Easy way to add a bit more human to the game.

[h347h]

By adding a co pilot hirable like the fighter pilots. Who could take the place of the fighter pilot piloting the mother ship but he/she could sit right next to you and could take the place of the docking computer. You could have them talk a bit and give them some nice flavor text.

You could also allow them to look up information about lore rich parts of the game(like the ship graveyard ect) and have them read it off to you. They could also help with the way you deliver missions out in the wild and USS.

Imagine them yelling CMDR so and so! We just received emergency coms from this location. They could add a nav point to a planet's surface and you could feel more immersed with the game. They could also scan USS and read off information for you.

Not a huge gameplay balance change but a MASSIVE way to get the player to feel more connected to the game world.

The best part IMHO is that it would give you an avenue to help tell the story of the game.

 

[D.G.Cerberus]

By adding a co pilot hirable like the fighter pilots. Who could take the place of the fighter pilot piloting the mother ship but he/she could sit right next to you and could take the place of the docking computer. You could have them talk a bit and give them some nice flavor text.

You could also allow them to look up information about lore rich parts of the game(like the ship graveyard ect) and have them read it off to you. They could also help with the way you deliver missions out in the wild and USS.

Imagine them yelling CMDR so and so! We just received emergency coms from this location. They could add a nav point to a planet's surface and you could feel more immersed with the game. They could also scan USS and read off information for you.

Not a huge gameplay balance change but a MASSIVE way to get the player to feel more connected to the game world.

Yep - can't rep you but have some virtual.
although they would just be the same NPC's right?? you hire 2 or 3 of them....when they aren't piloting fighters they are still sitting next to you (Neural net mechanic I don't like as per other threads - prefer to see them get in the SLFs in the cockpit provided)....but this could be fine for your 3rd NPC - "I'm the Co-pilot" a la Airplane!

 

[AdmiralFloof]

Well I'll imagine we'll have NPC crews in 2.3 so at least there's people in the bridge

 

[goemon]

make it a talking cat, and i am in!

a talking Biomorphic Companion.

 

[Lobstris]

Repped. Great idea. Just as long as it isn't that co-pilot from X-Rebirth. (Admittedly I only played it for a few hours, but she was getting very close to being spaced). Or the co-pilot from Enemy Engaged: Apache Havok. (He was just a...)

 

[D.G.Cerberus]

make it a talking cat, and i am in!

a talking Biomorphic Companion.

Would need to be at least a Dangerous Cat though....no point in a harmless one.

 

[Gully Foyle]

Release the Red Dwarf fans!

The cat will be dangerous and clawed. Declawing is barbaric.

 

[who?]

Would be very cool combined with Voice Attack. Yell commands at your crew, and be able to see them jump into action when you do so.

 

[Ozzie F Isaacs]

AI crew should also have traits that can be used for generating behaviour/emergent content. Such as Allegiance, are they Indi, Alliance, Fed, Empire? Political affiliation, anarchists who will gladly engage in any activity, or a communist who prefers ship share over wages.... And obviously home-world. These just being the visible traits you would look into before hiring. Are they on the run? Who from? Could they provide contacts in high places, or even contacts in low places?

 

[Mysturji]

By adding a co pilot hirable like the fighter pilots. Who could take the place of the fighter pilot piloting the mother ship but he/she could sit right next to you and could take the place of the docking computer. You could have them talk a bit and give them some nice flavor text.

You could also allow them to look up information about lore rich parts of the game(like the ship graveyard ect) and have them read it off to you. They could also help with the way you deliver missions out in the wild and USS.

Imagine them yelling CMDR so and so! We just received emergency coms from this location. They could add a nav point to a planet's surface and you could feel more immersed with the game. They could also scan USS and read off information for you.

Not a huge gameplay balance change but a MASSIVE way to get the player to feel more connected to the game world.

The best part IMHO is that it would give you an avenue to help tell the story of the game.

I'll second that.
I'd also REALLY like it if your co-pilot could check the system map as soon as you honk and (when appropriate) say something like "There's a potentially Earth-like water world in this system, Commander." seeing as how the system map takes so long to load.

...But I don't think that's particularly easy to implement, so I wouldn't expect it for 2.3.
Something similar is probably planned... Soon.

 

[D.G.Cerberus]

AI crew should also have traits that can be used for generating behaviour/emergent content. Such as Allegiance, are they Indi, Alliance, Fed, Empire? Political affiliation, anarchists who will gladly engage in any activity, or a communist who prefers ship share over wages.... And obviously home-world. These just being the visible traits you would look into before hiring. Are they on the run? Who from? Could they provide contacts in high places, or even contacts in low places?

Quite so.....and if "they" are coming, could my Ai crew get me in with Nigel Sheldon??

 

[Ozzie F Isaacs]

I think we are going to need some Quantum Busters before the year is out Honestly don't know what effect they would have on witch space, but the scientist in me really wants to find out.

 

[Quester91]

Nothing about what you said is in any way easy to develop, especially for FD standards that tend to recycle assets and 99% of the time go cheap in adding actual new content.
Still, the idea is very cool and I'd love to see something like that.

 

[obliterator]

I want bioware-style dialogues that eventually lead you to either become best friends or to completely hate each other.

(while in the middle of combat)
-Hey commander! can I talk to you for a second?
-GOD DAMNIT STEVE

 

[Lobstris]

What made Firefly so great? The interactions of the crew! I demand Season 5 is 'Crew Drama and Unrequited Sexual Tension'! That always gets the ratings up!

 

[Iskariot]

By adding a co pilot hirable like the fighter pilots. Who could take the place of the fighter pilot piloting the mother ship but he/she could sit right next to you and could take the place of the docking computer. You could have them talk a bit and give them some nice flavor text.

You could also allow them to look up information about lore rich parts of the game(like the ship graveyard ect) and have them read it off to you. They could also help with the way you deliver missions out in the wild and USS.

Imagine them yelling CMDR so and so! We just received emergency coms from this location. They could add a nav point to a planet's surface and you could feel more immersed with the game. They could also scan USS and read off information for you.

Not a huge gameplay balance change but a MASSIVE way to get the player to feel more connected to the game world.

The best part IMHO is that it would give you an avenue to help tell the story of the game.

Nice ideas.
I would'nt be surprised if something like this will be implemented eventually.

 

[wolferr]

Wouldn't it be cool to hire an, "Engineer," who can buff your systems over time?

 

[h347h]

I'll second that.
I'd also REALLY like it if your co-pilot could check the system map as soon as you honk and (when appropriate) say something like "There's a potentially Earth-like water world in this system, Commander." seeing as how the system map takes so long to load.

...But I don't think that's particularly easy to implement, so I wouldn't expect it for 2.3.
Something similar is probably planned... Soon.

To up the idea better, make a filter for things you are looking for while exploring and they could read off anything from the filter.

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

AI crew should also have traits that can be used for generating behaviour/emergent content. Such as Allegiance, are they Indi, Alliance, Fed, Empire? Political affiliation, anarchists who will gladly engage in any activity, or a communist who prefers ship share over wages.... And obviously home-world. These just being the visible traits you would look into before hiring. Are they on the run? Who from? Could they provide contacts in high places, or even contacts in low places?

Morals, or not.
The NPC who would happily help you gun down harmless Haulers for materials wouldn't be too keen on medicine donation missions.

 

[Quester91]

I want bioware-style dialogues that eventually lead you to either become best friends or to completely hate each other.

(while in the middle of combat)
-Hey commander! can I talk to you for a second?
-GOD DAMNIT STEVE

Can't it wait for a bit? I'm in the middle of some calibrations