Basically, I want to change the jump bridge system from being a pinpoint accurate system to a transitional wormhole generator. With the same mechanics as wormholes: mass limitations, polarization, life-cycle. There would be some variability to where the wormhole spawn - TWG itself would always be static but the endpoint where the wormhole spawns would vary by either spawning in the endpoint system or one system away, if within the region. Also, TWG would be restricted to alliance usage but the wormhole generated can be scanned down and used by anyone, allowing for shenanigans and jump network disruptions.
TWG would work like any wormhole and its lifecycle. Although quicker on wormhole recycling. I believe it will add a hindrance to nullsec projection by inducing wormhole mechanics to the ansiblex jump bridge system. Forcing alliance players to be sensible with their use of the jump bridges as putting too much mass through a wormhole will collapse it and force users to wait for a new wormhole generation. All wormholes generated by the TWG should be XL holes to allow large ships through but using it for a moving ops will lead to wormhole end-of-life and collapse.
Also, TWG needs an endpoint but I can’t decide on what. Maybe a new standup module, Spatial Mass Exciter. Or, just use the Pharolux Cyno Beacon as the endpoint. I can’t decide.
Tell me what you guys think.
Changes needed from art team:
Change VFX in the center of the ansiblex to a wormhole.
To show when wormholes are active, spawning, end-of-life, recycling.
Create a new model for the TWG lock-on beacon.
Or just use the Pharolux Cyno Beacon and use that as the endpoint game mechanic
I like the creativity, I just don’t see the purpose or how it accomplishes that purpose.
My main concern is that it is illogical with EVE’s tech to allow Ansiblexes to work with wormholes this way.
Wormholes:
limited by mass
not limited by LY range whatsoever
random connection
cannot be generated or maintained by capsuleers yet
Jump drives:
limited by fuel
have a max LY range
lock on to a destination object (like a cyno, or a structure like a beacon)
is tech present in many capsuleer ships already
With these cheacteristics in mind Ansiblexes currently appear to use jump drive tech.
While I am not against adding new tech that harnasses the power of wormholes, it would logically not only gain the behaviour of wormholes (mass limited, semirandom destination, polarization), it would also lose the constraints of jump drives (i.e. no more range limit).
And I am not sure if a null SOV structure like an Ansiblex without a range limit is a good idea.
Ansiblex aside, I’d love to see new Upwell structures that can interact with wormholes!
Not necessarily for sov null connectivity, but it could add a new way to interact with wormholes.
Imagine a structure that can be used to ‘stabilize’ a wormhole, vastly extending it’s lifetime ten times as long and the ability to fuel it to keep the mass high for that duration.
Or imagine another (or the same) structure that could ‘capture’ a static wormhole and allows you to more easily roll the destination of the hole by firing mass into the hole, which you can replenish by fueling the structure.
I like your idea of an ansiblex-like structure that interacts with wormholes, I’m just not sure if the Ansiblex itself is the right structure to do that to.
Another structure meant for wormhole gameplay could be far more interesting as the first time capsuleers harnass the power of wormholes!
I never saw any lore for it, but thought Ansiblexes were based on jump drives given their fuel and range limit constraints.
Filaments aren’t usable by caps, have no range limit, need no fuel, have a semi-random destination and are one-way consumables. This couldn’t be further from Ansiblex behaviour if they tried.
Designed by the Upwell Consortium to function as the successor and improvement over starbase jump bridges, the Ansiblex Jump Bridge is the flagship of their new Fast Logistical EXpansion (FLEX) structures product line.
The Ansiblex enables point-to-point FTL travel even for ships that lack their own jump drives, and a matched pair of bridges provides a transport connection between two star systems within its operational range, using stabilized spatiotemporal tunneling. The Ansiblex makes a large number of improvements over the older jump bridge portal devices, and incorporates some elements of Triglavian Collective space-time conduit technology in its workings.
Each Ansiblex Jump Bridge structure is automatically equipped with one Standup Conduit Generator I service module. This service module may only be onlined in a system that contains a sovereignty hub with the Advanced Logistics Network upgrade active.
May not be deployed within 500km of another Upwell Structure, 100000km of Stargates, and 1000km of Stations, or Starbases. A maximum of one Jump Bridge may be deployed per system.
I’ve bolded the relevant passage from the description. I admit I misremembered how important the filaments actually were, I recalled them being the foundational aspect, when really they’re just used to improve the existing jump bridge technology.
I guess it could be a new structure used also with jump bridges but I still think it should be limited in range, just like jump bridges. And my idea for having an endpoint location module was to have it work like ansi’s but not exactly, almost make it like a one-way trip - I guess the lore reason could be that it’s still prototype tech and has limited scope.
Maybe we could have some sort of fuel (not ozone) that would increase stabilization. Not sure what…
Pure PLEX. Stored in the structure. And because of the strong jump effect emanating from the structure, you can’t cyno jam in a system that contains an ansiblex.