When the initial multicrew feature was rolled out, a large emphasis was placed on matchmaking, and drop-in multiplayer sessions as a way to increase the social interactions in the game. While this cause is noble, one of the immediate reactions was related to mistrust and risk to the commander's ship.
Since then, multi-crew features have centered around limiting the risk to the commander and his ship that "griefing" in multi-crew could cause. These features are important, but this approach limits the features that can be added to multi-crew.
In summary, the current multi-crew implementation assumes that you do not trust your crew.
If we want new features, we need to be able state, as ship commanders, that crew members are trusted.
Once that single feature is in place, we can begin to expand the multi-crew feature set for trusted crew.
Trusted crew could access tertiary controls, such as landing gear, lights, cargo scoop.
Trusted crew could access communications, sending chat, dealing with passenger requests, requesting landing, etc.
Trusted crew could access navigation, setting hyperspace courses, navigation targets, etc.
Trusted crew could access sensors, scanning celestial objects.
Trusted crew could balance power.
Basically, in order to turn multi-crew into the feature we'd all hoped for when it came out, we need to be able to designate a crew as trusted.
And, as commanders, we'll need to take responsibility for that choice. If a trusted crewmate betrays you, it will not be Frontier's fault. It will be our own.
Since then, multi-crew features have centered around limiting the risk to the commander and his ship that "griefing" in multi-crew could cause. These features are important, but this approach limits the features that can be added to multi-crew.
In summary, the current multi-crew implementation assumes that you do not trust your crew.
If we want new features, we need to be able state, as ship commanders, that crew members are trusted.
Once that single feature is in place, we can begin to expand the multi-crew feature set for trusted crew.
Trusted crew could access tertiary controls, such as landing gear, lights, cargo scoop.
Trusted crew could access communications, sending chat, dealing with passenger requests, requesting landing, etc.
Trusted crew could access navigation, setting hyperspace courses, navigation targets, etc.
Trusted crew could access sensors, scanning celestial objects.
Trusted crew could balance power.
Basically, in order to turn multi-crew into the feature we'd all hoped for when it came out, we need to be able to designate a crew as trusted.
And, as commanders, we'll need to take responsibility for that choice. If a trusted crewmate betrays you, it will not be Frontier's fault. It will be our own.
