wait how old are you? Escort missions are near universally hated in nearly every game they were added to. So much so that most games don't even think to add them any more.
Um
I'm 50 ... so? Ear elephant.
Why the heck don't people like these missions? They're awesome? They're suspenseful. They're exciting. They can be quite challenging.
In an MMO setting like ED, a wing of humans could sign on for escort missions.
Are people insane? What? Why .... how ... huh?
What do people have against such missions?
Way more interesting than "carry the cargo/data" or "kill the pirate/traitor/etc."
They can be made pretty personal too with the inclusion of NPC interaction. REAL consequences for failure.
For instance, escort cargo ships for the Colonia Bridge. The whole route from ... wherever. Cargo doesn't get there? Community goal suffers. With representative loss in reputation of the pilot(s) involved.
Players could hire other players. Wings of players.
SOOO many lost opportunities by disregarding that mission type.
How is "kill the pirate" any moar betterer than "escort the cargo?" I don't get it. Huh? That makes zero sense to me.
What, do people not like having to make sure an asset survives? Do they not like the multi-jump length of such missions?
Consider: It's more like a "real story" (can be) than some random "carry this stuff/kill this person/group."
What if there were nefarious entities trying to destroy rescue missions from space stations in the midst of attack and destruction? (EDIT: Thargoids and pro-Xenos) How awesome would that be eh? Greatly awesome IMO.
Get hired in some contact in a seedy bar to escort a smuggling run. Of whom you were made aware of thru a "fixer. Perhaps making a new contact thru it. Increase rep with a faction.
There's been a coup on some planet/moon and you get hired (or your wing) to escort the fleeing rightful govt to safety. Fail that and system control changes. Player(s) rep changes accordingly.
SO much more engaging than the standard random .... rigamarole.
People complain about "grind." Well ... PART of grind is the lack of a more compelling reason to do it besides upgrading your stuff or making contacts or improving rep or whatever. Give the missions a story. And escort missions are more suited to having a story than most other types.
ESPECIALLY if they have real, serious consequences. Make it legit. .... Fail and an entire system may fall. Plus galactic reknown as the person who let it happen.
NOTE! TOO MANY edits for spelling, grammar, and clarity.