[Suggestion] Add solo drone companion

636 votes

This game is extremely lonely when you're playing solo, since the penalty for death is so great for solo players it would be fantastic if you could have a rover/drone as your companion, leveling up your drone companion for SOLO play could be fantastic, different options would pop up depending how much players are in your game. DEATH stranding is a perfect example of drone companion helping the player.

Under consideration QOL Suggestion Solo Suggested by: Marco (28 Aug, '21) • Upvoted: 12 Apr • Comments: 39

Comments: 39

28 Aug, '21
DeathEmber
Drones were shown on the space station tech tree and are in development.
29 Aug, '21
Jacques Joubert
Epic idea!
29 Aug, '21
The1nk
Kinda like “BOSCO!!” From deep rock galactic
1
30 Aug, '21
CloudLicker
Terrible idea imo. The premise is you spent all your money getting to Icarus so you only have primitive tools to start with. Maybe add a drone as an optional purchase in the space station after level 20 or something. If you're lonely just join up with a random player.
31 Aug, '21
JaysonPhoenix
for the lore reasons id disagree, in general its not a bad idea but if so it should only be available for alot of cash or locked behind some endgame stuff unlocking it for another char so you had to get rich without it once first and than have it like a quality of life inprovement for new chars. but in general i dont think this is needed just to aid solo players since i didnt find it hard yet, may change when we get to see different difficulties or different environments so it might just be too early to tell yet
31 Aug, '21
Marco
I don't think it's a terrible idea the drone can be an accessory that is already a part of the space station your pioneer is on, it only activates when you're doing solo and doesn't come completely deck out, you'll only be able to upgrade it as you say at a certain level to give it more refined abilities through the money you get with your exotic sales.
02 Sep, '21
DeathEmber
@Kevin; the drones in the space station are unlocked with Exotics. Means minimum level 20 + mining + working to them in the station tech tree. It's a ways off. :)
07 Sep, '21
Dan
Adding a drone in solo-play would be a nice ideea. And is not like i am lonely but would be nice sometimes to play solo to..but DEV's choice so...
29 Sep, '21
Mercy
Since a drone is already planned that unlocks with Exotics, perhaps having a base model drone without any bells and whistles could be unlocked in the solo tree. This base model then could be upgraded to the model that is unlocked with exotics, which is available to all players at that point. Perhaps the base model drone could have a very small carrying capacity to help haul back resources to the base. Personally I think having such would work extremely well with the lore of the game being related to space travel and exploration.
07 Oct, '21
Cory James
Upgradable drone would be awesome. Drone could be a flashlight at night, sound an alarm when animals are present, have small storage like 1-2 items. Maybe a solar drone that requires charging in sunlight for maintenance
11 Oct, '21
BendyApples
This would be awesome, a nice QoL buff for those that prefer solo play. A robot like TARS from Interstellar would be perfect for a game like this.
15 Oct, '21
fornost gsd
Make it so it can revive us and the dying related problems are solved.
Click to enlarge

20 Oct, '21
Jay Ammons Merged
i would like to see drones where we can use not only to transport resources but a way to bring a player back to life or locate a player or finding a location to build a house
21 Oct, '21
Matt Merged
I think an assistant, especially for solo players, makes a lot of sense. I recognize this game is envisioned as a cooperative experience but there will nonetheless be a significant number of solo players. That said, an assistant could serve to facilitate some of the function, within reason, that other players serve: revive, carry items, complimentary skills, etc. Maybe this assistant is a drone maybe it's a dog I don't know. The assistant feature could be disabled during cooperative play. Or, perhaps there's a valuable niche middle ground where an assistant could exist regardless of the number of players. To be fair though, this feature is no small matter and would be a real investment of time and money to implement. Also, could see 3-4 players with 3-4 drones flying around being pretty OP real quick. Frankly, most games with assistants conceptualize and build them as a major feature from day 1. This game doesn't seem to be going that way - this seems unlikely but welcomed.
24 Oct, '21
ThirdCloud
I found friends to solve this problem but i do still somewhat like the idea for when i'll be solo. while i can see the benefit to something like this i also feel it would take something away from the game. In addition to playing solo I wish to increase weight capacity more than we already can. id like to mindlessly gather tons of things without having to return back to base. If all the drone did was carry extra weight. id be ok with that
04 Nov, '21
Dave
This is a brand new game Not a Deep rock galactic mod...just make some friends
15 Nov, '21
Vex Merged
A repair drone that repairs your building during storms would be useful. Then you don't need to worry about leaving your house for a while. This should probably be a late tier tech.
19 Nov, '21
Diamonds Merged
Oh awesome suggestion Vex. Thank you for tagging me on the discord btw to show you made the suggestion. IDK if you took inspiration from my idea I suggested but yeah, I think this would be really awesome. It does seem feasible that it would be a high level late kind of tech.... but the peace of mind to be able to leave your house to do stuff and not panic when a storm comes in would be nice! So it might almost even not make sense because of what you'd need to build it (electronics and such). But it would be a cool alternative to stone!

Especially then because you could make some beautiful wood and thatch nice looking bases and not worry as much about 100% needing to upgrade to Stone. Even if it can't keep up with high level storms, it would be a nice thing to have at your base while you're repairing it too to help you repair faster. Maybe it could even be upgraded to have a short burst fire extinguisher for very very small fires (not as good as the buildable fire extinguisher).
27 Dec, '21
Blackstone
I don't need no stinking drones. When I want to know where something is at I go there and kill all in my way. If I can't find anything to kill I lite the forest on fire and take selfies.
28 Mar, '22
Lianail
I like the idea of the drone, but only as a simple remote recon tool, not as a hyper-intelligent AI. Make it craftable on the machining bench. When you deploy it, you change your perspective to the drones.
22 Jul, '22
Rob Merged
A drone that provides basic dialogue and (if developed via skills/items) can provide support for single player, distraction, small health/damage buff or ability to revive 3 times during a mission?
23 Sep, '22
Sean Cormier (RogueCmdr TTV) Merged
Add outpost only module to launch drones which would arrive on our next prospect and flight/return

You can send in limited materials or maybe a T3-4 deployable or something. But you gotta get ur base location you want to setup in a certain amount of time and get a clearning and like a chem flare torch placed for the drone to locate. And perhapes have the items can be sent back to outpost after biofuel or exoctic refuel along with it be at risk of animal attack/fire/lighting.

Another drone mission launch opiton, Survey/intel of boss and ore sigtures.

Item - Drone controller (in game and workshop)

Maybe have drone orders from station workshop. all time based and maybe ren/exotic cost.
28 Sep, '22
Sabre070 - Designer Admin Merged
"Add outpost only module to launch drones" (suggested by Sean Cormier (RogueCmdr TTV) on 2022-09-23), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
29 Sep, '22
Sabre070 - Designer Admin
"Solo medic drone companion" (suggested by Rob on 2022-07-22), including upvotes (2) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
29 Sep, '22
Sabre070 - Designer Admin
"[Suggestion] Add drones" (suggested by Jay Ammons on 2021-10-20), including upvotes (5) and comments (3), was merged into this suggestion.
29 Sep, '22
Sabre070 - Designer Admin
"[Suggestion] Add repair drone for buildings" (suggested by Vex on 2021-11-15), including upvotes (4) and comments (1), was merged into this suggestion.
27 Dec, '22
Reolos
And name him Bosco!
15 Feb, '23
TendisMahl
Get the voice/video actor for Sol to record a bunch of witty audio cues for things like hunger, over-encumbered, tool breakage, etc.

“I heard that ankle snap from the space station!”

“You couldn’t even fit a puff of air in your backpack it’s so full.”

“Your lungs sound like a seal gargling seawater. I suggest some antibiotics.”
1
04 Apr, '23
cmopatrick
I don't care about the "lonely" aspect, but the ability for such a drone to stand in for the teammate the solo player does not have to revive a character in place (where he/she fell) would be worth it... at least as the game now stands without any other alternative to resuscitate available.
19 Apr, '23
cmopatrick
If we have no other way to revive a solo player where he/she fell, then this could be an okay option.
13 Aug, '23
Fuzzy Spoons
I would like to see a drone you craft and skill points you can spend to increase it's stats. Maybe even one you can buy in the shop and take down with you. Possibly different types too. One for carrying a small amount of stuff, one that can heal, ect, ect. A great idea in general though for sure!
07 Nov, '23
Balaur
Did I hear you say Boston Dynamics Spot (R). Make it have module slots (at least two) and you could have it as your medic (for solo plays) and remote for (short range) scout. I am sure you will come up with more mod ideas: watchdog, hauler, etc.
20 Nov, '23
Rob Merged
Would love to see some form of Tier 4 Drone / Robot that i can add to my buildings. His only job would be to cruise around my base and repair damaged structures.

The other would be a Gardening robot who would keep an eye on my automated gardens. Picking and planting. :)
21 Nov, '23
Elissa - Producer Admin
"Building Repair Robot. Gardening Robot" (suggested by Rob on 2023-11-20), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
04 Dec, '23
Nebthtet
A configurable robot buddy would be wonderful. Something like Bosco in Deep Rock Galactic (but here it could have a plethora of functions on top of just shooting).

Also an option for support pack with cosmetics.
07 Dec, '23
Tim
This would be awesome! It doesn't have to be a physical thing in game like a drone either it could be an "AI" thats built into the envirosuit that makes comments. Like cortana most of the time in the Halo game series, just commenting on whats going on. Maybe giving small tips here and there. You could give them a 20 minute cooldown defibrillator in the suit for solo revives.
30 Dec, '23
darrin
team up with me or give me a tag name. Im a single player mostly and would like to game with another. the drone idea is a cool one though lol
11 Mar
Crabbyfireman Merged
Some type of drone that you make T4 that you set up to go unload and bring back your drill materials. Self automation
12 Mar
Elissa - Producer Admin
"Mine gathering drone" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-03-11), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.