Added ideas for ship transfer......An IDEA thread.

[Knarfis]

The main ship transfer thread has gotten far to bogged down with forum lurkers and the constructive criticism and different ideas have been drowned out.

Here are two idea's that I have

* Why not put ship transfer in the hands of the players?? ED wants to make ED as much of a sandbox as they could. So, give the players the chance to be a part of that sand box. Not every player is combat oriented. There are those that would love to do these long distant deliveries. I do not know if the mechanics are in place to put multiple ships into the cargo hold of another ship. Set it up to where the fee to send the ship would go into the pockets of the players. The player who is doing the shipping has no idea what kind of ship it is, who's ship it is, only the destination. This may be a long shot as there might not be aspects of the game currently in place for such a thing. But, would it be so bad if there were?

* Why not allow players to dictate where they want their ships to be sent?? Just like in real life, if I had a meeting I needed to go to in New York, and I had material that needed to be shipped there. I would go to my local UPS or FedEx store and have the stuff sent to my future destination. This can be done in game as well. No matter what station we are in, we can see our ships and where they are currently stored. Why not have the ability to also dictate them to be shipped and to what location? It does not make much sense to have to go to a location, then summon my ship, then have to wait around for X time to get the ship. You can still have the time factor in place but if you are allowed to send the ship to a destination rather then summon it, the time factor becomes null.

Knarfis

 

[CMDR-AD]

1) Instead of "Call ship HERE" do "Send ship THERE". Fly to station where a ship is located, click to Transport. Star Map opens, choose system/station. Show price, accept/decline.

Why? Not perfect, but hides the "Instant" part behind the player's own movements.

2) Check the Transported ship's range on the Star Map. If the ship can't complete a jump (due to low FSD jump range) then offer: Deny Transport or, pay the cost to outfit the correct size FSD required to complete the Transport. When ship arrives, that purchased FSD will be still be installed.

3) Check the Transported ship's fuel duration on the Star Map. If there is no fuel scoop installed, then suitable inhabited systems must be available. If there is no Fuel Scoop, or inhabited stations then offer: Fuel Tanker support for en route refueling for added cost. Show additional price for tanker/crew services, accept/decline.

4) For hauls more than 100LY, require added costs for multi-crewing to meet legal requirements.

 

[Ian Skippy]

Please consider the actual mechanics when proposing mechanics: hoe to avoid theft, how to send up mission parameters, methods etc. Just saying "player control is cool" isn't as strong an idea as one may think.

 

[fennster]

Lol. Forum lurkers. Thanks for that OP.

1,2,3,4.. Lock.

 

[sidereal6]

1) Instead of "Call ship HERE" do "Send ship THERE". Fly to station where a ship is located, click to Transport. Star Map opens, choose system/station. Show price, accept/decline

I would just like to point out that the cool thing about this alternative is that it would let you save money. Say you have three ships you need to move, all from the same starting location. You could see which two can be moved at the cheapest price, then manually fly the most expensive one.

With the "call ship here" function, you're going to get to your destination (presumably in the fastest ship) and then realize, "oh wow, this is going to be really expensive" but there's nothing you can do about it except buy a hauler and move them manually the old fashioned way.

 

[Winterwalker]

1/ Some kind of maximum transportation distance

2/ Send ship to another station

3/ Order a ship transfer .. from a third location

4/ Precautionary BIO HAZARD (ship quarantining) potentially specific to government and/or system BGS state

5/ Alternative transport companies .. I'd like ultimately to see a return of the bulletin board (in addition to the faction missions board) with ads from non-faction affiliated private individuals and companies. Alt transport companies might offer bonus in speed and cost of transportation but add potential risk. Might include stolen or damaged modules, and damage or theft of entire ships (insurance compensation or Galcop time and place missions, to win your ship back from the thief)

 

[Knarfis]

Please consider the actual mechanics when proposing mechanics: hoe to avoid theft, how to send up mission parameters, methods etc. Just saying "player control is cool" isn't as strong an idea as one may think.

I am not a game designer, therefore I am not in the position to create mechanics. I am here to just simply supply a framework to an idea. How that idea is implemented is up to the Devs. Now, because you did post something that really did not add at all to this thread, I will oblige by answering it in a simple fashion. The mechanic of insurance could always be installed into the game. Because the player does not know what kind of ship he is shipping or who's it is, all he knows is the amount of space it would take up, the idea of theft is a bit preposterous. But it is not outside of the realm of possiblity. So, install an insurance plan. Player who will be doing the shipping will pick up the contract to ship said ship. When picking up the contact the player also agrees to pay the insurance if shipment is lost. The insurance would be either the re-buy cost of the ship or the insurance payment made by the owner of the ship.

The biggest issue with this idea is that the player wanting to do the shipment, will have to have enough capital on hand to pickup the contract in the first place. This creates a bottle neck and limits the number of actual participants to such a mechanic in the first place.

An easier method to get around all of this (I find it to simple) is to simply state in the contract, that if the package is tampered, the product is lost. This is a quick and easy method to deter theft, but would be hard to explain through game lore.

While your posting did nothing to further this thread along, I hope my reply might spurn some creativity in you. I look forward to your ideas on ho to expand upon this particular part of the game and idea that has been proposed.

 

[Bomba Luigi]

Make it a job for one of your npc crew mates they introduce with the same update. Heck, even let them do things in your ship and get a small cut of the profit.

 

[evoelise]

I posted on the other thread my ideas (similar to the OP's 2nd point).

The issue with ship transfers being instantaneous is that it's near game-breaking; everyone uses a taxi-conda/asp, balancing of fighting ships arms vs jump range is out the window etc etc. It's also immersion breaking magic.
The issue with ship transfers not being instantaneous is that people have to wait and down-cycles in the game are bad.


My idea was that you can set up to transfer your remote ship from it's current station to any other station from any station (or even whilst on you ship?).
Ship transfers will take a realistic time and cost a nominal amount; both dependent on distance and ship type.
This brings a small tactical or logistical element to the game that adds (a little) game play.
If you plan it right then you needed ship will be there as you arrive and there will be no (or little) down time.

As an example, you spot a CG to bring cargo to ABC prime, 200LY from your current location. You wish to do the CG but realize that there may be pirates around the CG system. So you load up your Type-9 with the needed cargo from you current location. But before you set off you also set up a remote delivery of your Vulture from it's current location to a system near the CG. Then if you find there are pirates in the system you can either risk the delivery or sell cargo nearby; and then easily retrieve your Vulture to clean up the CG.

 

[Bran Tse Mallory]

Make it a job for one of your npc crew mates they introduce with the same update. Heck, even let them do things in your ship and get a small cut of the profit.

You mean like exploring worlds, like, I don't know... Wilson?

 

[Flavourless]

Instead of "Call ship HERE" do "Send ship THERE". Fly to station where a ship is located, click to Transport. Star Map opens, choose system/station. Show price, accept/decline.

This part is actually a great idea, as long as it can't take cargo with it - which would allow remote trading.

 

[Miklos Atreides]

I posted on the other thread my ideas (similar to the OP's 2nd point).

The issue with ship transfers being instantaneous is that it's near game-breaking; everyone uses a taxi-conda/asp, balancing of fighting ships arms vs jump range is out the window etc etc. It's also immersion breaking magic.
The issue with ship transfers not being instantaneous is that people have to wait and down-cycles in the game are bad.

Sorry to be the other way round. Up to today its up to you thinking beforehand and choosing your ship wisely for a certain trip. I find it better to keep this
up at least a little bit. Nothing is instant no gratification no reward, finally no shiptransport that would be better in my view.

My imagination is that when odering ship transfer you ship is selected at Starport A will be moved to Starport B collector where that super vessel carrier will stop to pick up your ship to Starport C which is coming near your current location. Depending on fee you can pick up your ship there or pay an extra fee to
get it delivered at the Port of your liking.

This takes some time which can last from 5 Minutes to several hours depending on distances and maybe additional fees for premium services.
There might also be a risk that such a super carrier is partly or fully pirated or destroyed in a system at war. Chances will depend on situation
where the ship is on route (BGS virtual) in a specific point in time.

That would bring that immersion to ship transport but I fear most will probably not like it .

Regards,
Miklos

 

[Gut Rumble]

Why not have all your ships in one lump ,made from that liquid metal from Terminator , then when you want to change ships ,it will Morph into a Asp, Python or what ever , that way you will always have ALL your ships with you.

 

[cheesenbiscuits]

First things first,the instant ship transfer is being implemented because they want people to be able to jump into conflict zones and the like at a moments notice.
Are we assuming that FD are going to do a u-turn on this?
Because a portion of the community want this ability.

 

[Quiquag]

1: Calculate travel time based on ships current jump range. It's only allowed if the ship can actually make the trip. Add a timer for 60-90 second per jump. When timer run out, ship jumps into destination starport space and docks.
This prevents players from fitting combat ships with a underpowered D class FSD, keeping ship fitting and engineers relevant. CPU calculation is already in game using the galaxy map, adding a multiplier and a timer shouldn't be overly complex (Limited .Net experience here, really this depends on how they coded the game, but I don't think it will be too much development overhead to do.
It is not immersion breaking, and provides the player a moment to actually see their ship being delivered.

Pros: This lays the foundation that can be added on to in the future as development time permits. Pilots plotting the route they want their ship to take, and the RNG adding in possible problems along the way. Ship arriving damaged if going through too many anarchy systems, or maybe even destroyed.
Cons: It means if I'm in a T9 and see a conflict zone and think to myself "I'd like to participate in that", I'll still have to wait a few minutes and find a way to entertain myself while I wait.

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2: Pilot teleportation.
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Rather than instant ship transfer to current location, allow pilot teleportation from any starport with a shipyard. Is it gamey? Oh yes, it is. Is it universe breaking? Not in the slightest. (Shoot, we have tele-presence already in game, just say major stations can boost the signal anywhere in the bubble). It means that I might leave my combat ship where I'm fighting and my trade ship where I'm trading, but I still have to fly those ships wherever I want them which leaves builds intact. It also allows instant gameplay. If my mate and I play to play in a CG, we fly out there, and after we're done I can TP my pilot back to my multipurpose ship. next time we want to play together, I can TP my pilot back to the CG and wing up.

It also means if I want to play in Jaques, I can fly out there, but still participate in community events back in the bubble.

Cons: It means if I'm in a T9 and see a conflict zone and think to myself "I'd like to participate in that", I'll have to dock my T9, and teleport my pilot to my closest combat ship and fly there myself.

 

[Winterwalker]

Make it a job for one of your npc crew mates they introduce with the same update. Heck, even let them do things in your ship and get a small cut of the profit.

Upvoted.

a/ Free of charge!
b/ Could include ship-destruction level of risk?
c/ Would include a level of wear and tear damage

b/ and c/ depending on ranking of NPC crew. Like it.

 

[Bomba Luigi]

Upvoted.

a/ Free of charge!
b/ Could include ship-destruction level of risk?
c/ Would include a level of wear and tear damage

b/ and c/ depending on ranking of NPC crew. Like it.

b/ sure, but I wouldn't do it for a simple Shiptransfer, (hes only jumping from system to system anyway, High wake is very powerful) but everywhere where he makes money you get a cut off it should be possible!

 

[Winterwalker]

First things first,the instant ship transfer is being implemented because they want people to be able to jump into conflict zones and the like at a moments notice.

Negative. Instant transfer is because timers are a secondary mechanic .. Primary mechainc is accessing shipyard info from a different station. This, most basic data mechanic is being introduced 2.2.

SIDE EFFECT is (while transfer is instant) you CAN jump into CZ's at moment's notice.

It's HIGHLY unlikely though that the mechanic was introduced "in order to change role at moment notice". As above, timers are more complicated to add and must come AFTER shipyard datalinking.






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b/ sure, but I wouldn't do it for a simple Shiptransfer, (hes only jumping from system to system anyway, High wake is very powerful) but everywhere where he makes money you get a cut off it should be possible!

If you're waiting for auto trading, which you can't do with ship transfer because (at least last time I checked) you can't store a ship in yard with active cargo .. I think will be waiting .. a while!

o7

 

[TheSisko]

1) Place a distance limit on ship transfer, lets say 50 light years. That rules out nonsense like teleporting your fleet all the way to Jaques Station, while allowing for shorter range transfer and respecting the scale of the galaxy which ED is set in.

2) Have a sub-set of that distance limit, say 15 light years - within that distance your ship is guaranteed to be delivered. Beyond that, all bets are off, the risk of your ship being lost increases with the distance you want it to travel.

With the addition of remote ship selling in 2.2, you'd have the option of selling your assets from the insurance screen (hopefully). You want that FDL brought over from 30Ly away? Fine, but there's a chance you may lose it.

Risk? Meet Reward.

 

[Cageman]

Thanks for a good thread to submitt ideas!

I'm going to assume that Instant will be in the game, but, I'd like to have options.

Instant = super expensive and have a cooldown timer
Realtime = On the opposite side of Instant, and the cheapest one. It is, essentially, hire an NPC to deliver the ship for you. Time is calculated on jumprange and distance.

Between these two, we can have 2x realtime, 5x realtime, 10x realtime (obviously with different cost).

All of these are safe and happens on the server, so even if you log out, they will still happen.

Future expansions on the Realtime would be to have one of your hired Fighter Pilots to do it for you, where you escort the ship, or he escorts you, NPC Winging in terms of Bounty hunting and Trading / rare trading (good way to make Solo players have a form of winging experience, maybe even exclusive to Solo?).