The code has plenty of exceptions dealing with just this scenario. Volume III, Section 7, subsection ii says:
Pilot's Federation Charter said:
Powerplay Powerplay should be exempt from the new Pilots Federation Bounties
- Thread starter thearmysredneck
- Start date
The code has plenty of exceptions dealing with just this scenario. Volume III, Section 7, subsection ii says:
Frontier could obviously do something like that, but no existing lore I'm aware of suggests the PF would make such an exception. It would also raise questions about why the PF doesn't suspend its principles in other situations where clean players oppose each other.
Although from a purely gameplay point of view the idea of the PP power paying insurance would probably make it a non-issue for many people.
I've proposed a solution in the Ramming Magic Fairy Sammarco's C&P thread, and is really simplistic... You are covert operative, and as such you take the risk. If they catch you - we don't know you and you pay in full. If however you make it back to our system after a successful mission, our powerplay contact will make sure your crimes are "forgiven" or "drastically reduced" or "bounties turned into legacy fines". Money and connections can do wonders, and if someone has the cash to pay out 50mln Cr a week he surely has the cash to bribe some lowlife [insert opposing power here] clerk to press DELETE a few times "by accident". So the more merits you bring, the more times we can push that delete button by pulling some strings...
TL; DR: your powerplay contact will bail you out if you make it back alive and with powerplay cargo (merits). Merits could also be used as "exchange points" for powerplay related bounties (so no, you cannot kill your power's pilots and expect to buy out with merits).
TL; DR: your powerplay contact will bail you out if you make it back alive and with powerplay cargo (merits). Merits could also be used as "exchange points" for powerplay related bounties (so no, you cannot kill your power's pilots and expect to buy out with merits).
So that doesn't really work then... ie if you just want a few days off of powerplant and don't want a shoot me sign on your rear you can't be expected to unpledge.
Instead you need a method of lowering your powerplay flag for a period. Or more logically c&p works everywhere except obvious "battle fronts" between powers. Ie CMDRS from two powers can legally fight where there powers are in direct conflict, but anywhere else is illegal.
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I disagree heavily with the idea that one can have their pledge and then somehow be 'unshootable' by opposition, the price of being in Powerplay is having that target on your back. If you don't want to be shot at for a few days just go into solo or Mobius, that tool exists already. Beyond that being a target is a confirmed VOLUNTARY risk of being pledged, if one didn't read that warning popup it's on them, like signing a contract without reading it.
Just unpledge if you really need a week or so of being neutral, we don't need to coddle players too much considering that Powerplay is entirely optional and can be quit at will.
Thank you kindly.
This idea is largely based on three sources:
1) Lore. The lore says that the Pilot's Federation began as a coalition of transport pilots wanting to keep trade data suppressed to maximize their profits. It then moved on to administering the bounty system, both due to its pilots transporting the information from system to system anyways, and because it was a neutral party that operated on both sides of the Federation/Empire border. Its current form exists primarily due to everyone paying us to do their dirty work for them. Whether you are a galactic power the size of the Federation, or the local corporate VP wanting to indulge in some literal corporate warfare, if you need an illegal job done off the books, you turn to the Pilot's Federation.
2) Game mechanics. I'm a big believer that the best games use lore to generate game mechanics, as opposed to using game mechanics to generating lore. The former generates verisimilitude, a gameworld that makes sense holistically, while the latter is creates a jumble of disparate systems that leave you wondering, "If I can do X, why can't I use X to do Y?" It's why telepresence, and before that large scale 3D printing, set my teeth on edge, because their presence in lore isn't reflected within existing game mechanics, while the existence of Witchspace technology led to coherent game mechanics for both Hyperspace Jumps, Supercruise, and can neatly explain away "space drag," a necessary game mechanic compromise.
The game mechanics suggest to me that exceptions like what I wrote above already exists in the lore. It's been a while since I was an active Powerplay participant, but IIRC, pledged players are free to attack any member of a rival power without generating a bounty. The Pilot's Federation administers the bounty system. Therefore, it has an agreement with the powers that be to both administer the whole system, but to "look the other way" when pledged PF members go at it.
3) The Design Discussion Archives. A great deal of what I consider "canon" in the game came from browsing the DDA in the long wait between the end of the Kickstarter, and the beginning of Alpha. While it can't be considered official until it's added to the game, what I wrote above was based on something I remember reading there, as a way of introducing meaningful PvP to the game. I know a lot of people claim that Powerplay was never in the DDA, but IMO a great many of its seeds can be found in there.
It's not that you're unshootable... It's that you're unshootable in the middle of no-where doing something absolutely nothing to do with Powerplay?
Consider this (under your rules of Powerplay = legal destruction anywhere), an interesting exploration location turns up, and you zoom over there in your exploration ship. Unfortunately you're pledged to a Power, so ever every other CMDR in other Powers can shoot the crud out of you legally? Even in a system nothing to do with Powerplay? Sound daft to me?
Seems to make more sense that Powerplay opens up logical battle fronts between Powers. And in those locations conflict between CMDRs of those powers is legal. Outside of them it's not? Even if that's as open as any system of your or there's?
Now that said, I got bored of Powerplay years ago so I may be out of touch with its workings...
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No, why?
Committing crimes has consequences also outside of Powerplay.
For me its fully ok. You can't get the candy only.
Regards,
Miklos
The problem isn't getting wanted, it's being wanted in your power's space. If a Federation Hudson CMDR kills an Alliance CMDR he shouldn't be wanted in the Federation space, especially Hudson territory.
The problem in your example is the explorer was pledged, they should have been unpledged, shielded/armored, contacted Iridium Wing for escort, and/or go to solo/private. They can easily take steps to prevent death, that's four options to not die.
Besides, you are bored with Powerplay yes? So why would it concern you if one PP shoots another? You'll be protected by being neutral, C&P applies then.
(Also I'm not saying legal destruction anywhere, just that it should be treated as an NPC crime and not a Pilots Federation Galactic bounty)
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The problem is that despite Powerplay NOT being tied into the mission system, it IS tied into the BGS. Even Commanders like me, who are not formally pledged to a Power, can still influence Powerplay by ensuring that whatever minor faction is in control of a system is sympathetic to your power, or is antagonistic to a rival Power. This has the effect of increasing or decreasing Fortification costs.
Right now, I'm on the Small Worlds 2 expedition. There are many reasons why I'm on this expedition. First, I've always wanted to go on one of these things, but most of the time you need an exploraconda, and I'm not at that point yet. Second, I wanted to see if I can enjoy a month-long exploration trip. Third, I'l be able to get my 5000ly prerequisite put if the way at the same time.
Mostly, though, I'm just there for the exploration data. Data bombing is a great way to quickly get Allied to a faction, and there are a few Engineers I want to get invites to, but I need to be on friendlier terms with their faction first. Anything left over, I'll use to get friendly with some brave Freedom Fighters resisting Federation tyranny in my next theatre of operation in Hudson space.
As far as I'm concerned, even in the middle of nowhere, a pledged Commander can be up to no good. If they want to be incognito, then they should unpledge.
edit: dang iPhone. No time to fix typos and weird auto correct.
edit the second: fixed the worst of them
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So, make it so only CMDRs pledged to the associated Power has that effect?
I'm not sure what the answer is, but turning off the C&P mechanic for anyone pledged seems the wrong path to me!
Why not? A criminal is a criminal and a legislation protecting murderers is a failed state nobody can trust anymore.
Your actions are actions of a criminal and not done by double-0 agents.
Regards,
Miklos
One of the powers in question is Kumo Crew, immersion isn't a good reason in that case now is it?
Powerplay is explicitly a competitive activity, optional and with full warning that you may be shot by opposing agents. Why should it suddenly change away from this? Everyone who signed up knew or should have known what they were getting into, hence the pledge popup box.
If you aren't doing PP activity for a brief moment solo and private exist, for a decent duration just unpledge and then repledge afterwards, it's already super easy.
That would require anyone who wanted to affect the BGS at all to HAVE to pledge themselves to a power if they wanted to do so. Which kind of defeats the purpose of the BGS in the first place. Furthermore, many players who actively play the BGS do so to resist the "big three," and simply want to support their own little minor faction, in the system they call home. There were quite a few player-groups who were rightfully dismayed when they suddenly found themselves having to fight against the side effects of Powerplay activities.
There is a world of difference between "turning off the C&P mechanic for anyone pledged," and treating people pledged to Powers as obeying the rules of war. Given that Powerplay is an opt-in game mechanic, and you can quit Powerplay entirely, at any time, without penalty, I really see no need to apply the regular C&P mechanic to Powerplay conflict. If you don't want to be molested when not actively supporting your Power, simply resign.
Mmmkay...
I haven't touched PP with a barge pole in over a year, and even then it was X weeks while I was away on holiday followed by the daft week of work farming the nearest contested system (didn't care where) to get the Powerplay weapons, before then unpledging.... So in truth, unless it's actually given some true depth and purpose, it's not a worry to me.
note: And of course while an invisible army holds the true control over PP, it's even more daft...
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Of COURSE it's daft. As I wrote earlier,
Frontier included a way to opt into freeform PvP, and then turned around and made the results of that PvP meaningless. It's a step in the right direction, though. Just a very small step.
At first Kumo Crew is not officially registered as a "Power" you can Powerplay. Its a local faction at max. They are an anarchic organized group, but its not possible for a local faction to control a system by 100%
On a side Note, I can't even figure them out on Inara to be a registered player or in game faction. Hence there are a few rules in there. Murderers are almost nowhere welcome. Just accept it: Shooting innocents may have
consequences no matter if NPC or not.
Regards,
Miklos
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