Hello, my first post here... but I was thinking today about base building and how it could be included in Elite. I know this might be a slightly controversial idea, what with people not wanting Elite to become like Eve Online (not that I've ever played it so I don't know what it's like), but I think it could be a neat idea. Let me suggest how I envision it.
Basically, if you've ever played World of Warcraft, the bases (or whatever they would be called), could be similar to garrisons. Each player upon fulfilling certain requirements could choose an uninhabited planet (one which is landable) and put a base on it. This would start off small, but you could add different buildings to the base which would give you different functionality depending on what buildings you added, and you could upgrade existing buildings. You would only be able to build one base and you'd only have one opportunity to do so (so no relocating)... I guess unless the planet was destroyed by Thargoids maybe, but I suppose that would be up to Frontier's discretion.
The purpose for this is multiple: firstly to provide an extra thing to spend credits on, especially as in the end game people have huge amounts of credits. Secondly, it would give something extra to use materials for. I would envision most buildings, certainly level one/grade one/whatever you call it buildings, would require lots of common resources: e.g. iron, carbon, things like that. Maybe for upgrades, more rare materials would be needed.
So what do bases do? Well, they are a way of claiming your own little patch of space, and can also have useful functions but crucially, they should not come even close to overriding the functions of any given star port. So there wouldn't be a mission board, there wouldn't be a commodities market. However, there would be the ability to refuel and repair your ship. To store and swap modules, maybe to store ships (but not buy or sell) ships and to store materials or commodities if you have any. Of course, what you can do would depend on the buildings you have placed. In addition, there would also be customisation options so you can make your base your own. For example different themes, flags... Architectural styles. Maybe some of these could be even be purchasable from the store.
Depending on the buildings you build, you could then select a specialisation for your base. Of course you could only select one specialisation at a time. Each specialisation would give you advantages:
For example (and these are just some ideas I had)
Industrial specialism: The base occasionally generates commodities, on rare occasions some of the more exotic and rare commodities. The likelihood of this can be increased by upgrades
Mining specialism: The base occasionally generates materials, on rare occasions some of the more exotic and rare commodities. The liklihood of this can be increased by upgrades.
Military specialism: Something on the lines of, upon visiting the base, your shields/weapons are buffed for x number of jumps. Maybe upgrades can increase the number of jumps
Science specialism: Something on the lines of upon visiting the base, your FSD/Scanner has a longer range/quicker scan (or charge) time for x number of jumps. Again, upgrades would be available.
There could be others as well, these are just ideas.
Maybe as well as requiring buildings to gain a specialism, they unlock certain buildings too.
Bases could also link into the existing powers quite easily as your base would be built in the name of the whichever power you are pledged to. I'm not sure whether this should be on a power play level (e.g. your base would be build in the name of Aisling Duval) or a galactic power level (e.g. your base would be built in the name of the Federation).
In addition, you could let people visit if you like. Perhaps people could only visit if they were on your friends list, or if you gave them specific permission. Or maybe it would only be private. Perhaps some of the functionality would be limited if you're visiting, perhaps it would just be a way of showing off... which is why the customisation options would then be appealing. If someone tried to visit who you hadn't given permission to or wasn't on your friends list, then it would be the same as trying to land on a star port without requesting docking permission.
If you think about it, when you're exploring the deep black of space, we're essentially not that different from the explorers of the 15th, 16th, 17th centuries and beyond and many of these explorers historically did found cities. I'm not suggesting player built cities, but small outposts that are a nice feature, which are useful and can be something that's appealing to players, but not completely game changing. Of course, I wouldn't mind big player built cities, but I realise that wouldn't appeal to everyone but something like this could be something you can do if you want to, or not do if you don't want to.
So yeah, here are some of my ideas... feel free to let me know what you think. Obviously, at the moment it's just... at the idea stage... but, having ideas is what this forum's for, right?
Basically, if you've ever played World of Warcraft, the bases (or whatever they would be called), could be similar to garrisons. Each player upon fulfilling certain requirements could choose an uninhabited planet (one which is landable) and put a base on it. This would start off small, but you could add different buildings to the base which would give you different functionality depending on what buildings you added, and you could upgrade existing buildings. You would only be able to build one base and you'd only have one opportunity to do so (so no relocating)... I guess unless the planet was destroyed by Thargoids maybe, but I suppose that would be up to Frontier's discretion.
The purpose for this is multiple: firstly to provide an extra thing to spend credits on, especially as in the end game people have huge amounts of credits. Secondly, it would give something extra to use materials for. I would envision most buildings, certainly level one/grade one/whatever you call it buildings, would require lots of common resources: e.g. iron, carbon, things like that. Maybe for upgrades, more rare materials would be needed.
So what do bases do? Well, they are a way of claiming your own little patch of space, and can also have useful functions but crucially, they should not come even close to overriding the functions of any given star port. So there wouldn't be a mission board, there wouldn't be a commodities market. However, there would be the ability to refuel and repair your ship. To store and swap modules, maybe to store ships (but not buy or sell) ships and to store materials or commodities if you have any. Of course, what you can do would depend on the buildings you have placed. In addition, there would also be customisation options so you can make your base your own. For example different themes, flags... Architectural styles. Maybe some of these could be even be purchasable from the store.
Depending on the buildings you build, you could then select a specialisation for your base. Of course you could only select one specialisation at a time. Each specialisation would give you advantages:
For example (and these are just some ideas I had)
Industrial specialism: The base occasionally generates commodities, on rare occasions some of the more exotic and rare commodities. The likelihood of this can be increased by upgrades
Mining specialism: The base occasionally generates materials, on rare occasions some of the more exotic and rare commodities. The liklihood of this can be increased by upgrades.
Military specialism: Something on the lines of, upon visiting the base, your shields/weapons are buffed for x number of jumps. Maybe upgrades can increase the number of jumps
Science specialism: Something on the lines of upon visiting the base, your FSD/Scanner has a longer range/quicker scan (or charge) time for x number of jumps. Again, upgrades would be available.
There could be others as well, these are just ideas.
Maybe as well as requiring buildings to gain a specialism, they unlock certain buildings too.
Bases could also link into the existing powers quite easily as your base would be built in the name of the whichever power you are pledged to. I'm not sure whether this should be on a power play level (e.g. your base would be build in the name of Aisling Duval) or a galactic power level (e.g. your base would be built in the name of the Federation).
In addition, you could let people visit if you like. Perhaps people could only visit if they were on your friends list, or if you gave them specific permission. Or maybe it would only be private. Perhaps some of the functionality would be limited if you're visiting, perhaps it would just be a way of showing off... which is why the customisation options would then be appealing. If someone tried to visit who you hadn't given permission to or wasn't on your friends list, then it would be the same as trying to land on a star port without requesting docking permission.
If you think about it, when you're exploring the deep black of space, we're essentially not that different from the explorers of the 15th, 16th, 17th centuries and beyond and many of these explorers historically did found cities. I'm not suggesting player built cities, but small outposts that are a nice feature, which are useful and can be something that's appealing to players, but not completely game changing. Of course, I wouldn't mind big player built cities, but I realise that wouldn't appeal to everyone but something like this could be something you can do if you want to, or not do if you don't want to.
So yeah, here are some of my ideas... feel free to let me know what you think. Obviously, at the moment it's just... at the idea stage... but, having ideas is what this forum's for, right?
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Anyway, it's unlikely to happen in the short or long term, but one can dream. Maybe it'll happen in an upcoming "Elite: Citizen" expansion where we get personalized hanagers and bases 
