Avallo Kantor
DUST University
Ivy League
90
   |
Posted - 2013.06.22 05:18:00 -
[1] - Quote
One thing I really want to see more of is the EVE / DUST link, and I want to see it in meaningful and important ways.
To this end I think it's important that we get into the mindset early that not every mechanic of this interaction has to necessarily happen on timers, or through pre-planned events. (Such as PC)
Instead, there should be ways DUST mercs can take the initiative and force interaction with an EVE pilot, potentially against their will. (In much the same case as an EVE pilot shooting an OB on hostiles happens very much against the will of the targets.)
By this I mean that DUST mercs can do things that affect other EVE players thanks to the efforts of EVE pilots. In much the same way as OB affects DUST mercs thanks to the efforts of DUST mercs. The important thing here is that the inclusion of other DUST mercs is not necessary to having this interaction, in much the same way that the EVE pilot doesn't have to have opposition at the OB site.
For example, an EVE pilot can launch a "missile" that hits a Outpost for example, and DUST mercs will spawn from that "missile" and have to explore some complex, or take control of some FW outpost. (With FW outposts, if DUST mercs finished the objective then the timer would go down by X minutes, potentially insta-finishing the site. The hostiles in here can be NPCs, but it can also be OTHER mercs that would be injected by another EVE pilot.
For example, have a mode where each pod only allows 4 Mercs to be added, and only one pod can be added per ship, and this gives the ability for there to be 8 separate "teams" all within this one complex that would fight against / ally with other strike teams.
[By FW outposts I mean the randomly spawning "dungeons" that must be capped to shift the tide of the conflict in a system]
Focusing again on the FW outposts, you can make it so that the battlefield is VERY small (aggressively so) and very cramped, forcing close quarters station combat. (The small map also allowing for hopefully faster implementation, and less work designing.) Once inside, there would be a single point and either no assets, or one or two supply depos. The point would take a LONG time to hack, like 30 seconds to 1 min and would then begin a count down (at most half the remaining time on the FW outpost on the outside) for the Faction you are fighting for. [This being decided by who shot in your pod] The pod would also have a VERY limited amount of clones on it (depending on the grade of the pod that the EVE player used) it would have anywhere from 0 clones to 12 clones. (and maybe some Navy variants with 16).
Another addition would be to have these stations have neutral sentry guns around the point that could be captured in DUST inside the base, or Destroyed outright EVE side. However the sentry guns would be fairly hp heavy (so ti would be unreasonable for one or two people to shoot one down too fast) and be somewhat light on damage, instead focusing on a very high tracking speed, fast enough to even hit intys.
The good thing about this system is that DUST players would not have to begin until their pod is deployed into a outpost, and that a match can be considered "Over" once the point caps for the attacking force. (or they can always just quit if they are defenders.)
Hopefully by the time this idea could be implemented, there would already be some EVE - DUST currency link to allow for players to be paid for their efforts. As the teams would have to be formed -ahead- of time to be linked to the EVE pilot's module.
-Yes I read the dev response on the POCO idea, and I am not thinking this is something that would be Easy or quick to do, but it is something that could be implemented, and would allow for DUST mercs to become much more important in EVE.
TLDR: The point of all this:
Furthermore the goal of all of this is to allow EVE players to use DUST players in such a way that is dynamic, and one that doesn't necessarily require a match to be set up, and could very well be done WITHOUT conflict. Much akin to an EVE pilot not encountering any resistance when deploying an OB |
Avallo Kantor
DUST University
Ivy League
91
|
Posted - 2013.06.22 14:27:00 -
[2] - Quote
((It was rather late [North America TZ] wise when I posted it, so let me add a few more details after a good night's sleep))
The important thing about adding features like this, is that it's something that can help the interaction between EVE and Dust feel very fluid and constant, when behind the scenes very few actual interactions would have to occur:
1) When the EVE pilot can invite a squad leader (max size 4, but you could change it to 6) to be his pod's strike team.
2) When the Dust Mercs accept, and are put in a "In Queue" waiting window, while the EVE pilot waits to deploy them.
3) When the EVE pilot launches a pod into a FW outpost, it pushes the mercs into the match, or creates one if there wasn't one.
4) Taking control of the station it adds a significant portion of time to the side of the capping team
5) Taking control of a Sentry Gun flips the switch on the Sentry gun in EVE (if alive)
Furthermore, as much as I enjoy EVE online, I can say that the game is... slow at times. By that, I mean that small gangs roaming in low sec can go a while without getting into any fights, and often in FW they have to do things that is mostly just sitting at a timer... waiting.
While this change doesn't necessarily promote more fast action in DUST, it does allow for a rather unorthodox join / drop system for these battles, as pods from other teams can be launched into the outpost as well. It also is an easy way to get EVE pilots to care more about DUST (those in FW at least) because it provides a service which helps them in their day to day conflict in an immediately apparent and tangible way (it helps them cap those things FAR faster) |