Small Port Tracking Projectile
Port: Small
License: 2/5/-/-/-
Availability: All greyspace-exclusive corporations (Such as Corvus, Ineubis or XX) given +400 standing or more
Damage: 0
Velocity: 500 m/s
Range: 5000m
Ammo: 2
Mass: 200kg
Grid: 2
Effects: makes target ship visible on radar no matter what (as though they were a group member) and increases the range at which their jump destination is accessible to 2000m. The target ship cannot tell that they have been tracked unless they have an addon scanner (other than that there is no detectable sound or effect). The tracking effect lasts until the firing ship unequips or reloads the tracking weapon or the target ship docks with a station (capital ships don't count). The tracking information is only available to the firing ship unless they have a group radar system. The tracking effect works in ion storms up to 2000m and works in fogged sectors the same way it does in normal sectors (inf). Tracked targets pulse white on radar.

Large Port Tracking Projectile
Port: Large
License: 2/-/5/-/-
Availability: same as small port
Damage: 0
Velocity: 550 m/s
Range: 10000m (able to track targets from well out of radar range given some nice aim)
Ammo: 4
Mass: 350kg
Grid: 2
Effects: Same as small port, but works in ion storms up to 3000m and target destination available up to 3000m.

Description: These tracking devices were originally used by hive research operations to mark specific drones for extended study. The technology was makeshift, at first, but the concept caught the attention of enterprising weapons engineers who have since then found many more practical applications of these beacons.

These should be fun. Please note that they'll be doubly fun to play with once superdense sectors roll around... and if cloaking devices are ever implemented, these should make sure that they are not too abused :D
Edit: if you need not conclude it from the context, these would not give info on a target's current sector.

Edit (6/16/10): Changed small port velocity from inf to 500m/s and ammo from 3 to 2. Changed large port velocity from inf to 550m/s and ammo from 6 to 4. Tracking effect is cancelled if the tagger reloads the weapon.

Why not make them have a speed, so they are actually dodge-able could be quite high 160m/s or so... would give the other guy far more of a chance to NOT be seen. Perhaps a duration as well something like the Lmine's 900s... Just my two cents

Interesting idea you have there. I agree that it should have a duration. I think 900s would be plenty. This could also solve some of our problems when it comes to running away or giving chase when both pilots are in faster ships. Perhaps it should also increase the distance in wich you can see what sector said target has jumped to?

+1

+1

900s sounds good. 160m/s would make them hard to use. How about 480 m/s with normal rail tracking?

I'm confused... would this seek a target like a swarm missile or act like a rail with a set velocity?

+1 either way.

I like the rail analog, as it would allow you to track a ship without getting within 5000 meters. However, I might be misinterpretting Shank's suggestion.

+1

Part of the idea of the infinite velocity is that it would make it very difficult to know when you are being tracked (otherwise it's a waste of a port) and to make it a viable secondary weapon. However, I have no problems if we manage to give it a high enough velocity (600?) but manage to keep the shot visibly and audibly unnoticeable. That, or I could decrease its ammo.

And yeah, I have no problems with the duration (I was actually going to make one, but I forgot it in the post). 900s sounds fine.

Interesting idea, hope to see this in game, but
- with extremely high price (more than 100k),
- high licenses, like 10/10/-/-/- for light and 10/-/10/-/- for heavy. (I know high licenses in Corvus or XX are not RP wise, but high sounds better, at least another motivation to get high licenses) ;)
- Leave large projectile 5 km range, same as ight, but add storm radar extender functions to it.

...what?
-I see no reason for it to be more expensive than most weapons... it's an asset, not some uber weapon.
-Again, it's not an uber weapon, it's an asset that you must sacrifice a port for.
-I'm not sure what you have against the 10km range. Please, if you're proposing radical changes, provide reasons.

Couple of comments:
It definitely should not have infinite velocity, although I'm not opposed to something high like 400m/s. That way, if you are within 500m of the target you'll be pretty much guaranteed to hit your target, but the target might suspect they are being tracked. The converse is you could stealthily tag someone from 10km away, but you'd be apt to miss. That also means it would require skill in aiming to use effectively. I don't think it is necessary to make the shot visible/audible to anyone other than the person firing.

In addition to ceasing to broadcast info when the target docks in a station (non-cappie), it should also stop working when the tagger docks, thereby emphasizing the taggers ability to survive without station repairs. This would also prevent the tagger from hiding in a station with impunity while broadcasting info about the target to fellow group members.

You should only be able to tag one person at a time per tracker armed. In that regard it allows you to better track a single target with stealthy intentions rather than mark a multitude of people and hope that one will pay off.

This last one is a bit obvious, but the person doing the tagging should have some indication as to whether or not the tracker is still active on the target (icon on the HUD or whatever).

Yeah, I'd say that something like 480 m/s to 600 m/s would be fine.

Good call on your second suggestion, there, but I don't see how abusive it could be considering one could just as easily hide behind an asteroid (which they could even more easily do if they had the other person tagged)

As for your third suggestion, I don't see how having 3-6 people (given good aim) tracked would be bad... If you have the skill to, or see an ideal situation to, keep track of more than one target at a time, then it should pay off. Otherwise, it would be a waste of ammunition.

As for your last suggestion, I've already got that:
Tracked targets pulse white on radar.

Edit: Edited the OP

I personally see no reason why it shouldnt work throughout the entire system..docked or not with a duration put on it, it makes it so you have a good 15 minutes to find whoever it is you tagged. It should stop broadcasting if you or your target jump to another system (as the distance between star systems is vastly more then in system). Makes it a bit more useful of course..if the person tagged changes ships...well.. then you shouldnt be able to track the NEW ship.

That's a different weapon. I came up with this specifically with superdense sectors in mind.

ill admit to a very limited knowledge of the super-dense sectors, but it seems limiting what is.. in my opinion essentially a good idea (that being your OP) to a relatively limited locality

All in all, I think this is a wicked suggestion. It will help to solve the massive problem in VO of chasing/running. It should display what sector the target has jumped to at a higher range also. This would be beneficial for both pirates, and anti-pirates, and just anybody in general. 600m/s is a good speed. with a 900s timer, fuck that'd be awesome. DO IT NOW (as arnie would say)

-Niut