snorkle25
Dirt Nap Squad
Dirt Nap Squad.
9
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Posted - 2015.01.19 22:08:20 -
[1] - Quote
In my opinion 'AFK' cloaking isn't the problem, its a symptom. I use the phrase 'AFK' Cloaking since the players in question would be a non issue if they where well and truly AFK. It is the fact that they are not (or at least enough of them are not) truly AFK but simply patient observant hunters that makes this an issue.
But lets get down to the real issue, what should the purpose of a cloak be and to what extent? Currently a Cloak simply hides the player on a very small scale, the grid. It does not conceal the players presence within the system or region (for the sake of this discussion lets omit WH space since that's a different realm altogether). Now the way the current hunter/prey relationship works in Eve, concealment is really only an issue, strategically, on the local and greater level. Therefore, at this time cloaks simply do not conceal the hunter forcing a player adaptation; pretending to be AFK so as to fool the prey into thinking that the hunter is no longer there (ie concealing the hunters presence).
The fact is that extended periods of cloaking do have a purpose, mostly in the collection of human intel. While in a system cloaked its often helpful to note who is undocked and in what ship type. What activities are being conducted. How often players are docking/redocking both in general and specific. What gates or routes do they take? Are there any exploitable patterns (personal, corporate or alliance wide)? All this adds up to a lot of time patiently at the keyboard cloaked and attentive and unlike spies its hard to burn a cloaker.
So whats the solution that 'fixes' this problem? The best solution in my opinion would be a delayed local, nominally a 10min delay. This way hunters can move through and hunt while intel gathers are still visible to the locals.
Many of you are now asking yourself, so how do we keep them out of our space?! The answer is the same way you stop anyone else, but up gate camps at regional gates into and out with insta-lockers and lots of de-cloak objects. Be active and proactive! And most of all, be out in space!! There are lots of example ways to bait out hot-droppers and the like. |