Fly our Ship

[Han Brannigan]

When we will do the change from being ships to being Commanders that fly ships one of the things I'd like to see is: fly our ships missions.
Example: If you bring this old clapped out T6 savely from a to b you get x amount of money.

Why I think this is a good Idea:
- it gives Commanders the chance to experience different Ships
- it makes a lot of Sense ( as a Mission )

Variations:
- Bring my ship - from the other side of the Bubble
- Stolen Ship ( Police will attack you )
- Ship full of expensive loot in low sec area ( Pirates will attack you )
- Wing ( if we ever get wing missions ) - best combined with one of the two above

I already see myself trying to get through with an old somewhat ill equipped T7 full of Palladium guarded only by 1 or 2 wingmates and jumped by a stream of Pirates... but just ( especially as a somewhat newbish player ) to experience how it is to fly a T9 ( for example ) would make these kind of missions interesting.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Agreed a bit like Test Drive did back in the day.

Only thing it needs is to be managed so I can't luck out and jump into an Anaconda that I'll never complete the mission on.

 

[Arindor]

I would also add, to prevent the stealing of rank exclusive ships, that the player must be have the qualifying rank to fly that ship, as well as specific combat and/or exploration rank (depending on mission variant). And, to prevent players stealing more expensive ships they can afford, they must have the correct insurance in their bank account. But, overall, I like the idea.

 

[biohazard15]

I would also add, to prevent the stealing of rank exclusive ships, that the player must be have the qualifying rank to fly that ship, as well as specific combat and/or exploration rank (depending on mission variant). And, to prevent players stealing more expensive ships they can afford, they must have the correct insurance in their bank account. But, overall, I like the idea.

That is simple to implement, actually.
- Players obviously cannot sell or store mission ships.
- Failing mission (player is killed or they cancel it via left panel) causes return to their old ship, at the place where they took the mission. Same thing happens when mission time is over (let's do some handwaiving and call it "anti-theft self-destruct device")
- Players can upgrade mission ships. All upgrades they've purchased should be refunded when they complete the mission (like "All additional expenses shall be compensated by the Employer upon successful completion of this Contract"). They are NOT refunded if mission is failed. Modules and weapons that are installed on ship when you get it are considered "on loan" and thus cost nothing (so you won't get anything if you decide to sell that 8A PP).

 

[[VR] Deggial]

Additionally:
- Use this ship here to fulfill the combat-mission (as we want everybody to think you are somebody else / we only could inject the ID for this ship into the target station's security system to bypass some countermeasures / insert whatever reason you like here...)
This would not only give players the opportunity to experience other ships, but also equipment they usually wouldn't outfit.

(A less restrictive variante would be: use a certain ship-type for the mission, but purchase it yourself and outfit it as you feel appropriate. This would, at least, give advanced players a reason to go back to the "starter" ships and face the danger and excitement of flying an "underpowered" vessel.)

 

[Zeta Legion]

So, Grand Theft: Dangerous?

 

[Han Brannigan]

Agreed a bit like Test Drive did back in the day.

Only thing it needs is to be managed so I can't luck out and jump into an Anaconda that I'll never complete the mission on.

Flying a stolen ship will make the police jump you ( stealing a ship from a Crime Org will make them put a price on your head ) - everywhere. Also not insured. I would prefer this to handwavium - but I would be ok with the latter ( esp if NPCs stay as unchallenging as they are )

 

[Han Brannigan]

T
- Players can upgrade mission ships. All upgrades they've purchased should be refunded when they complete the mission (like "All additional expenses shall be compensated by the Employer upon successful completion of this Contract"). They are NOT refunded if mission is failed. Modules and weapons that are installed on ship when you get it are considered "on loan" and thus cost nothing (so you won't get anything if you decide to sell that 8A PP).

Agreed but on one point. I would not want a refund of parts. If the mission is difficult enough to make you need upgrades the payout should be high enough to get them. This would force the player to decide between making tons of money or talking no risk at all ( or somewhere in between ). Also it would be nice to min max your ship ( maximal effectiveness for minimal costs ) and therefore lead to builds different from what we are used to.

 

[ronin516]

would be cool but FD still can't get a good interactive scaling mission system going. Missions still don't scale properly... for example I make 1 mil credits per trade run in t9. But all trade missions in a system I am allied with still show like 100 or 200 thousand credits for a trade run twice as far. Missions are still all the same no matter where you go in the universe. They are not interactive as in they don't stack or engage you or have you get invested in a series of them. and they don't mean anything to your commander. And the endless grind must be done to get rank. But if they ever do fix them that could be a really cool mission. Sorry so long. Missions are important to me so I really wish FD would make the system meaningful. not just a few random hey pick this up and bring here things. Build a story with them.

 

[Han Brannigan]

So, Grand Theft: Dangerous?

How so? I honestly cannot remember transport missions in GTA. I guess there are some - but its not really common. Also its one mission type in a game

 

[MarcinKsi]

I like it a lot !!!

 

[Han Brannigan]

would be cool but FD still can't get a good interactive scaling mission system going. Missions still don't scale properly... for example I make 1 mil credits per trade run in t9. But all trade missions in a system I am allied with still show like 100 or 200 thousand credits for a trade run twice as far. Missions are still all the same no matter where you go in the universe. They are not interactive as in they don't stack or engage you or have you get invested in a series of them. and they don't mean anything to your commander. And the endless grind must be done to get rank. But if they ever do fix them that could be a really cool mission. Sorry so long. Missions are important to me so I really wish FD would make the system meaningful. not just a few random hey pick this up and bring here things. Build a story with them.

Nr1 what has this to do with my OP
Nr2 I hope for major changes in 2.1
Nr3 I agree ( and don't be cross about Nr. 1 but I really don't get the connection )

 

[Weps]

Yup, I'm behind this.

Any type of gameplay which allows me to explore other elements of the game without a substantial beforehand time sink is A-OK in my book.

 

[Infidel Deity]

@OP
Something like you suggest can be fun.

I would also add, to prevent the stealing of rank exclusive ships, that the player must be have the qualifying rank to fly that ship, as well as specific combat and/or exploration rank (depending on mission variant). And, to prevent players stealing more expensive ships they can afford, they must have the correct insurance in their bank account. But, overall, I like the idea.

"Sorry, we don't allow you to steal this Cutter, you are not a Duke!"
Or....
"Ohhh..... My good Sir; please still this Cutter; you ARE a Duke!"

 

[bamber]

How do you get back?

There seems to be a reluctance (from a game play perspective) to allow us to travel between our ships whihch is fair enough and something I approve

But you take a mission to transport a ship - when you get there what do you do? you have no ship. So you could buy one - if there is a shipyard or wait on a mission to take you back

 

[Loskene]

So, Grand Theft: Dangerous?

Oh yes please. I can't think of anything more fun than being handed the keys to a stolen FDL and being told "get this to our guy outside of Federation space so he can remove the locator beacon, don't let the cops stop you, and I'm taking 10% off your cut for every scratch in the paintwork"
You'll even have to get a taxi back to pick up your ride when the mission's done, just like GTA.

 

[Han Brannigan]

Additionally:
- Use this ship here to fulfill the combat-mission (as we want everybody to think you are somebody else / we only could inject the ID for this ship into the target station's security system to bypass some countermeasures / insert whatever reason you like here...)
This would not only give players the opportunity to experience other ships, but also equipment they usually wouldn't outfit.

(A less restrictive variante would be: use a certain ship-type for the mission, but purchase it yourself and outfit it as you feel appropriate. This would, at least, give advanced players a reason to go back to the "starter" ships and face the danger and excitement of flying an "underpowered" vessel.)

I like both ideas.

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

You already get insta transported ( sometimes over thousands of LJs ) when you die. Why not implement the same after mission. Cutscenes for both would be great.

 

[Sapyx]

How do you get back?

There seems to be a reluctance (from a game play perspective) to allow us to travel between our ships whihch is fair enough and something I approve

But you take a mission to transport a ship - when you get there what do you do? you have no ship. So you could buy one - if there is a shipyard or wait on a mission to take you back

I see this as the biggest problem with implementation. Even when our human character becomes more 'fleshed out", I still think it will always be impossible for a CMDR to be somewhere with no ship. Unless there's a "don't worry, I'll fly you back here" part of the bargain - in which case, you'd have to wonder why, exactly, they needed your help in the first place. Even then, there seems to be great reluctance from FD to have us just sit back and watch the game while a NPC pilot flies the ship for us.

 

[Han Brannigan]

I see this as the biggest problem with implementation. Even when our human character becomes more 'fleshed out", I still think it will always be impossible for a CMDR to be somewhere with no ship. Unless there's a "don't worry, I'll fly you back here" part of the bargain - in which case, you'd have to wonder why, exactly, they needed your help in the first place. Even then, there seems to be great reluctance from FD to have us just sit back and watch the game while a NPC pilot flies the ship for us.

You already get insta transported ( sometimes over thousands of LJs ) when you die. Why not implement the same after mission. Cutscenes for both would be great.

 

[Weps]

Or just give the pilot a free sidewinder with 0 value so he can fly wherever he chooses.