Ability to send a distress call

[dm9290]

There are situations of commanders running out of fuel literally meters from a space station and getting fined for loitering rather than getting any help from NPCs. There should be some command to type in the chat which is a distress call. it would summon NPC's.. potentially salvagers or pirates but also potentially helpful NPCs. Right next to a spacestation I would think a helpful NPC is most likely.

You could use this to bait NPC's or other players to come to you as well.

 

[Factabulous]

yeah, people suggest this every few months. Won't work - when you've played a bit longer you'll work out why

 

[VirtueXOI]

i'm playing since years , why cant this work ?

 

[Deleted member 38366]

Hmm...

There's actually the case of Search & Rescue NPCs that can pop up in inhabited Systems.
I've seen them offer their help by dropping into their Low Wake - but also seen them spawn in normal space.

But frankly, I have no clue what triggers them.
All the last times left me confused, as I had sufficient fuel and didn't actually need any assistance.

It's been a bit of a rare sight - but technically they exist, at least in inhabited Systems.

 

[varonica]

i'm playing since years , why cant this work ?

Gankers, gankers everywhere.

And you have just told them exactly where you are, that you are out of fuel and can't run away.

 

[VirtueXOI]

Gankers, gankers everywhere.

And you have just told them exactly where you are, that you are out of fuel and can't run away.

But for general RP purpose ... and also it could be usefull in solo .

And yeah , I mostly play solo :x

 

[Maggie_Oz]

commanders running out of fuel literally meters from a space station

Commanders could just, y'know, get their s**t together

 

[Jmanis]

NPCs can already come to your rescue. FWIW, out of fuel is the only thing that might not be player-resolvable... everything else, you can still limp back to station with.

 

[Bigmaec]

If only there was some sort of coalition of players who'd refuel other players.
I'd call them Fuel Bees or something like that.

snickers

 

[MickyG1982]

There are situations of commanders running out of fuel literally meters from a space station and getting fined for loitering rather than getting any help from NPCs.

I once saw someone do that, then come on here proclaiming it was a bug.

It wasn't, when pressed a little turned out he had been doing some less than legal activities with weapons that used fuel. He ran out of fuel just outside the station, he then got scanned, found to be a criminal, then popped.

 

[varonica]

There are situations of commanders running out of fuel literally meters from a space station and getting fined for loitering rather than getting any help from NPCs.

Yeah I know it's like me entering a freeway in my car and running out of fuel just before the exit and getting fined by the police for it.....if you are silly enough to block a busy area through carelessness then yes you deserve a fine, and for your car to be towed to the nearest towing compound and have to pay a fee for getting it back. The NPC's should have towed him to the nearest detention centre, it's not their job to refuel ships, only to enforce the rules.

 

[VirtueXOI]

Yeah I know it's like me entering a freeway in my car and running out of fuel just before the exit and getting fined by the police for it.....if you are silly enough to block a busy area through carelessness then yes you deserve a fine, and for your car to be towed to the nearest towing compound and have to pay a fee for getting it back. The NPC's should have towed him to the nearest detention centre, it's not their job to refuel ships, only to enforce the rules.

I hope that with space leg they add option to push your ship like you push a car !

 

[Maggie_Oz]

I hope that with space leg they add option to push your ship like you push a car !

Problem is, there isn't much to push against in space ...

 

[Cmdr Nemo LXXI]

There are situations of commanders running out of fuel literally meters from a space station and getting fined for loitering rather than getting any help from NPCs. There should be some command to type in the chat which is a distress call. it would summon NPC's.. potentially salvagers or pirates but also potentially helpful NPCs. Right next to a spacestation I would think a helpful NPC is most likely.

You could use this to bait NPC's or other players to come to you as well.

Doesn't happen often, but when it does, I generally just do an EVA to the station, then call my ship.
OOPS, wrong forum, though I was at SC's. Never Mind!

 

[Maggie_Oz]

Is it even possible to run out of fuel meter form a space station? Given you really don't use any fuel on thrusters

 

[VirtueXOI]

Problem is, there isn't much to push against in space ...

That was a subtil part of the joke , but thanks for explaining it.

 

[shogun195333]

If only there was some sort of coalition of players who'd refuel other players.
I'd call them Fuel Bees or something like that.

Already have them, they're called Fuel Rats.

 

[Jmanis]

Is it even possible to run out of fuel meter form a space station? Given you really don't use any fuel on thrusters

Absolutely.

That's sublight fuel usage on my python. I once made a refuelling error and, after about 20 manual economic jumps back to an inhabited system, I ran out of fuel in my primary tank while in SC, and the final refuel left about 1/3rd fuel in my tank. That meant I had roughly 10 minutes left on the clock to get 1,000Ls and dock in the station. If you were docking at an outpost, and the medium pad was blocked, that could be life and death.

EDIT: Ugh, maths, more like 30m on the clock, but I digress. It definitely can happen.

 

[CMDR X]

Already have them, they're called Fuel Rats.

LOL

 

[dm9290]

Gankers, gankers everywhere.

And you have just told them exactly where you are, that you are out of fuel and can't run away.

you should just show up like 'distress call' in the system scan anyway. gankers shouldn't know the call is from a human commander unless they come to investigate. pirates could come. they might even offer you fuel in exchange for your cargo - or plausibly if your reputation with the local anarchist faction is friendly, they might simply save you. or they might just kill you. helpful npcs probably depend on your reputation and system security level. maybe the helping faction's next mission is offered with a pay-cut since you "owe them one".

finally a human commander might show up - and there is a reasonable chance they aren't a ganker. I strongly doubt gankers scan systems for distress calls.

the closer you are to any stations should affect the chances and the faction that the NPC is from if anyone arrives.

Npcs could show up, and leave without helping you after seeing who you are (and your reputations).