i didn't really think about this while i had my sidewinder, but since i got rid of it and bought a cobra I've been feeling pretty lonely with one person in my two person cockpit. i'm sure the anaconda feels even more lonely by far. why not add in a co-pilot slot that can add a level of automation, maybe some interaction when in the same cockpit, and other roles?
this should be added at the same time as the "walking around your ship and stations" update.
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Outfitting: suggestion:
slots for crew seats you can buy for an upfront recurring cost, examples (limited to 1 AI at once in their own ship, plus as many as you have seats)
Co-Pilot mostly harmless class - 150,000cr/week salary
can control the craft's basic functions, sublight flight and docking, requesting docking. just point and shoot once you drop out of supercruise.
Co-Pilot normal class - 250,000cr/week salary
can control supercruise, can fly on his own (IE you leave him in a hauler and fly alongside him in a cobra, so you carry two loads of cargo), works on a "set target" basis, but you have to be docked to change targets. doesn't evade interdiction, needs defending.
Co-Pilot A class dangerous- 2m/month salary
will do anything you'd like him to do. mining, trading, exploring, combat. he'll try to evade interdiction whenever possible.
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larger vessels, IE anaconda can get more than one crew type.
Science officer, 150k/w
operates scanners and discovery equipment to a higher effectiveness than you can. gives information on FSD wakes and identifies unidentified signal sources.
chief engineer, 1m/month
increases effectiveness of diverting power (when power is diverted there will be more power than if it wasn't), more base power, more jump drive range
merchant, 50k/day
increases profit margins from station trading, contracts and can scan for contracts within a range of 10ly if a science officer is present. won't stay for long if not paid daily, merchant only appears to buy rarely. flimsy in combat, but has tricks up his sleeve (if interdicted he'll start flying backwards while using vertical thrusters and charging jump)
miner, 900k/month
will take his own ship and mine and sell his ores to refinery systems, or do mining contracts, or survey asteroids from a range of up to 10ly when a science officer is present, and take control of the ship to pick up ores. flimsy in combat.
explorer, 250k/week,
will work with a science officer to further increase range of scanning equipment, will always manage to get more out of a reserve tank of fuel, will take a scout ship to see what lies ahead of you, or just go exploring. flimsy in combat.
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player join to other starship -
will give you a list of ships with open slots to join, with your friends highlighted.
when you join the ship's "host" will have to accept you before you join.
after you leave you get credits for the time you spent in the ship, from the host's account.
you can take on any of the above roles while in this mode. (Co-pilot, scientist, engineer, merchant) (host has control of the ship and has to pass it off to the co-pilot manually)
this should be added at the same time as the "walking around your ship and stations" update.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outfitting: suggestion:
slots for crew seats you can buy for an upfront recurring cost, examples (limited to 1 AI at once in their own ship, plus as many as you have seats)
Co-Pilot mostly harmless class - 150,000cr/week salary
can control the craft's basic functions, sublight flight and docking, requesting docking. just point and shoot once you drop out of supercruise.
Co-Pilot normal class - 250,000cr/week salary
can control supercruise, can fly on his own (IE you leave him in a hauler and fly alongside him in a cobra, so you carry two loads of cargo), works on a "set target" basis, but you have to be docked to change targets. doesn't evade interdiction, needs defending.
Co-Pilot A class dangerous- 2m/month salary
will do anything you'd like him to do. mining, trading, exploring, combat. he'll try to evade interdiction whenever possible.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
larger vessels, IE anaconda can get more than one crew type.
Science officer, 150k/w
operates scanners and discovery equipment to a higher effectiveness than you can. gives information on FSD wakes and identifies unidentified signal sources.
chief engineer, 1m/month
increases effectiveness of diverting power (when power is diverted there will be more power than if it wasn't), more base power, more jump drive range
merchant, 50k/day
increases profit margins from station trading, contracts and can scan for contracts within a range of 10ly if a science officer is present. won't stay for long if not paid daily, merchant only appears to buy rarely. flimsy in combat, but has tricks up his sleeve (if interdicted he'll start flying backwards while using vertical thrusters and charging jump)
miner, 900k/month
will take his own ship and mine and sell his ores to refinery systems, or do mining contracts, or survey asteroids from a range of up to 10ly when a science officer is present, and take control of the ship to pick up ores. flimsy in combat.
explorer, 250k/week,
will work with a science officer to further increase range of scanning equipment, will always manage to get more out of a reserve tank of fuel, will take a scout ship to see what lies ahead of you, or just go exploring. flimsy in combat.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
player join to other starship -
will give you a list of ships with open slots to join, with your friends highlighted.
when you join the ship's "host" will have to accept you before you join.
after you leave you get credits for the time you spent in the ship, from the host's account.
you can take on any of the above roles while in this mode. (Co-pilot, scientist, engineer, merchant) (host has control of the ship and has to pass it off to the co-pilot manually)