, but hits would reduce cloak power.
Cloaky pilot should be notified when he can be detected by someone's sensors or when he's being targeted (I mean target acquiring process), since the cloak should be sensitive to this kind of attention. Passive targeters should be dealt with as they are now with current cloaks (never encountered this issue).

Possibly, as in star trek nemesis, there should be a very rare super-advanced faction cloak that would allow shooting with some strength penalty while doing so. Maybe not necessarily a covert cloak, but should remain active when hit. I don't think it will bring much imbalance to the game, if priced accordingly.


TL;DR: what I am suggesting is a yet another way to make cloaky ships detectible, but a fun to fly and hunt. I tried to balance things out, and am still concerned about wormholes (I was kinda addicted to cloaks when lived there). I think most issues are addressed, except the geneal cloak hatred from some individuals.

I'd feel better with some discussion prior to putting it there, where it seems like a waste bin. and is generally hard to discuss stuff

Maybe it should. Thanks :)