ANNOUNCEMENT Fleet Carriers - Content Reveal Recap

[Agony_Aunt]

Announce that you'll pay twice the market rate for it at system X, get other people to mine it for you while you sleep.

Yes, i can imagine someone will be right over, travelling thousands of LY, just to mine for me while i'm sleeping

The original explorers were really enthusiastic pre-1.0-release about the concept of exploration involving difficult logistics challenges, and I think it's great that Frontier have finally gone back and given them some content [1]. If the more modern "instant gratification" explorers don't have a use for it they can still stick to flying paper ships with a 70LY jump range and no support requirements and having fun that way.

[1] I hope some of them are still around to enjoy it after five years...

Ah yes, i remember those days. Was a member of Fleet Comms before we knew how things would actually work.

But that's out of the window now. Logistics are not necessary since whatever we think about how FCs should work, we have standard ships that can travel from one end of the galaxy to the other in a matter of hours.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Yes, i can imagine someone will be right over, travelling thousands of LY, just to mine for me while i'm sleeping

People went nuts for long range poo missions, didn't they?

 

[Cosmo]

FD, I'd love this to be as good as possible because I've always wanted something big to manage in this game. However, at this point the content you are offering seems kind of... underwhelming? And that's despite all your efforts. I really hope you'll make it better during the betas. These are my points:

1. You have said that you'd chosen ship-like customization of fleet carriers instead of presets. However, I'm unable to find any information about anything that could replace that. At this point you are only offering a mobile station with basic services, a storage (which is indeed great) and a completely useless (to this date) commodity market (I will elaborate on that below). I never really cared about black markets so I can't really say anything regarding that. So... Where's the mining drone swarm module? Where's the enhanced refinery module? Where's the system-wide detailed surface scanner? Where's the wing of fighters assisting module? How exactly are you planning to grant an ability to customize these ships for specialized activities? It would be quite weird of you to just dump that aspect.

2. Why would anyone need a player-to-player commodity market? How is that of any use in the current climate? The list of commodities that have a function for the player is very-very scarce: engineering materials, gold and now tritium. I believe that's it. I would welcome the commodity market if you gave an opportunity to play around with NPC economy but it seems like you're not doing that. Why? Why have it at all then? Are you planning to implement a production system soon? Will more commodities have a function soon?

3. I would never choose carrier services over station services if I were inside the bubble and I don't think that you can expect a lot of customers outside of it. So, the ability to earn credits using the tariff system is not really there. Is that subject to change?

FD, please finish the job. It would be such a waste if you didn't.

Seconded, hear, hear.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

If thats the case, then don't bring an FC because it sounds like you don't want the hassle- which is fair. If you are lugging a portable station with you, its got to eat. Stop thinking these things are hyper mobile Sidewinders because surprise, they are not.



Its quite easy- you set it to jump and then the jump happens regardless of what you are doing- which is as AFK as it gets. So in that time playing you schedule your play better.

I see, don't use a FC for exploring, despite hoping for FCs that would allow me to explore, not spend my time mining?

Seriously? That's your argument? I'm wrong for wanting FCs to enhance the exploration experience?

When did we switch roles in relation to FD? I used to be the one who got called white knight!

 

[Agony_Aunt]

People went nuts for long range poo missions, didn't they?

Something that directly benefited them for megabucks. I don't see any benefit for someone to travel thousands of LY to mine for me. If they want to mine, they can do it wherever they want and make mega bucks selling to stations under investment/pirate attack.

 

[Rubbernuke]

I see, don't use a FC for exploring, despite hoping for FCs that would allow me to explore, not spend my time mining?

Who said you need an FC to explore? Can't you do that now?

Seriously? That's your argument? I'm wrong for wanting FCs to enhance the exploration experience?

What, to have a giant back up vessel you can dock with, repair on? How is that not enhancing exploration?

When did we switch roles in relation to FD? I used to be the one who got called white knight!

I'm not white knighting, just pointing out the obvious.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Something that directly benefited them for megabucks. I don't see any benefit for someone to travel thousands of LY to mine for me. If they want to mine, they can do it wherever they want and make mega bucks selling to stations under investment/pirate attack.

Why not? It would be like employing a wing of miners on a rig for your trip.

 

[GravittivarG]

Why Capital class ships can jump out of a battle at any moment? I mean why fleet carrier need 1-hour preparing to jump? 1-hour cooldown after jump is ok, It may be that. But 1-hour preparing is unnecessary, even that crew is very slow to preparing, I think. 1 jump per 2 hours is very slow. Crew may preparing for jump for 5 or 10 minutes, but not whole hour. I think.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

Yes, it was a bit rhetorical.

I actually was hoping that i could mine while out exploring to take a break from exploring and perhaps slowly, over an expedition, fill up my cargo with goodies to sell when i got back to the bubble. Apparently not, because i'll have to spend hours mining just to make the next jump.

Which you don't as has been worked out. Also how much are you going to fill up. There is over 20000 units of space available. Maybe keep a few hundred for the bits you find and the rest for fuel.

And you do have to mine every 2 jumps, or every jump even, since you never know if the next system you jump to will have an icy ring. Ok, you can stockpile in your cargo hold, but then you are needing to mine for tens of hours to make a few jumps.

The next system doesn't have to have an icy ring. It can be a system in the vicinity. Get some more fuel and jump there (smaller jumps take less fuel)

This is not what i had hoped for in relation to FCs and exploration.

As stated, they are not.

Maybe you are happy with it and relish the idea of spending hours mining to make a single jump. I am not.

You don't need to mine every two jumps. If you stock up on fuel it can do 40 odd jumps without the need to mine. That's 20000 Ly before you need to do any refuelling. Hopefully the asteroid bases will have supplies of fuel that can restock your fleet carrier with and do a bit of mining too. Maybe if there are any commanders there ask them to help out and obviously if you are going places without any asteroid bases, then you will need to mine eventually. But to find your mining hotspot, you need to explore. Surely, thats not a bad thing to happen.

 

[Ughkoff]

Carriers could be simply decommissioned based on account inactivity (1-2 years, debatable but possible - required to maintain clutter in the Galaxy) rather than internal debt.
It is unclear to me, why upkeep has to continue even if (drastic example here) somebody goes to a hospital for 2 months and maybe recovering for another 3 and really has no chance to play their favorite Elite Dangerous.. this is indeed a big question.
Upkeep could work like current shared benefits with your crew members, or at least only during the time when you logged on and "perform activities".
Of course I do understand that the FC is also there when I am not in the game and can potentially earn credits all the time (not exploration vessel however, or way less than a "grocery store" FC)... I do not believe that I would like to leave it to sheer luck especially if I do not know how soon I would be able to come back to the game and fun...
Remember? Fun... isn't supposed to be... fun?

Exactly. I approximately understand why such mechanics are introduced. Indeed, the players have accumulated a lot of loans that they do not spend for various reasons. Introducing carriers is a great idea from the developer, this idea has a huge potential. I would even align the carrier to the spacelegs. They just need to configure them correctly. But as a waste of credit of players ... not a good idea. If a developer needs loans to be spent, this can be solved in simpler ways. For example: “Hey, Rich player, 10 billion, and we call that station your name. Another 10 billion and you will get your minor fraction. 50 billion, and you have your own space station. For 100 billion, we will open for you only a closed system, and you can touch the Thargoid's women . And Jackpot, 500 billion, and you will receive a letter in your ship mail, there David Braben telling you what Raxla is. " In this format. This is much easier, and not as painful as this may happen with carriers in the future.

 

[ADAMtheWELSHMANz]

Loving the reveal and the news so far. Thanks to @Ian Doncaster in the early few pages for a few ideas on making your FC profitable.

I have a couple of ideas based around source and return missions which I think could prove to be pretty lucrative too.

Upkeep costs seem pretty manageable, and the ability the top off your carriers balance before taking a break certainly knocks a lot of the doomsayers comments of the past few days on the head.

UC would be an extreme gamechanger, and I hope it was an intended omission, although been able to store/transfer data to a carrier for safekeeping before trying that 11g landing would be a nice inclusion.

All in all a massive thumbs up to FDev, can't wait to pick mine up once Perseys expedition finishes in a few months.

 

[Vasea Azure]

From the sound of it even if I could afford this thing in the first place, I wouldn't buy one. The up keep/running costs and eventual loos of the carrier due to lack of maintenance - it all sounds like from free to play game where you purposely drain players money.
Also kind of shame that so much dev time went in to something that is aimed for a top tier players only.
Am I surprised by this? Sadly - not at all.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Who said you need an FC to explore? Can't you do that now?

You understand the difference between "need" and "want" or "hope" yes? I don't need a FC for exploration. I had hoped FCs would be a fun and engaging way to go exploring.

What, to have a giant back up vessel you can dock with, repair on? How is that not enhancing exploration?

It is, but the need to mine for hours per jump de-enhances it significantly. Please keep in mind i'm not complaining about the ability to refuel or repair. I'm saying i'm not happy with the idea of spending hours mining between jumps. If you are happy with that, then that is fine. The idea of spending hours mining between jumps is a major downside for me.

I'm not white knighting, just pointing out the obvious.

Then please allow me my opinion that for me, personal opinion, this is a major negative and not what i was hoping for from FCs in relation to exploration. Again, if you are happy wiht hte idea of spending hours mining between jumps, then that is fine.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Why not? It would be like employing a wing of miners on a rig for your trip.

Then i look forward to seeing you answer my call to come and do mining for me while i'm sleeping

 

[Rubbernuke]

You understand the difference between "need" and "want" or "hope" yes? I don't need a FC for exploration. I had hoped FCs would be a fun and engaging way to go exploring.

Then you've answered your own question.

It is, but the need to mine for hours per jump de-enhances it significantly. Please keep in mind i'm not complaining about the ability to refuel or repair. I'm saying i'm not happy with the idea of spending hours mining between jumps. If you are happy with that, then that is fine. The idea of spending hours mining between jumps is a major downside for me.

Its the challenge of keeping one going on your own- how will an exploration group in a PG carrier deal with it? In the end this may be the cost of making them 'personal' rather than squadron only.

Then please allow me my opinion that for me, personal opinion, this is a major negative and not what i was hoping for from FCs in relation to exploration. Again, if you are happy wiht hte idea of spending hours mining between jumps, then that is fine.

I'll allow your opinion. This time.

 

[zimms]

[...]
When did we switch roles in relation to FD? I used to be the one who got called white knight!

Doesn't feel great when the Order casts you aside, does it?

 

[Rubbernuke]

Then i look forward to seeing you answer my call to come and do mining for me while i'm sleeping

No, because I'll be putting mine next to a place where I'm going to murder the population to death and sell them narcotics until they fall over. Who knows what groups might do?

 

[Bigmaec]

No, because I'll be putting mine next to a place where I'm going to murder the population to death and sell them narcotics until they fall over. Who knows what groups might do?

I guess most groups who know the dark side of the BGS had understood that 30 seconds after the stream latest

 

[Old Duck]

So do we know the beta price yet?

 

[Bigmaec]

So do we know the beta price yet?

No, I guess we will learn in the beta. You can't do anything now at all, the save will be weeks old.