1. Going EVA and/or simple boots on ground is a very simple and fundamental concept. One that is already being successfully being implemented in both space oriented (like Space Engineers, NMS, Empyrion Galactic, X4) and non space oriented (in fantasy/RPG games like TES/Fallout) to date. As horrific a launch that NMS was, its space leg feature (among other emergent game play features) has been vastly improved and upgraded. To the point where it has attracted not only new player, but a good number of the Kickstarter fan base which has returned and now consistently plays the game to date. Yes NMS lore is non existent at worst to very shallow at best when compared to ED. But unlike ED, NMS EVA features (like having space legs as a fundamental feature) opens up all kinds of new and emergent PvE/PvP game play for the player when they visit a new planet. Or when they have hostile/collaborative interaction with aliens and biological flora/fauna life on new planets. Especially given the RNG POI feature that entices the player to do more exploration and engage/interact with the world environment. So it's not hard to extend this emergent game play to ED.
2. IMO
if FDev is going to commit to a space legs feature, then they would need to add an optional, functional version of the existing Holo Me space suit. So those CMDRs who wanted EVA features,
would have the option to upgrade their cosmetic only Holo Me space suit to a newly functional one. T
he new space suit would consist of an additional "back pack" unit which adds a limited, personal inventory in form of storage and associated module types. These functional modules could be purchased with credits only when docked at space stations/planetary bases. For realism, this personal inventory is limited in capacity (i.e is smaller than SRV capacity) and NOT connected to your SRV or ship. So if you die before returning to your SRV or ship, you will permanently lose all the contents of your personal inventory. Also if your inventory contained a non replaceable mission/PP based item, then you would have to deal with whatever punitive consequences and NPC faction rep loss results in the fallout.
3. This "backpack" has inventory slots for several optional, small, life extending modules. from your ship/SRV ando carry your
- O2 tank You can still buy or synth O2 as before. But with EVA ability, the mats you can now manually farm can be placed into your O2 tank. Which has the added functional ability to synth O2 for the Cmndr to breathe on the fly. Great for deep space exploration and missions. The backpack also has a potential capacity for a reserve O2 tank for extended EVA trips. However, this extra unit would be a trade off between being restricted from carrying a needed water tank due to backpack capacity limitation. If player runs out of O2, their space suit automatically defaults to the amount of time they would get from the existing life support on their ship module. This is based on range of grade E to A rating)
- Optional water tank (for short EVA treks). Like O2, once this is depleted, the player's space suit defaults to the amount of time their ship's life support rating.
- Upgraded ice to water processing unit (for longer EVA treks). So you have an opportunity to mine ice crystals, add them to this unit in your back pack and create potable water
- Optional jet pack unit. For doing EVA space walks between space ships, exploring deep space generation ships, deserted guardian structures, data link transfers where your ship may be too big to navigate to signal source etc.
- Optional med kit supply unit. Contains several critical health aid modules that can be individually purchased at the station. These med units are designed to automatically inject the player Cmdr with serum which heals a portion of their health. This only happens when the Cmdr's space suit takes damage from falls, hostile fire damage from other Cmnders, NPCs, alien/plant biological life forms, contact from being inside a damaged SRVs, from hostile direct fire from NPC ships like skimmers, assassin/pirate NPCs, other player Cmdr ships etc.
- Optional food module. The more food you can store/eat from your inventory, the higher your health bar, and the longer your Holo Me can perform EVA activities outside the SRV or ship. Coffee has added benefit of boosting other module performance like the jet pack (as it's an energy stimulant)
- Optional waste unit collector. This collects Cmdr waste and recycles it to efficiently stored bio waste packs in the player space suit. This bio waste can then be stored on the regular commodities market as before.
4. Once equipped in the Holo Me suite, this modified space suit with back pack would let you do EVA activities outside your SRV or ship. This would provide for a variety of mission based and sand box emergent game play in both space and surface/planet. You could customize your "back pack" with specific modules depending on what you planned to do while on EVA. So for example, you'd be able to optimize your "back pack" modules for career based or sand box opportunities like:
- deep trek exploration (so perhaps plan to carry more O2 tank modules)
- shorter combat trek focused missions (so carry more weapon/ammo and med kit slots in event of hostile PvP or Thargoid encounters).
- sandbox EVA activity from the SRV. Might need to go on foot to complete things like:
- sand box/PP missions of sabotage, data espionage at planetary facilities. Or for a challenge
- executing skimmer missions doing FPS on foot. Which would have the added challenge if these were being done in Open with hostile intent PvP Cmndrs. Or
- manually perform deep space ship repair when your ship is dead in the black. VERY useful alternative feature v. having to self destruct your ship. Especially if
- your ship's power plant is busted so your AFMU can't function. This is the most important reason for an EVA repair feature. Because it's the ONLY and very dangerous way to repair your power supply to a minimum working level i.e. restore it to a minimally working state that could get the AFMU to function.
- Your AFMU is inefficient (like low grade E vs A level) or damaged. So doing EVA ship repair would aid and support this process
- being a typically broke n00b Cmdr and/or playing in Solo
- failing to plan ahead to add an AFMU module, lack mats to synth and/or lack repair limpets
- being able to emergency evac your main ship on the fly for your fighter ship if NPC pilot crew is killed and vice versa etc.
- performing dangerous, dare devil exploration excursions inside gas planetary atmospheres for an extremely limited period of time (due to hostile environment, radiation etc). With the significant possibility to even have your main ship destroyed as an added risk. Reward is a notable entry in the Codex and recognition for Pilot's Federation
- doing mat collection/mining activities on foot on planets with extreme low G, steep slopes, rocky surfaces that make SRV navigation and/or landing your ship difficult. Or
- performing mission/sand box based SAR missions. Space legs provide the ability to gain better access to SAR sites to collect escape pods etc.
- exploring crash sites to collect/harvest mats for synth, mining, exploration Codex entry rewards etc.
- investigate biological life/guardian tech up close (and possibly get credit for fully exploring a Guardian tech or dangerous Thargoid structure/site by default of being up close on foot). Works similar to how first explorers get recognition and credit in Codex for discovering new systems/collecting complete planetary data with the FSS etc.
- exploiting potential trading opportunities with other players. Like during
- CG meet ups or pre-designated Cmndr meet ups in Open/PG instances.
- Friendly player to player planet encounters with normal/black market commodities exchange trading (for credits).
- Friendly player to player planet encounters with normal market commodities transfer (for free). i.e. giving another player/Wing member free vital needed supplies like water, O2, health med packs etc. Could be in context of a random SAR encounter, FR encounter etc.
Personal inventory traded quantities would be limited by a designated inventory space/Holo me weight limit. So for trading focused EVA trips like this, you'd need to optimize the amount of inventory space slots in your "back pack". Also trading illicit/prohibited cargo would be more immersive and/or riskier depending on what faction system, system security level and/or Open v. PG game play you were in. So for example:
- trading hot illicit cargo in Federation space with NPC contacts could be extended designated NPC encounters outside of planetary base black market contacts. Especially useful if the planetary base is not controlled by the black market criminal's faction. A RNG POI could direct you to drive your SRV to a designated location to meet the criminal/pirate NPC. Player could exit their vehicle and manually transfer illicit/illegal cargo from their personal inventory to NPC inventory.
- For larger/special commodities like slaves, Cmnder would restrict player to taking 1-2 slaves in the SRV (as you can't carry them around in your back pack inventory). Player drives their SRV to NPC pirate/dealer/privateer contact, conducts trade and cargo transferred from SRV to NPC vehicle.
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