Yes yes I know Inferno 1.2 is out now, but I had this one planned after I read the CSM minutes last week.
In the CSM 7 minutes of last week we can read about CCP’s new ideas for Starbases. Starbases will be replacing the current POSes. The current POS code is very buggy (oh rly ?) and the new code will replace that codebase. There will be a transient periode where POSes and starbases will coexist, but the current POSes will be removed at some point.
So what ideas did CCP have ? Here we go:
New POS structures1) A sense of ownership. New POSes should be “space housing”, with players feeling that, “a starbase is their starbase, not a generic starbase.” This includes some form of customization
2) Scalability. They need to scale from individual to alliance sized.
3) Get rid of the force field bubble, partly for technical reasons.
4) A single structure. This doesn’t preclude some sort of modular system, but they want a
single actual object in space, partly for technical reasons, partly for usability.
5) They want a path to retire the current starbase system. This may not happen in the first
release, but eventually a new starbase system should comple ely replace the current starbase system. This means that everything that current starbases can do either needs to be replicated in the new system or removed from the game.
6) (added later on by CCP Masterplan) The current starbase system code is not the best, full of lots of edge cases, and the new one is a chance to greatly simplify things, similar to what CCP is currently doing with Crimewatch.
However, no shields and a docking module sounds like bad news. As also mentioned in the minutes, there has to be a way to see / check what’s happening outside your starbase. In case you’re camped with no shields, you’re just stuck in your station with no where to go. And who wants docking games at POSes ?
The other idea to being able to plant these where ever in space (with the exception of stargates and stations) will need some rethinking. Remember in Star Wars Galaxies you could plant houses anywhere. Every big city (Mos Eisley, Naboo) was surrounded by a big ring of houses, people wanted to live close to where the action is. Imagine this in the space near Amarr, Jita, Dodixie ! Think we’ll lag to hell and back again ;).
So I’d say overall it’s a nice new direction, but back to the drawing board on some issues !
Pic by DarkLordDc.
Yep the docking prodecude definatelly needs to improve for palyer owned structures to have those in dangerous areas. No more capitals without pilots docked in forcefield though, which in my personal opinion is good.
As for housing and lag. well. i agree somewhat. This will cause lag knowing how scaling amount of items lag EVE engine (well gota give it a praise though, in other games many people = instant slideshow on my pc, in eve slideshow only starts of i decide to warp, god forgive they “Fix” the warp animation again) but the amount of housing in hubs can be easily solved. Usign same system pos partly have we could put the requirements to erect starbase according to owners. for example in lowsec to errect a SB (starbase) you would need a stnading of 1 to gallente to use gallente 0,1 sec system, 2 for 0,2 and so on. which would mean you would need 9 or 10 for trade hubs which would cut a lot of people out of the deal. Besides, they can always just dock and live in station like they always did in highsec. SB should be something you earned by getting faction standings up to necessary level. And since less houeses less lag.
Besides, eve draw distance is scaled based on object size. i used both large object details and small (this appear to be the eves draw distance option) and at large ones i could see ships 200 km away sure, but at low even asteroids would only appear 10km and closer, wich winds down graphic card load A LOT. simple icon for SB without loading the model – and you got a solution. (btw on low settings a station that is 0,1AU away still load as a model, funny thing)
Good points about the lag issue. Never knew that about object size BTW :).
Yeah i kinda discovered that accidentally sitting inside WH bubble (i got to zoom out so my graphic card wont overheat) and on low settings as i was zooming out shits started disappearing (models no longer loaded) and it started with frigates and went upwards, carriers i could still see far away. tried it with other objects like asteroids, station, ect and it appear to work based on items size.