Ivan Avogadro
Subdreddit
Test Alliance Please Ignore
864
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Posted - 2014.03.17 18:01:00 -
[1] - Quote
EVE already has this function. Manufacturing can take minutes, hours, or weeks to accomplish depending on the piece you are attempting to create. Now, DUST is fairly far removed from any sort of interactive economy at the moment. In the future, I hope that dropsuits and guns will require construction materials and training in order to be made. It would add a layer of game above and beyond the FPS mechanics.
But for the time being, why not include manufacturing lags on orders from the marketplace? You want a prototype suit with full compliment of pro weapons and complex mods? Well lets say 2 minutes per suit, 1 minute per weapon, 30 sec per mod. For 100 fully ready to deploy suits, you are looking at
100 x [ (120s x 1suit) + (60s x 1rifle) + (60s x 1sidearm) + (60s x 1grenade) + (30s x 3 high) + (30s x 3 low) ] = 48000 seconds = 13.33 hours. You're looking at about 8 minutes per suit, in addition to the ISK cost. Just for Proto suits mind you. Advanced of Standard should come much faster.
Now, what does this actually change? Functionally not much in the FPS. I mean, we all go to sleep at night or go to school or work. Just plug in a 100 suit order and all of them will be ready and waiting for you when you log in the next day. Most people won't waste over 180 PRO suits in a 24 hour period. But here is what it will change:
(A) Now each suit also means time to the player, not just money. If a skirmish match lasts 10 minutes and someone loses 2 protosuits, that manufacture time to replace them is longer than those suits were viable. It's not going to stop protostomping from the extremely rich 1%ers, but other people with limited resources won't throw dozens out in a match.
(B) It also means no restocking mid battle. Run out of your favorite fit? You can put in an order at the supply depot, but it will take several minutes to fulfill. Meanwhile you have to wear something else. Maybe something Militia?
(C) Better BPO control this way. They will still be free (as in zero ISK) but the players still have to prepare an inventory of them. No more "infinity" suits or "infinity" LAVs. You have to prepare 100 Dragonfly Scouts in order to use them. And if you are preparing Dragonfly Scouts, you AREN'T preparing gk.0 Scouts. So BPO's represent opportunity lost for the player in exchange for being ISK free.
(D) More needles will be utilized. Even Standard suits will be more valuable if they are more difficult to replace. I expect more players to be more generous with the resurrections.
(E) It trains the players to consider the MetaGame before it arrives. Players will have to prepare for battle, take inventory, prepare manufacture queues, and overall just maintain themselves more thoroughly. Once EVE integration is achieved and player markets are viable, a lot of DUST players won't be used to the politics or planning involved. This is an easy way to get their feet wet early and not change too much too quickly. |
Ivan Avogadro
Subdreddit
Test Alliance Please Ignore
864
|
Posted - 2014.03.17 19:38:00 -
[3] - Quote
well, I wouldn't put a crafting system on DUST. I would just apply a manufacture time to each item, something EVE is going to have anyway (assuming you are correct and EVE will manufacture for us).
I wouldn't want a skill for "Craft Assault Rifle". I just want to put a timer on when I buy the assault rifle and when the marketplace gives it to me. Say, 20 to 40 seconds depending on level, per piece.
It's not a waste of resources since (a) EvE needs these manufacture times anyway for post-integration and (b) it makes the game feel like how it will feel when the integration is upon us. Get players used to managing their toons on a more fundamental level.
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