Add new small structure that needs fuel etc but allows for local channel to function in null sec for intel purposes.
Change local from individual system your in to the constellation your within this way with the structure you’ll see people coming but there’s still no way to know which system their actually in unless someone has eyes on them.
Make the intel structure hackable and lets the hacker turn off intel for the duration of the hack and can be done while cloaked but must be within 5000 m of structure to maintain link and can only be done with covert ops frigates.
Covert ops are made immune to intel structures completely so they can sneak in and interact with them.
Game play :
Covert ops goes into constellation first and finds the intel structure. Starts the hack which will allow the home team to still see blues but hostiles/neutrals drop from local. Anyone paying attention can see the sudden drop in reds and investigate but if their not paying attention or there are no reds in the constellation they might miss it.
Red fleet can then come into constellation undetected and wreck havoc. To restore intel home team can go to structure and orbit with drones out to 5000m and try to decloak covert ops frigate OR home team can deploy friendly covertops frigate to counter hack the structure back into operation and decloak the hostile hacker.
its not a bargain for the return of local its new content.
The attackers are hacking the structure to move in undetected which gives them an element of surprise.
The structure is another isk sink for alliances in null via fuel and is only limited to a single constellation meaning they’d have to setup up several to cover a region.
Gives utility to covert ops frigates making them unique and specific to a game mechanic.
As far as i’m aware black out isn’t permanent. If it is great then disregard but I think that having a in game structure that creates a point of conflict that is strategic in value creates the opportunity for more strategy in the game for both attackers and defenders.
Also they at one point stated they wanted some kind of intel structure in the game and this would suit that niche.
But in order to do so, you appear in local and tell everyone that you’re planning on hacking that structure, which gives away that entire element of surprise…
So as soon as local goes down, you know there is a Cov.ops 5000m or less from your structure… You know how easy that is to locate right. It’ll take 15 seconds. Make sure it’s not at an entrance and they have no hope.of getting support there to catch you first.
The only good part of your suggestion is changing local from system based to constellation based. And they could do that everywhere, not just in null (wh obviously keep current structure due to no constellations)
You wouldn’t know local had gone down unless there were reds already present. However there is no reason that a delay couldn’t be added so that it wasn’t immediately apparent.
The goal with this idea is that it would provide something similar to the moment in films where you see the guy watching the security camera half assed and then guys robbing the bank put the cameras in a feedback loop and he misses it because he’s distracted by the sports game on tv.
This is like most of my ideas not meant to be a 100% certain fully fleshed out idea but meant to spawn a bit of brain storming that might lead to something fun and useful in game.
aka don’t just whine about the idea but actually contribute to it by taking something out and making it better.
That isn’t going to cut it though. There should be some kind of mechanic where players can interact with to setup or take down the benefit to those utilizing it. There should be a play and then a counter play no matter how small it maybe. Sometimes 10-15 seconds is enough to make a difference even if most of the time its not.
There doesn’t need to be counterplay.
There doesn’t need to be the capacity for perfect Intel.
You are just too attached to it.
And yes, I’m proposing delayed constellation for every K space area, not just null. I think instant local is bad everywhere even if you have to have a structure. In some ways it’s even worse if it’s structure dependant.
The problem then is that local is actually a chat channel and not actual intelligence.
A delayed local when not under the influence of some player driven mechanic is a terrible idea because the goal of a chat is to get feedback while the other person is still there. If it all operated on a delay all the time you’d have people smack talking people who are already gone.
By having a means for people to manipulate the constellation or local chat you’d be allowing them to use it as a chat channel but also allowing them to disrupt it enough that a hostile force can have an element of surprise.
Perhaps the best idea would be to divorce the intel aspect that “local” provides from the chat aspect of it all together.
Simply make chats generic ( there are already alot of generic chats that are barely used ) instead of location specific and develop structures that relay intel in some manner that can be manipulated by players to gain a diversion or other value from it.
Just to clarify I have no issue with the removal of local chats used as intel.
However I believe there is something missing to the gameplay of being able to find out intel and then act upon it.
As I’ve said i’d like to see it have some gameplay mechnic around it that allows some form of intel but counter play that disables it in a way that an attacker with enough planning can use the safety of the tool to undermine those who utilize it. Kinda of hey this is useful but then if you rely on it too much it might lead to something unexpected and a loss.
Its kinda like when they removed the penalties of losing a clone and you got to keep all your skill points. Don’t get me wrong I love the change and I think it was a good idea but something was lost when they just did away with it completely instead of having it take a new direction or being reborn in some meaningful way.
its even worse than system-wide local - it will automagically alert ratters/miners in that dead-end system that someone has entered their constellation (are 2-3 systems away).
Any structure solution is not a solution at all. Like with this suggestion: having a requirement to “hack” the structure is like setting out an alarm that someone is there or incoming. Structure spam is also a thing.
So… any neutral in your constellation shuts down ratting… people will never get to rat.
Which means people will get used to the idea of neutrals in constellation. Because it also no longer gives you away.
Now ok map stats give you away, which also need delaying to like 24 hours.