just as a thing;
Why do all drones auto-distruct when their source-ship jumps out?
I assume it's either
a) resource saving for the server.
or
b) to prevent fire-and-jump.

It's to make departure more important.
eg a big ship fires off loads of beholders and then is forced from the system plunging it back into darkness.

Mainly done for beholders really. But I quite like the implications.

doesn't the transfer of DL and the new restrictions on when/where you can jump do that?
meh, I was just thinking that it takes some gravity from certain decisions and actions. I see lockdowns, emps, and attack drones completely, beholders I'm iffy on (just been screwed by my opponent's ships jumping out and taking that particular "terraine feature" too many times I think)... but mines in particular seem like something that should be a grinding agony even after the perpetrater has left.

But players could seed a system with mines and then jump out, and over time the system would become unplayable.

Mine in particular would cause this.

I guess all drones could have a lifespan to ensure a natural death after some time, and then they could be left in system after the parent departs.

But, is it worth it? i.e. if you are winning a battle, drive off an enemy then his race should NOT benefit - ie they can now jump in a healthy ship, keep all the old ships drones and so are effectively in a stonger positions because you were winning.

I still think it's best to kill all of the ships drones.

Jonathan

I've actually thought about that, especially with mines being neutral, seeding a system with mines is as dangerous to the person doing it as to anyone else. Further, with the new limits on which systems can be entered to fill a system with mines is to close the system to your own use. For me, the key question is should the time and energy put into setting up a system be wasted?

As for the trading ships, and I have seen this even without drone retention, if a player can get his ships to open jump areas and do that exchange then they make my ships stronger (darklight transfer). I would still like to see darklight be worth more and have a smaller starting scale, for just this sort of thing, but even a transfer of "current darklight" in addition to the permenant darklight would be a little somthing extra...

is it worth it? I dunno. you'll notice this is under questions, not suggestions.