Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Having followed some of the hybrid balancing/ tier 3 BC threads with some half-arsed sort of attention I've noted with dismay the flailing around the topic of fixing hybrid (and mostly blasters at that because rails are actually hopelessly fails).

So like all good eve players I had a stupid idea I decided to share. Ill advised, but I am told that posting is the answer so here goes.

My focus on balancing blasters and rails does not revolve around the weapon mechanics directly but on e-war and the significance of damage projection.

In most PvP situations there are a series of significant ranges;
Smart bomb range (4km?) > Scram (~9km) > Web (~10km) > point (~24km)
And some others like small, medium and large neuts.

When fitting your failboat of choice you'll naturally (you do right?) take into account the type of ship you'll be pew'ing and you'll choose your weapons and e-war accordingly.

You don't put a scram on a kiting vaga. Interceptors try to stay as far away from their target as possible (well, I suppose that's debatable, but you'll definitely stay out of Smart bomb range AMIRITE).

The problem with blasters is that the tactical range for dps is the same for pulse lasers and autos (within web/ scram range) but the other weapon types seriously out-performs the blasters at the upper end of the tactical range.

The problem with rails is that with ranges over 24km (yes yes, faction points, overheating but let's no complicate things) the range projection has no value. (and there are projects/ lasers that do better damage up to 24km than rails making rails utterly redundant).

So my proposed solution to this mess is to investigate e-war modules that add significance to the higher ranges (most notably in small gang/ solo) cases.

My horrible implementation of said abortive idea is to create say, a heavy web and a light web, with increased/ decreased velocity penalty and decreased/ increased range respectively.

Say if Mr Moa had a 20km web and captain pwnruppy wants to get into his comfy auto-dps range the Moa can apply the longer range web to slow captain pwnruppy down enough to kite with the use of a point or at least to test captain pwnruppy before committing completely to the engagement.

The light web would have say a 15% - 30% velocity. (I don't care enough to compare this with practical fits because I'm just showcasing a concept).

The heavy web would have a 75 - 90% velocity penalty and a 5km range, meaning that mr armorthorax can actually keep captain pwnruppy in his optimal range more easily.

I think it should be said that I'm mostly thinking about cruiser-sized vessels in this case, and I'll remind readers that this is me showcasing a concept, that hybrids can be fixed by creating tactical significance at the their optimal ranges of operation.

Naturally in EVE most engagements are decided at the time of fitting, so this change does also make choosing engagements more interesting w.r.t speed of ships and chosen targets.

Alternatively it's horribly and I'll get justifiably flamed, in which case I'll pretend to be a troll and be all like :smug: >.> Better I didn't say that hey?