[Suggestion] Allow outposts to scale and dynamically build/sell off, modules and similar according to their economy.
So, while looking over an other post I got this idea, it is rough still but I think it holds potential.
If an outpost is very rich and has high traffic, it would be to their advantage to begin building an additional docking module, depending on traffic.
If an outpost is poor and has relatively low traffic then it would be an advantage to remove some of the cost it takes to run more docking modules and break down and sell the underused modules.
A larger outpost would be able to handle more modules and commodities, however it would also be harder to reach the next 'step' in terms of an outpost, and since its running cost is up it would be quite easy for them to fall down to be considered poor if they couldn't keep the profits going.
Examples.
Smallest outpost.
2x small
1x medium
Pro: Very Low Running cost.
Con: Low traffic capacity, less profit.
Largest outpost.
8x small
4x medium
1x large?
Pro: High traffic capacity, more profit.
Con: Running cost.
Standard destribution, with what would be considered a normal sized outpost.
Profit scale
P = Poor outpost.
N = Normal outpost.
R = Rich outpost
The smallest outpost, given as example above, would have another profit scale.
It would be very difficult for the smallest kind of outpost to be considered 'poor' as its running costs are kept very low, it would of course also be able to handle less modules/commodities then the normal and large ones.
The largest outpost as given example above, could have another kind of profit scale.
A large outpost with a lot of traffic and profit, would however be at risk of running costs becoming too high for it to manage, but as long as its profits are very high, with traffic and whatnot, it would be able to keep its size.
As long as a station would be in normal, they would be considered fine for their size, their size would be unchanged, make the update time, maybe sync with powerplay cycle to make it easier?
Say for example if a station has been 'poor' for an entire cycle, and still is entering the new cycle, then it would begin selling the module that is less used, it would use traffic data to get an indication of this, if for example there are not that many medium ships, it would sell off its medium module over time.
Maybe make that process take two cycles as well? first cycle where it is determined that they can't afford it, the module being sold would go dark, maybe be given an 'in construction/being sold for scrap' kind of animation or similar, if the station settles on 'normal' while a module is being removed it would continue to remove the module, however if there's a sudden surge to rich it might reverse the option, or such?
Obviously I am not sure how poor/normal/rich stations are tracked, but they do seem to already be tracked currently, by making that into a sluder that scales with station size I think you could add something very interesting and none lore breaking to Elite.
Additional idea's and modifications are welcome, I think this could be a great and 'fairly' easy to think to add to Elite, given that outposts already are sort of generated and many of the assets for this idea should already be in place. Could maybe also be applied to stations though that would need new assets and station types.
Thoughts? Idea's?
So, while looking over an other post I got this idea, it is rough still but I think it holds potential.
If an outpost is very rich and has high traffic, it would be to their advantage to begin building an additional docking module, depending on traffic.
If an outpost is poor and has relatively low traffic then it would be an advantage to remove some of the cost it takes to run more docking modules and break down and sell the underused modules.
A larger outpost would be able to handle more modules and commodities, however it would also be harder to reach the next 'step' in terms of an outpost, and since its running cost is up it would be quite easy for them to fall down to be considered poor if they couldn't keep the profits going.
Examples.
Smallest outpost.
2x small
1x medium
Pro: Very Low Running cost.
Con: Low traffic capacity, less profit.
Largest outpost.
8x small
4x medium
1x large?
Pro: High traffic capacity, more profit.
Con: Running cost.
Standard destribution, with what would be considered a normal sized outpost.
Profit scale
Code:
<----|----|---->
P N RP = Poor outpost.
N = Normal outpost.
R = Rich outpost
The smallest outpost, given as example above, would have another profit scale.
Code:
<-|-----|------>
P N RThe largest outpost as given example above, could have another kind of profit scale.
Code:
<------|-----|->
P N RAs long as a station would be in normal, they would be considered fine for their size, their size would be unchanged, make the update time, maybe sync with powerplay cycle to make it easier?
Say for example if a station has been 'poor' for an entire cycle, and still is entering the new cycle, then it would begin selling the module that is less used, it would use traffic data to get an indication of this, if for example there are not that many medium ships, it would sell off its medium module over time.
Maybe make that process take two cycles as well? first cycle where it is determined that they can't afford it, the module being sold would go dark, maybe be given an 'in construction/being sold for scrap' kind of animation or similar, if the station settles on 'normal' while a module is being removed it would continue to remove the module, however if there's a sudden surge to rich it might reverse the option, or such?
Obviously I am not sure how poor/normal/rich stations are tracked, but they do seem to already be tracked currently, by making that into a sluder that scales with station size I think you could add something very interesting and none lore breaking to Elite.
Additional idea's and modifications are welcome, I think this could be a great and 'fairly' easy to think to add to Elite, given that outposts already are sort of generated and many of the assets for this idea should already be in place. Could maybe also be applied to stations though that would need new assets and station types.
Thoughts? Idea's?
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