An Alternative to the Fleet Carrier - The Anchor and the Envoy

[Chaparral]

Having a big megaship that moves about on the tick seems like it might be fun for an exploration squadron. Jump a big chunk, and have a handy base for repairs and restocking.

For the rest of us, I'm not so sure the fleet carrier represents such an advantage over the stations already in game.

Stations will have more services, missions, markets, etc. that will make them superior in every way to fleet carriers.

I am a bit concerned with the bubble being vastly cluttered with Fleet Carrier assets. Suppose 500 players/squadrons want to park their megaship assets in Sol. This is going to get ugly fast.

Suppose your "megaship fleet carrier" came in two parts? One immovable Anchor, and one Envoy.

The Anchor is actually a specialized, customizable bay on a planet that may contain all of the ships in the squadron. No overt instance polluting megaship asset.

The Envoy is a beacon that completely fills a class 8 cargo compartment.

Players may transfer ships between the Anchor and the Envoy in an expedited timeframe with minimal cost.

This solution would eliminate asset pollution, allow for Squadron customization of a home base, increase the flexibility of travel times (not just moving on the tick), and provide an authentic perk for participating in Squadron system.

What do you think?

 

[Jmanis]

Having a big megaship that moves about on the tick seems like it might be fun for an exploration squadron. Jump a big chunk, and have a handy base for repairs and restocking.

For the rest of us, I'm not so sure the fleet carrier represents such an advantage over the stations already in game.

Stations will have more services, missions, markets, etc. that will make them superior in every way to fleet carriers.

Unless you're hostile to the owners of all those facilities... in which case fleet carriers will (hopefully) be at minimum be a good place to repair/rearm, and hand in combat bonds.

That's what I'm looking forward to with them... logistics base in a hostile system. I don't see FD ever fixing the bugs/issues/lack of content around hostile rep state... but this will at least provide a sidestep around it and allow me to embrace it a little more.

 

[Chaparral]

Unless you're hostile to the owners of all those facilities... in which case fleet carriers will (hopefully) be at minimum be a good place to repair/rearm, and hand in combat bonds.

That's what I'm looking forward to with them... logistics base in a hostile system. I don't see FD ever fixing the bugs/issues/lack of content around hostile rep state... but this will at least provide a sidestep around it and allow me to embrace it a little more.

Will your fleet carrier have representatives of the faction you are supporting on board? I don't think they are going to function as stations are they?

 

[CMDR M. Lehman]

Until we know the details of what fleet carriers are and aren't, it seems rather pointless to start suggesting alternatives to them.

 

[Jmanis]

Will your fleet carrier have representatives of the faction you are supporting on board? I don't think they are going to function as stations are they?

Doesn't matter if it does or not... to me anyway. Just a repair/rearm dock and hand in bonds is all I need access to in the system.

 

[Chaparral]

Until we know the details of what fleet carriers are and aren't, it seems rather pointless to start suggesting alternatives to them.

I thought DTEA had suggested that the CG ferry was a test run of fleet carrier mechanics.

 

[Schmack]

Sol is huge. Parking 5 million fleet carriers should be no issue, unless each has a POI marker.

 

[Chaparral]

Sol is huge. Parking 5 million fleet carriers should be no issue, unless each has a POI marker.

That is my worry, each fleet carrier would get a marker on the system map.

 

[Chaparral]

I keep being of the opinion that ships bigger than cutter must be treated not like megaships but like normal ships. Let them dock on the surface of the coriolis starports and when outside let them stay wherever they want, space is big.

Squadrons belonging to the carrier will se its POI like a wing beacon and those who do not belong to the squad will have to find it through FSS, so we use the tool for something else than exploring and as a tactical seek unit.

I hope you are right. I am concerned that the ferry tick mechanic will be how fleet carriers are moved...

 

[Schmack]

That is my worry, each fleet carrier would get a marker on the system map.

I would think it would only mark your fleet carrier. You don't see other people's ships that aren't in supercruise when you're there, and you don't see folks in SC when you aren't. So the fleet carriers that are stationary will be in instances, not visible to anyone who isn't tied to a beacon with them (like a wingmate, I would think) and not be available for just anyone. So you can drop out basically in orbit somewhere, and be virtually undetected unless someone tracks you to your carrier and drops in your wake.

 

[DNA-Decay]

Just a repair/rearm dock and hand in bonds is all I need access to in the system.

But. . .
But . . .
Those ARE the functions of a station.
Something that can do that stuff IS a station isn’t it?

 

[Chaparral]

I would think it would only mark your fleet carrier. You don't see other people's ships that aren't in supercruise when you're there, and you don't see folks in SC when you aren't. So the fleet carriers that are stationary will be in instances, not visible to anyone who isn't tied to a beacon with them (like a wingmate, I would think) and not be available for just anyone. So you can drop out basically in orbit somewhere, and be virtually undetected unless someone tracks you to your carrier and drops in your wake.

I really wonder about that. It would be nice if the marker only showed up for squad mates, but I don't think they have a mechanics for that. The do have a mechanic for megaships, and those are assets that everyone sees.

 

[Schmack]

I really wonder about that. It would be nice if the marker only showed up for squad mates, but I don't think they have a mechanics for that. The do have a mechanic for megaships, and those are assets that everyone sees.

Because they are community assets. Fleet carriers would not be community assets, so they would need a beacon like a wing beacon. It would be a horrible strategic decision to have a community beacon to your squad's fleet carrier. Once you get accepted to a squad, you can be invited to the fleet, and that should mean a beacon indicator on your HUD. Although the US Navy is required to broadcast their position, there's no such requirement in space since collisions in normal space are highly unlikely.

 

[Vingtetun]

Whilst I don't agree with your suggestion, I believe that you have hit the nail on the head with one of the potential problems with Fleet carriers.

Your one example underlines why it is tricky and may well be one of the reasons for it being postponed.

Yes, how Does the galaxy cope when player groups move 500 of them to Sol, because it WOULD happen.

Given that it is likely that they won't just be available/earnable by groups but accessible by single players (really? Really really, community, you are demanding that?)

Yes, every man jack wants one and that is a problem. They will be commonplace rather than rare.

Along with that of course there is:
How to fit them into the gameplay. Is there any content related to them that makes them any more than a white elephant.

If there is content, then how do you ensure it doesn't skew the game flow in a negative way.

How do you tie it to factions and/or the bgs without them OP or usable as a troll tool.

Etc etc

 

[Nadreck]

As I've said before, Carriers should only appear in instances where a member of the owning squadron is present.

So there's no reason why 500 Carriers at Sol should be any more problematic than 500 normal ships at Sol.