Let's keep it simple, here's my list of ideas to make fleet carriers more amazing:
1. Remove disabled module cost (currently if you turn modules off, they still suck money, from like 750k - 2mil per week, per module)
2. Instead of disabled module cost, add activation / deactivation fee + limit to activate or disable each module only once per hour and make it that your modules take a running fee based on time, not based on "week". If you run the module for 7 days straight, it would cost what it costs now, like 1.5 mil for refuel service, so that's about 200k per day. Activation/Deactivation cost should be 100k flat fee. So if you don't play much, it's cheaper to turn the services off after you're done with them.
3. Feature to enable auto-deactivation on modules that have either been idle for xxx amount of time or reach the goal (sell / buy). This can help if you're selling stuff, such as ships, bartender stuff, modules ..etc and want the module to be turned off after you have nothing left to sell or if there's no player activity. Also works if you set buy order for something and your order gets fulfilled (you get requested amount of whatever you buying). Or simply if your carrier is idle and nobody visits it, then certain modules can automatically be disabled if nobody uses them (NPCs don't count).
4. Make it possible to directly control carriers. We now have the bridge, so why not let us control them?
5. Split carrier control into 2 modes:
5a. Station mode - It's exactly what it is now (you select a point where to jump and it takes 15 mins to jump + 3 min cooldown). Remote control is possible like it is now.
5b. Control mode - in this mode you can directly control the carrier like if it's a normal ship, but all carrier services are suspended, except that carrier owner can still switch ships and transfer cargo. 15 minute preparation phase before jump is reduced to 2 minutes and cooldown to 1 minute.
Carrier does not show up on system map nor navigation (unless someone has it bookmarked) and carrier will disappear when you log out, in other words, it acts like a normal ship. Remote control of carrier is not possible (only remote option is to switch it to station mode). No weekly carrier upkeep.
5c. Switching between carrier modes should take 12-24 hours and should cost some credits, maybe like 1 million. Once you switch from Control mode to Station mode, then carrier becomes static as they are right now and will re-appear on navigation and system map. I don't know why we currently have carrier limit per system, but if possible, remove that, if it's because servers can't handle it, then simply make it so that you can't deploy your carrier in station mode if system is full.
5d. I know that devs hate giving us easy stuff, so I guess it's fair to make it so that if you have not used your carrier for a month or if you haven't logged into game for a month, then your carrier will auto-deploy into station mode at the location you last left it in. However I was under the impression that upkeep was added to prevent idle players from clogging up the game with idle carriers. Like those who RUSH RUSH RUSH, buy one and then leave it. I notice lot of decommissioned carriers in carrier admin systems all the time, people just buy and lose interest and leave it idle, but this wouldn't be a problem if your carrier is in control mode, because it will disappear once you log out.
6. Add full carrier interiors with more customization. I was expecting a lot more when carrier interiors were announced, it was quite disappointing :/
I mean add ability to add some decorations (chairs, plants, tables..etc), stickers / logos and stuff like that. Let us freely explore the carrier.
7. I'm not even sure if this is possible due the unrealistic size of carriers, but if we'd have full interiors, you should be able to visit your ship hangar on foot and admire all the ships, enter one and take it for a spin (similar to GTA online garage). I mean that I'm not sure 40 large ships would actually fit into the carrier, from outside it doesn't look like there's enough room for 40.
I know some of these require lot of time and effort from developers, but saying "NO it's too difficult / time taking" is no excuse. Good games are not made overnight, good games take years of hard work and effort.
1. Remove disabled module cost (currently if you turn modules off, they still suck money, from like 750k - 2mil per week, per module)
2. Instead of disabled module cost, add activation / deactivation fee + limit to activate or disable each module only once per hour and make it that your modules take a running fee based on time, not based on "week". If you run the module for 7 days straight, it would cost what it costs now, like 1.5 mil for refuel service, so that's about 200k per day. Activation/Deactivation cost should be 100k flat fee. So if you don't play much, it's cheaper to turn the services off after you're done with them.
3. Feature to enable auto-deactivation on modules that have either been idle for xxx amount of time or reach the goal (sell / buy). This can help if you're selling stuff, such as ships, bartender stuff, modules ..etc and want the module to be turned off after you have nothing left to sell or if there's no player activity. Also works if you set buy order for something and your order gets fulfilled (you get requested amount of whatever you buying). Or simply if your carrier is idle and nobody visits it, then certain modules can automatically be disabled if nobody uses them (NPCs don't count).
4. Make it possible to directly control carriers. We now have the bridge, so why not let us control them?
5. Split carrier control into 2 modes:
5a. Station mode - It's exactly what it is now (you select a point where to jump and it takes 15 mins to jump + 3 min cooldown). Remote control is possible like it is now.
5b. Control mode - in this mode you can directly control the carrier like if it's a normal ship, but all carrier services are suspended, except that carrier owner can still switch ships and transfer cargo. 15 minute preparation phase before jump is reduced to 2 minutes and cooldown to 1 minute.
Carrier does not show up on system map nor navigation (unless someone has it bookmarked) and carrier will disappear when you log out, in other words, it acts like a normal ship. Remote control of carrier is not possible (only remote option is to switch it to station mode). No weekly carrier upkeep.
5c. Switching between carrier modes should take 12-24 hours and should cost some credits, maybe like 1 million. Once you switch from Control mode to Station mode, then carrier becomes static as they are right now and will re-appear on navigation and system map. I don't know why we currently have carrier limit per system, but if possible, remove that, if it's because servers can't handle it, then simply make it so that you can't deploy your carrier in station mode if system is full.
5d. I know that devs hate giving us easy stuff, so I guess it's fair to make it so that if you have not used your carrier for a month or if you haven't logged into game for a month, then your carrier will auto-deploy into station mode at the location you last left it in. However I was under the impression that upkeep was added to prevent idle players from clogging up the game with idle carriers. Like those who RUSH RUSH RUSH, buy one and then leave it. I notice lot of decommissioned carriers in carrier admin systems all the time, people just buy and lose interest and leave it idle, but this wouldn't be a problem if your carrier is in control mode, because it will disappear once you log out.
6. Add full carrier interiors with more customization. I was expecting a lot more when carrier interiors were announced, it was quite disappointing :/
I mean add ability to add some decorations (chairs, plants, tables..etc), stickers / logos and stuff like that. Let us freely explore the carrier.
7. I'm not even sure if this is possible due the unrealistic size of carriers, but if we'd have full interiors, you should be able to visit your ship hangar on foot and admire all the ships, enter one and take it for a spin (similar to GTA online garage). I mean that I'm not sure 40 large ships would actually fit into the carrier, from outside it doesn't look like there's enough room for 40.
I know some of these require lot of time and effort from developers, but saying "NO it's too difficult / time taking" is no excuse. Good games are not made overnight, good games take years of hard work and effort.