Musclethorpe

By heat signature I mean having an assigned value to each thruster and space brake, based on size and if it is currently active. There would of course have to be a delay (let's say a full minute), so as to not have locks lost the very second they are not in use.
 
 
The suggestion to have hit chance based on cross section could still be implemented, but having the ID/Lock distance based on heat signature could open up a few gameplay avenues.
 
 
1) Running cold would be a thing. Either coasting at a set speed, or remaining motionless would provide protection from would-be attacks. 
 
 
2) Advanced piloting skill ranks would be rewarded by allowing their ships to use fewer, and smaller, thrusters in their designs. 
 
 
3) A bit of forced survivability, as a ship takes damage and loses thrusters. Without closing more distance, it would become harder to target a ship as it either limps or tumbles away, organically increasing time-to-kill.
 
 
Just spit-balling here, as NQ has stated PvP is quite a ways away from where they want it to be, and the playerbase can effect some positive changes.

By heat signature I mean having an assigned value to each thruster and space brake, based on size and if it is currently active. There would of course have to be a delay (let's say a full minute), so as to not have locks lost the very second they are not in use.
 
 
The suggestion to have hit chance based on cross section could still be implemented, but having the ID/Lock distance based on heat signature could open up a few gameplay avenues.
 
 
1) Running cold would be a thing. Either coasting at a set speed, or remaining motionless would provide protection from would-be attacks. 
 
 
2) Advanced piloting skill ranks would be rewarded by allowing their ships to use fewer, and smaller, thrusters in their designs. 
 
 
3) A bit of forced survivability, as a ship takes damage and loses thrusters. Without closing more distance, it would become harder to target a ship as it either limps or tumbles away, organically increasing time-to-kill.
 
 
Just spit-balling here, as NQ has stated PvP is quite a ways away from where they want it to be, and the playerbase can effect some positive changes.

...the more voxels you have underneath, lets say by percentage of the building space filled, the weaker the protection.
 
This way you aren't forced to make a cube anyway underneath said shield, or you could go voxel-free for a stronger shield, but would be in dire straights should they ever drop. I would like to think with proper balance, most people would be somewhere in the middle.
 
This, of course, doesn't address other glaring issues like targeting distance based purely on core size, and L weapons on XS cores, but it's a start.
Discuss.