Hello Commanders
I would like to take this time to start the discussion about (PSM) Proper Fleet/Squadron Mechanics. Now i am not going to create a wall of text about " I TOLD YOU SO". What i want to do is to Thank Frontier Development for acknowledging those in the community who have been in favor of this type of gameplay.
Now down to business. What i hope to achieve with this thread is an open and honest conversation that will help the developers understand what the player base would like to see in the (PSM). So to start it off simply i am going to list a few things i would like to and a few questions i have.
Wish List...
1. Squadron mail
2. Squadron communication
3. Squadron HQ
4. Squadron Ranks
5. Squadron Storage
6. Squadron Bank
I have more on my wish list but i feel i want to start simple and work my way up.
Question List...
1. How will the (PSM) tie into or support our (PMF) Player Minor Faction
2. How many commanders can the Squadron have in it
3. How many fleet Carriers can the Squadron own
4. can a Squadron pledge to a super power
As Ziggy noted, points 1 & 2 are a bit of a no brainer, especially as they have just updated the INBOX allowing you to filter already with 2.4
Point 3. Squadron HQ, until you get a Fleet carrier your HQ may just be a text box to say LHS 3495 Twinkie Terminal or some such, maybe it will be a Bookmark style option in Galaxy map, with a possibility of having a Squadron overlay (like the powerplay) showing where squadrons are based. BUT, and its a big but, whos to say a squadron is limited to just one location why not 2 or 22 or 200? You got enough players you could claim any system you want.
The intriguing point is how, if at all ,squadrons link into the existing in game factions. Will it be a drop down box when a squadron is created that allows you to select an existing faction you can adopt as your own and support via BGS - this would allow multiple squadrons to support the same faction without having to all be in the same squadron? Or will there still be this clamor to have a faction created and inserted into the BGS. I think the former is the way of least challenge, the latter is already "gamed" by players to get the best faction type in the best system at the mo.
The nervousness I have is that at some point a single person has to create a squadron, so they choose the name ( for example Goonswarm ;-) and they become the boss of that squadron. Mitigating this opportunity for dictatorial overlordship would present some interesting options.
Maybe a squadron cannot be created until 4 people all submit the same squadron generation request, with same answers. Those 4 people all have ability to accept requests for others to join, but cannot remove the original 4 from this position. Stops psycho actions of booting all other admins and then doing weird stuff whilst they are in control.
The fleet carrier option, if you listen back to reveal uses the plural for this item, so maybe you can have as many as the Squadron can afford?
Payment/taxes i think should all be controlled by the game and Credits are donated to such costs via an in game sink, not credit transfer between players.
This means that options 5 & 6 can be irrelevant as that type of taxation and hoarding has led to the most bitter and stuopid acts of idiocy in the other game that starts and ends in E.
Sandy states the squadron carrier is a place to store ships, repair and respawn, so it looks like this will be a landable object with small, medium and large pads. Or maybe you get a basic carrier with small pads and no repair for 1 Billion, medium pads are another Billion, Large another....Billion, repair function another Billion. Great credit sink for end game players, but unobtainable by start up players, so maybe instead you have all the same facilities across all squadrons, but upkeep is an ongoing 10-15% tax (like ships crew) from a players income (deducted at source as long as they are members of squadron).
For groups like Mobius the question is then how many Fleet carriers can they have 10, 50,1000 and do they want them?
The more intriguing aspect for me is how these items will exist in game, are they only in the PG that the squadron creators are in, are they in all instances Solo, Private & Open and mean that other players can interact with them (land or attack). If land, can non squadron players also refuel and repair and potentially hitch a ride if the carrier jumps? If they can be attacked, will it be like the Capitol ship engagements, destroy X hardpoints and Fleet carrier warps out? Could an attack in Open in Xbox affect a carrier in PS4 where players are using a PG, or vice versa? If so what defence options you have?
If it is initially linked to the platform you are using, the same question applies for another squadron to launch an attack from the "safety" of its PG on your ship, and vice versa? Could frontier implement a kind of PG merge when squadrons are fighting each other? Or open only when in a state of war?
I will be watching this with interest as the months tick down to its Q4 release.
