not much to say here, its just a bunch of possible concepts to add more into the salvaging profession:
1. Meta and Faction modules:
this idea is pretty straightforward, just add some variations of the salvager family with different bonuses. for example there could be some named version with slightly better functionality than Salvager I or perhaps with less CPU/Powergrid/Capacitor constraints, then have some faction versions, one with better chance to salvage, another with better cycle time, and another with better range. Salvager II would still be the best version due to specialization but this would give more options for possible new salvaging fits.
2. Salvage Drone family:
another straightforward idea. expand the Salvage Drone family in a manner similar to Mining Drones. with a T2, Augmented and perhaps a “Scavenger” Drone which would be the salvaging version of an Excavator Drone, used by some specialized vessels (it could be something like eats a lot of bandwidth but can salvage several wrecks at once or have the highest salvage chance of all drones).
3. Salvage Enhancer:
a new family of modules, the Salvage Enhancer is the Salvaging equivalent of the Mining Laser Upgrade and its designed as a lowslot module that enhances range, reduces cycle and improves the salvaging chance at the cost of CPU. this and the next ideas are part of a bigger redesign of the salvaging progression
4. Tractor Beam progression:
Medium and Large Salvagers would be added. the tradeoff is more CPU and Powergrid for better tractor speed and range as it gets close to Capital Tractor Beams. this will mean some changes into how Tractor Beam bonuses work on the Noctis but the ship is also pending for a redesign in this thread. in addition to this there would be named and faction versions of these modules apart of the T2 version, with a bonuses focus similar to the Salvager family above. the range and speed of the basic modules can be seen here:
Small Tractor Beam -> 500 m/s velocity, 20km range
Medium Tractor Beam -> 700 m/s, 40km range (new)
Large Tractor Beam -> 900 m/s, 60km range (new)
Capital Tractor Beam -> 3000 m/s, 200km range
5. New Salvaging Frigate:
this is a ship designed to work as the first step into the Salvager profession. like the Venture, its a ship designed by ORE and shares much of the design concepts of the Noctis, however, this is the first step into a redesign of the Salvaging ship line.
"Endeavor"
Salvage Frigate Bonuses per lvl:
5% reduction in Salvager duration
10% bonus to Small Tractor Beam range and velocity
Role Bonus:
50% bonus to Salvager access bonus
4 highs
3 mids
1 low
20 m3 dronebay
10 Mbit/s bandwidth
50 m3 cargohold
365 m3 Salvage Bay
other stats similar to the Venture.
the Endeavor is designed primarily to carry 2 salvagers + 2 small tractor beams in the highs but there’s other options that could be touched like full salvager or tractor beam rack. its designed fundamentaly to serve as the main option instead of salvaging destroyers as it has both a duration bonus and a success chance bonus.
6. Noctis redesign:
this is mostly to put him in line with the rest of the Salvaging Ship line.
Noctis (Redesign)
ORE Industrial bonuses per skill level:
5% reduction in Medium Tractor Beam duration
10% bonus to Medium Tractor Beam range and velocity
10% bonus to Drone Damage and Hitpoints
Role Bonus:
50% bonus to Salvage Drone access bonus
6 highs
4 mids
2 lows
50 m3 dronebay
25m3 bandwidth
250 m3 cargohold
730 m3 Salvage Bay
2200 shield
1700 armor
rest of stats didnt change (just swapped armor and shield to make it more consistent with the change to a shield based tank).
in this case the Noctis became similar to its variant the Porpoise. its designed to focus on Salvage Drones instead of using the modules like in its old iteration (allthought it can still put Salvagers), this frees him up to sport a full rack of Medium Tractor beams in the highs while its bonused drones take care of the rest. it can also carry 2 times the salvage of an Endeavor and can defend itself if needed via combat drones.
7. New Large Salvage Ship:
this is a battleship sized ship designed to be the Epitome of the Salvaging career, unlike mining in which you need behemoths like the Orca or Rorqual, Salvaging requires subcaps that can last in the field in some cases, while processing the wreck produced by the combat pilots. this new class is dubbed atm as “ORE Dismantler” and is designed to be able to field the “Scavenger” Drones i mentioned initially in the thread, it requiresh ORE Industrial V, Spaceship Command V and Salvage Drone Operation V to learn.
"Ziphius"
ORE Dismantler bonuses per lvl:
5% reduction in Large Tractor Beam duration
10% bonus to Large Tractor Beam range and velocity
10% bonus to Drone Damage and Hitpoints
4% bonus to all Shield resistances
Role Bonus:
50% bonus to Salvage Drone access bonus
* can operate “Scavenger” Drones
8 highs
5 mids
3 lows
7000 shield
6000 armor
4500 hull
150m3 Dronebay
75m3 Bandwidth
500m3 Cargohold
1460m3 Salvage Bay
other stats need to be figured due to no previous hulls to base on.
unlike the Noctis, the Ziphius is designed to stay on field while the other fights the rats, and in case of getting aggro’d it can field combat drones to defend itself. “Scavenger” Drones are designed to eatch the same requirements as a Medium Drones so players have to make a concession on whether they want to have something to defend themselves or have full salvage potential
the defensive stats of the ship are experimental in case it seems too tanky but with only 5 mids it shouldnt be unbreakable, specially when speaking of things like Nullsec Anomalies or L4 missions in Highsec. in addition to this the Ziphius can carry 2 Noctises out of salvage in its special bay and has a fairly big cargohold for other stuff which means it could very well fulfil long duty in Wormhole Space if properly protected.
8. other possible additions:
-a set of T2 covert ops variations for the Endeavor frigate for a true “Ninja” salvaging work.
-converting the Primae into a Salvager focused hull to accompany the Noctis (but since its an Special Edition ship i dont think its possible at all)
-T2 Recon version of the Noctis
-T2 Black Ops version of the Ziphius
-changing and adjusting the bonuses of the Porpoise and the Orca for the use of Medium and Large Tractor Beams
-adding Salvage Frigate as one of the starting Spaceship Command skills in the Alpha Clone list.
-taking out the Salvager Cycle bonus from the Exploration Frigates and instead provide an Endeavor as testing ship during the Exploration Career missions (with the racial Exploration Frig still being the final reward). this way at the end of the line they decide i using a Salvage Frigate or an Exploration Frigate
-adding a Salvage Capital ship but that would be absurd taking in account the amount of Wrecks produced in any site doesnt require such an exaggerated amount of Salvaging and Tractoring power. it would mean creating a new kind of mechanic where Capital Wrecks or similar work like Asteroids and you need something akin to a Rorqual in order to properly convert them into Scrap Metal and components.
-perhaps change salvaging mechanics to something like the idea above. but AFK salvaging sounds dumb honestly.
-remove or reduce salvage loot from Relic Sites (you hack those for relics, artifacts and the like, leave the salvage for the real recycle team).
-add a new kind of “Junkyard” or “Derelict” scannable site where salvage players have to process several special wrecks. perhaps these sites can spawn rats at the start or at the end as there’s many factions that could be using the scraps. these sites only drop salvage materials + whatever is dropped from the rats. no hacking minigame.
