So currently we can obtain Military ranks for both the Empire and Federation, what we get out of it after the hours spent doing the missions is the unlocking of specific ship types and that's it.
At this moment in time there's no consequences for doing this, let me explain. If you sign up for the Military reserves in real life, you have to give up some of your free time or holidays to train and maintain skills and in the event of a conflict, war, natural disaster or specialist skill requirements you have to go where needed. In Elite if you obtain your reservists ranks and after that, you're not required to do sod all.
How about if one of the super powers is involved in a conflict or a war in a system that you're, let's say 50 - 100 light years away from, you should be messaged by your super power saying you've been recalled to duty and to report to whatever system for combat duties.
Here's where the consequences should come in, if you ignore or refuse to go, then you should be penalised for disobeying your call up orders, the form of punishment should be a reduction in rank and if you drop lower than the tier required to unlock a certain ship, you should loose the re-buy option for that ship until you make your required rank back again. If you do choose to go and support your side, then specific missions should be available, and after you've done a few or the conflict/war ends, you carry on with your life. If you're not online when things kick off then you're not messaged or penalised for not helping.
Here's another thing that could be added, if a conflict or war breaks out between the Empire and Federation, you should be made to choose a side and whichever side you choose, there will be negative repercussions from the side that you don't support, again, loss of rank and also influence with that super power. You shouldn't be able to have your cake and eat it!
That to me adds immersion to the game and also means there's consequences for choosing the side or sides that we support for whatever reason.
Now not being a developer or have even the foggiest idea of what it would take to implement something like this to the game I have no idea of how big a task something like this would be. However, this part of the forums is the suggestions section so this is all this is, a suggestion.
At this moment in time there's no consequences for doing this, let me explain. If you sign up for the Military reserves in real life, you have to give up some of your free time or holidays to train and maintain skills and in the event of a conflict, war, natural disaster or specialist skill requirements you have to go where needed. In Elite if you obtain your reservists ranks and after that, you're not required to do sod all.
How about if one of the super powers is involved in a conflict or a war in a system that you're, let's say 50 - 100 light years away from, you should be messaged by your super power saying you've been recalled to duty and to report to whatever system for combat duties.
Here's where the consequences should come in, if you ignore or refuse to go, then you should be penalised for disobeying your call up orders, the form of punishment should be a reduction in rank and if you drop lower than the tier required to unlock a certain ship, you should loose the re-buy option for that ship until you make your required rank back again. If you do choose to go and support your side, then specific missions should be available, and after you've done a few or the conflict/war ends, you carry on with your life. If you're not online when things kick off then you're not messaged or penalised for not helping.
Here's another thing that could be added, if a conflict or war breaks out between the Empire and Federation, you should be made to choose a side and whichever side you choose, there will be negative repercussions from the side that you don't support, again, loss of rank and also influence with that super power. You shouldn't be able to have your cake and eat it!
That to me adds immersion to the game and also means there's consequences for choosing the side or sides that we support for whatever reason.
Now not being a developer or have even the foggiest idea of what it would take to implement something like this to the game I have no idea of how big a task something like this would be. However, this part of the forums is the suggestions section so this is all this is, a suggestion.
