Assembly Hall

Thank you for your support, and I hope to see this as a reality. This would not just change things for null alliances, it would change the face of true logistics in New Eden. And anyone that knows me knows that I will not let this idea go away quietly into the night. I am going to avidly push for the development of such a vessel until either it becomes a reality, or CCP tells me to shut the **** up.

With that in mind, let's keep pushing to expand our sandbox into something even greater than it already is.

I ike the idea. One extra suggestion, instead of maing 4 factional version make one faction version available throguh Interbus. All the best mining ships come from ORE, Why arent their any specialty ships from Interbus?

Keep the support rolling.

I wish they would look at this thread. I hope that somehow we can get their attention and as a community say "we need this." I will rejustify the need for it, and re-link the concept art that I came up with which can either be used as a basis of the design, or can be discarded for original models.

First, the benefits:
- Would revolutionize true logistics in the sense it would allow the mass movement of rigged vessels (up to 3-4 fitted/rigged battleships) across large expanses of space without the need for courier contracts.
- It would create a new career path (ship transport for war decced corporations).
- It would create a new means of heisting from corporate hangars (should rigged ships be included in the hangars).
- It would create a much-needed ISK sink.
- It would create a mineral sink (and thus make mineral prices stabilize)
- It would create competition for acquisition of blueprints and production of these vessels.

Designs:
Monolith
Bedouin
Pillar
Pelican

Keep in mind, these are extremely rough designs accomplished with MS Paint. Stats are on the design pictures.

Here's my idea of the Pelican, after a pair of screenshots, and a bit of photoshop:

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/3397/eveonlinepelicanconcept.png

The Two side hangars are obvious (and should be replicated on the other side), while the big hexagonal top piece would be a large raisable door for battleship-sized (or larger?) cargo, akin to Homeworld's Mothership's oversized production hangar like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXNQNeLDg5s&feature=youtu.be&t=5m24s

Of course, this is all static on the model, but we would want it pretty, no? :D

I can try photoshopping more on request. :)

EDIT: Just did the Pillar; I imagine the big door slides inward, and rolls along the roof of the ship upward, to allow larger ships in.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7207/eveonlinepillarconcept.png

EDIT 2: Just finished the Monolith; the side panels I felt could be docking bays (borrowing the Nyx's hangar bay as graphics for photoshop), and the entire lower front of the Monolith I felt should be made as if it were designed to open.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5868/eveonlinemonolithconcep.png

EDIT 3: And last and definitely not least, the Bedouin. These bays are large enough for BS's, so I didn't add an oversized hatch to this drawing. That said, with the extended side that is entirely possible.

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5459/eveonlinebedouinconcept.png

So, with all these done, what's your thoughts? And hopefully this gives CCP a few ideas to work with. :D

If we could get the CSM or CCP to take a look at this, it'd be great.

Well, here's the thing. Currently, the only way to fit assembled/rigged ships into a Freighter is Courier contracts, which requires either someone you trust, or an alt. It is a colossal pain in the ass for logistical purposes.

This ship will streamline the process. And an eventual Tech 2 variant would be jump capable but have a ship transport bay.

Nice work Jaxlan.

Once again, why hasn't CSM/CCP looked at this and commented on it yet?????
Maybe we should start bugging ISDs or drop the forum link in every system we pass through ingame to spread the exposure? Mail the current CSM and upcoming candidates as well maybe?

Indeed it would, and as anyone with any semblance of a military background would know, material logistics is one of the single most important things in warfare. No supply/logistics, and you're pretty much ****ed. It would even help out the big names, like the Frogs, who would be able to open a new division dedicated to ship transport.

One of the things that's always bothered me about EVE is that the nomenclature of warships, which seems to be based at least in part on late 20th/early 21st century Naval usage, has developed some aspects which are clearly not at all within that paradigm (example: "rookie ship", "assault ship"). In current Naval usage "Carrier" has a specific technical meaning: it refers to ships designed to carry combat aircraft. In space terms, ships designed to carry small combat craft not capable, in EVE terms, of using jump gates (too small to carry the necessary hardware, as opposed to too big to fit through the gate). I suppose if the majority of players in EVE want to change the nomenclature so that this technical term doesn't mean that, but instead means "a vessel that carries, as freight, other vessels", I'm going to have to live with it, but I don't have to like it, and I don't.

Of course, I also feel that EVE's carriers don't carry enough small craft (while ignoring the very real problem of how many of the darn things are reasonable to have in a battle considering (real) computer power and the number of people available to control them). I've also seen EVE "carriers" described as "giant logistics ships" — "logistics" being another word that doesn't quite mean in EVE the same thing it means in RL. So perhaps "carriers" is the wrong word to apply to such ships in EVE. Certainly if you're going to call 'ship haulers' carriers, you're going to have to come up with another term for what we now call 'carriers'.

All that said, I think the idea as expressed in the OP is outstanding.