Adding Orbital Stations

[firestormrct]

In light of the Aftershock expansion/update release, the HART centers don't make sense anymore (HART craft traveling across the galaxy in seconds? Well, it doesn't make sense to me). So, I propose Orbital Stations!

Every side has an Orbital Station revolving around each planet (like a sattelite). From the Orbital Station, you can group up with your squad, HART drop to the planet that it is revolving, or re-spawn at another Orbital Station or your Sanctuary. Also, while in the Station, you will load data for the planet it is revolving, which could dramatically decrease load times.

The people in the Orbital Station count as being "on planet". If you could not normally HART to a planet, the Station will go offline until the specifications for being able to HART are met. The Station also launches Orbital Strikes, so the strikes will take place each time the Station orbits the planet (you have a timer).

I drew up a concept sketch:



The squares with the bullet in them are supply terminals
The smaller squares with an L in them are lockers
The circular fronted things with a crosshair in them are respawn/spawn tubes
The circular fronted things with an I in them are Implant Terminals
The rectangles with a C in them are Certification Terminals

The HART buildings in the Sanctuary will, instead, house large respawn tubes and data beams through which they send the genetic data to the Stations. However, data can only be transferred to the station when it is at a certain spot, because of revolution. (So, you can only send data to the station half of the time, increasing spawn times at a station.)

Any questions/comments?

[myrtar]

i like it, and i really like the sketch.

i was sadly absent for the original orbital stations, but i suspect that if they re-implemented them, they'd use the original models.

[Hayoo]

Cool sketch. How do you get to each station though, by HART shuttle from the sanctuaries first? If I hit /recall would I return to the station or to the sanctuary? I wouldn't mind running around such a place. :) If I remember correctly, the orbital stations were originally supposed to do something like that to allow Sanctuary Strikes but the Devs felt it was redundant for the player to travel twice so they took it out and the model collected dust. :( At least Sam has mentioned the possibility of bringing it back.

[firestormrct]

The original HART stations at the sanctuaries would be high powered respawn tubes that can spawn you at the station of your choice. I was thinking of having the new "spawn" building take NTU, but it would be kind of pointless considering it is the sanctuary; and because the vehicle construction pads dont need NTU. I have pondered where /recall should bring you, but I think it would be unfair to be able to recall directly to the station and then drop on the planet.

[firestormrct]

I am also taking CAD as my Freshman elective (AKA im gonna be taking CAD lessons like twice a week for my freshman year) so i hope to be able to make some moels and things.

[TaneruVenam]

Good Idea, but I've got an idea on how to explain the Harts now......well...sorta...When the bending occured and the continents of Auraxis were flung across time and space, each continent "landed" on a different planet. They were still connected by the warpgate network, somehow.... and also in another way.... Far above each planet, a gate opened, a gate to a nexus connected to all the remenants of Auraxis. This gateway would open whenever an aircraft or ship neared it and transport it to the nexus. Only the massive HART dropships have the power to leave the atmosphere of each planet, so only they are capable of using this gateway.
The droppods are deployed over the entrance to the gate of the desired continent, and released through it.

Meh....my creativity just died...Oh well....

[sharkbyte3827]

I like that idea of putting a station near the planet, it seems like a good idea and would make a little sense for the gameplay. It would also allow the people to just kinda hang out if they wanted to jsut chat or somethng. BUt really I think we should keep the Original Sanctuary lands, b/c most of the time we form our raid parties there w/ armor and Galaxies. But the station coudl be something to fight on for control?

[Sobekeus]

I think the HART itself should be removed, it serves no storyline purpose. Broadcast warpgates are more than sufficient.

[thephenyxrising]

Why can't the HART use warpgates? ;) I'm not knocking the idea (I like it) but... yeah. ;)

[minignu]

Right heres my idea for orbital stations (it'll be too hard to implement but what the hell)

There are 10 orbital stations on each empire. When an outfits points per person gets high enough that outfit can purchase an orbital station with their outfit points (however these points are still displayed on the outfit OP point totals). When an outfit owns an orbital station they can:

1) Place it above any continent or cave (however it takes a while to get there maybe 1 or 2 hours).

2) Decide to make it outfit only or not.

3) Buy anything they want for it.

When an outfit wants to buy anything the outfit leader (or any high ranker) goes to the main teriminal of the station and chooses what the buy. Each item costs outfit points.

Items to buy:

Spawn tubes
Equipment terminals
Certification terminals
Implant terminals
HART stations
Advanced HART stations (These are HARTS that can be deployed wherever the Outfit Leader wants at the same time in a sort of mass HART drop. Also the HART can deploy small HARTs that turn into equipment terms or spawn tubes. Lastly the HART can also deploy small structures that heal and repair nearby troops and vehicles. These run out over time.)
Lockers
Orbital strike cannon (This SLIGHTLY reduces OS time for outfit members of a high rank)
EMP cannon ( This SLIGHTLY reduces EMP time for oufit members of a high rank)
Vehicles terms (these work slightly differently. The vehicles spawned here are dropped in using inertia dampeners, however certain vehicles will be damaged if this is attempted.)

Any questions/comments?

[firestormrct]

That just altogether sounds like a waste of outfit points and time. My idea is that it is a sort of secondary sanctuary, where infantry can group up, and possibly synchronize drop pods. Also, it regulates OS times and HART drops, so people can predict when they will happen. Also, it might be nice to add a sort of radar scan, so it snaps a picture at apogee, and to add spawn tubes and equipment terms that can be "dropped" like HART vehicles; possibly for CR6?

[minignu]

Originally Posted by firestormrct

That just altogether sounds like a waste of outfit points and time.

I actually said that the points will still be shown on the outfit point totals. So you are NOT wasting OPs. No need to be rude.

[firestormrct]

Sorry. But nothing should be outfit specific that gives any type of real edge. Everything that makes you able to fight in game should, in general, be available to everyone; that's the point of Planetside.