Player Features and Ideas Discussion

The point is with the current AFK cloaking there is always uncertainty.

With your new module, that uncertainty can be greatly reduced if not eliminated.

You really can't change cloaking and that includes new modules, ships, POS modules etc. unless you do something about the intel aspects of local.

Perhaps I am not putting my thoughts onto the screen properly. I know this works in my head. :)

AFK Cloak Camping should still be possible, if local stays as-is, it will work exactly the same so long as the camper shuts down his ship or uses the modified ECCM idea. Net result is AFK Cloaking is how it is now.

You guys are saying that because he can be detected, or not detected, will confirm he's an AFK camper. On its face, this is true. However, the cloaked player could be an explorer wishing to be left alone while he scans the system. An active cloaked player in the system (someone hunting targets looking to cause trouble) can "look" AFK by constantly outmaneuvering the hunters (could be as simple as constantly jumping from planet to planet.). If the hunter(s) give up, they would surmise that it was a false reading, an AFK-er, a decoy, or they just couldn't catch the player.

Depending on what happens with local, cloaking could become a better intel-gathering mechanism (player doesn't show in local) or a fun way to mess with the minds of players in system (player is in local but remains undetected) - this would be the same as it is now.

So, if you want to use your cloak to monitor a system or sit in wait for your target, shut down or use the modified ECCM. The only way you could be found is through a mistake on your part or dumb luck on the part of another player.

There will be a progression of player paranoia if something like this is introduced. At first, carebears will run for the stations at the sign of a possible cloak signature. Over time, as those turn out to be false readings, players using decoys to mess with other players, explorers or whatever, that paranoia will abate - "Its probably another false reading/explorer/decoy, let's keep mining." Only the most paranoid will keep running for the station.

You'll also see a progression of everyone getting the new gear when its released and there are hunters everywhere back down to almost the current status quo with a few specialized hunters out there. These guys would be part of big corps and keeping their systems secure or they could be hired out by mining gangs to monitor the system they are in. Some will just solo hunt cloakers as a new

About the POS idea - yeah, I thought of that but it kind of scares me a little. It might be too much, but the logical argument could be made for one. Since it is long range and wide angle, it would only be a yes/no result, not a "Cloaker in belt 5!" result. The POS could ping repeatedly and, if a signature comes up, hunters will be deployed. How many and how quickly they are deployed will gradually diminish as players once again become complacent.

I guess that depends on the cloaked player's level of patience. If he is the type to sit in a duck blind or deer stand for hours on end then he could fake being AFK, essentially. The result of that would be the false sense of security in the ratters. This is assuming local remains as it.

Or, if the player is clever, he can set up a pattern of being an AFK Cloaker in several target rich systems to lull the usual denizens into complacency until when they see him in local they just say, "Oh, it's just Teckos, he always AFKs here while his girlfriend is over." Little do they know, she cancelled on you and you have some pent up energy and aggression to expend...

There is no doubt that new tactics would emerge from introduction of something like this, my goal was not to just introduce a new module, but a type of game play I would consider interesting and in which I would enjoy engaging.