This actually sounds more fun than the wis station exploration escort I thought of.

Lol I know they can scan down sites, I play EVE and my main focus is on exploration.

The Dust merc controlled ship idea is so Dust mercs can still do this without EVE support.

What I meant when I said that the dust mercs could scan it manually I meant that they could have they could have the scanning window from EVE appear, but I don't know how well that would work since I know people who have no clue how to scan, even when I give them step by step instructions through skype.

Or alternatively the ship could automatically scan sites down when it enters the region, but take a bit of time doing it. (not long though) (and possibly dock in a station while scanning (o boy, imagine if capsuleers could do that))

So the Dust merc would be able to:

• Buy a special Dust merc exclusive ship in EVE
• Order the ship to use a station as its home base
• Fit the ship using Dust ship exclusive modules and weapons (otherwise the merc would probably need to skill into the EVE skill tree... yikes. This way it can be from a Dust skill tree)
• Order the ship to a solar system through the starmap (able to decide which systems to avoid, etc, just like in autopilot)
• Have it scan down the solar system for anomalies (and only the anomalies that Dust mercs can do, don't want this getting *abused by EVE pilots for mass automated anomaly hunting)

The Dust merc would not be able to:

• Go mining
• Do missions
• just fly around
• Any other kind of anomaly
• Cargo hauling (well... I suppose they'd need to if they want to sell their loot at another station)
• See their ship and personally control it like an EVE capsuleer can (limited to go to that station, go to that anomaly, go to that system, etc) (view is from starmap/solar system map)
• Pretty much everything that isn't explicitly labeled "Yes, you can do this."

*By abused by EVE pilots I mean this: EVE pilot corp sets up a bunch of alts in Dust, they send out Dust ships to scan down every system within 15 jumps, EVE pilots look through scan results for any D/R sites, Ghost sites, or whatever else it is that they're looking for. They have just found all the systems that are actually worth their time without having to even leave station. Potential Ganks avoided, time saved.

To make this scenario interesting for the EVE pilot, they need to have a task to perform while the DUST mercs are traipsing around in the ship or ruined station. I am thinking about in the movie Alien II where the mercs are exploring the abandoned base and someone back in the vehicle is manning the sensors saying GÇ£I am reading life forms approaching you, 100 m...... 50 m....GÇ¥

Maybe as the mercs explore the wreck the EVE pilot is looking at an interface where what the merc suit sensors are seeing is getting mapped out for the EVE pilot to view, creating a wire frame 3D map. While other sensors on the ship are lighting up areas of heat or electromagnetic activity. Have the ability to launch scout drones to fly through and map out the area. The EVE pilot can be using them to try to find specific things He/She is looking for, and can direct the merc team via coms to head for a destination, or avoid a potential danger.

Of course there may be Drones in space to deal with some of the time, and in low/Null sec, other pilots.

The two games can be kept separate this way (what happens in the wrecked ship and what happens outside of it) but data can be passed between the games, allowing both DUST mercs and their EVE pilot to share the experience in a truly integrated gaming experience.

EVE side this would require a new interface, which would simply be a new popup window, and some new models. Of course the programming for that interface would be substantial, but it would not require changing EVE in any other way.

This is exactly the idea I posted back when the game was in Beta and several times since. Along with several other ideas similar involving sleeper stations etc etc etc.

We all want it. Dev's have never commented on a PVE thread. I suspect any PVE will happen once all the suits/weapons/etc are introduced. Possibly Dust514-2.0.

This is an epically awesome idea. i had a few suggestions to add onto it, but the forums thought it was a HTML, and wouldn't let me post it.

Please post them when you get the chance. I'm interested in any/all ideas about how to improve and expand this idea. There have been many awesome suggestions so far.

Just to respond to the fellow who said that there was no vehicle involvement, and a few insights of my own

Every wreck should be generated so that squads need specific tools in order to access certain "treasure rooms" (because this is essentially a dungeon raid). For example

- There is a large pile of rubble in front of a door. Squads need to have REs or an MTAC to blow it up, or try to take it down with small arms weapons (which would take tons of ammo)

- These automated anti-personnel sentry have been destroyed, Squad needs a rep tool to get them working again

- We are in the weapon's bay with a bunch of live ammo, Squad needs active scanner to safely figure out what's safe and what's not

- There is an automated infrared turret guarding the treasure, squad needs someone with a cloak to get it, or risk a costly fight

- There is a mobile anti-personnel drone stalking the squad. Squad needs Proxies to take it down quickly and remotely

- This treasure needs to be moved to the docking bay to be retrieved, but it is extremely heavy. Squad needs some LAV esqe vehicle to tow the treasure, or risk moving super slowly (with the hazards on the ship) to the loading bay

- We've accidentally triggered the self-destruct sequence, Squad needs someone with high sprint speed and stamina (read: scout) to run to the other end of the ship and deactivate it

- This piece of machinery needs a little more power to run, squad needs a laser rifle to help power the machine

- The wreck has sent off an SOS beacon. Reinforcements are on the way. Squad needs flux grenades to shut down all equipment, or try to hack the numerous panels one by one

- We've found the body of an capsuleer, we might be able to revive him. Squad needs nanite injector to claim a backup clone for the EVE player

- There is a blank automated anti-personnel sentry drone that we've managed to hack, but it has no ammo. Squad needs nanohives to replenish the stocks

All of these obstacles should be randomly generated so that a team might run into a particularly dilapidated ship that requires tons of REs, or a ship that had tons of drones on board. The point is that a team can't do a full sweep of the wreck. That way there can be some corps that really focus on getting the most out of a wreck. However, there has to be some way for the wreck to be scanned before hand (Maybe only EVE players can do this, to promote interaction) so that DUST mercs can have an idea about what equipment to bring with them

Dust needs its own PVE content first. Since, like, if dustbunnies are gonna shoot NPCs for loot, it would be essential to get that step handled first on its own before throwing eve pilots into the equation.

Keep in mind it would be difficult to design content that doesn't involve a lot of waiting around on the part of the Dust players. Travel to a dungeon, finding one, entering at a safe time, all that. Single squad sounds like the right number of dust players. Also, it needs to be a contract offered eve-side, and NEVER the kind of thing that can be queued up or done repeatedly. In eve, if you want to do a dungeon, you gotta find the bloody thing first.

As an explorer in Eve, explorers are not going to want to work with or have their success predicated on the performance of randoms. And most explorer's don't know or don't care to know anyone in Dust. Most explorer's explore specifically because its generally a solo profession that doesn't require involving oneself in corp politics, taking or giving orders, or playing on anyone else's schedule.

One possibility would be that the Eve pilot would carry a mobile cloning module, some raw clones, and a bunch of weapons materials directly to the site, vulnerable to loss if destroyed.

I'd much rather see co-op raids on customs offices or planetary networks. PVP stuff, but outside the realm of faction warfare and planetary conquest, which are VERY narrow in the scope of things from an Eve-perspective. But before even that, I'd like to see voice comms fixed and made reliable, proper corp management tools given to dust players, and the economy actually linked in terms of weapon production.