Crystal Ball - The End is Nigh For POS

Last week I talked about how the new Refinery structures from Upwell Consortium are probably the last major dockable structure coming intended to replace Outposts and Player Owned Stations (aka POSes). However, that statement was not 100% accurate. Yes, Outposts are effectively obsolete with the growing functionality of Citadels and Engineering Complexes, but while Refineries cover a large portion of the outstanding functionality currently provided by POSes, there are still three very important functions that are not covered:

- Cynosural Generator Arrays (aka cyno beacons)

- Cynosural System Jammers

- Jump Bridges

Each of these is a starbase modules that gets anchored and onlined at the POS and provides important functionality to pilots of the owning corporation/alliance.

Cyno beacons act as permanent cynosural fields like what is generated on ships that allow ships with jump drives to transit to that system. These are hugely more useful than using another pilot because they are always on, don't require other pilots, and are anchored near a starbase for some automated defense (but don't count on it to save you in the face of a determined opponent).

Cyno jammers are modules installed near a starbase that prevents any normal cyno fields from being generated (covert cynos can still be lit) in the system.

And jump bridges are modules installed near a starbase that allow instant passage from one system to another system in range with a paired jump bridge module. The module requires liquid ozone fuel in it to allow passage (the amount determined by the mass of the ship using it) but this module is support important for null sec alliances who want to shape their space and gain a huge mobility advantage for them and their allies over enemy fleet in the same space.

An important part of the operation of these three modules are that all of them have to be active outside the starbase's force field, meaning a hostile force can attempt to disable the modules to deprive their functionality to the owners, indeed some serious battles in null sec erupt and/or turn around these modules being forced offline or preventing that from happening.

So when POSes go away, how will CCP implement something to replace these items?

For the two cyno related items there are several possibilities each with their own issues. The simplest approach would be to make two new structure modules that require fuel, much like the manufacturing modules or clone bay module, but can only be installed in Citadels (i.e. not Eng Plexes or Refineries). Installing and activating the cyno beacon/jammer would enable the citadel for the appropriate role. However, the downside is that the durability and invulnerability of the citadel now applies to the module, safely ensconced in the bowels of the structure. This would remove the option of an attacking force disabling the jammer/beacon without destroying the entire structure. So that's no good.

A second option would be to keep the POS modules similar to how they are now, but change the code to only allow them to be anchored in the vicinity of a citadel. Their fuel cost for being online would go into the fuel cost of the structure, they would still be attackable since they are not inside the structure, and the citadel's weapons could be used to provide some protection for them... but since the structure weapons are not automated it would be only if there was someone at the controls, meaning it would be much easier for attacking forces with even a few small ships to disable the modules.

Finally, CCP could make new small structures independent of citadels, larger and more permanent than mobile depot and portable cyno jammers but much smaller than citadels. They would not have docking but would have a fuel bay, a few automated weapon systems, maybe even vulnerability windows but much larger than Raitaru Eng plexes (like 12 hours a day). They could have the same anchoring limitations as the other Upwell structures to prevent them from being used as extra firepower around stations or gates. This option would solve the too-invulnerable and too-vulnerable issues of the other two options but requires a lot more coding development work from CCP.

For the final POS module, the jump bridge array, I think a new structure with new rules is mandatory to make it work. Right now jump bridges are only allowed in sov null sec but I think that we can open the functionality up both in how and where its used. And tick off a roadmap checkbox for CCP's long term plans.

Allow players to build stargates.

(I realize I'm putting on my crazy dreamer development hat here, but go with it.)

There would be three sizes: medium, large, and extra large and each gate would have similar build costs to citadels. Each size has different levels of defensive capabilities, vulnerability windows, and fuel cost, again similar to citadels.

Docking? No, can't dock at them. They have fuel bay and perhaps some method of opening a fitting window.

In order to actually be a stargate and allow passage, they have to be paired with the same sized stargate owned by the same corporation in another system within range: the larger the stargate the longer the maximum range. Right now I'm think the max range of the extra large should be around 8 light years, large at 5 light years (current jump bridge max range), and medium at 2-3 light years.

They would show up on the overview (same functionality as other Upwell structures) but access to using them is defined by an access control list (ACL). They may have an ISK cost for using them defined by the owning corporation via the ACL.

They can be placed in any non-Wormhole space like other Upwell structures, but only one active online stargate allowed per system! HUGE gamechanger, I know, but they can be attacked and destroyed like any other Upwell structure so yes you can build a new public toll road to avoid Udema when travelling from Jita to Amarr but you can be wardecced and attacked for it.

God I would love to see this.

Stargates

I've been thinking a lot about stargates recently. CCP's famous (or infamous depending on your point of view) image implies that at some point we will be able to build stargates.

With Crius the first arrow in that diagram has been mostly dealt with so we are getting closer.

However, I'm plagued with question less about the "Stargate construction & control" which will be years out still and we need to see how the other 3 sections pan out, but rather asking questions about why we are where we are now. In other words, why can players build (and destroy) stargates now?

I know the simple answer: because such a feature has not been implemented in game yet. And I know the more philosophical answer: because that much control to players could lead to unbalanced power equations and stale min-maxed game play (e.g. imagine every staging system was a dead end system with a single perma-camped and bubbled gate).

But what's the lore reason? I mean, its obvious that player alliances in null space are a power comparable to the major empires, they have basically urbanized most of null sec with outposts, jump bridge networks, cynosaural beacons and jammers. Yet slightly larger construction efforts like true station building and stargates have remained out of reach. Why?

The best possible answer I've come up with is that its more beneficial to the null sec alliances to NOT build such structures. Specifically, the protections all capsuleers enjoy due to the CONCORD agreements the empires signed have large benefits (such as freedom of movement between empires, freedom to dock anywhere, protection from asset seizures, not extradition to planetary governments, etc) that outweigh losing them for stations and new stargates (or destroying existing ones).

Although many null sec players live almost exclusively in null sec, their associated alt characters and business ventures rely heavily on empire resources and markets. Imagine what would happen to a null sec alliance if it was completely cut off from Jita's markets all of a sudden. So that seems like the most likely culprit.

Another possibility is that there is no other known places to build stargates, i.e. the current possible stargate network covers all possible locations. This seems unlikely and is easily contradicted by stargate connection changes in past expansions.

A third possibility is that the technology is tightly controlled by the empires. Again, seems very unlikely since null sec alliances have the jump drive tech and stargates use the same basic principles just  on a larger scale.

Perhaps the problem is simply cost. Maybe stations and stargates are so expensive to build that its out of reach for null sec alliance wallets. *Looks at massive titan fleet* Yeah, I don't think so. Unless the problem is not cost but rarity, perhaps both stations and stargates require some ultra rare material in their construction and thus this rarity limits their propagation.

Any thoughts?