Donate ships to ports so the AI can sail them during port battles

[Mongoose McMoose]

Too many times I've sailing into a port battle, and it's been nothing but pounding cannon towers into dust, then collecting loot and leaving. It's uninspiring gameplay to say the least.

 

It would be a good mechanic if ships could be donated to a port to supply a line of defense during port battles, sailed by the AI. To stop these AI ships from taking player slots, they should come into the battle 5 minutes after the battle begins, to allow extra time for players to enter before the AI fills up all the slots. 

[Galileus]

Timer on port battles is 40 minutes.

 

What happens when player joins while AI is already there?

[Mongoose McMoose]

Change the timer length. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. Anything is better than silly empty port battles.

[xAzDKr]

No, if the enemy doesn't show up, then they don't show up. I'd rather have a quick free for all on the towers and move on with my day than trying to kill a boatload of idiotic AI, they'd sink each other by ramming before they got a half mile away from the spawn..

[Porpoise]

Well the flag mechanics is here to blame. We need new mechanics that will open only few ports to being captured every day. This will result in more predicted actions and bigger PVP engagements. This attacking windows should be based on the players activity in the area, not only on buying the flag.

 

I think that simplified system that works in EVE online could fit here perfectly with some modifications.

1) you will buy flag for the specific port and assemble the fleet - it will start the timer (60-120 minutes?)

2) the attacking fleet has to go to this port and fight in the battle that opens in certain time with X slots for both sides. If there are no enemies, the battle is automatically won by the other side. Both sides will see when the battle starts and will have plenty of time to gather forces and join the free slots.

3) if the attacker wins the battle there will be new timer for final PB (24 hours)

4) standard PB window opens when this timer runs out  - classic PB with towers etc. When defenders lose, they lose the port.

 

This will calm the situation on the map avoiding switching multiple ports every day and it will definitely help smaller nations to defend precious ports. The most important thing of all is to bring some purpose to having multiple harbors. Now every nation needs only 4 of them to fully satisfy own economical needs.

[Stix]

The current mechanic is fubar but I dont mind your idea.

[Cragger]

AI ships in port battles would just ensure any defense that shows up loses due to how the mechanics of port battles work and AI would charge in with no self preservation.

[Diggled]

Your point would be kinda moot if they fixed the timer aspects of Port Battles.  1 hour + small battle windows = boring ghost caps.

 

With a game as slow paced as this, there HAS to be advanced notice for port battles.  PotBS had 24hr notice and that worked out great, I cant even recall an uncontested port capture, vs NA I've had enemies in 1 out of the 10 port battles I've gone to.  Ghost Caps, as they're called in Planetside 2, are god aweful boring for both teams.  If they ever add in ability to automate your ships moving around outposts, that would help alot.  As it stands, logistics is killing fun gameplay for port battles.

 

I would hope that devs plan to introduce 24-48 hour notice for port battles and also open up the attack windows to at least 8 hrs out of the day.

Edited April 8, 2016 by Diggled

[Shrez]

PLZ no AI in PB's!