As it stands, Collect Data Passengers are just single-destination sight-seeing missions that pay horrendously less compared to their cousins with a much higher chance of failure given the vast majority are secretive. The lack of these in anything higher than a business class cabin also stinks. Anyways...
No, I am not proposing they pay substantially more - they should be higher, but not by a lot. After all, the exploration data supplements your income anyhow.
What I propose is an actual change in the gameplay - scanning a tourist beacon is NOT gameplay. I didn't fly all the way out here to see a tourist beacon. I want to collect DATA! Be all sciencey and stuff.
Here goes:
1) Upon arrival to the destination system, the science team/explorers/whatever-they-are update their mission with a series of tasks, between 2 to 5. Higher number tasks amplify payout just like distance from start and cabin class. The mission will indicate if you need certain modules (Like SRV or Mining Lasers and Refinery)
2) These tasks could be formed of the following:
- Scan X number of stellar bodies with surface scanner
- Scan all 'fill in the blank' stellar bodies in system (Like all stars, or all WW)
- Collect 25 minerals from the surface of a planet (Requires SRV)
- Take air samples for two minutes on a planet (Requires SLF in atmosphere)
- Locate lost Data Cache at Planet X (Spawns Mission USS for this)
- Mine X amount of Y Type of Asteroid Commodity
You get the idea.
3) Upon completion of the tasks, the mission is deemed complete and you can head back to origin station to turn in.
As stated, Payout is modified by the number of tasks presented. I don't know the alogirthm or claim to, so this is just a ballpark figure based on a collect data I did recently at only 6500ly away...
6,500ly Distance
Economy - 6 Passengers
(Normally ~18 million credits)
One month to complete (like usual)
Will require 3 Tasks Completed (Adds 500,000 credits for each task)
Payout is now 19.5 million
SRV is recommended. (So you know it involves a planetary landing - important for those who explore without shield)
So...that's the idea. Just looking to spice up collect data missions. I honestly think sight-seeing missions should also involve a little more gameplay, but that's another thread for another day. Cheers!
No, I am not proposing they pay substantially more - they should be higher, but not by a lot. After all, the exploration data supplements your income anyhow.
What I propose is an actual change in the gameplay - scanning a tourist beacon is NOT gameplay. I didn't fly all the way out here to see a tourist beacon. I want to collect DATA! Be all sciencey and stuff.
Here goes:
1) Upon arrival to the destination system, the science team/explorers/whatever-they-are update their mission with a series of tasks, between 2 to 5. Higher number tasks amplify payout just like distance from start and cabin class. The mission will indicate if you need certain modules (Like SRV or Mining Lasers and Refinery)
2) These tasks could be formed of the following:
- Scan X number of stellar bodies with surface scanner
- Scan all 'fill in the blank' stellar bodies in system (Like all stars, or all WW)
- Collect 25 minerals from the surface of a planet (Requires SRV)
- Take air samples for two minutes on a planet (Requires SLF in atmosphere)
- Locate lost Data Cache at Planet X (Spawns Mission USS for this)
- Mine X amount of Y Type of Asteroid Commodity
You get the idea.
3) Upon completion of the tasks, the mission is deemed complete and you can head back to origin station to turn in.
As stated, Payout is modified by the number of tasks presented. I don't know the alogirthm or claim to, so this is just a ballpark figure based on a collect data I did recently at only 6500ly away...
6,500ly Distance
Economy - 6 Passengers
(Normally ~18 million credits)
One month to complete (like usual)
Will require 3 Tasks Completed (Adds 500,000 credits for each task)
Payout is now 19.5 million
SRV is recommended. (So you know it involves a planetary landing - important for those who explore without shield)
So...that's the idea. Just looking to spice up collect data missions. I honestly think sight-seeing missions should also involve a little more gameplay, but that's another thread for another day. Cheers!