This suggestion is more of an idea, which I'm curious of the feedback (flamesuit on). I'm not even going to say "This needs to be in immediately." or anything stupid like that, it's just a thought.

The classic role system is comprised of a tank, dps, healer, and Rift has introduced the "support role". I would like to see this system incorporated into VO, but maybe not in the way you are thinking. As of right now, you can be anything you want and I want it to remain that way. So, I think a seperate port would solve this problem. The port would be a role port (please make a better name).

So, lets say you wanted to be a tank. The item you put in this port would increase maneuverability and armor, but drastically reduce dps and reduce speed. It would also need some of kind of aggro ability, that way fire is focused on the tank.

DPS would have its own buffs/debuffs. Probably increases in DPS and speed, but no armor and maneuverability debuffs (or something using a variable like explosion resistance or energy resistance).

Healers would have their own buffs as well, typical stuff. Energy buff, healing buff, armor buff, drastic dps debuff, and so forth.

Support is a combonation of low dps and low healing. (and player buffs, but would be hard to do in VO, so I will not mention it)

Possibly a "miner role" as well. Buffs in mining output and asteroid warming, cargo (holding ore), but debuffs in DPS, speed, armor, etc.

Now the fun part. Specific weapons could be used only if a "role" item is in the port. For example - Repair Gun Healer Edition (stats could include buffs in weapon speed and recovery rate or something), but can only be used if the "healer role" item is in the port. So, somebody in a dps rig couldn't have a badass repair gun, or a repair rig couldn't have a badass dps gun, and so forth.

One of the things a healer would need, imo, is a self healer, but I know this has been debated for a long time, so that's all I will say about that.

The reverse is also true. Some weapons could NOT be equipped when certain role items are in the port. for instance "dps role" and swarms.

Also, perhaps some ships would not be able to do some roles?

As far as everyday life outside of group activites, your ship would not require an item in the "role port" to be functional. And on 1 vs 1 combat, these roles could potential hinder you. For example - if player a has a "dps rig" and player b has a "no-role rig", player a has more dps than player b, but player a would have the debuffs that come with the rig (maneuverability debuff, etc). Same with "tank" vs "dps". Tank may be quick, but dps is junk.

Yes, balance and items would need to be very well thought out.

I think it would add depth and customization to the current fighting system, and hopefully nullify the "common winning setups" we see complained about all the time. It would also make group fighting (skirmish, hive, levi, missions, etc) much more fun, imo.

Traditional MMORPG mechanics don't work with VO. Which is fine, because traditional FPS ones would work with it, leaving plenty of opportunity for expanding gameplay without adding unrealistic restrictions or bringing VO in line with other MMORP experiences.

I'm not sure I agree. I can see how "Traditional MMORPG mechanics" COULD work with VO.

"...without adding unrealistic restrictions..."

Adding a mod to a mother board with the mods available to you are not "unrealistic restrictions" (if you want a better video card it drains more power for example). Please do remember this is a game, not a space flight simulator. So any kind of mod that is availble to you would have its advantages and disadvantages.

"...bringing VO in line with other MMORP experiences."

Ok what? I don't think I understand that. Wouldn't that be the competition? Even EVE has a (very poor and convoluted) role system.

Well we already have a 'role system' if you like. People can easily put rep guns on their ship and play repairer. You can fly a capship as support for instance. All these roles are useless compared to dual flare valkryie, but they exist.

Essentially you're just suggesting that we have a specific port to define roles; well why do we need that when every port can do it?

EXCEPT the buffs. A person with a "healing role" would be much more efficient at healing than someone without it; BUT, wouldn't be able to fight others efficiently with low dps. Just like the mecahnics of any other mmo. And it would also bring much more diversity to setups.

But, like I said, just a thought, so I'm not going to beat it to death. Haha.

Right, but this could be achieved by having particular items that you can attach to your ships with certain effects. Why don't you suggest specific items and their stats instead.

I have never been good at that =\

Feel free to counter my suggestions with your own. I was just throwing out an idea.

In order for specific items and stats, they would have to have stats that don't exist right now.

For example -

"Tank Neutron Blaster" (I don't care about names or specifics right now)
-50% to Damage
+100% Armor
-60% Max Speed
+40% Maneuverability

Just an example. But, seriously, I am horrible at making up stats.

Please dear God no. Just no. This is a shooter, an FPS. Not a dice rolling EVE clone.

I don't like the idea of a character having "special roles" just because choose a "class" to be. I know it works fine on most MMORPGs, but it is terrible where we use spaceships.

I suport that individual roles are determined by ship/equipament you are using. And you can change it easily... just as it is now on Vendetta.

Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting everyone has to "pick a role" and they are stuck with it forever.

Not sure how "dice rolling" implies to this. But ok.

It comes down to how things are designed. We indeed already have this at the moment it's just very subtle.

Consider the Ineubis Raven: It's a blaster but in addition to functioning as a weapon it is also extremely light so it improves your thrust/weight ratio which is key for manuverability.

The only problem with your specific suggestion is that it's completely nonsensical. Okay, so we have a neutron blaster, with a shield (+100% armour, no recharging) that does 300 damage and reduces your max speed but also reduces your manuverability (which doesn't make sense because max cruising speed is proportional to manuverability).

The devs haven't added original functionality to specific ship weapons for many years but I don't think it's too farfetched to imagine we will have weapons that come with ship modifying perks at some point like weight reductions or shields or other features, but I do know the best way to get them implemented is to be very specific and realistic in your suggestions.

The only problem with your specific suggestion is that it's completely nonsensical.

I'm starting to get the feeling you like to debate lol. I said very clearly I am no good at making up stats. It was just an idea to be discussed.

but I do know the best way to get them implemented is to be very specific and realistic in your suggestions.

Unfortunately, I'm not a game developer. I don't have any specific stats in mind. I would probably be the worst game developer ever because i am no good at making sure things are balanced, etc. Again, it was an idea to be discussed and I was hoping the community would better define it.

Don't get me wrong, I fully understand what you are saying to me, I just feel you're not reading what I'm posting for what it's worth. I'm just a little guy with a little idea, nothing more, nothing less.

If you'd prefer it I can just be like everybody else?

"No you NOOB we don't want no stinkin EVE clones l2p srsly you're such a NOOB"

Haha. Fair enough. I've been around for about 7 years now, so I actually expected that response. But, in any case, thanks for your humility. =)

TheRedSpy said: "Well we already have a 'role system' if you like. People can easily put rep guns on their ship and play repairer."

Armonia said: "EXCEPT the buffs. A person with a "healing role" would be much more efficient at healing than someone without it; BUT, wouldn't be able to fight others efficiently with low dps."

Actually it already works that way. If you equip a repair gun, it uses up a port which could have held a blaster. Therefor it does already hurt your ability to fight. Similarly, you can fly a heavily armored ship like the Prometheus if you want to "tank". The armor weighs you down, which hurts your maneuverability, which hurts your ability to actually hit the enemy despite your possibly larger number of equipped weapons. (Plus, heavy ships tend to equip deterrent weapons rather than DPS weapons.)

Note we do already can "specialize" most ships in VO, as mining rigs, bombers, long-range fighters, short-range fighters, runners/interceptors, so on.

Almost going off-topic, but one way to IMPROVE those "specializations" while keeping the space combat simulation would be what was implemented in MechWarrors series: Weapons classes vs. Armour types and Heat vs Ammo.

* Regular armour offers same defense level against any weapon.
* Reactive armour offers improved defense against missiles and general ordnance, but weaker against energy.
* Reflective armour offers improved defense against energy weapons, but weaker against ordnance

* Energy weapons produces LOTS of heat but have infinite ammo.
* Ammo-based weapons have limited rounds but produces reduced heat. Extra ammo can be added, adding also weight and using equipament slots.
>> HEAT must be dispersed using heat sinks, that add weight and take equipament slots. And can be destroyed

Transporting to VO's universe, we can have interesting combinations with Cargo Bay... so the same ship can be tailored from a light and agile freighter to an armoured heavy fighter, and can be also tailored to the enemy's fighting way with variations of amount and type of armour.

1. ARMOUR:
1.1. Allow customize amount of armour, thus affecting weight
1.2. Allow customize armour type, from regular, reflective, reactive

2. Weapons support - to make weapons selection have other consequences:
2.1. For using full storage, do NOT add weapons. Storage bay will be used to store ammo, batteries and heat sinks as user adds them.
2.2. AMMO-based weapons, (missiles, rockets, rails, mines) will require ammo to be added to storage bays. Each crate have a number of rounds and weight. After using an ammo crate part of its weight is reduced from ship's weight.
2.3. ENERGY-based weapons will require heat sinks to be installed on cargo bay, and have its performance affected by heat buildup, an automation to avoid ship from overheating and exploding. Each weapons produces Dw (delta-weapon) heat per shot and each sink converts Ds (delta-sink) heat per second... shoot fast, heat builds up. More sinks means more shots but less cargo and more weight...

3. Support Ship: Another interesting option would be to have a specialized support ship, that can REPAIR and RELOAD other ships. And respective support role missions (Logistics war, supply lilnes, etc).


This is not the same as a repair gun on a regular ship, since this Support Ship must have no weapons but be able to repair AND RELOAD missiles, flares, etc. So, it must be able to jump faster than other ships, and maybe also be able to do intra-sector jumps... And everybody in these ships should be able to either "listen to requests" or some way to detect what ships need R&R.

-1 Alloh

Tridents *are* support ships that REPAIR and RELOAD other ships. They might as well be unarmed too. lol

Not like the above, ARF... Support ships go after their subjects and are "agile", like jump in near front lines, R&R and jump away. Tridents just sit there waiting for others to come and are far from agile.

indeed, the support ships could repair and reload even capships...

Terran, no need to vote, I don't expect VO to change that much... despite would be fun to see VO become a "MechWarriors in FreeSpace".

MechWarrior was confusing as hell. You could spend all week 'sperging out with mech options and still end up with a piece of crap that's not worth a damn.

Ships in Freespace didn't die in half a second from a volley of rockets like they do in VO. You stop moving and you're DEAD. Especially if you're already in need of repairs.

In Freespace, you had to stop moving entirely for the support ship to dock and reload you. As much as I'd like to see some of the mechanics of that game (subsystems, bombs, energy management) make it into Vendetta, this isn't one of them.