Cool!

2 things though; Why is the Flaylock in Missile while the Mass Driver is in Projectile? Do they operate in different ways?
And I'd replace the "Missile Rifle" spot with the Swarm Launcher as I think it's quite unlikely that we ever see anything that would equate to a "Missile Rifle".

Other than that, good stuff!

Hey, J-Lewis, do you remember my vehicle skill tree thread? Can you make a visual representation of it? I'm not going bump it anytime soon but if I have to, the representation would help a lot.

Depends how busy things get during the rest of August; both in terms of this thread, and IRL stuff (it's university paperwork season, jump up and clap hands with glee). If I get the spare time one evening, yeah, I could probably do that for you no problem.

Just don't expect it by tomorrow, or before next weekend.

Thanks for the bump too.

In the interest of keeping the discussion alive, I thought about how the current skilltree could be improved but with the least amount of work. As much as I want one of the trees that we've come up with in this thread I don't think they're realistic, at least in the short-term.

So I did this: http://i.imgur.com/fKnTL3m.jpg

For reference, here is the current tree: http://wiki.dust514.info/images/6/63/Skill_tree_weaponry.png

All I did was move all the weapon upgrades (except proficiency) to the Handheld Weapon Upgrade branch. I also added an Advanced Upgrades skill that unlocks Fitting Optimization and Reload Speed.

This tiny change, comparative to the other trees in this thread, would in my mind encourage some diversification, or at least not discourage it as much as the current tree does.

Yes, that would certainly be a more conservative approach.
However, as I pointed out in the OP, the actual act of restructuring the skill tree is the easy part. One dev can do it in a day or two as long as the change doesn't require a redesign of the interface or system. Because the biggest difficulty is actually assigning a dev, there's no reason not to go all out so it doesn't have to be revisited (hopefully for a long time).

It's how it gets deployed that's the tricky part, because it will require some degree of SP respec, even if it's just for individual skills that get moved/removed. That requires design meetings, and without an Executive Producer it probably won't happen.
Oh, and of course, there's the little fact that this topic hasn't garnered a lot of constant community pressure.

But who knows, I might get surprised one morning.

The best we can do is spread the word. Get people aware of the issue. Get people talking about the issue.

That's my point. A drastic change, like the ones on the first page require more "out-of-game" planning while a relatively minor change might seem more favourable. But I agree that if the skilltree is changed it should be changed completely.

Well, between weird hit detection, non-existent tutorial/training, FOTM-balancing and proto-stomping I'd say that a more esoteric issue like reworking the skilltree is pretty low on the communitys to-do list...

I'd swap the drop suit tree to include racial and dropsuit classes separately.
All medium drop suits follow a certain functionality just the same as heavy and lights. If you know how to use an Amarr heavy why wouldn't you have some measure of competence with a Caldari, Gallente, or Minmatar heavy suit (other than them not existing yet).

The same holds true for suits belonging to a race as well. Gallente suits follow design theory specific to Gallente while Minmatar would use a different approach to their equipment.

We see this currently on the specialized suits and "Logistics Bonus" and "Minmatar dropsuit bonus" or whatever combination thereof. So here's my TERRIBLY MSPAINTED idea. https://www.dropbox.com/s/nwz185zntdojm60/Dropsuit%20Command%20Tree.png

To prevent Newbies from derping their skill points away and not being able to actually deploy a non militia suit I would say that a new character should begin with a rank in whatever racial drop suit command they originate from, DS Command 1, and Medium DS 1. Because whoever immortalized this new combatant sure as hell isn't going to not train them so there's a minimum return on investment.

It's recommend a similar approach for weapons grouping type and then racial but there's plenty of other ideas out there that make support skills make sense and I like that.

Do you mind if I use your dropbox link temporarily in the OP?

Have at it. Pretty sure there's no copyright on my weak ass MSpaint skill.

Any chance of getting some CPM support for this thread too?

bump

Your name made me think a dev finally replied to this.

My idea's for weapon evolution, is that when you skill into say a rail weapon operation it would increase damage by 3% each level and unlock various weapons based on the level.

Level 1: Pistol, SMG, various other possible sidearm

Level 3: AR, Shotgun, SR, various other possible weapons of light category

Level 4: HMG, FG various other possible weapons

Same for Dropsuit, mainly because i've played many FPS RPG some have better aspects than Dust but mainly what im getting at is, you start small and grow big, I personally think that ALL the dropsuits should be more powerful than what they are and personally believe that the Light Suit should be the first suit you ever get,

Furthermore noted above more generalised bonuses would obviously be given to those of they're own race since it was that individual race that created the line of technology.

Now for the main idea: As you skill into and gain benefits in a weapon that weapons benefits would in turn bleed into other weapons of the same category. If a weapon like the Mass driver gained a 0.4 bonus to ammo (and was not Type specific) then ALL Types of the Mass driver would gain the 0.4 bonus (Level 5: 2 additional bullets). However each weapon and its categorial types will have different bonuses, and if done right would fix the Underpowered weapons of Dust 514!

What are your idea's is there anything I should improve on? (Other than representation).

How has this not gotten a dev post?
Atleast then saying they've saw and may or may not implement ideas?
Not insulting devs just curious

I can think of three reasons.

1. They haven't seen it.
2. They've seen it, but don't want to change the skilltrees and responding to the thread would only bring disappointment to the players.
3. They've seen it, but don't have time for it right now.

If CCP Wolfman's vehicle thread is anything to go by, they might be back on track - he mentions revamping the vehicle skills entirely (both structure and bonuses and stats). I just hope they do the same for infantry eventually.

Here's to hoping he removes tiers at the same time.

Maybe we should write Wolfman instead of Santa come december...

New Idea: How about we create 2 different structures, both essentially the same but uses different ideas, using 6 idealistic palette's, 2 infantry, 2 vehicles, and 2 skills, basically what we do is we put some ideas into column A, and 2nd really good idea in column B, when we have enough ideas to fill both structures (One infantry, vehicle, and skill for each) we review, revise and tweak the BEST Structure!