Steiv Dallas
Munch and Crunch Security Runners
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Posted - 2014.01.31 19:42:00 -
[1] - Quote
I think this would qualify as a mobile structure type idea...
I would like to invent a remote sensor drone that is designed to go through a warp gate or wormhole without my ship having to go.
I would have to pre-program what I want it to do, such as how far to travel once through the gate, how far to space the drones, amount of time to scan, etc. Once on the other side, it would execute the program, moving to the general area relative to the star that I programmed it for, then sending probes to the planned distance to conduct the scans. Then the sub-drones return to the main drone, which then returns through the gate.
I then scoop the drone and then could open the data and get an overview of what is on the other side. Perhaps make it very specific to what can be scanned for, so that each programming must focus on looking for resources, or tech or wormholes or whatever. I'd make standard models slower than normal scans, also.
Also, make it so that the launching ship has to be close to the gate/wormhole to launch (but doesn't have to wait there) to keep people from sitting in their ships on the other side of the system. I'd say you wouldn't have to wait at that location for the return, but the drone could be stolen if left alone too long (after the default cloaking time expires). It would make the pilot have to watch the clock based on the time expected to be away. I'd have the drone be rather large so that it would be the only drone that could be carried by a frigate, for instance. Slower scan speed means that the longer you leave it on the other side, the greater the chance of it being found, even if it is hard to scan down it's exact location. The main drone would be passive, so finding that would be hard. The scanning drones wouldn't be, so you might end up getting back a main drone and have to replace a few sub-drones that never made it back to the maine drone.
It could make an interesting dynamic to have to sit and wonder what your expensive gear is doing out of sight. It would also make it tougher for big groups to set up gate camps and lessen the mass that goes through a wormhole for initial exploring.
To limit the chances of being stolen or discovered, perhaps upgraded versions could include stealth versions that are harder to see on a scan while it is working.
Trying to balance this item is that you have no control of it once launched. It goes and can be destroyed or stolen (if found) or maybe you didn't program it for what you should have, or not for the size of the target system (especially an issue for uncharted wormhole space).
I also like the decoy idea you had in the beginning.
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