Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Concept

A cloaked scram/gun drone (standarized. Cannot be fitted. This is important)
A cloaked scram/cyno drone (standarized. Cannot be fitted. This is important)

Gate capable. Pilot that has deployed these remote controlled (as opposed to automated) may toggle between his ship and each drone to fly each drone as if it were a ship (Perhaps hotseat only)

Reasons

**Gives limited multiboxing capability without hardware and multiple account requirements**[/b]

*A conceptual bridge to EvE Valkyrie for synergy effects

*Spin-off potential to Carriers (reship to carrier drone and put 1/10 under a pilots control for something to do after being primaried)

*Low cost pvp alternative for fixed piece battles

*Kill mark generator (there are cheaper ways to abuse the killmark system)

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The multiboxing capability being the true egalitarian and player catering reason (it is a bit ridiculous the hoops people need to jump through to multibox effectively). The rest is just nice spin-off fluff.

Is there abuse potential that is not already inherently part of the game?

So you want a partially delayed 60km (drone control range) point/scram or a remote cyno for your own account?

Frosty
The 2nd one. Though in two fixed incarnations (scram+gun OR scram+cyno).

Hobbo
Something less than remote controlled frigates. Its important that they are completely standardised (you cannot fit them with modules) and significantly smaller than frigates.

But conceptually you have grasped the idea.

Frosty
The standarized/unchangable, less than frigate fitting and capability is important as a trade-off for being vastly more accessible and user friendly than current multiboxing, multiple account alternatives.

The niche it fills allows for limited multiboxing capability without multiple accounts and additional hardware.

Shah
Its more an egalitarian approach that allows limited multi-boxing capability to a much greater group of EvE players.

Multiboxing is likely here to stay, so might as well make it easily accessible in a more limited form for the general population.

Why is this needed, beyond "I want the benefits of two accounts without having to shell out the cash?"

(and I say this as someone who only has one account)

Shah
Multiboxing does not decrease player interaction, it enhances and generates more of it by increasing the interaction surface where players can connect and gives players more staying power when interacting in group activities (Your Sunday fleet does not end if you are podded if you are multiboxing, so you can volunteer for more dangerous roles and stay part of the group until you are all gloriously whelped in an impressive collective comradely display ).

There are lone wolves of course. But they are lone wolves now. If anything, they might use a remote controlled drone for high-sec duels and low investment duels (both isk and know how. Drone duels with fixed fits do not require any expertise to assure a level playing field. You know the other guy has the same thing you do if those are the terms. May the best pilot win).

Isaac
Its not really about the multiple account isk requirement (yes, I said isk), though that is one barrier. It also has hardware requirements that are a bit unfortunate. Essentially though, it is just one of those little things that should be made more accessible as a matter of solid game design: "one click to achieve a result is better than 14 clicks to achieve the result" The current multiboxing system is cumbersome and inaccessible.

Frosty
Its not about stealing anyone's edge. If he is multiboxing with 10 clients and pilots in designer ships, then let him do that much more efficiently than a player using limited functionality drones to achieve a limited form of multi-boxing.

Isaac
I am sure there are special snowflakes that don't plex (as in pay isk for game time/train time tokens) their multiple accounts. But that would be a bit sub-optimal of them given current trends in game isk accumulation. And sub-optimal choices are a burden those players have to carry on their own shoulders.

My motives are simply to make limited multiboxing more accessible to a larger group of players in line with good game design standards.

The current system is cumbersome and awkward.

Thank you otherwise for your contribution, remembering that people usually do not go through life with cunning plots, scheming plans, and ulterior motives.

Elit
heh, actually, what I want is for newer players with a single account to be able to toggle between the ship they are in, and a couple combat drones they control remotely, but fly as if they were ships (sans the pod bit). A limited, but easily accessable multibot experience without all the cumbersome awkwardness.

The idea is very egalitarian :-).

Isaac
You have the right to your opinion within the limits of forum rules.

Thank you for you contribution.