Smuggling, stealth tactics vs NPC's - any plans for changes?

[Viking84]

Hi all!

As I was sat here cursing the Asp for being the only medium pad ship with a decent cargo hold that is quick enough to outrun an NPC scan - it got me thinking. Are there any plans, stated by the devs, to make smuggling, or any form of stealth, more involving when you are trying to outwit the NPC's?

I remember back in the Beta days when we used to head towards a station from 10 klicks out, running FA off, no shields, no thrusters, all systems off, 1% heat and frozen windshields, sliding gracefully, silently, through the letterbox to avoid scans. Now it is just BOOOOOOOOOOOST... boooost... and throttle off to let the docking computer do it's thing.

Bring back some complexity... please!

 

[IMSOBAWSome]

How about hidden cargo racks, that you can install, like the Millennium Falcon lol. Seriously though I haven't tried smuggling, but it seems like an interesting meta that they should definitely expound on

 

[deMangler]

Hi all!

As I was sat here cursing the Asp for being the only medium pad ship with a decent cargo hold that is quick enough to outrun an NPC scan - it got me thinking. Are there any plans, stated by the devs, to make smuggling, or any form of stealth, more involving when you are trying to outwit the NPC's?

I remember back in the Beta days when we used to head towards a station from 10 klicks out, running FA off, no shields, no thrusters, all systems off, 1% heat and frozen windshields, sliding gracefully, silently, through the letterbox to avoid scans. Now it is just BOOOOOOOOOOOST... boooost... and throttle off to let the docking computer do it's thing.

Bring back some complexity... please!

I used to love the stealth/heat mechanic. Remember that mission in Alpha where you had to sneak past the Cobra. Those were the days....

 

[Derath]

You could chain boost in beta too it was just people over thinking things, the reason its a problem now is everyones settled down that its just the easiest way to avoid scans. Whenever i'd dock with piracy goods I'd always chain boost you just don't get scanned if your fast unless you get a bad spawn. If you line up with the slot before you even start you are guaranteed to succeed.

So its the safest and fastest

 

[Viking84]

You could chain boost in beta too it was just people over thinking things, the reason its a problem now is everyones settled down that its just the easiest way to avoid scans. Whenever i'd dock with piracy goods I'd always chain boost you just don't get scanned if your fast unless you get a bad spawn. If you line up with the slot before you even start you are guaranteed to succeed.

So its the safest and fastest

Maybe true - but now it is not only the best way, it is the only way. Nothing else works on NPC's. Silent running does not work. Going cold does not work. Chaff does not work. Nothing apart from getting far enough away or shooting them. Not very stealthy.

Edit: And the side effect of it being the only way is that you have to use a ship capable of more than 350 m/s at boost (or is it even higher? I have nearly been scanned by a Viper at 380 m/s in an Asp). Alternatively you have to shoot every single NPC Security Ship that interdicts you.

 

[Doolittle]

This is an old thread, but I want to chip in and say I'd want NOTHING more in terms of features in Elite than stealth mechanics to be properly implemented, elaborate and functional against NPCs.
It's the biggest let down to me that all this potentially amazing gameplay is so ridiculously simplified to either run or fight. Never had a chance to play the old alphas nor betas as I'd joined in during Horizons but yes - it's sad to see the incredible gameplay potential squashed and simplified to this extend. And why the holy hell can you jump to another system unaffected by a mass lock of your assailant?? That's another idiotic decision that kills strategic depth of a situation. Really lame, I'd give up all the new updates, faces, cameras and other bull to have those important basics refined into a solid system.

Still place holder mechanics for something better. Most of ED seems to be that way. Very little imagination from the dev team. They should have played the originals before they ever started developing this clone. There was some actual game play there.

 

[ShimEnki]

, I'd give up all the new updates, faces, cameras and other bull to have those important basics refined into a solid system.

I'd give up all those faces, cameras and spandex ---for nothing at all

Reason? Well, instead of great ideas re core gameplay that you mentioned working away in the minds of devs, keeping them up at night, this new cosmetic line has to be supported and probably developed and refined and on and on....

 

[sidereal6]

I'd want NOTHING more in terms of features in Elite than stealth mechanics to be properly implemented, elaborate and functional against NPCs.

Does silent running not work vs. NPCs?

 

[korombei]

Does silent running not work vs. NPCs?

I can't say for sure, but I've got a running temp of 19%, and I haven't been scanned going into a station even under the speed limit so far. That said I've only recently got the temperature that low, so might just be luck. *edit: forgot to say that cool/silent running doesn't make you immune to scans. It just means the scanning ship has to get a lot closer to scan you.

I think it would be great to add some more elements to smuggling, but to be honest I've yet to see a space game do it well - it's quite tricky I think.

What could be cool is instead of using the main docking port, you have to sneak through a service/maintenance entrance or something, hidden away on the side or rear of a station, then navigate your way through into the main landing area, avoiding scanners or something perhaps.

Or, you could get a special set of co-ordinates for planet smuggling, where you drop the cargo off to a contact - not really adding anything new though I suppose.

The idea of fake manifests/cargo racks is a good one, but not sure how you'd implement that without it just being chance based.