I think the idea with an Ejection capsule is sound, at least as an optional choice. - Wait for cheap or be cloned for expensive.
Consider a situation - as a result of battle the ship is irretrievably damaged and at the last moment the pilot decides to eject - presses eject button - capsule fires back to a safe distance and stays in stealth mode, so that the enemy cannot find and finish it, after that the pilot activates the emergency beacon, which is automatically displayed in the Information panel of friends (wing) or all players of friendly faction. Those willing to save the poor guy can accept a signal (and automatically receive a salvage mission), fly to the emergency beacon location, save that pilot, get a medal, respect from the faction and gratitude in the form of smaller or larger rewards from grateful relatives, friends, government). Also the victim will receive rewards in the form of a special status (such as – veteran, survivor, lucky and so on.) and can save money on respawning (as he will not have to be cloned).
OR if the player has another ship stored at station, he could remotely communicate with the ship autopilot and drive it and save himself.
There is a mass of options. Frontiers could just economically justify them to be reasonable.
it is clear that it can only work within the reasonable distance of space. Very few will want to wait for hours and days in space floating in capsule or fly to the other side of the galaxy to save the unwary researcher who fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a planet, very few would. BUT if you have a lot of data explored and give a reward for such salvage mission – lets say 5 or more million credits)) someone may dare to undertake this kind of endeavour. In this case the savior will be also receive its own exploration rewards plus salvation mission reward. (that will be good money)
It may be also economically reasonable even for the unlucky explorer. As the data that he explored during the expedition will be saved and preserved for future generations xD.
the only problem I see is make the pilot do something usefull while he is waiting.. maybe take a short course of space programming or a short course on the theory of relativity xD or astronomy - give him a medal for this too. xD
Consider a situation - as a result of battle the ship is irretrievably damaged and at the last moment the pilot decides to eject - presses eject button - capsule fires back to a safe distance and stays in stealth mode, so that the enemy cannot find and finish it, after that the pilot activates the emergency beacon, which is automatically displayed in the Information panel of friends (wing) or all players of friendly faction. Those willing to save the poor guy can accept a signal (and automatically receive a salvage mission), fly to the emergency beacon location, save that pilot, get a medal, respect from the faction and gratitude in the form of smaller or larger rewards from grateful relatives, friends, government). Also the victim will receive rewards in the form of a special status (such as – veteran, survivor, lucky and so on.) and can save money on respawning (as he will not have to be cloned).
OR if the player has another ship stored at station, he could remotely communicate with the ship autopilot and drive it and save himself.
There is a mass of options. Frontiers could just economically justify them to be reasonable.
it is clear that it can only work within the reasonable distance of space. Very few will want to wait for hours and days in space floating in capsule or fly to the other side of the galaxy to save the unwary researcher who fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a planet, very few would. BUT if you have a lot of data explored and give a reward for such salvage mission – lets say 5 or more million credits)) someone may dare to undertake this kind of endeavour. In this case the savior will be also receive its own exploration rewards plus salvation mission reward. (that will be good money)
It may be also economically reasonable even for the unlucky explorer. As the data that he explored during the expedition will be saved and preserved for future generations xD.
the only problem I see is make the pilot do something usefull while he is waiting.. maybe take a short course of space programming or a short course on the theory of relativity xD or astronomy - give him a medal for this too. xD