Aighun
Zumari Force Projection
Caldari State
719
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Posted - 2013.04.06 20:43:00 -
[1] - Quote
The warbarge as it stands (or sits in orbit) is an underutilized part of Dust 514. There are a number of threads about ways to use the warbarge to make the game more interesting, immersive, epic, and unique. Many of the ideas below are in no way my own, exclusively, but they deserve notice but I would like to see more discussion of ways that the warbarge could be used to improve the game.
Window on the world:
Stream the view of the planet and district view from EVE online. Could this be as simple as setting up a live stream from a given point above a planet in EVE and have the warbarge window frame that stream? The warbarge seems to be in stationary orbit so it could be more or less complicated to implement depending on how the go about establishing planetary rotation.
Social gaming:
Social gaming does not often happen in the warbarge. But it would be great if we could target and click on other mercs to get info, or target and click on mercs to gift or trade items in the warbarge.
It is always fun in games, especially as a new player starting out, when random strangers give you items. This could also help make it less onerous to be mixed in with vets in matches. If there is a chance that one of them could give you some ISK or an interesting BPO. And weren't only just shooting you in the face as an enemy.
More could happen with recruitment in the warbarge as well. Player corporations could pay to place recruitment adds in instant battle war barges, for example.
Battle planning:
This is what it looks like the warbarge lobby is meant for. But the map could represent the district we are about to fight on does not seem to be working. Some battle planning happens in the war barge, but it would be a huge plus if a team leader could highlight part of the map and say, "Squad Zero will immediately take up a defensive position on this hill top."
A bridge between EVE and DUST 514:
Not only do I want to be able to see into EVE from the warbarge, I want the warbarge that I am hanging out in while waiting to fight to be noticed. To be seen by any EVE capsuleers that fly by. I want them to know that I am there. Well, what if they shoot at me? Let them. The penalties for shooting down an Instant battle NPC warbarge should be swift, severe, and lasting. After Concord blasts the attacker, perhaps the NPCs that set up the battle contract (and would have lost the warbarge as part of an attacking or defending force) could use some of the taxes they have been collecting to put a bounty on the offender. Nothing will say, "Welcome to New Eden!" like clone jumping to a warbarge for an instant battle only to have in blow up in your face.
In Planetary conquest having an NPC warbarge that can be destroyed opens up a lot of strategic and gameplay possibilities. There is always ye ol' escort mission. NotGǪ going out and selling oneself for ISK. But an attacking force, as part of launching an attack, could hire capsuleers to protect their warbarge while it was piloted by NPC (not the same pilots that fly the RDVs, who or whatever they are) from point A to point B and for the duration of the ground battle that could encourage Dust players to reach out to EVE players for something more than a few different flavors of orbital bombardment.
And further, into true sandbox gameplay, would it be a terrible thing if DUST corporations could manufacture and produce assets that they needed an EVE pilot to operate? And why not have planetary assets that capsular corporations could build that could only be operated by Dust mercs? Why not start to introduce assets that are shared? |