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Dev blog: Command Bursts and the New World of Fleet Boosting

First post First post
Author
Daemun Khanid
Corbeau de sang
#121 - 2016-08-29 17:29:31 UTC  |  Edited by: Daemun Khanid
Tipa Riot wrote:
Finally, finally! This will be a very good change for the health of the game. Although I think some details need to be tweaked.

- The boost duration of 60-130s is too long IMO, would like to see it more in the 30-60s range.

- Will neutral boosters receive a suspect flag if interfering with wars and limited engagements in highsec (same as logis)?


The problem w reducing the time to that sort of level would be that it would mean the total elimination of frigates getting any kind of boost in places like novice FW plexes. At least w a 2 minute timer a frig pilot can get his boost then warp into the plex and have a limited amount of time boosted. With a 30 second time the boost would be gone before you even managed to land in the plex. Ofc a t1 boost frig would solve this but that's starting a slide down a particularly slippery slope. Are we gonna start creating new ships from scratch every time a gameplay mechanic changes? It would also mean you can forget about any kind of kite meta because unless your boost ship is attached to your hip and able to keep up with you, your bonuses are gonna drop before you have a chance to get back into boost range.

Daemun of Khanid

Arrendis
TK Corp
#122 - 2016-08-29 17:30:17 UTC
Steroidastroid Ormand wrote:
I can repeat that 150km should be the minimum range, IMHO...


But can you justify why you should be able to have a ship in a central position able to apply boosts to two ships 300km apart? Not why it's convenient to only need that one ship doing it, mind you, but why it's preferable for people to be able to do that, rather than having boosters in among the ships they're boosting?
Rixx Javix
Stay Frosty.
A Band Apart.
#123 - 2016-08-29 17:31:03 UTC
So many salty tears in this thread. Pirate

http://eveoganda.blogspot.com

Obil Que
Star Explorers
Solis Tenebris
#124 - 2016-08-29 17:31:09 UTC
Daemun Khanid wrote:
Tipa Riot wrote:
Finally, finally! This will be a very good change for the health of the game. Although I think some details need to be tweaked.

- The boost duration of 60-130s is too long IMO, would like to see it more in the 30-60s range.

- Will neutral boosters receive a suspect flag if interfering with wars and limited engagements in highsec (same as logis)?


The problem w reducing the time to that sort of level would be that it would mean the total elimination of frigates getting any kind of boost in places like novice FW plexes. At least w a 2 minute timer a frig pilot can get his boost then warp into the plex and have a limited amount of time boosted. With a 30 second time the boost would be gone before you even managed to land in the plex. Ofc a t1 boost frig would solve this but that's starting a slide down a particularly slippery slope. Are we gonna start creating new ships from scratch every time a gameplay mechanic changes?


Why is no boosts to frigates in novice plexes a bad thing?
DeadDuck
Trust Doesn't Rust
Goonswarm Federation
#125 - 2016-08-29 17:32:55 UTC
Linus Gorp wrote:
Soo, where do I apply for the SP refund?
Only reason I have those skills trained is for the passive benefit.. Or make Blops be able to fit links, pretty please?


Cry me a river... Lol
Elenahina
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#126 - 2016-08-29 17:32:58 UTC
Rowells wrote:
SurrenderMonkey wrote:
Zanar Skwigelf wrote:
Why were the mining yield boosts replaced by a mining crystal destruction boost?

Crystals are a dime a dozen, or am I missing something?


There was never a "yield" boost. There was a cycle time boost, a cap cost boost, and a range boost.

The cycle time and capacitor cost reduction were rolled into one boost, and the crystal volatility one is new.




Yep. Completely new bonus. A creative one, no doubt, but I still believe that by itself it doesn't really do nearly as much as the other two. I worry that it will become one of those boosts that doesn't really get used because its impact is so small.


You mean like the capacitor one we currently have?

Eve is like an addiction; you can't quit it until it quits you. Also, iderno

Daemun Khanid
Corbeau de sang
#127 - 2016-08-29 17:33:47 UTC
Obil Que wrote:
Daemun Khanid wrote:
Tipa Riot wrote:
Finally, finally! This will be a very good change for the health of the game. Although I think some details need to be tweaked.

- The boost duration of 60-130s is too long IMO, would like to see it more in the 30-60s range.

- Will neutral boosters receive a suspect flag if interfering with wars and limited engagements in highsec (same as logis)?


The problem w reducing the time to that sort of level would be that it would mean the total elimination of frigates getting any kind of boost in places like novice FW plexes. At least w a 2 minute timer a frig pilot can get his boost then warp into the plex and have a limited amount of time boosted. With a 30 second time the boost would be gone before you even managed to land in the plex. Ofc a t1 boost frig would solve this but that's starting a slide down a particularly slippery slope. Are we gonna start creating new ships from scratch every time a gameplay mechanic changes?


Why is no boosts to frigates in novice plexes a bad thing?


Why is boosts on frigates in novice plexes a bad thing? If I can put a boost ship in a small plex and provide boosts to my dessi fleet why can't my booster pilot do something to assist my frig gang? Is he supposed to sit around and wait till we ship up?

Daemun of Khanid

Jasper Sinclair
GBS Corp
#128 - 2016-08-29 17:33:56 UTC
I hope mining bursts don't activate an aggression timer.

I assume you have a plan for replacing existing modules in-game when the change occurs? It seems that if I have to pull a few T2 rigs and replace them with the new rigs that replace command modules I should get reimbursed for those (old) rigs.

You may have alluded to this, but can you remove any reference to "leadership" in the names/descriptions of skills and modules? We all know that being able to boost/burst/link/whatever has no relationship to one's ability to lead a fleet.

So now that the "My Fleet" tab has very reduced meaning, do you have any plans to enhance it? I have a few suggestions:
1) allow longer wing/squad names
2) provide ability to designate players that will automatically take fleet/wing/squad command position when the player filling that role leaves fleet.
3) provide existing functionality, like "regroup" and "show fleet comp" as small buttons to the right of the player name in the "my fleet" window. Obviously you can get rid of the fleet/wing/squad booster icon, as well as the "commander" icon since that fact is apparent by looking at the player's position in the fleet!
4) provide new functionality like, for example, requesting a burst! Probably not a good example but things like that.
5) give the fleet boss the ability to specify who, other than himself, can broadcast targets.
6) other things that will occur to me 5 minutes after I press "Post"

However, it may turn out that this is not a good idea because switching between the history and my fleet tabs is a pain in the middle of a big fight.

Overall I like the direction you are going but believe the removal of passive boosts drastically reduces the value of the skills I spent a long time training. We should get a fairly long evaluation period in which to decide whether or not we want to cash in skill points. And no, skill extractors do not adequately compensate.

Former Blue CEO, admirer of Caracals (and Tristans)

Linus Gorp
Ministry of Propaganda and Morale
#129 - 2016-08-29 17:34:36 UTC
Obil Que wrote:
Daemun Khanid wrote:
Tipa Riot wrote:
Finally, finally! This will be a very good change for the health of the game. Although I think some details need to be tweaked.

- The boost duration of 60-130s is too long IMO, would like to see it more in the 30-60s range.

- Will neutral boosters receive a suspect flag if interfering with wars and limited engagements in highsec (same as logis)?


The problem w reducing the time to that sort of level would be that it would mean the total elimination of frigates getting any kind of boost in places like novice FW plexes. At least w a 2 minute timer a frig pilot can get his boost then warp into the plex and have a limited amount of time boosted. With a 30 second time the boost would be gone before you even managed to land in the plex. Ofc a t1 boost frig would solve this but that's starting a slide down a particularly slippery slope. Are we gonna start creating new ships from scratch every time a gameplay mechanic changes?


Why is no boosts to frigates in novice plexes a bad thing?

He's one of these "solo" pilots that always have boosts + at least 10 alts on standby in case things turn out bad.

When you don't know the difference between there, their, and they're, you come across as being so uneducated that your viewpoint can be safely dismissed. The literate is unlikely to learn much from the illiterate.

Demolishar
United Aggression
#130 - 2016-08-29 17:34:53 UTC
This proposed change is an absolute disgrace.

It would be better if boosting were removed entirely than to just give the bigger blob the exclusive rights to having boosts, which is what the effective result of this change will be.
Linus Gorp
Ministry of Propaganda and Morale
#131 - 2016-08-29 17:36:30 UTC
DeadDuck wrote:
Linus Gorp wrote:
Soo, where do I apply for the SP refund?
Only reason I have those skills trained is for the passive benefit.. Or make Blops be able to fit links, pretty please?


Cry me a river... Lol

Why would I? I don't even remember the last time I went to Provi for hotdropping.
I'm not one of the Horrible Third Party losers.

When you don't know the difference between there, their, and they're, you come across as being so uneducated that your viewpoint can be safely dismissed. The literate is unlikely to learn much from the illiterate.

Daemun Khanid
Corbeau de sang
#132 - 2016-08-29 17:36:44 UTC
Linus Gorp wrote:
Obil Que wrote:
Daemun Khanid wrote:
Tipa Riot wrote:
Finally, finally! This will be a very good change for the health of the game. Although I think some details need to be tweaked.

- The boost duration of 60-130s is too long IMO, would like to see it more in the 30-60s range.

- Will neutral boosters receive a suspect flag if interfering with wars and limited engagements in highsec (same as logis)?


The problem w reducing the time to that sort of level would be that it would mean the total elimination of frigates getting any kind of boost in places like novice FW plexes. At least w a 2 minute timer a frig pilot can get his boost then warp into the plex and have a limited amount of time boosted. With a 30 second time the boost would be gone before you even managed to land in the plex. Ofc a t1 boost frig would solve this but that's starting a slide down a particularly slippery slope. Are we gonna start creating new ships from scratch every time a gameplay mechanic changes?


Why is no boosts to frigates in novice plexes a bad thing?

He's one of these "solo" pilots that always have boosts + at least 10 alts on standby in case things turn out bad.


Never claimed to be a solo pilot. I'm a fleet pilot and have an alt to provide boosts to said fleet. I have no problem w combat dual boxing and bringing him on grid. If you want "honorable 1v1" take your pansy butt to high sec and cry for duels in empty systems.

Daemun of Khanid

Drazz Caylen
Team-Pyro Industries
#133 - 2016-08-29 17:36:46 UTC  |  Edited by: Drazz Caylen
"you can only quote 5 times in a single post"
Oh right, there was something...

>> Aliana Heartborne: Guess im done playing in november then. ah well, atleast i got to help new miners for 3 years before CCP wanted to ruin it, thanks.
First, you should note the line saying;
"Blog two will go into detail on the changes to Mining Foreman gameplay, including the Mining Foreman Bursts, changes to the Rorqual and Orca, and the new Porpoise-class industrial command ship."
I suggest you don't pitch a fit now and wait for the blog to see what actually affects you. Still, care to elaborate why? Sounds like an Orca boost in highsec to me. Maybe sitting in a POS to be safe from gankers. I bet the offgrid POS changes affect you a lot. If you help new players with boosts, who protects these new players from gankers? If you don't get any gankers there, then your Orca should be safe as well. It's not like an Orca can't be tanked either. The only thing left is the proposed "inexpensive and low-cargo" ammo, which I'm sure after years of playing you have no issue funding? I'd say just wait for the second blog before jumping to conclusions.

>> Arrendis: I, for one, am looking forward to watching ships at 20% armor explode the moment the duration on the Armor Reinforcement booster expires and they end up with negative HP.
That's a good point. Honestly, it always bothered me how it worked. I'd rather have it keep the relative percentage base, so if it runs out, then only 20% of the current ship HP will be deducted.

>> Esrevid Nekkeg: The blog states: Command Ship - Can fit two Command Burst modules. However, at this moment Command ships can fit 3 Warfare Link Modules. Why did you choose for this reduction?
I second this question, I auto-read it as "3" in my head.

>> Tragot Gomndor: Make it that the Command Burst ALWAYS buffs yourself, no matter if in a fleet or not. I know, you can just activate a 1 man fleet, but that is kinda meh.
Seconding this idea. and actually I don't think we still can make 1-man fleets of self boosting. Just undocked to check if they changed that. They didn't. you require at least one other person in the squad.

>> Sexy Cakes: It's actually not hard at all to catch a dual boxed OGB if you have level 5 sills, virtue implants and a brain.
Mind if you look through the context I've written it in? I said attentive player with a second monitor. The math is fairly simple. We can map a button to "scan" on D-scan. Refresh cooldown + player reaction for second monitor + warp away time (if unaligned) = catch time in seconds. If your scan time + warpto time + lockon time is slower, you will never catch them as long as they're not distracted. Also, not every scanner has level 5 skills or virtue implants. And even if they have, it's not a guarantee to catch an attentive player by previous math. Sure it happens that OffGB get caught. Doesn't mean all get caught.

>> MidnightWyvern: Because Forum Likes are how we judge good or bad ideas, right? Using a populist approach like that sure worked wonders for Sony Online Entertainment with their still massively successful game Planetside 2.
Meh, it's still not so bad :P
But I do resonate with some of the other points you said. Just like the bounty system, I'd rather have CCP remove it along with boosting until they found a viable way of making it worthwhile. I'm convinced the new system is better, but I'm not convinced at the expense it is going to have currently, and not convinced it's going to be a good solution for ongrid boosting. There are still things left to be desired, but let's see how those pan out in future parses. Sisi feedback will remain an important role. If not, well, let's just see more subscriptions dwindle.
___

Again to emphasize: If you keep on as planned, then please remove fleet size based skills and refund them. The boost speciality skills can stay. Unless you factor in diminishing returns or other reasons why fleet size has to cater to skill, you are hard pressed to find a reason NOT to refund.

___

Oh and lastly, two personal comments of mine;
Many years ago my main was going for a command ship with the fleet boosts up front. Yes, Main. My goal was to boost the fleet while fighting in it, regardless of how very inefficient that was in the long run. Seeing this become more viable after all that time, warms my heart.

This does not change anything about command ships and the like being still kill on sight up there with logi. So no offense, but I doubt that any change to boosting will have those ships survive any longer or be of any less priority. Except you completely get rid of magical bard boosting.
FT Diomedes
The Graduates
#134 - 2016-08-29 17:37:33 UTC
Grath Telkin wrote:
CCP Fozzie wrote:
I'm really excited that we're finally this close to such a highly anticipated feature rework! After so many discussions with so many of you about what the new system needs, we're finally almost here.


Super links should be stronger than carrier links, carrier links in general should be as strong if not stronger than t3 links (jack of all trades master of none) and I think Command dessie links should (as a dedicated t2 specialist craft) be stronger than t3 links.

Also the mod you're replacing the passive titan bonus with, we can't think of any one specific situation where we'd ever swap out a module on our titan for something that is beneficial to the enemy, probably want to go back to the drawing board. Every slot on a titan currently is like, at max value, there aren't any you'd trade from anywhere to anywhere so expecting Titan pilots to want to drop a mod from any slot at all to give a buff to the enemy fleet is silly


Overall I like the changes, I just feel theres some spots that could use some help and or dont make sense


I agree. I'm trying to figure out what module I would have to drop from my Titan to make this new module fit. The new module would have to be absurdly good to justify using it versus a DD.

I can see the humor in dropping an Amarr Titan buff on a hostile shield kite gang, but that implies I have a Titan on grid against a shield kite gang, which is just laughably stupid.

CCP should add more NPC 0.0 space to open it up and liven things up: the Stepping Stones project.

Tau Cabalander
Retirement Retreat
Working Stiffs
#135 - 2016-08-29 17:38:26 UTC  |  Edited by: Tau Cabalander
Team Five 0 wrote:
However, Command Burst bonuses do stack on top of bonuses from other sources (such as modules and implants) and this interaction may be subject to diminishing returns (stacking penalties) depending on the attribute being affected.

The only thing that gives me pause is the stacking penalty.

Example: Seems odd that it may benefit a mining ship to NOT fit a MLU.
Kyoko Sakoda
Achura-Waschi Exchange
Monyusaiya Industry Trade Group
#136 - 2016-08-29 17:38:28 UTC
Since I'm a very visual person who sometimes works on user experience stuff, I have fewer strong feelings about the bonuses and the numbers being provided and far more about the visuals that were displayed.

While there is some deviation in the textures used, they are mostly color palette changes, particularly when viewed from afar. This is important to keep but I feel it's quite lacking in clarity overall. The skyboxes in EVE are quite busy and also contribute to getting in the way of some of these effects.

Is there any way the VFX team can draw some lines between ships -- think the Empyrean Age trailer and Jamyl's superweapon -- such that there is a better visual indicator of which ships are being Linked? This would be helpful indicator for instance if an enemy ship is just outside the AOE range of the effect and doesn't get Linked.

Yes, a lot of people play the game zoomed way out, but I feel there should be visual information parity between close up visuals and more tactical camera focal lengths.
SurrenderMonkey
State Protectorate
Caldari State
#137 - 2016-08-29 17:38:49 UTC  |  Edited by: SurrenderMonkey
Espen Onzo wrote:
Dear CCP

My only adresse to this matter is simply in the realm of faction warfare, how does one fleet booster boost his fleet in a say medium size plex. PLZ do not answer with command destroyers because you are going to add a extra question mark of viability to fleet fighting in medium size plexes, simply on the basis that command destroyers just dont have the ehp to survive a cruiser size fleet fight.


This makes ****-all sense, as both sides of the engagement would be similarly affected.

Furthermore, probably not so smart to primary a command dessie in that situation, at least not because of his boosts. They have a duration, and killing him won't remove them.

Maybe if you want to get the MJFG off the field, but for the boosts? Not so much.

It's pretty telling how utterly ******* broken the current boosting situation is when you can't even fathom how to play the game without them.

"Help, I'm bored with missions!"

http://swiftandbitter.com/eve/wtd/

Rowells
Blackwater USA Inc.
Pandemic Horde
#138 - 2016-08-29 17:40:11 UTC
Elenahina wrote:
Rowells wrote:
SurrenderMonkey wrote:
Zanar Skwigelf wrote:
Why were the mining yield boosts replaced by a mining crystal destruction boost?

Crystals are a dime a dozen, or am I missing something?


There was never a "yield" boost. There was a cycle time boost, a cap cost boost, and a range boost.

The cycle time and capacitor cost reduction were rolled into one boost, and the crystal volatility one is new.




Yep. Completely new bonus. A creative one, no doubt, but I still believe that by itself it doesn't really do nearly as much as the other two. I worry that it will become one of those boosts that doesn't really get used because its impact is so small.


You mean like the capacitor one we currently have?

Pretty much (although I use it anyway)
Do Little
Bluenose Trading
#139 - 2016-08-29 17:40:50 UTC
A small mining fleet will generally depend on passive leadership skills for any boosts - it will usually make more sense to bring another barge than a dedicated boosting ship. For the combat links, the boosting ships can also fight - we need mining boosters that can also mine. I understand that there will be a new mining drone for the Rorqual but there is no indication this drone can be used by the Orca or Porpoise so they can contribute to the mining yield.

There can be no doubt that the elimination of system wide boosts from an AFK Rorqual pilot hiding behind a POS forcefield will hurt but some people will stop mining, other will harvest less and the price of ore will go up!
Cade Windstalker
#140 - 2016-08-29 17:41:34 UTC
CCP Fozzie wrote:
Vidork Drako wrote:

Another question :
Q : I see you gave a weapon timer to booster, will they also receive a suspect time ?

Nope, just a weapons timer.


So, what's the interaction here with Suspect or Criminal ships?

Currently with Remote Repair or other forms of targeted remote assistance if you assist a suspect you become suspect yourself, does this mean that this won't apply to Command Bursts?

Have you considered running it off of the player's safety setting? So for example if Player A is in a fleet with players B, C, and D and D goes Suspect, then A activates their boost with a Green safety, you could make it so B and C get the boost but D doesn't and A remains non-flashy. On the other hand if A has a yellow safety and activates their boost while D is Suspect then B, C, and D all get the boost but because A boosted a Suspect player they go Suspect themselves.