Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Module:
- Similar to a smartbomb, but with hp replacement effect instead of damage. Scriptable.

- Alternately, a type of drone exclusive to Force Auxiliaries.

Scripts:
- Trade repair amount for range or cycle time.

Goals:
- Augment the ability of Force Auxiliary capital ships to support subcapital ships and other weapon systems.

- Repair amount per ship should be too low to be of much direct benefit to other capital vessels.

- Repair amount per ship too low to be of significant benefit against focused fire.

- Bolster the longevity of escort vessels, such as destroyers equipped with defender launchers, et al.

- Add shape to the battlefield as groups of fast moving vessels may elect to return for quick repairs.

- Liberalize development of new AOE weapon systems.

- Provide a development opportunity for the fleet hangar capability of capital ships.

E.g., reloading large volume ammo for anti-capital weapon systems based on subcapital ships.

Other thoughts:
- Successful implementation may open the way for elaboration of similar systems on other classes of ships.

Honestly, I'm a bit divided. Both approaches have strengths and weaknesses.

If it were a "fighter" based option, you'd have the ability of the logi squadron to activate their abilities on cue, repairing friendly ships in range of wherever you send them.

It'd probably be pretty crazy to have a repair beam that painted a bubble around the target that did AOE repairs, but in this case the opponent can always prioritize the drones. The other shortcoming is that it doesn't play into standard cap warfare.


With the AOE repair "smartbomb" you have range as a mitigating factor, limiting the mobility of those who rely too heavily upon it. Likewise, it's indiscriminate, so if hostiles get intimate, advantages get pretty mixed up.

Scaling could be an issue, so it would make sense to not allow AOE repairs to stack. The effect on any one ship shouldn't usually be too significant.

You're misunderstanding me sir, the entire "AOE healing" concept is inherently flawed. If it's in any way strong enough to be at all usable, whether it's on Fighters or something else, it's OP, because mass-healing counters so many tactics, strategies, and weapons in this game.

If you in any way cap the effect or make it so multiple ships can't affect the same ship then if it's usable in large fights it's OP in small ones, and if it's balanced for smaller fights then it's already OP in them (because AOE, see above) and now worthless in large ones.

This is just a fundamentally bad idea sir, and I highly recommend you go learn more about the intricacies of PvP, since you're clearly a little vague on them if you ever thought this was a good idea...

It might be interesting if it couldn't tell between "in fleet" and "not in fleet". If a small brawling gang gets in range of this module, it can't be run without repping the enemy fleet.

It would also mean keeping the fleet vulnerable to bombs and doomsdays because several of these would have to stack if they weren't totally broken.

Maybe that should really be the province of carriers more than an auxiliary. However, given that the FAX doesn't put out much damage beyond the ships it supports, I don't mind reserving materiel support to them. I can better imagine carriers getting some tool that can bring frigate and destroyer pilots from some other location to their aid, like a reverse cyno.

What I'd really like to see is an expanded role for fleet hangars et al in combat. In general, expand the access range of them. That's something that's not limited to capital ships actually. The idea of a battle hauler strongly resonates with me. I always wanted to fly my Mastodon in a fleet fight.

I kinda like the notion of a bomber class that needs to be restocked externally with anti-capital weapons. There are other weapon systems that could be serviced by such a feature. For example, buff defender missile systems, but increase their cargo footprint dramatically.

Delivery systems would be an issue. Current bombers are pretty flimsy. Perhaps a new module for ewar ships that shrinks sigs in its vicinity might be interesting. Alternately, a very short range, 800m target sig weapon system for HACs that uses absurdly large volume ammo. And a 400m version for AFs. Another spitball idea is a weapon that uses a tremendous amount of capacitor, making remote cap transfers, whether targeted or AOE, much more useful.

Perhaps having a lot of players accessing the same container would cause problems. Some sort of ammo push/pull call might make sense.