Drop Spires - 2019

Aim

Provide new objectives in the field while also supporting battle flow and smaller fights.

Overview

Drop spires (10m tall drop pods) would fall onto the battlefield from orbit automatically, providing players with a spawn point in the field between bases. Each spire would act as a public spawn, containing equipment terminals at the base so players can react to dynamic battles and a bubble shield generator to create a safe space around the spire. Spires could be destroyed by weight of enemy fire once the shield is down or if the attackers can move within the shield.

Details

• Drop spires fall from orbit when a hard spawn, or another drop spire, changes hands or is disabled/destroyed

• They drop in with some randomness along lattice lines outside of Sunderer no deploy zones, or 100m away, whichever is closer

• They act as a public spawn point with the same restrictions as other spawns

• They also have an equipment terminal which can provide MAX suits

• The bubble shield generator covers a radius of 30m and prevents enemy and friendly fire, however the radius would decrease as it takes damage until it fails, although it would take more than a single vehicle to bring the shield down

• Leaders could call in drop spires with a similar system to the ANVIL prototype

Impact

By giving players automatic spawn points it would reduce the reliance on player generated spawn points for attackers which would allow fights to happen on every front, no matter how small the battle. This supports convenience play although does harm logistical play.

By dropping when other spawn points are lost they would prevent the lull in action after a successful capture or defence which often leads to players logging off or finding other fights.

As they would drop along lattice lines between bases they would tease fights out into the field and through it, encouraging vehicle play.