Saul Elsyn
Sturmvogel Squadron
47
|
Posted - 2013.01.24 02:00:00 -
[1] - Quote
This is meant as a sort of 'catch-all' thread for the discussion of improving the PvE portion of EVE Online. By PvE I refer of course to activities that are primarily Player vs. Environment in nature, the NPC portion of Faction Warfare is also up for discussion. I'll be starting out with some of my ideas and effectively opening the floor to others.
1. Mission Running Improvements
There is no doubt that Mission running has been a major part of EVE Online for years, and for many people that have played the game is their primary activity. We've had nerfs, buffs, and other adjustments but overall the basic structure for your typical combat mission is the same. Fly to a location, destroy some NPCs, loot them, haul specified drops back to your agent (if any) and repeat. It's rather boring.
I'd like to see more varied and interesting missions in the game... How? Well there are a number of possibilities to consider. We could add npcs that are closer in performance to actual capsuleers... these simulacrums could therefore be something that could be a sort of 'training' for pvp.
By performance, I'm of course talking about things such as dps, hit points, and resists. Imagine fighting an Incursus in a Level III or IV mission that can do the amount of DPS your average capsuleer can do with one... he'd be as much of a threat as two or three normal NPC battleships. I think in part the divide in fittings between PvP fights and PvE is due to the difference in combat performance. If mixing in some more PvP style opponents makes mission running more exciting, all the better.
I'd also look at boosting rewards... having been forced to do some mission running recently to improve my corps standing I've found myself rather irritated by the lack of rewards for running missions. I know I shouldn't expect the multimillion isk salvage but it's not really much of a reward.
2. The Rat Hunter
This is a profession that's largely extinct at this point, thanks in part due to ever better means of making isk in other professions, and the rather low reward compared to high risk. Fighting NPCs in low-sec and 0.0 is largely... pointless. This is in part because there's no reason to hunt them besides the infrequent drop of high value modules and bounties from Concord.
I'd like to see that possessing 0.0 space by Players requires the elimination and suppression of the local NPCs. Maybe it could be setup so that destroying NPCs increased how secure a 0.0 sovereignty claim is sort of like how victory points in FW work... in fact, it'd be really intriguing if say... the NPCs could try and take back the system if their claim became vulnerable enough.
Additionally, I think another way to encourage and buff 0.0 and ratting in particular would be the inclusion of NPC capital ships as possible foes in spawns. Suddenly, NPC ratting becomes much more interesting when an NPC Revenant plus support ships drops into your belt.
Plus the inclusion of capsuleer simulacrums as officer or commander spawns? So many other possibilities. Plus complexing needs boosted as well.
3. The Pirate
What? Piracy and NPCs? Yes, it's possible to be a pirate carebear... well, somewhat. You know those npc convoys you see floating around? You can blow them up!
That's right, you can!
This is really a micro-profession that really never got off the ground. I've tried it and found it in need of iteration, but then I guess it was basically abandoned. Still... if blowing up freighters, indies, or transports sounds like fun I'd like to see this further developed, maybe somehow linked into NPC buy orders or something.
4. Incursions for EVERYBODY!
We've had a couple random events that have featured various factions launching attacks into High-sec space... The idea I have is that instead of just saying only the Sansha can go slap around people in High-sec, what if it was opened up to every other faction. We've already seen Sleepers launch attacks into known space on occasion (Awakened Infomorph... hmm, could this possibly be a Sleeper capital ship for an Incursion?) so extending it to other groups could easily make sense.
It doesn't even need to be done the same as the Sansha... how many missions have we run against NPCs who have their own secret stargate in a system? All it would take for a pirate faction to be able to drop capital ships into a High-sec system would be to disable the cynojammer, by crook perhaps? Steal the authorization codes from Concord or some other means.
Then there's the possibility of a Sleeper assault... a spatial rift opening in a constellation and suddenly everyone learns just why Wormhole space is dangerous? So much fun would be possible if this was opened up, plus if you wanted to seed more faction ships by blueprint drops...
EoM suddenly coming out and being a player in Incursions would be another possibility.
Even the Empires are at war, so they could easily launch Incursions against their foes... I mean, we all remember the Quantum Rise trailer with an Amarrian fleet assaulting a Gallente outpost?
I'd love to see Incursions expanded to all the factions, it'd be a great way to broaden and deepen the game. The PvE could still be improved, that's for sure.
5. The Raid Mechanic and Epic Bosses
Not to steal from WoW, but I'm stealing from WoW. Complex running is sort of like raiding, but... what about the epic boss at the end? We really don't have any beside the Revenant Mothership in Incursions. Lets get some! Here are a couple possibilities.
Awakened Infomorph - Sleeper Titan/Mothership Sansha Kuvekai - Sansha Titan? Omir Sarikusa - Blood Raider Titan/Mothership Salvador Sarpati - Serpentis Soltueur-class Titan Angel Cartel Leader? - Angel Cartel Titan/Mothership Korako Kosakami/The Rabbit - Guristas Titan/Mothership |