Alastar Frost
Irrationality ILLC
C0NVICTED
27
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Posted - 2013.01.20 16:44:00 -
[1] - Quote
I have seen some POSes, but never managed one. But i heard a bit about the diffculties with them. So i will post how i would imagine a working POS implementation, and hope for comments.
1. Assembling/Breaking down a POS
I am a fan of accurately placed things, and that seems to be an issue. What i would do:
-> Place a tower as an "Anchor" of the POS system
-> The activated tower generates a "material dump", a site where inactive hardware can be placed and assigned to the pos. The tower then takes care with its tractorbeam systems that they dont float away (this is more lore than an issue, as the stuff gets fixed coordinates and doesnt move. The interesting part is "registring" the parts with the pos, so the POS knows what is there)
-> Go to a window with a 3D grid, where you can assign modules to a position. If you commit the change, the tower will use its tractors to push the mod at the right spot and activate it. Same for deactiating modules, the tower will collect them and plase them at the material dump for further use or transport.
This allows to configure a pos very easily. And everyone with access to the shields can place modules into the material dump, allowing the pos manager to remotely set up the stuff via interface, simlar to how you manage a PI operation.
2. Operating a POS
Besides managing the configuration from the 3D screen as mentioned above, fueling a POS is always an issue. Right now, you need a role for that iirc.
-> Better way: Place a container at the material dump, register it with the POS, tell the manager. He will see the new container pop up in his menue so he can use it to fuel the pos.
3. Delivery service
Sometimes you want to have people haul stuff to your pos that dont have access to the force field.
-> Create a contract wich targets the POS (yes, you have to give up the position of the POS for that, but you can limit the visibility of contracts as usual)
-> If someone has a valid contract, he can go to the pos and "fulfil the contract". This means his cargo will be dumped into space and the tower will tractor it into the material dump. So you could hire external people to haul fuel to your pos. If they make it there, they can dump the stuff and you can use it by the remote interface. (You probably want to have a collateral as with other couriers, and the deliverer has to scout the POS for a siege, but thats nothing new).
The rest of it is making the remote management UI good. You should have overviews of what your modules are doing right now (before you deactivate it), but that is something a UI guy can easily do if the rest is set up.
If the contract system is expanded to POSes, it can also be expanded to Customs Offices, giving the chance to outsource even those delivery jobs. This gives a lot of chances to mini jobbers in EVE.
Having the delivery jobs from and to POSes managed via contracts, you can pay your helpers simply by setting the contract up correctly. Also, you separate delivery from POS management roles. And with a remote access to the management screen, it will be easy for a few persons to manage large number of POSes.
One issue with that remote access is, that you dont have to fly around the pos in a hauler to place guns. I would compensate that by making the guns voulnerable to attacks (they can be destroyed independently from the POS). An additional logistic module inside the POS could repair them (new stuff is always cool), making it harder to destry them. This also creates the need to have spare guns inside the POS to replace destroyed guns. More to do for the industry guys. |