Fast Deployment Structure

[Wallyx]

Hi everyone.

As you may know, CCP is developing the Structure which will substitute those last remaining POS Modules that are usable; Jump Bridge, Cyno Beacons and Cyno Jammers; with the Stargate(https://youtu.be/Gru202GvZMc?t=2364). Then the POS itself is left with the last roll possible for it, a fast deployment safe position with limited defense/service capabilities.

As the plan is to reimburse and eliminate them, that left roll is open for something with the new tech and I think we can discuss it and make the road for the new Small Structure to fill that role, one which was mention in the Q&A Panel of Structures at Vegas and they said that they are thinking about adding such Structure.

Said so, this is my proposal:

As the title said, and probably you did figure out from the introduction, a Small Temporary Structure with low time for deployment with limited protection and Services which can be fitted with modules, a moderate price and a couple of variations which can expand the capabilities of it.

Implementation and Variations

2 different ways to implement this, following the Upwell Path or the Empires Path:

Upwell Path

• T1, T2 and a Faction version. With this we have more simplicity and are like the Structures right now, also with this a lot of Assets can be eliminated. But at the same time, is very homogeneous.

Empires Path

• Like the POS are right now, Races Version of the basic one and 2 types of Faction for the 5 Pirate Factions.
  With this, adds a lot of variety and representation of the Empires/Pirates, also instead of just eliminate Assets, a nice portion of it can be replaced instead. But is more complex to balance and implement, also they will need new types of bonuses for each race, apart of the usual “X% damage/RoF/range/Cap Usage for Y Gun/Ewar” that usually have.

In my opinion, the Empires Path is better, even if is more complex, cause represent better the Empires and Pirates and can be seen as the first answer to the Monopoly of the Upwell Structures. And seen as The update of their old Player Own Structures seed long time ago combine with Upwell Tech.

Features

This could be the features of it:

• In size, not be much bigger than a Capital Ship and 1000m3 or so in volume.
• Only be visible on Grid, but easily scan with probes. Also appears on D-Scan.
• Same Restrictions for where to Anchor as the rest of the Upwell Structures.
• It needs 20 minutes to anchor/unanchor, but last a limited time online; like 5 days or less. (*)
• Only 1 RF Timer(Hull) working the same way as the new Hull Timer for WHs in Structures v2.0.
• A 15km range tethering but without repair capabilities and for Sub-caps only.
• Can be fitted with Small Structure Modules and Equipment Modules which add Capabilities to it like Fitting, Repairs through Tethering or Hangars. These ones need fuel to operate.
• Can be scan with a Cargo/Ship Scanner to know fittings and timers, like suggested for Structures V2.0
• No asset safety. If the structure is unanchor/destroy, everything will be ejected.
• To re-deploy you need to repair it at a Station and need to be Repacked.
• The price could be like a Medium Control Tower is right now.

(*) Adding to this, it could be 2 main options. When the time limit is reached, it explodes and everything is ejected or goes offline and cannot be online again, without RF timer but still can be unanchored.

For the Variations, this could be the parts that can be improved:

• Less time to anchor/unanchor.
• More Tethering range.
• For the next version from the T1, capitals can be Tether and the next one to this, Super Capitals Ships.
• More HP, but the same DPS Cap.
• More Fitting/Equipment slots.
• Less Fuel use.
• More time in space until Explode/Offline.

Fittings

For the Fitting Slots, it could depend too on the Implementation factor.

Upwell Path

• A 2-2-1 with Resist (20%), 1 Gun Slot. And for the Modules, the same variety as the Upwell ones.

Empires Path

• 5-4-2 with 4 Guns Slots. Resist according to the Race of the Structure, adding Hardeners and Races Guns(Lazors, Hybrids and Projectiles)

For both cases, No Rigs and No Drones. Also, can be controlled like an Astrahus for defense porpuses.

Equipment Modules

These modules will expand the utility of the Structure to a degree, depending on the type, with no initial startup fuel needed but with cycle timers(30 minutes), so if you want to switch it with another one you need to wait to finish the cycle; similar to Siege Modules. Modules cant be switch if the Structure is under attack and when the Structure is in RF, all the modules goes offline.

Here are some possible Equipment Modules:

• Repair Facility NEW → Provides the Tethering with repair capabilities and is be able to repair himself; like Structures do.
• Ship Maintenance REPLACE → Provides Fitting capabilities as long as the Ship is tether and also provides a Ship Maintenance Bay.
• Hangar Bay REPLACE → Provides Corp and Personal Hangars.
• Defence Matrix NEW → Provides self-defense capabilities, allowing the Structure to automatically attack targets. The configuration and behavior is similar to POSes
• Compression Array REPLACE from Reprocessing → Allows to Compress Ores Minerals

Q&A

In case of general questions.

So, what are your thoughts/ideas?

[Lugh_Crow-Slave]

Meh just lump it into the observation array when they add that. Call it a FOB no docking but tether and a moderate to sizable (cap or two) smb based on the size

[Cade_Windstalker]

@Wallyx

Like the POS are right now, Races Version of the basic one and 2 types of Faction for the 5 Pirate Factions.

With this, adds a lot of variety and representation of the Empires/Pirates, also instead of just eliminate Assets, a nice portion of it can be replaced instead. But is more complex to balance and implement, also they will need new types of bonuses for each race, apart of the usual “X% damage/RoF/range/Cap Usage for Y Gun/Ewar” that usually have.

The two big problems with this, and why we’re just not going to get this (this was decided by CCP literally years ago when they started down the Upwell Structures road) is because it’s not only heavy on balancing but on art.

Each of these structures needs to be visually distinct, so you’ve now multiplied the art required by anywhere from 4 to 9 times compared to a single Upwell structure.

Each one also needs to justify its existence in terms of gameplay and bonuses. With the old POS system this worked out reasonably well because you had one structure and it was differentiated by bonuses. Now we have a bunch of different specialized structures and one set of bonuses is, by definition, going to be better for a given specialization.

Whatever 2-3 meta builds end up working best on a Stargate are going to be which racial structures get used more and then the other 2-7 may as well not exist as far as 95% of the game is concerned.

@Wallyx

So, what are your thoughts/ideas?

I think you’ve written a very impassioned plea for something that was decided long long ago, the art has been in the pipeline at CCP for over a year, and it doesn’t have a snowball’s chance on a George Forman Grill of happening.

[Eric_Lemmonte]

I, too, like the idea of having a FOB-style deployable. However I don’t think it should have a reinforcement timer. If it’s going to be that cheap and that small I feel it should be something they can outright destroy in one sitting with several dreads or within a day later if you include a timer…

[Lugh_Crow-Slave]

@Eric_Lemmonte

If it’s going to be that cheap and that small I feel it should be something they can outright destroy in one sitting with several dreads or within a day later if you include a timer

i’m in favor of at least a day later. these things wont be much good to use in hostile area if your enemy just pops them once you log off.

but I do agree they should be easy to kill I would even be okay with removing the damage cap

[Wallyx]

I know that, that’s why I also add the Upwell path which is the one we are following now. But a lot of people are telling to CCP to add some variation, even if is with Skins for the inside and outside of the Structures.

It’s just my opinion about the way the game is going, but that those not mean is the best.

But I feel that with this path of simplicity, eve is losing Identity. Focusing on addressing some issues but forgetting about the surrounding of it. Like the Armageddon, a nice redesign of bonuses and stats but now the Variations of it makes no sense at all. Or the Tempest, which; since his buff; is better than the Fleet Issue. Or how the new pirate ships are just T1 Hulls with different bonuses and their respective Pirate Skins, which can be change no far longer from his release date and need to be thankful to have specific hulls for the Angel Cartel cause the focus now for the Art Team is Skins.

[Wallyx]

I didnt talk about stats, but I wasn’t thinking about a Structure wich need Dreads to be Destroy or Reinforce in a sort amount of time. CCP add the cap to prevent a massive fleet easily RF/Destroy something in no time, so the enemy did not have time to react. For this I was thinking that a couple of BCs not fitted for damage, could hit the cap easily and RF it in 10min max.

Also with only 1 timer and working as the proposed Hull RF Timer in Structures V2.0 for WHs. 1 day and the time set by the owner.

[Cade_Windstalker]

@Wallyx

I know that, that’s why I also add the Upwell path which is the one we are following now. But a lot of people are telling to CCP to add some variation, even if is with Skins for the inside and outside of the Structures.

And CCP has flat out said that this is something they’re interested in, but there is a massive grand canyon sized gap between “Skins for Citadels” and “design these so there are 4-9 of them instead”.

@Wallyx

But I feel that with this path of simplicity, eve is losing Identity. Focusing on addressing some issues but forgetting about the surrounding of it. Like the Armageddon, a nice redesign of bonuses and stats but now the Variations of it makes no sense at all. Or the Tempest, which; since his buff; is better than the Fleet Issue. Or how the new pirate ships are just T1 Hulls with different bonuses and their respective Pirate Skins, which can be change no far longer from his release date and need to be thankful to have specific hulls for the Angel Cartel cause the focus now for the Art Team is Skins.

Except that there was never a solid 1:1 correlation between a base hull and a T2 variant, CCP have said they want to go through and differentiate the remaining pirate hulls and the T2 hulls and most if not all of the new T2 ones are distinct from their T1 variations. Also of the seven pirate factions only three use generic T1 hulls, the Guristas, Blood Raiders, and Serpentis. The Sansha, Mordu’s Legion, Sisters of Eve, and Angel Cartel all have unique hulls for their ships.

Lastly, no, the focus of the art team is not SKINs, it’s the Citadels. CCP has flat out stated that the Citadel work has taken a huge chunk of their available art bandwidth, it’s why we’ve started to see more and more ship reworks as there’s been less and less Upwell Structures work to do, so adding a huge amount of extra structure art work would make everything else suffer.

[Agondray]

no unless its going to be like a mtu where you can shoot it any time, we have enough space cancer

[Wallyx]

I’m not talking only about the Art part. And I didn’t forget about the rest of the Work of the Art Team, like the new effects, Suns, explosions, the adaptation of the T3 Cruisers, v5 for old Structures, etc. But when they talk about Ships, what is most said are Skins. We know about the new redesign of the Osprey and the new Hulls for the Capital Angel Cartel; and those have new hull cause(As CCP said) was the first Pirate Faction to have an exclusive hull and not T1 so they want to be the first too. But we do not know any roadmap for Ship redesign, apart from “We are working on it” and the differentiation they and you mention.

And to add information. All Pirate Faction ships where T1 hulls and not exclusive ones. The first one they change was Angel Cartel, then Sansha and last Blood Raiders, but not changing the Baal. Then they jump to other stuff(Full update of all ships). Also, Mordu’s legion was in the game a long time ago, they just decide to give new models to Capsuler Ships as part of that effort to differentiate them.

But is not a feeling of what we have, but of where are we going. I saw a lot of road changes and in Vegas, they also state another road change with the Balance of Ships; I may take that as hope. May also wait to end all the Upwell stuff…

[Cade_Windstalker]

@Wallyx

I’m not talking only about the Art part. And I didn’t forget about the rest of the Work of the Art Team, like the new effects, Suns, explosions, the adaptation of the T3 Cruisers, v5 for old Structures, etc. But when they talk about Ships, what is most said are Skins. We know about the new redesign of the Osprey and the new Hulls for the Capital Angel Cartel; and those have new hull cause(As CCP said) was the first Pirate Faction to have an exclusive hull and not T1 so they want to be the first too. But we do not know any roadmap for Ship redesign, apart from “We are working on it” and the differentiation they and you mention.

We’ve been getting pretty consistent previews of ships over time, and the Osprey line isn’t the only one that’s been previewed. Plus there have been several redesigned hulls in the last year.

CCP isn’t announcing a roadmap for those probably because they’re not done until they’re done and then they get pushed in the next patch once a few of them are ready at once.

@Wallyx

And to add information. All Pirate Faction ships where T1 hulls and not exclusive ones. The first one they change was Angel Cartel, then Sansha and last Blood Raiders, but not changing the Baal. Then they jump to other stuff(Full update of all ships). Also, Mordu’s legion was in the game a long time ago, they just decide to give new models to Capsuler Ships as part of that effort to differentiate them.

The Blood Raiders still use T1 models, the Angel and Sansha ships haven’t used T1 hulls in something like 10 years and three graphics iterations ago. If you’re talking about the actual NPC pirates then yeah, of course they use T1 hulls, because the pirate factions don’t have the resources to only throw expensive custom hulls at every problem.

[Wallyx]

I do not mean a roadmap with release days and so, I wasn’t clear. Sorry. What I mean is a roadmap of what we can spect to be redesign in the next year or so.

And for the Pirates, I mean the Old NPCs. I’m an 11 year player and I first meet them when they use the Empire Hulls and not the custom ones =P

@Cade_Windstalker

[…] because the pirate factions don’t have the resources to only throw expensive custom hulls at every problem.

Angel Cartel dont give a f… about this. They event throw exclusive hulls not available to capsulers =D

[Cade_Windstalker]

@Wallyx

I do not mean a roadmap with release days and so, I wasn’t clear. Sorry. What I mean is a roadmap of what we can spect to be redesign in the next year or so.

We generally get this in the form of slides and what-not at Fanfest and other points with concept art of what CCP is working on and generally it takes about a year for the longest of them to get turned into actual models, tech allowing.

@Wallyx

And for the Pirates, I mean the Old NPCs. I’m an 11 year player and I first meet them when they use the Empire Hulls and not the custom ones =P

That’s really not clear and IMO really doesn’t matter too much.

Plus, still and again, the majority of the NPCs that have faction models do use them in their ships, with the only major exception really being the Mordu’s Angels.

@Wallyx

Angel Cartel dont give a f… about this. They event throw exclusive hulls not available to capsulers =D

They’re kinda the exception that proves the rule, and if you read the lore they’re actually one of the best equipped and finance pirate factions thanks to the financing of the Serpentis.