Skva
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Posted - 2006.06.12 14:46:00 -
[1]
I'll start by saying what the current problem is: When you log off, warp out, or CTD, you lose control of your drones. In the first two instances, (logging off and warping out) this consequence is completely fine. You've either left them behind by choice, or you've forgotten them and can just warp back and get them, etc.
The problem arises, say, when you are npc'ing with drones, and you lose connection. Your automaticly warped out to save your ship. But, the npcs who were just shooting your ship, now move on to the fragile drones, who will just sit in space now their owner has gone.
Usually, by the time you log back on, you'll have already lost a few. And in most ships travelling the sometimes large distances (40km, 30km, even 20km in a Battleship) takes too long, and as a result, the drones pop.
Keep in mind my post is only concerned with avoiding the loss of drones due to disconnects, having them left behind for other reasons is, as I said, completely fine. So a solution is needed that helps lower the risks of losing the drones to a cause outside your own control, but without being exploitable by people who didn't disconnect.
Just buy more drones, you say? Buying them isn't the problem, logistics is the issue when your located in deep 0.0 and lose a day or mores npc'ing due to a crash. I'm getting a little too specific here (no prizes for guessing what happend to me...  ) but the point stands.
Possible solutions I've thought of are having lost drones being located in the 'Drones in distant space' tab, and then allow you to to warp to them. You'd still have to travel 15km to reach the drones, but rather 15km than 40. However, this isn't too great, as there's nothing stopping someone just dropping a drone and warping off, and then using them as warp-in points. (Not the best use for them, but I'm sure there are others).
They could follow you in warp to the place you go when you disconnect. I'm not really a fan of this one, as for one thing it doesn't make sense RP wise (drones with warp drives) and more importantly gives a reason for drone users to log off in combat, now they don't have to be concerned about losing their drones. A consequence they face if they warp out/log off.
The idea I am particulary fond of, is to allow tractor beams to be activated on abandoned drones. For this to be a viable solution, ranges on tractor beams would have to be increased. Or, just add medium / large tractor beams or a skill to increase their range by a significant amount.
This would be a life saver for people who were genuinaly disconnected, and I cannot think of any ways in this could be exploited. If you log off / warp out and leave your drones behind, you still have to come back and pick them up, sure it'll be a little faster than before (drones moving at 500m/s, apposed to a BS moving towards them at 100m/s ~), but that's it.
This then brings up the issue of fitting more than one tractor beam. Five drones, and not really viable to fit five tractor beams. Even in a Dominix or other ship that primarily uses drones, I can think of far more useful things to fit in my hi-slots than five tractor beams.
Another solution could be to make it so that drones don't become completely unresponsive if you warp out. I don't mean being able to command them when your not there with them, but perhaps if you warp back in within x amount of time, they will still respond to your orders? This sounds like it could be exploited too, so that ones out.
Any ideas?
Losing drones, or anything for that matter, to a genuine mistake or to your own stupidity is anoying, but it's all part of the game. Losing equipment to something out of your control is not. Granted, it is covered by the reimbursement system (I think...) but on average how long does it take to get a petition answered? Exactly. There should be some way in which you can reduce the risk of losing drones to a CTD, and I'm interested to hear some more possible ideas.
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