Tyran Posted August 23, 2011 Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 Every time I use the manufacturing terminal I can't help but notice the building of drones as an option. It is unnerving, the thought that something so cool that was meant to be in this game, is not here. It is in the Janus docs which is more or less the bible of EnB.. To any dev, are there plans for implementing this yet? This has been asked before but I don't remember a developer giving an 'official' response about whether it will or will not be implemented. And besides the last time this was asked is a very long time ago (years) so there may be a different developer opinion now. Most likely it is a unique build skill meant for the JS. No other explanation can be given for it being horribly handicapped otherwise. Also, drones probably come in the form of an activatable device that will spawn a drone to serve you in a particular way, or ways (mining, healing, buffing, combat). The reason it is a device slot is because a ) drones are for support and b ) no other way really exists to equip a drone. PS: before anyone says this is too game changing and devs should focus on things from live - they already added the 3 extra professions, many new sectors, radically altered mining...and a lot of other stuff not from live. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemperor1 Posted August 23, 2011 Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 Well, they sure are nice in EVE (last I played it anyway). I'm not certain how they'd work exactly in EnB but I'd say I'm in favor. Maybe like Tyran said you equip a device and it spawns a friendly mob of appropriate level that will engage whatever you're engaging or heal you or whatever its purpose is? (idk how mining would work exactly.. and how do you 'recall' your drone(s)? can you?) I don't know how important it is but it would certainly be something new and, dare I say, exciting to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyran Posted August 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 The importance lies with several points, in no particular order of priority: 1) It is partially in the game already as seen by the highlighted build drones at the build terminal. Also the Janus docs say it should be a build skill. So it was intended to be in the game by the original developers. 2) A JS as a builder corners very little of the market as it's builds are overlapped with the TT/JE. The only unique thing it does is build jenquai reactors with negotiate. This is why, logic dictates, a unique skill like build drones exists to give it a unique building ability. (don't say the PT has overlapping build skills as well, it is stronger in other fields namely being basically a warrior profession) 3) Drones can be used to balance classes in ways normal items cannot. As drones would use up device slots, it is no longer detrimental to have device slots over weapon slots. Take the JE it has more device slots than basically items in existance... 4) It adds fun by giving a level of customizability not previously possible. A JE could take combat drones to up offense or support drones to increase defense. Maybe a particular kind of drone has the enrage ability and high shield cap to draw fire. As to calling and recalling drones, use the item once it calls them, use again and it recalls them. If a drone gets wasted it can take equipment damage in the same way a normal player incapacitation does. So what are the devs waiting for, add it already... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryleyra Posted August 23, 2011 Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 (edited) I honestly saw this in the Terminal, and didn't think about the capability of building Drones. I actually thought it was for some sort of equipment that was looted FROM Drones. I admit, I find this idea interesting, and if it is in the original documentation, I wonder what the idea is for it. However, having a skill defined and a location in the terminal is a far cry from having resources available. For one thing, most of the "Drones" in this game are as big as a player's ship, or at least no less than half the size. I can't see a whole "cloud" of drones circling around our ships in this game, like in EvE. For one thing, our ships all appear to be one man fighters, or at least no more than a couple of small decks, for one person to run on his own. The only way I can see this as not being imbalancing is if the Drones are restricted only to certain races and classes. It would be nice to buy a drone, and equip it for a given function, if you are not a JS, but it can't effect the strength of the existing ships too much. If it is to be placed in a device slot, then it should be no stronger than a device. That means in terms of firepower it would be a VERY weak drone. The JS might get some special drones (and the JE could do with some useful ones, too) but only to distinguish it from the TT and PP. I wonder, though, if it might be more interesting, and easier to implement, a Drone as a one-shot item which is held in your Cargo Hold. Thus, for instance, you might launch it to perform a special non-combat function, such as running a Trade Route. Or even, run out to a Nav Point and scan it, to earn some Explore XP. This might supplement the existing XP system, allowing to you earn a bit more at the higher levels. (Although this appears to be greatly improved over live) It could even be an actual combat drone, which would follow you for a time, but would either self-destruct after at time, or it would simply be lost when destroyed. (Or it would simply hang around where you dropped it, becomeing useless once you left it behind) This would be a finite resource for other classes, but the JS could build several and keep them in his hold for combat. Basically, a one use pet. The technology to support this in any detail might not be in the game, but it might just simply summon a friendly NPC, which just spawns in your area and stays there until it despawns. This could be how the "device" is used as well, but I think making them consumable, as well as allowing you to have a wide selection of different types in your hold, might make for an interesting playstyle for the JS. BTW, I think having the drone mine would be risky. Yes, the Jenquai are the specialists in Exploration, but having the same class able to mine ore and build components from it is, I'm pretty sure, a really bad idea. And yes, I know Traders can rip components, but this would be worse... Edited August 23, 2011 by Dragoncove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyran Posted August 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 [quote name='Dragoncove' timestamp='1314137174' post='45123']If it is to be placed in a device slot, then it should be no stronger than a device. That means in terms of firepower it would be a VERY weak drone.[/quote] A device slot can be surprisingly powerful when you consider that the most players carry a number of swap-over activatable devices. A mining drone would have similar AI to NPC's that mine. They mine nearby roids and fly back and forth to fill your ship with collected ores. It could be for explorers only. But would not be overpowered if certain other classes could get it. As you would be getting random ores at a rate that is a lot slower than a real miner, it should not be abusive. Other restrictions like one ore per pull before it needs to fly back or something like that might be the solution. Also, like you said, traders are basically miners so it's not like miners are getting raped more than they already are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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