The Wings discussion thread

[CMDR Bansidhe]

No they can't do that already. They can not post a mission asking for escorts. There is no payment system in place. You could not only use that for player interaction but for pve as well. You could for example escort a NPC trader fighting off NPC pirates. That would greatly enhance the current missions and lead to a better gameplay. Why people are against gameplay improvements is beyond me.

So you couldn't send me a message in game and say "hey, escort me through system x and I'll abandon 2t gold for you"? Seems fairly straightforward to me.

Who is objecting to improvements? I see people speculating about the potential impact of upcoming introductions but that's all.

 

[Anopheles]

I certainly hope it's a nightmare, though it should only be such for the suicidally stubborn or not very bright traders.

 

[Harlock]

So fly in convoys or you're screwed. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Zylark]

Imgine a train of 4 Type 7/9 get interdicted by some poor schmuck pirates in their puny Vipers and Cobras. Then the traders escorts, a couple of Pythons and a 'Conda, drop in on the wake. Pirates being mass-locked, no-where to run, a dozen turret-beamers grazing them as a volley of missiles is en-route. Two pirates die outright, the other two had the wits about them to scurry out of there all boosters blaring at the first sight of the reinforcements. Tail between their legs, they mourn their fallen comrades. Insofar pirates can feel remorse.

Wings will work both ways. Lone traders may struggle a bit, but organized traders won't.

 

[babelfisch]

So you couldn't send me a message in game and say "hey, escort me through system x and I'll abandon 2t gold for you"? Seems fairly straightforward to me.

For me that doesn't sound straight forward at all. Who guarantees that he will drop 2t of gold? How does he find a commander in the first place? We need a bulletin board reaching out the neighboring systems, lets say 25ly, to contact other cmdrs. With the current tools its realy difficult to FSD in formation with another cmdr, let alone jumping in his frame wake.

 

[Tigga]

Easy: we need much stronger NPCs and the ability to hire NPCs into our wing.

This way you can protect yourself against PvP piracy, and while some systems will become a lot more dangerous if you don't have escorts, there's something you can do about.

The main reason wings will help pirates more than traders is that, as has been commented before, trading is not nearly dangerous enough to require splitting profits with an escort. If most of your runs go off without a hitch, you're going to have a very bored escort very quickly. Pirate wings are guarenteed action.

 

[Innigo]

Viper pilot available for escorts missions. Reasonable rates, payable in advance, but offering a money back guarantee. Terms and conditions apply
Bring on the pirates.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

In all seriousness, npc wingman are a must. With the player limit per instance the only way to have huge battles is by bolstering the numbers with npcs.

 

[Rearden]

Unless NPCs use wings as well I don't see why I should be hiring escorts and hindering my profits instead of moving to solo or private group.

And if NPCs can use wings then traders should also be able to hire NPC wings.

So to answer OP post: nothing will change here except maybe you will see less traders in open. I don't see player escorts being introduced to fight pirate escorts because 1) it is boring for the escorts and 2) it cuts on the traders profits when he has other workarounds available

 

[Cmdr Effie Trinket]

I wonder how some of you actually cope, out in the big bad, real world?

All profit, no costs, no overheads, no insurance, nothing. Just trading and making your money 100% your own way?! LOL

Nothing like the cacophony of entitlement to drown out reality!

 

[Flying Penguin]

I wonder how some of you actually cope, out in the big bad, real world?

All profit, no costs, no overheads, no insurance, nothing. Just trading and making your money 100% your own way?! LOL

Nothing like the cacophony of entitlement to drown out reality!

Wait... Have you been reading the same thread here?

I see no entitlement here, just precautions. Flying in pirate heavy systems is the opposite of taking precautions...

I'm trading right now, in open. If you can find me, you can have a go. Or would you like me to come to you?

 

[Quineloe]

Having played games with the exact same mechanics in the past I remember that escorts simply did not happen. But groups of pirates, taking out players in 6vs1 fights in seconds, that did happen all the time. Until there was no one left to kill.

 

[Harlock]

I don't mind the cut into profits. I completely agree that trading is the way to quick riches right now and it's imbalanced. Try smuggling sometime--pathetic profits, all the risk and then some. And I'm fine with that; unfair and unrealistic as it may be, I knew it going in. I'll keep with it as long as it's enjoyable.

I'd just like to see people understand that at some point we're going to run out of those willing to be preyed upon like every other open PvP game. Then the very same people who are now complaining about how they think it's unfair that the people they're frustrating for their pleasure are whining will do exactly the same as they fill that role, but learn nothing from the experience. That's their choice going in.

 

[talharbash]

Having played games with the exact same mechanics in the past I remember that escorts simply did not happen. But groups of pirates, taking out players in 6vs1 fights in seconds, that did happen all the time. Until there was no one left to kill.

Yes pretty much. Play in anything other than solo and you have yourself to blame.

 

[Ydiss]

Imgine a train of 4 Type 7/9 get interdicted by some poor schmuck pirates in their puny Vipers and Cobras. Then the traders escorts, a couple of Pythons and a 'Conda, drop in on the wake. Pirates being mass-locked, no-where to run, a dozen turret-beamers grazing them as a volley of missiles is en-route. Two pirates die outright, the other two had the wits about them to scurry out of there all boosters blaring at the first sight of the reinforcements. Tail between their legs, they mourn their fallen comrades. Insofar pirates can feel remorse.

Wings will work both ways. Lone traders may struggle a bit, but organized traders won't.

Wings are limited to 4 according to a Dev post. So at most it'll be 4v4.

 

[CMDR Bansidhe]

For me that doesn't sound straight forward at all. Who guarantees that he will drop 2t of gold? How does he find a commander in the first place? We need a bulletin board reaching out the neighboring systems, lets say 25ly, to contact other cmdrs. With the current tools its realy difficult to FSD in formation with another cmdr, let alone jumping in his frame wake.

You are mixing up the concepts of "would be improved by" and "impossible to achieve without".

 

[mugendo]

Space is still very big, the pirate wings will only be effective when they find well travelled trade routes. So i don't expect the pirate wings to suddenly descend onto my quiet trade run.
The more variety and options offered, the more players will find a reason to play ED..and that is good for the game.

 

[Ydiss]

It doesn't need to be that complex, players just need to be able to post on bb at current station escort wanted from a to b for this much. Potential escorts look at the trip and pay offered and decide if its worthwhile to them, all we need then is a method of transferring payment on completion. If the attackers have bounties then that would be bonus value.

edit; we would also need some form of ship tracking so that when target is interdicted we all get dropped out with the targeted ship.

It needn't even be that complex.

Shared transactions at a ratio agreed on wing formation. Done.

 

[William J Smith]

I wonder how some of you actually cope, out in the big bad, real world?

All profit, no costs, no overheads, no insurance, nothing. Just trading and making your money 100% your own way?! LOL

Nothing like the cacophony of entitlement to drown out reality!

I trade in open play, to play solo or group seems just so.... meh.

But the idea of pirate wings vs convoys is just the sort of thing the game needs, adds risk to the pirates as well as the traders.

Do you risk attacking a type 7 or 9 knowing if its alone you'll be able to loot it succesfully, but then a 4 ship escort wing could be waiting for you....

For the trader types, do you want to fly alone in an area known to have pirate wings in them?

Risk vs reward.... the driving force of all humanity

 

[salad]

Pirate Wings: The Dream of every Escort Pilot

Yep, count me in for that, will hang out of stations offering cargo escort services.

 

[Cmdr Effie Trinket]

Wait... Have you been reading the same thread here?

I see no entitlement here, just precautions. Flying in pirate heavy systems is the opposite of taking precautions...

I'm trading right now, in open. If you can find me, you can have a go. Or would you like me to come to you?

I was commenting with an eye to the post immediately prior to mine. Just another Trader demanding 100% profit for Zero risk. Not willing to hire escort to get past the indjuns with their wagon-train, because it'll eat into their profits! I'm sure the Prairies are littered with the bones of that kind of trader! That sort of rubbish, you know? Responsibility? What responsibility?

I'm not a Pirate. I'll come over to you if you like, but unless it's by utter chance, I'm not sure how I'd find you, or what would be the point?