Having used local for intel and also for a lot of tension in WH, I totally understand the pessimism from some nullsec players regarding it. But I’ve also heard a lot of null players are having fun, so I’ll let you all decide on that.
My suggestion is as follows, for null sec, given a permanent blackout. And I’ve seen this suggested by other players, even in-game, so I’ll elaborate a bit more.
As you all know, communications networks are one of the first things that should be disrupted in a conflict, to prevent the other party from calling for reinforcements, warning allies and overall mustering their forces at their fastest. This is war 101.
Following that line of thought, makes sense high sec has a comms network maintained by CONCORD/DED. It also makes sense to have wormhole systems not have a local chat, since there is no CONCORD there. But when it comes to null, that pattern breaks, and as much as some players dislike the idea, it makes little sense to have an all-time on local chat maintained by… whom exactly? Ghosts?
Alliances should be able to put up a communications network infrastructure and maintain it themselves. I’m not great with naming things, so let’s go with 3 (three) different structures: “Upwell Star System Comms Link”, “Upwell Constellation Comms Link” and “Upwell Public Comms Link”.
Upwell Star System Comms Link
This small communications structure would allow for alliance-level local chat in the current star system, within a specific range, say, for instance, d-scan rage, 14.3 AU. In which case, certain systems would only require one or two of these to have full coverage, while larger systems would need more.
If the player is within range of the structure, he would be able to see and talk to any player in the alliance that’s in the same system and within comms range.
If the player is outside the range of any comms structure, the blackout is in effect and there is no local chat.
This structure should have lower fuel requirements than a non-fitted Athanor, seeing as it is smaller and only requires power and cpu for communications. It could have fittings to increase range to a certain point, but never enough so that a larger system would only need one.
Maybe make it so that a non-fitted Upwell Star System Comms Link has a starting range of 8 AU and fully T2 fitted 14.3 AU.
This can only be deployed in sovereign space.
Upwell Constellation Comms Link
This structure could be responsible for linking together all alliance-level “Upwell Star System Comms Link”, providing the whole alliance with a chat that reaches into every system within a constellation, as long as that system has at least one Upwell Star System Comms Link. However, by itself, it’s useless. It does require System level communications to be running. It simply interconnects all the links in the constellation where it’s present.
The same range rules would apply, though. If a player is outside the range of an “Upwell Star System Comms Link”, then no chat is available.
This would be a single structure per constellation, so fuel requirements can be higher. Shouldn’t be as easy to build, and it can have fittings for increased shield/armor/structure hp, as well as reduced fuel consumption.
This can only be deployed in sovereign space.
Upwell Public Comms Link
This structure could be erected within ANY null sec system by ANY alliance, providing everyone with local, system-wide communications, working very much like the regular Local chat.
However, seeing as an Upwell Structure would allow it to be attacked and destroyed by anyone, longer reinforcement periods and much higher shield/armor/structure hp would allow it to last longer and require less effort to be replaced.
This can be a cheaper structure to build and requires no maintenance and no fuel, but also accepts no fittings.
Upwell Public Constellation Comms Link
Working the same way as its alliance-level sibling, this would link all the “Upwell Public Comms Links” in any given constellation.
Again, this structure could be erected within ANY null sec system by ANY alliance, providing everyone with local, constellation-wide communications, working very much like the regular Local chat.
However, seeing as an Upwell Structure would allow it to be attacked and destroyed by anyone, longer reinforcement periods and much higher shield/armor/structure hp would allow it to last longer and require less effort to be replaced.
This can be a cheaper structure to build and requires no maintenance and no fuel, but also accepts no fittings.
Well, this is my contribution to the blackout suggestions and ideas box. Anyone feel free to build upon and/or complain or point out the flaws.
It is by no means comprehensive, but more so than most of the similar suggestions I’ve seen so far (correct me if I’m wrong)
