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Drone Overhaul - is it coming or not?
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Xen Solarus
Furious Destruction and Salvage
#41 - 2013-05-08 16:46:39 UTC
I fully endorse and support this suggestion!

Though, its another one of those that have been suggested for years and years. It will have to get in line with all the other things that need fixing. The POS issue i feel should take priority here.

CCP spends far too much time releasing new stuff in their patches, and doing little for the things we've been asking them to fix for years. I guess we'll just have to keep asking, and one day it'll happen.

One day....... Shocked

Post with your main, like a BOSS!

And no, i don't live in highsec.  As if that would make your opinion any less wrong.  
Captain Tardbar
Deep Core Mining Inc.
Caldari State
#42 - 2013-05-08 17:32:13 UTC
Windows 95 called and wants its right click to access main menu functionality back.

Looking to talk on VOIP with other EVE players? Are you new and need help with EVE (welfare) or looking for advice? Looking for adversarial debate with angry people?

Captain Tardbar's Voice Discord Server
Private Pineapple
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#43 - 2013-05-08 17:44:23 UTC
Abrazzar wrote:
Masuka Taredi wrote:
Also drones are one of many things hobbled by terrible legacy code that the whole system is based off. It's part of why new content/fixes can take so long as everything the devs do has to be awkwardly navigated around these minefields that are the games legacy code from 10 years ago. They can't change rate of fire of drones because of this even. So it's likely going to be a long time unless they dedicate more resources to rewriting the basecode properly to fix all the issues. Which is a risky thing in and of itself.

So the only option really is careful amputation and replacement with a new vat grown organ.

Is 'Code Surgeon' even a occupation?


Yes. But every [good] programmer has that skill.

.
Josef Djugashvilis
#44 - 2013-05-08 18:03:46 UTC
Felicity Love wrote:
...drones are dying.


Ogres must be pretty well dead from neglect and lack of use.

This is not a signature.
Acac Sunflyier
The Ascended Academy
#45 - 2013-05-08 18:05:06 UTC
Drones make me want to not be gallente
Cat Troll
Incorruptibles
#46 - 2013-05-08 18:50:28 UTC
Acac Sunflyier wrote:
Drones make me want to not be gallente

At least we party the hardest...
Probably to forget how terrible our weapon systems are.

Lolwut: "Yes, you kids don't know how lucky you have it. These days noobs get given free tackle ships for PvP but back in the old days the only tackle ships we were given were our pods. We had to use them to bump their rookie ships out of alignment to stop them warping off."
Josef Djugashvilis
#47 - 2013-05-08 18:57:57 UTC
Riot Girl wrote:
So you're saying that because not all drones are useful in all situations, they need to be fixed? I disagree. You have the drones you need to do the job you want and they do it efficiently. I don't see you calling for Defender missiles to be fixed.


Your signature rather sums up your post.

Adding the word, 'dear' in the middle of your sig would help.

This is not a signature.
Shaera Taam
Khanid Prime Free Irregulars
#48 - 2013-05-08 19:42:34 UTC
Singoth wrote:
I'd rather see drones become empty hulls which need to be fitted with special drone modules designed for use on drones.

Each drone would have different PG and CPU, and some drones would have a bonus to their specialisation.
Drones will stop having just 1 damage type per drone, instead that would be dependant on what weapons you fit on the drone.


It would make drones FAR more complex, but then they would also feel much more part of the game.
Right now I see drones as a secondary weapon that I don't care too much about. Missiles are a secondary weapon as well, but at least those can be used as primary weapons with the right ship and fitting.
Drones are NEVER a good primary weapon unless you're in a carrier.


Further, a more intuitive UI for drones would be good. Right now it's really all right-click action. I want drones to be managable from the bottom UI you also use for your modules and seeing your shield/armor/structure/capacitor/overheating damage/etc.


Waitaminit! An actual, conceivable use for the x-small/micro-sized modules?

Naaah... That's just crazy talk!

/obviousarcasm

+1 for obvious good idea

....but, yeah, prolly never gonna happen... Oh, well...

Thus Spake the Frigate Goddess!
I Love Boobies
All Hail Boobies
#49 - 2013-05-08 19:59:36 UTC
Personally, I would be happy with Drone Hardwiring implants like all the other weapons systems get. Also, drones need to be tougher if they want it to act as a main weapons system. No other weapon systems have to worry about getting destroyed.
Mallak Azaria
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#50 - 2013-05-08 22:53:34 UTC
Singoth wrote:
Right now I see drones as a secondary weapon that I don't care too much about.


I guess you've never been on the receiving end of a super carrier.

This post was lovingly crafted by a member of the Goonwaffe Posting Cabal, proud member of the popular gay hookup site somethingawful.com, Spelling Bee, Grammar Gestapo & #1 Official Gevlon Goblin Fanclub member.
EvEa Deva
Doomheim
#51 - 2013-05-08 23:05:07 UTC
Drone UI is horrid, really needed to be redone loooong ago.

Click drone bay to open window, crap i hit show info...close that , lauch drones............ lag ( window disappears WTF where are my drones ) Oh there they are, close drone bay tab, click to see my drones health, crap my drones are almost dead, recall drones.
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#52 - 2013-05-08 23:27:48 UTC
Singoth wrote:
I'd rather see drones become empty hulls which need to be fitted with special drone modules designed for use on drones.

Each drone would have different PG and CPU, and some drones would have a bonus to their specialisation.
Drones will stop having just 1 damage type per drone, instead that would be dependant on what weapons you fit on the drone.


It would make drones FAR more complex, but then they would also feel much more part of the game.
Right now I see drones as a secondary weapon that I don't care too much about. Missiles are a secondary weapon as well, but at least those can be used as primary weapons with the right ship and fitting.
Drones are NEVER a good primary weapon unless you're in a carrier.


Further, a more intuitive UI for drones would be good. Right now it's really all right-click action. I want drones to be managable from the bottom UI you also use for your modules and seeing your shield/armor/structure/capacitor/overheating damage/etc.




Indeed!

Let us fit our own drones.

If that means they can run out of ammo, I'd consider it acceptable.

(Kind of dumb that drones don't run out of ammo or cap -seriously this is a "hole" of sorts).

Insert obligatory complaint about lag/TD here:
Insert obligatory rebuff that missiles are the cause of lag/TD and all that is wrong with the world here:
Insert obligatory complain about walking in stations because... well somebody is going to somehow if the thread gets long enough.


Bring back DEEEEP Space!
Spurty
#53 - 2013-05-08 23:45:12 UTC
Give the Ishtar +1000PG and +500 CPU too plz.

Ship that requires all high slots to be empty = very poorly planned ship

There are good ships,

And wood ships,

And ships that sail the sea

But the best ships are Spaceships

Built by CCP
MeBiatch
GRR GOONS
#54 - 2013-05-08 23:59:47 UTC
things i would do to fix drones////

1: all drones now have warp drives

2: drones can now be repaired using nano paste while in drone bay

3: you can now toggle a group of drone to be set in a slot in the UI. think of a image of a drone where you click on your turret or guns. now you can press f1 to activate your drones...

4: make small and medium sentry drones

5: balance em/therm/kin/ex drones to be balanced
i think this could fix drones and thier problems

There are no stupid Questions... just stupid people... CCP Goliath wrote:

Ugh ti-di pooping makes me sad.
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#55 - 2013-05-09 00:02:00 UTC
I like the idea of sentry drones maintaining an orbit around the ship instead of being stationary.

Of course that'll be like extra turrets, but drone ships sacrifice DPS to be drone ships anyway.

Bring back DEEEEP Space!
Kuang Jao
Garoun Investment Bank
Gallente Federation
#56 - 2013-05-09 00:43:13 UTC
I think an alternate solution to to sentry mobility would the implementation of a sentry drone siege mode. They'd need to be anchored in space in order to fire. To move in space, they must shut down their weapon systems. They're fairly lightweight, so a mwd speed similar to that of small/medium drones wouldn't be out of order. This would eliminate the feeling that they're simply extra turrets, still requiring user input.

Regarding drone control, with hotkeys it's not too bad atm. Of course, that's only concerning drones already in space; attack target, return and orbit and return to drone bay is fine with hotkeys. Drone AI is what's hurting the most here. Target selection and focus fire is dismal. I know it would add another layer of complexity, but being able to manage drone targets independant of your current targets (if any), would be a tremendous thing.

And, while I can't knock anyone for complaining about the interface (it is quite limited indeed), I can only really complain about the lack of a shield/armor/hull display for docked drones. Guessing which drone to send back into the fray is quite obnoxious. Oh, and the ability to repair docked drones would be glorious.
Charlie Jacobson
#57 - 2013-05-09 00:53:51 UTC
Drone mechanics and UI are long overdue for an overhaul. My biggest issues are:

* The lack of hotkeys for LAUNCHING a flight of drones. I should be able to assign multiple hotkeys for launching groups of drones.
* Sentries should at the very least be able to move when recalled to dronebay so that sentry ships could be more mobile.
* Drone aggro seems very inconsistent. Some NPCs never attack drones at all, while others will ALWAYS switch to them even after you recall them to drone bay and relaunch them. (I am aware that lights are aggroed by frigates, mediums by cruisers and below, and heavies by everything, but this goes beyond that.)
* If medium or heavy drones get aggroed they are almost never fast enough to return to drone bay unless they are right next to you. Even if you react instantly, you will often end up losing drones to sillyness.

I support James 315 and the New Order of Highsec
Romvex
TURN LEFT
#58 - 2013-05-09 01:17:15 UTC  |  Edited by: Romvex
Oberine Noriepa
#59 - 2013-05-09 04:57:55 UTC
Romvex wrote:
i'm going to leave these right here...
http://imgur.com/a/AMGml#0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNqEdCpdbWE&list=PL4F983317C2B0C178&index=1

I really love those futuristic HUD concepts. Hope the game ends up looking like that, someday. Of course, it must be done without degrading functionality whatsoever.

∃
Utremi Fasolasi
La Dolce Vita
#60 - 2013-05-09 05:14:13 UTC
Abrazzar wrote:
The one biggest problem of drones is the inefficient AI and the awkward UI.


That's two things.