You know folks, with all these nostalgic images resurfacing here, it got me to dig out one of my old TTA books,
Spacewreck - Ghostships and Derelicts Of Space. Now, I'm not sure if this has been brought up before but I really do think the
vibe of what's in this book, stories and such could possibly be added in to Elite in some form and style.
Remember the effects the story of "Space Dredgers and Generation Ships" [Original Elite] had on the explorer/pilots mind? The mere mention of those things in the book led to many actively seeking these out, [though in vain as they weren't really there.] Still, no one knew this but everyone lived in hope and expectation that one-day they would be found.
So here's my point, if we had unrelated very short stories on top of [after research] dangerous areas, planets. systems [high radiation, anomalous space events etc, etc] and plus unknown space disasters peppered about the edges of the unknown galaxy, these things could become an alternative leading point to future exsoitic technologies introduced into the game.
Example; an explorer finds a wreck out in the depths of uncharted space or planetside and brings back some of that strange tech, [be that a scan or a actual part.] It gets researched by said factional group and then is spread in a limited fashion through said empire/faction.
This creates a deeper sense to exploration in the vast unknown and a mild advantage between empires/faction who first gain access to these exceptionally rare and hard found [researched] technologies. What is also sort here, is the almost haunted house feeling of the
unknown but in the deep space and unknown ships form.
I would go as far as saying, from time to time there should be strange "unexplained sighting events" that very rarely/randomly happen to players explorers right out on the fringes of explored space. Why? Because there's nothing more powerful than stories, hearsay, gossip of the
strange and
unknown activities coming from pilots who've returned from the depths deep of space.
Your thoughts people?
Tombs of Crystal
"A huge spaceberg containing the hull of an Interstellar Queen, an ancient type of passenger liner which had been operational in the 21st century."
The Epsilon Queen
"Everything about the journey of the luxury liner, Epsilon Queen, was routine. She had travelled from Mars to Alpha Centauri III over one hundred times, but what emerged from warp drive was not the proud, sleek shape of the ship that entered it."
The Warthog
"The Warthog entered Federation territory unannounced at over 4 times the speed of light. No known craft was capable of these speeds at this time and its appearance triggered a full military alert. Its exit from hyperspace proved at once that it did indeed come from beyond the Perimeter."
