I think that POS should be converted to Mobile Depots to enhance the Mobile Depot play functionality.
Mobile Depots are great because you deploy them and then use their fitting service and cargo storage for what ever you need.
A Large Mobile Depot would allow a player to anchor the depot to a planetary object such as a planet, moon, mining belt, etc. too have a base that they can dock up in over night and continue to adventure from the next day. Basically like a tent that an adventurer would use in D & D.
The Explorers Depot would have the following capabilities:
Tether
Cap charging, Shield and Armor Repair but no Hull repair
Cargo Bay - 50,000 m3
Fleet Hangar - 400,000 m3 (up to at least three fully rigged Navy Ospreys)
Mobile Scan inhibitor Array that turns itself off for ten minutes when a ship tethers to it for repairs otherwise the Mobile Scan Inhibitor would prevent the normal operation of directional scanners and probes within its 20km radius. Any objects within range of the Mobile Scan Inhibitor will not be visible to these sensors and any ship within the radius will also find their own instruments rendered inoperable.
Due to the immense power consumption of the Mobile Scan Inhibitor Array the Explorers Depot un-anchors itself after three days of use and would need to be re-anchored in order to use again. When un-anchored all ships and items are jettisoned into space.
The Explorers Depot might seem too large to haul around but due to advancements in sub-Quantum engineering as a result of Drifter, Sleeper and Triglavian technology, scientists in New Eden have been able to fold the molecular structure of the components that make up the Explorers Depot over on themselves similar to how a folding beach chair functions.
In the video below each molecular structure layer of the depot is folded compactly and then opens into the depot.
My only problem with this is the scan inhibitor. I love the explorers depot, although it could use a little tweaking. Maybe no tether? Also, reduce the hangar for it from 400k to 300k because 400k is enough space to store several battleships.
When approaching the Explorers Depot, at a distance of 10 km, the scan inhibitor would go offline for 15 minutes allowing the Explorers Depot to attack much the same way that the Mobile Depot is able to be attacked. Once attacked and taken into armor the Explorers Depot would go into reinforced mode for 24 hours. After 24 hours the scan inhibitor penalty would increase too 20 minutes.
The scan inhibitor is basically providing the pilots who fly Covert Ops and Black Ops ships a new toy to play with.
The first model would be the Explorers Depot that doesn’t have a scan inhibitor, has reduced shield, armor and hull hit points but has a larger over all hangar.
Both would have the tether ability to repair and recharge with but at a cost due to its smaller size.
The T1 version would have a 20% time to repair and capacitor charging system penalty compared to a citadel.
The Covert Ops version would have a 35% time to repair and capacitor charging system penalty compared to a citadel but would have higher armor and hull hit points compared to the TI version as the scan inhibitor would draw its power directly from the shield systems.
The Covert Ops version would also have a reduced hangar volume of 325,000 m3 compared to the TI version that would have a hangar volume of 375,000 m3.
Tethers for both versions would still be in place but would turn off after 20 minutes due to shunting the the electrical power back and forth between the scan inhibitor and shields. The T1 version would have a 30 minute tether time. Recharge time for the tether would five minutes for each version.
On top of that, what need does this fill? If you’re only out exploring, you aren’t going to be sticking around. Upwell citadels were intended to replace POS. Had they wanted a structure to be more immediate, they’d have made one already. That was definitely not an oversight, but rather a design choice.
If the need is to have a structure that you can dock at when you want to log off, I have a better solution. Safe log in space. Already 100% implemented, and does what you need it to do already (keep you safe while you’re logged off).
I get what your saying but, I have an alternative suggestion: why not have a structure that you can place but you cant remove it afterward’s, it has infinite storage and everyone can go there replacing all up-well structure’s.
This new structure will have this awesome mechanic that when you’re outside of it you can be shot, no tether at all so this will up pvp engagement’s.
We can call them station’s and they can enrich the game with pvp.
With Player Owned Stations eventually being removed from the game there is a going to be a data hole that can be filled with something new and exciting.
Small Mobile Luxulyans (Depots) that allow players to camp up for the night near lets say a gate or station that they are planning too attack is one good use. Having a base to run too for resupply as well as protection would make Citadel crunching much more fun.
The military Lux version would last three days before un-anchoring itself
With the Mining version the anchored time would be five days before un-anchoring.
IIRC Lux was the designation of a laser lens type with thermal/explosive damage. They were in in-game database like 10 years ago, but were never introduced on the live servers…
L…U…X…U…L…Y…A…N is a type of railway station. Please, folds his hands together covering his nose, tears welling up in his eyes…please for the lifeblood of your children…do research…lol.
