The answer for this is not now. Later.

The answer for this is not now. Later.

There needs to be quite a few problems and questions to be answered first such as shooting down eve players.

There needs to be quite a few problems and questions to be answered first such as shooting down eve players.

Because sometimes, space reinforcements are not available. Blockaids or logistics problems make sit impossible to park in orbit to save your posteriors from non stop bombardment.

I don't know much about eve so the following question is not sarcasm, it's a legit question.

Are the issues you named, planning issues? Or in game known issues?

If they are planning issues where corp A didn't expect corp B would be bombarding them all battle and didn't get a ship in orbit before the battle started, then I believe that's on them and they should be getting bombarded all game, this is a tactical fps where planning and thinking take place and are paramount.

If its in game issues then I understand why it would be necessary.

In all fairness, wouldn't it encourage Dust corps to interact with EVE corps in the interim? The benefit of the bombardment comes from having EVE relations, shouldn't the counter for the bombardments also be EVE relations? Since the only way to remove EVE pilots from above the district is with other EVE pilots, I would think this creates the desire for Dust corps to look to the skies for aid, at least for the time being. I honestly feel this decoupling from the WP system would be a greater benefit the sooner it is implemented. I'm not sure how far along skyfire battery concepts are, of course, so I might be speaking out of turn, but I'd assume creating a Dust-side timer to call in OB's from space would be a lot simpler and would definitely go a long way towards bolstering relations between the two games.

Now, all that said, I love the idea of blowing multi-million ISK ships out of the sky as well, but I know my EVE buddies that despise Dust will be even less likely to help our guys on the ground if there is potential of getting ganked by "twelve-year-olds on a console" (their words, not mine) for no tangible reward... so perhaps there should even be a kill-cam implemented for the EVE pilots before the skyfires. Or mails. Anything besides a small scroll and some white flashes on a textured sphere...

why not make were eve pilots earn something for there support, to make more appealing to eve side player istead of a lose/lose for them.

Overall, i'm really liking the idea of having OBs or PSs not linked to WP requirements.
But, i'm not sure if having it EVE based only through a timer would be such a good idea. Remember what CCP always says : Both games interact but they need to remain independant. At least for now.

So, OB\PS mecanics should be a Dust side thing. But, that doesnt mean you can't think of various solutions :

Cooldown is actually a decent option. But tough to figure out as it would need to have a constant number of SL in game so you would now which timeframe is ok for this.

Let me explain. You can have games with only 1 squad and the rest in the general pool of unassigned players. With this scenario, you could give an OB to the SL every 5 minutes. Would end with 3/4 OBs in most games.

Now, take a game with 3 squads (6/6/4), if you keep that same timeframe, you will reach 9/12 OBs in a 15/20 minutes game for one team. It's now a bit too much and would probably require a higher delay between strikes.

Finally, Dust allows to have more squads but filled with less players. Say 5 squads of 3 players. There, you'd reach 15/20 Obs.

See where i'm getting at there ? So, having OBs based on a timer would probably require something being done on the squad mecanics. Like having a maximum set number of squads and no longer randoms being left out unassigned so both teams always have the same amount of SL and thus OB\PS. Would also allow even random dudes being SL (randomized choice) once in a while, using OB and it could be a plus for New Players.

But there could be downsides : Selected SL AFKing MCCs, SL hiding not afk but just to use their OBs and play it safe. and probably other stuff that dont comes to mind yet.

The other option is to add an in-game item that would be needed to use to get an OB. I remember (i think it was praetorian in Cast 514) hearing talks about Dust 514 beacon that players would need to carry to a specific area to pinpoint the strike.

I also like the idea of linking OB\PS to a specific action that would require team efforts instead of an addition of WPs. WOuld add another layer to the game.

I dont know, you could imagine a scrambling facility that would jam War BArge or Ships firing system. The team owning it would make it possible for its asset to fire. Then it would reset (acting as a kind of timer) before it's hackable again. Etc..

Like a secondary objective.

Make the timer corp based or alliance based maybe?

IMO the standard OB's should still be WP based but the eve side OB's should have a timer, could this timer be attached by corp, say the timer for your squad is up.. Only you can call it in because your corp is the one who has the ship in orbit.

Mcc camping to get orbitals may happen but it would only happen in FW, if people tried doing that in PC they'd lose their district very fast.

This does open the door for 16 individual squads in a PC battle waiting on timers but again, if you made it corp based or even better, alliance based, it would mitigate the issue.

Not sure if that would be possible though, sounds like allot of work lol.

There was actually a pretty good discussion at fanfest about stealing the Eve universe tournament's format.

Nothing official, of course... but we were spitballing the idea that instead of (Or additional to) WP related strikes.... One could earn strikes simply by having uncontested control of the satellite in Eve. Basically, your guys in space earn a strike just by being there with no one to stop them. (Or for winning a fight if someone tries)


For those who aren't acquainted with how the tournament worked :

An individual or group orbits the satellite within a short distance. For as long as no enemy forces were within that short range of the satellite... A timer began to tick up.