IDK. Since posting last, I did some serious thinking to wrap my head around all the info provided about Nova so far without any context to EVE or DUST. After doing so, I realized what I ended up with sounded like another game I played before. The game had in game class leveling for what you're playing, ability to easily switch between classes, weapon customization, in game weapon leveling, and had Factions you can pledge allegiance to where you can earn Reputation to buy Faction specific gear.
Someone please tell me I am horribly off base here as I shan't even say the game's name I am referring to.

If you're trying to compare it to *******...not even close.

Dang it, Pokey! You gone and said it.
I originally said the game name myself in my original post but before I knew it, I had a long rant about that game.
BTW, I know you say both games are not even close but am I incorrect with the parallels provided?

Valid point, Pokey. I also admit the parallels I provided were very broad. All being fair, a couple of those parallels could apply to DUST as well. As said, I am not trying to start anything; I just referenced what came to mind putting the Nova info together.

And honestly ....is that always a bad thing? Even OK games have some great elements. Absolutely nothing wrong with picking up good ideas from various games, combining them, improving them, and making a new title.

No, unless you hated that type of design (or the affiliated game).
Really, it is hard to judge such things without just seeing it for yourself. Still, I wonder if Nova will end up being too different for me coming from where I have. I am just one person though that obviously does not really adhere to the mainstream. For example, I have never played WoT as I just have no interest as I prefer ground combat or mixed.

To add to that.

In EVE, the ship has to be manufactured ahead of time, explaining Navy Variants etc.

With clone technology you are 3D printing the suit on demand.

If you imagine Firmware being the software on top of the Dropsuit, you can re-wire the "hull and role" bonuses, and because the materials are 3D printed as well, change the skin/visuals.

The difference is, you set the 3D printing formula before battle, including the Firmware. So this battle you will be using a Creodron Dropsuit with a Federal Marine Firmware override, changing its bonuses from plus to Hybrid, to plus to Armour Repair.

The Federal Marine Firmware is then earned with Gallente Navy standings

EDIT: Just confirmed with Rattati. Only one manufacturer per class at launch. The system allows for additional manufacturers of the same class to be added if it makes sense in the future. However you also have the added flexibility of Firmware at Tech III that will allow you to (in a way) convert a suit to be configured differently per the specs of the manufacturer that made the firmware.

Most likely firmware will change the Role Bonuses but not the base stats of the suit.

A new manufacturer of the same class would have different base stats, such as a different tanking style.

Also no, there is not a shield tanked and armor tanked version of each class, only one. Certain ones will be armor tanked, certain ones will be shield.

Not class. I'm sorry.

We have 2 heavies, 2 mediums, and 2 light frames yes? One heavy is armor tanked, the other is shield tanked. same for mediums and light frames. One armor and one shield tanked

Okay, so imagine if you will, you start with a few default APEX suits from various manufacturers (The default ones)

• Core Complexion Logistics
• Kaalakiota Assault
• Ishukone Sentinel
• Imperial Armaments Vanguard
• Duvolle Infiltrator
• Boundless Sharpshooter

Each of these comes equipped with a set of weapons and equipment pre-fit to them, like you'd expect from an APEX suit. Manufacturers started giving these out to boost sales and remain competitive in the now returning market of Dropsuits and Personal weapons for Infomorphs.

However, as you build up ISK and loyalty with a few contractors, more options become available...you can start buying things like:

• Carthum Logistics
• Viziam Assault
• Khanid Innovations Assault
• Roden Vanguard
• Lai Dai Infiltrator
• Thukker Assault

etc etc etc. Manufacturers might not produce a version of every suit, but they'll produce suits that fit their specific needs and strategies...just maybe not at launch (remember how early in DUST we had Amarr Sentinel, Caldari Assault, Minmatar Logistics, and Gallente Scout...same thing).

Each of the suits from different manufacturers may come with different weapons and equipment installed onto it by default, along with that specific manufacturer's firmware pre-installed. You need knowledge with each individual suit or maybe even by class of suit to be able to switch out the equipment without breaking everything. We don't know all the details or even if you start with those sets.

Our role in this episode of Theory Workshop, we will be exploring an expansion of a concept present by the developers of CCPGÇÖs Project Nova. Specifically, we will be discussing dropsuit progression and unlocking gear. Please bear in mind that this is simply an expansion of an idea that was presented by the developer and should be considered a starting point for a discussion and not a finalized concept.

http://biomassed.net/2017/05/31/theory-workshop-project-nova-dropsuit-progression/

Please discuss and provide feedback!

Okay, so imagine if you will, you start with a few default APEX suits from various manufacturers (The default ones)

• Core Complexion Logistics
• Kaalakiota Assault
• Ishukone Sentinel
• Imperial Armaments Vanguard
• Duvolle Infiltrator
• Boundless Sharpshooter

Each of these comes equipped with a set of weapons and equipment pre-fit to them, like you'd expect from an APEX suit. Manufacturers started giving these out to boost sales and remain competitive in the now returning market of Dropsuits and Personal weapons for Infomorphs.

However, as you build up ISK and loyalty with a few contractors, more options become available...you can start buying things like:

• Carthum Logistics
• Viziam Assault
• Khanid Innovations Assault
• Roden Vanguard
• Lai Dai Infiltrator
• Thukker Assault

etc etc etc. Manufacturers might not produce a version of every suit, but they'll produce suits that fit their specific needs and strategies...just maybe not at launch (remember how early in DUST we had Amarr Sentinel, Caldari Assault, Minmatar Logistics, and Gallente Scout...same thing).

Each of the suits from different manufacturers may come with different weapons and equipment installed onto it by default, along with that specific manufacturer's firmware pre-installed. You need knowledge with each individual suit or maybe even by class of suit to be able to switch out the equipment without breaking everything. We don't know all the details or even if you start with those sets.

I see how that would work. Except it doesn't make sense to add two corps from the same race as manufacturers of the same class.

You wouldn't add Thukker logistics along side an existing Boundless logistics because it's redundant. Isn't that what the firmware is for?

So the logistics class would look more like Boundless, Carthum, Roden, Lai Dai. And then firmware for Thukker, Creodrone, Ishukone, Viziam.

What's kind of a problem is that Rattati isn't acknowledging that manufacturers design everything differently from each other. Sure four of them may produce a vanguard suit, but they would all be made with tweaked base stats and totally different bonuses.

Globally, they follow the theme of racial affiliation, so Amarr manufacturers will still always produce dropsuits that offer superior armor HP compared to caldari, gallente, minmatar manufacturers.

Rattati wants to move away from simply having Caldari, Amarr, Gallente, Minmatar suits, and focus on the the corps that actually produce the suits. But I'm not sure he realizes is actually like this:

Caldari > Ishokune, Lai Dai, Kaalakiota, Wiyrkomi.

Amarr > Khanid Kingdom, Viziam, Carthum, Ammatar


This race establishes a baseline, the manufacturers offer variants of it. No matter what Rattati does, it's always going to be caldari, Amarr, gallente, minmatar at the end of the day. The manufacturers simply produce a variation of a baseline that belongs to a race. I've never understood how Rattati thinks Nova will can only focus on particular manufacturers as if they don't all share a common baseline. Perhaps he's just explains things in way that not clear and he actually does intend to follow the established hierarchy. I just don't get that impression.

I means there was lore to back all this stuff up too at some point. Caldari focus on shields because they don't have the same material resources as gallente when they went independent.

amarr has thick armor because they pillaged resources through minmatar slave labor, which is why minmatar don't have high amounts of armor or shielding.

Development made the choice that creating 6 base suits is the number that works best for their development plan.

Working within that limit of 6, please tell me of the 24 different possible suits (4 races and 6 classes) which ones get to be in the game at launch. What would make everyone happy?

Make new thread pokey and put it to a vote. Then we will see what the people want most. Probably need a description of what each class is according to the devs.

Except my point is....it's going to be the exact same issue either way.

We could take the 6 manufacturers Rattati is planning on, change them all to whatever their racial affiliation is, and you guys still won't be satisfied because it's still effectively the same thing.