Hello, everyone! I've got an idea of a game that I'd like to tell you about. War Thunder, World of Tanks - these are games a lot of people enjoy playing. But they feel kinda… samey after a decade. Tanks roll, shells go boom, planes go pew pew, rinse, repeat. Feels like playing with museum pieces sometimes a bit, still enjoyable though. Meanwhile, outside my window, actual conflict looks like some dude in a container sipping coffee while his quadcopter drops grenades down a hatch. The disconnect is jarring, we need to go more modern - and I think UAVs is the way to go.
So, screw it. My brainworm for the last however long: World of Drones. Obviously, not a mod for Battlefield This may be an entire whole-ass game built from the ground up around UAVs. Yeah, this is my hill to die on as of today, July 31st, 2025. Call it a public declaration before someone else inevitably has the same obvious idea.
Core aesthetics: You’re the operator and your battlefield is a multi-monitor setup, probably covered in energy drink stains (or not if you're neat). Your inputs are keyboard, mouse, maybe a HOTAS if you’re fancy. The feed is a laggy video, glitchy thermal, and the constant fear of CONNECTION LOST (debatable).
I've been planning this article for a couple of days already, so here are my core points:
The Steel Mosquitoes: You’ve got your tiers, obviously. Not historical eras, but tech levels. Bottom tier: commercial quadcopters jury-rigged with firecrackers and a GoPro – basically flying IEDs with terrible ping. Mid-tier: proper military recon birds, maybe some early loitering munitions. Top tier: stealthy UCAVs, electronic warfare platforms that turn the airwaves into soup, maybe even experimental swarm controllers. Each class plays different. Recon isn't just spotting; it's hiding your EM signature and managing battery while orbiting, praying your datalink holds. Attack isn't just point-and-click; it's managing limited ammo/payload weight, dealing with counter-drone systems (think glorified shotguns or net guns), and hoping your target lock doesn't glitch out. EW is also essential, it's possible to actively grief the other team’s signal, creating zones of pure "nope" where drones go stupid or drop like rocks.
The Real Game is Meta: Absolutely no HP (hitpoints), we need complex component-based damage. For example, losing a rotor is a nightmare and good luck controlling that drift (but it's possible, maybe?). Sensor pod gets broken? Say hello to static snow or a completely dead channel. Battery hit most likely shuts you down or makes timer a lot shorter. And if your comms are jammed, just hope you have line-of-sight or a relay buddy nearby, otherwise you’re spectating your own expensive demise. Positioning isn't about hull-down like in WoT, it's about signal down. Flying behind a skyscraper isn't cover from bullets (usually), it’s cover from connection. Terrain matters way more – dense urban for close-quarters signal hell, open desert for long-range sniping (and getting sniped by AA you never saw), forests where thermal might work but visual is useless.
Customization = Min-Maxing Hell: None of that "slap bigger gun on" nonsense. It’s weight, power, frequency, signature. If you want better thermal sensors, then they suck more juice, shortening flight time. Longer range comms, and, thus bigger antenna makes you glow brighter on everyone's RWR. Some fancy stealth coating costs payload weight you could’ve used for an extra missile or explosive. It’s all trade-offs. Do you spec for pure stealth infiltration, max sensor range for spotting, jamming resistance for pushing into EW hell, or just strap on as much boom as the frame can barely lift before it handles like a brick?
Maps Suck (In a Good Way): Just imagine trying to fly your delicate $10,000 drone through a city where every building is a potential signal blocker and every window might have some dude with a shotgun (bots or players playing different mode?). Or navigating a jungle canopy (Africa, Brazil?) where GPS is spotty and visual sensors see leaves, leaves, and more leaves. Maybe an industrial complex full of massive metal structures that scramble signals and create insane radar clutter. The environment is the primary antagonist sometimes. Good luck controlling that micro-drone with high wind. Also enjoy sensor degradation with heavy rain, maybe reduced battery efficiency. Adds that lovely layer of RNG, I think.
Teamwork or Die Solo Queueing: This isn't sky Call of Duty. Recon spots targets for that silent UCAV way up high. EW drones make bubbles where enemy signals just die, letting attack drones push without instantly glitching out. Maybe a high-altitude "mothership" drone acts as a signal relay for guys stuck in a valley. Or just spam cheap decoy drones to eat enemy CIWS ammo. No comms? You get picked apart fast by anyone coordinated. Solo queue gonna be rough.
Why It Wouldn't Suck (Probably): Forces different thinking. Less twitch (except dodging AA), more managing systems, positioning for signal paths, watching battery/ammo/signal bars. Tension comes from maybe losing control any second, not just getting deleted. It's modern. Relevant. The salt when your expensive prototype eats a net gun from a $500 junker? Perfect.
Balance looks awful on paper, but it's adjustable. Netcode simulating signals, jamming zones, LOS - absolute spaghetti nightmare, but it's fun. Takes all the annoying, technical backend crap of real drone ops and makes it the core gameplay. You're the guy in the trailer hoping the link stays up.
Closing: World of Drones. My ambitious idea for the future. Execs with cash? DMs open. Won't be cheap. Won't be easy. Balance will be crappy. But hey, so is real drone warfare. Git gud, I guess. July 31st, 2025. My hill.
Telegram: @vnx8ahths