Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I propose that when drones are active they should be able to be micro managed with a better interface and abiltiy than right clicking them and selecting an option.

I would either like individual 1-5 key bindings for them or their groups, or the ability to drag them individually or by a grouping into module slots. This will make it much easier to individually set them to engage, mine or salvage. While salvaging is the real one I want this for it will also be an improvement for combat, as there is more incentive to split active drone types between ewar, logistics and damage if their targets can be quickly managed.

Gila killing PvE frigates.

Not supporting OP's idea, just pointing out...

Eliminate drones? Micromanagement problem solved...

Go the other way, make drones deploy in wings like fighters. Solves a lot more problems.

https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=6775007#post6775007

Salvage drones?

For that reason alone I'd love an option for auto-salvaging where they avoid targeting a wreck targeted by another salvage drone.

What upsides? Server performance? CCP just wasted the server performance about 2 weeks ago with i don't know what they did. Ever since the Sunday after the last big patch, I get traffic control, time outs, long system loading times and worse things. Putting drones in a single squad is not going to improve that screw up on CCP's tech part.

Ha! So I am not the only one. A few hours ago I had to wait 7 minutes to make a jump in Devoid from Odin to Esca-something.

Then in Caldari space and Heimatar. Was horrible.

I've explained this to you before, Rivr, when you were herfblerfing about the huge load that entire squadrons of fighters must surely cause.

Just as with fighters, the squad would be a single entity. The "5 drones" are then merely an abstract representation in the attributes - they're not actually there. There's only ONE object that has a position and velocity, ONE object that's dealing or receiving damage, etc.

This is just a profoundly basic concept, I don't understand why it's so complicated.

If 5 hammerheads shoot something, the server calculates 5 different damage "Rolls".

If single squadron acting as an abstract representation of 5 hammerheads shoots something, the server calculates a single damage roll (or, hell, it could even do the damage rolls independently, but still leave it as a single tracked entity - that's entirely down to just how much abstraction you want).

Think of it as a single drone that's 5x as powerful. Obviously that's less load than 5 independent drones, yes? The only difference is decrementing the # of effective drones at the appropriate HP thresholds... which is literally just subtracting 1 from an attribute.

I like being able to manage my drones as is thanks. Sllit for NpE frigs, recall individuals taking damage, 5 chanes at critical hits, 5 wrecks salvaging at once.

How does a drone wing work? Is all damage spread evenly on the drones? If not do I recall the whole wing if one is taking damage? That takes 100% of my dps from drones out of the fight while I rotate wing? Does drone damage go up to compensate? If so doesn't this mess with damage profiles as my ship would now do higher burst damage until I need to rotate wings.

Too much to mess with ad you would need to rebalance everyghing to do with drones to a greatrr or lesser degree, including every ship that uses them.