Frontier, Please Don't Kill Our Crew! Part Deux

[Bunkerkind Anni]

agreed, and frontier remains silent so the pointless posts continue, very tiring.

It’s rare to find something requested so often with out ever even a mention. There’s been one or two of these threads since NPC Pilot hires came out.

there was actually a (former)DEV statement about it, that was more or less "we have no intention to change it".

quote:

Originally Posted by Sandro Sammarco (Source)
Hello Commanders!

I'm fairly sure that I've mentioned this topic on more than one occasion. Oh well, once more, with feeling!

We have some ideas for preventing fighter crew death whilst retaining some form of jeopardy, but we haven't got round to implementing them.

Clearly we don't want a situation where crew can always be saved, this would mean that everyone would only ever hire one or two fighter crew. However, we accept that the current situation is too harsh in terms of investment versus risk. Look for more information in a future update.

 

[Ozram]

there was actually a (former)DEV statement about it, that was more or less "we have no intention to change it".

quote:

Originally Posted by Sandro Sammarco (Source)
Hello Commanders!

I'm fairly sure that I've mentioned this topic on more than one occasion. Oh well, once more, with feeling!

We have some ideas for preventing fighter crew death whilst retaining some form of jeopardy, but we haven't got round to implementing them.

Clearly we don't want a situation where crew can always be saved, this would mean that everyone would only ever hire one or two fighter crew. However, we accept that the current situation is too harsh in terms of investment versus risk. Look for more information in a future update.

Yep I remember. Iirc it was also the last they talked of it.

 

[Nadreck]

Plenty of viable alternatives to "permadeath versus immortality" though.

One I've suggested before is an EJECT button, with a short timer (maybe 5 seconds). If your ship survives that long, your copilot got to a pod and survived, otherwise not.

Also the game could spawn an "occupied escape pod" visible only to you (assume it's using stealth technology and a coded trasponder) and you then have 24 hours to go back and fetch it before it switches to "general broadcast" and gets picked up by a random person (then a percentage chance of the crew either rejoining you or being sold into slavery etc). Same mechanism could be used for a "data cache" for exploration data.

 

[SushiCW]

there was actually a (former)DEV statement about it, that was more or less "we have no intention to change it".

quote:
Originally Posted by Sandro Sammarco (Source)

Clearly we don't want a situation where crew can always be saved, this would mean that everyone would only ever hire one or two fighter crew. However, we accept that the current situation is too harsh in terms of investment versus risk. Look for more information in a future update.

I remember this. It's a really frustrating statement because it indicates they really don't get it. Why on earth would they want to encourage people to go through lots of crew, instead of finding "one or two" that they invest in and become super attached to? Frontier gets why it's important and awesome for people to get invested in & attached to their ships. Why can't they see that the same applies to crew?

I just can't fathom the logic that leads to this conclusion. FD generally has understandable reasons for what they do, but this is a case where I can't even grasp what they could be.

 

[Watcher]

Plenty of viable alternatives to "permadeath versus immortality" though.

One I've suggested before is an EJECT button, with a short timer (maybe 5 seconds). If your ship survives that long, your copilot got to a pod and survived, otherwise not.

Also the game could spawn an "occupied escape pod" visible only to you (assume it's using stealth technology and a coded trasponder) and you then have 24 hours to go back and fetch it before it switches to "general broadcast" and gets picked up by a random person (then a percentage chance of the crew either rejoining you or being sold into slavery etc). Same mechanism could be used for a "data cache" for exploration data.

Yep, something like this sounds like a great starting point and I like the idea of extending this to exploration data.

 

[Ozram]

A

I remember this. It's a really frustrating statement because it indicates they really don't get it. Why on earth would they want to encourage people to go through lots of crew, instead of finding "one or two" that they invest in and become super attached to? Frontier gets why it's important and awesome for people to get invested in & attached to their ships. Why can't they see that the same applies to crew?

I just can't fathom the logic that leads to this conclusion. FD generally has understandable reasons for what they do, but this is a case where I can't even grasp what they could be.

Completely agree.

 

[Artie]

I remember this. It's a really frustrating statement because it indicates they really don't get it. Why on earth would they want to encourage people to go through lots of crew, instead of finding "one or two" that they invest in and become super attached to? Frontier gets why it's important and awesome for people to get invested in & attached to their ships. Why can't they see that the same applies to crew?

I just can't fathom the logic that leads to this conclusion. FD generally has understandable reasons for what they do, but this is a case where I can't even grasp what they could be.

I agree as well. Sometimes the game design direction seems to be so obsessed with a risk vs reward or punishing players over nonsenses that it forgot what is to be a fun experience.

 

[Six6VI]

there was actually a (former)DEV statement about it, that was more or less "we have no intention to change it".

quote:

Originally Posted by Sandro Sammarco (Source)
Hello Commanders!

I'm fairly sure that I've mentioned this topic on more than one occasion. Oh well, once more, with feeling!

So, more succinctly...
Two words, and the second one's "off!"

We have some ideas for preventing fighter crew death whilst retaining some form of jeopardy, but we haven't got round to implementing them.

But, I / we don't care enough to bother.

Clearly we don't want a situation where crew can always be saved, this would mean that everyone would only ever hire one or two fighter crew. However, we accept that the current situation is too harsh in terms of investment versus risk. Look for more information in a future update.

But, I'm / we're totally ok with NPC's being bought as slaves and discarded back on the dealer right before redeeming any income. You're encouraged to completely circumvent the (extortionate) NPC pilot income system where they get paid a (HUGE) percentage of everything you earn while sitting in the crew lounge, picking their noses.

------

If you're crazy enough to get attached and keep all three crew slots full I'm surprised the Elite one that regularly goes on active duty hasn't complained bitterly to the union rep about the other two good for nothing layabouts yet.

(Or kicked the living .... out of them!)

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh but, 'working as intended'?

 

[Mack Winston]

 

[V'larr]

I remember this. It's a really frustrating statement because it indicates they really don't get it. Why on earth would they want to encourage people to go through lots of crew, instead of finding "one or two" that they invest in and become super attached to? Frontier gets why it's important and awesome for people to get invested in & attached to their ships. Why can't they see that the same applies to crew?

I just can't fathom the logic that leads to this conclusion. FD generally has understandable reasons for what they do, but this is a case where I can't even grasp what they could be.

Totally agree. It's not quite on the level of "definite upgrades" with Engineers, but it's up there, as far as 'out of touch ideas' go.

 

[Bunkerkind Anni]

seeing how often CMDR Plater exploded his Anaconda today in those Thargoid combat zones,
i wonder how many will ever take their elite NPC crewman into such a zone.

given that if you go into such a zone as a wing of 4, with each one having 1 crew - thats 1/8th combat experience for everyone in that instance,
it would take hours to level up a new one, even using the combat zones for that

 

[masCh]

Sandro Sammarco[/COLOR]]
Clearly we don't want a situation where crew can always be saved, this would mean that everyone would only ever hire one or two fighter crew. However, we accept that the current situation is too harsh in terms of investment versus risk. Look for more information in a future update.

Wouldn't it be so much better for the game if

1) You get a time limited mission to rescue all crew members every time you die if you care about investment into the crew. If you don't, just hire another one. If you fail your time limited mission, you hire a new one.

2) Your crew could die or could be 'rescued' and held hostage at an opposing Faction's (or PowerPlay Faction)'s surface installation where you could try to mount a rescue mission. You won't know about it but you could get "tips" while flying around from unknown NPCs or read about the fate of your crew at a station's Bulletin Board so you could decide if you want to rescue him or not.

Wouldn't some of these introduce some nice gameplay?

 

[Camisade]

2) Your crew could die or could be 'rescued' and held hostage at an opposing Faction's (or PowerPlay Faction)'s surface installation where you could try to mount a rescue mission. You won't know about it but you could get "tips" while flying around from unknown NPCs or read about the fate of your crew at a station's Bulletin Board so you could decide if you want to rescue him or not. Wouldn't some of these introduce some nice gameplay?

I love creative ideas like this!

Lose your ship fighting against a Thargoid ...and get a Naval Intelligence mission to find out where they've been taking those escape pods the Interceptors slurp up, and have to begin running rescue raids (hoping one of the POW's you rescue is your crew member)!

 

[Bunkerkind Anni]

Wouldn't it be so much better for the game if

1) You get a time limited mission to rescue all crew members every time you die if you care about investment into the crew. If you don't, just hire another one. If you fail your time limited mission, you hire a new one.

2) Your crew could die or could be 'rescued' and held hostage at an opposing Faction's (or PowerPlay Faction)'s surface installation where you could try to mount a rescue mission. You won't know about it but you could get "tips" while flying around from unknown NPCs or read about the fate of your crew at a station's Bulletin Board so you could decide if you want to rescue him or not.

Wouldn't some of these introduce some nice gameplay?

i dont know why this keeps popping up as suggestion
personally i think, having to rescue my telepresence crewmember everytime my ship explodes, would go on my nerves and i would continue with the hire&fire for the risky scenarios

especially when you consider that every time you explode,
you need to cover the rebuy costs and recover your crew.
isn't that just another reason that makes player combat-log?

 

[Watcher]

i dont know why this keeps popping up as suggestion
personally i think, having to rescue my telepresence crewmember everytime my ship explodes, would go on my nerves and i would continue with the hire&fire for the risky scenarios

especially when you consider that every time you explode,
you need to cover the rebuy costs and recover your crew.
isn't that just another reason that makes player combat-log?

At least you get the option that way and you don't have to recover them if you can't be bothered...
Me, I get attached and it bothers me they get blown up. I want the option to rescue them. Depending on how it works it might get me exploring other game mechanics and methods of play too... That all requires an option to be there in the first place though.

 

[Bunkerkind Anni]

At least you get the option that way and you don't have to recover them if you can't be bothered...
Me, I get attached and it bothers me they get blown up. I want the option to rescue them. Depending on how it works it might get me exploring other game mechanics and methods of play too... That all requires an option to be there in the first place though.

on the rebuy screen - there is my ship, there are my engineered modules, there are my techbroker modules that i got from total different places then the station i will respawn at.
just my single crewman npc is not there to re-hire.

i don't see a single reason, why i should need to RESCUE him to continue having him on my ship.
he isn't ON the ship in the first place.

for a coherent experience we either:
1. need to be able to teleport our own avatar into any ship we own across the galaxy in an instant (because npc crew can do that)
2. npcs need to survive an exploding ship as if nothing has happened (because we player can do that)
3. if we would need to pick up our crew from space after an exploding ship - then for coherence we would need to pick up our own ships wreak too before we can continue to fly it (after repairs)

I am bothered by the fact that my elite crewman ist lost upon explosion
for that reason, i will never risk my ship with him active in open - nor would i ever take him into a thargoid combatzone where i need him the most.

if you think crew must be lost - it should be your choice on the rebuy screen NOT to continue with it, just like you got the choice not to revive your ship and all its equipment.

 

[Miko]

I've given up on crew. What a relief.

 

[bigity]

My $0.02.

Crew should potentially be rescue-able after death. Either from signal sources, surface POIs, or station contacts.
Total loss should occur if you ignored or failed the method of rescue you were given.
For example, if you're blown up by a pirate, there's a chance you either a) simply go collect their pod, with a time limit. b) go rescue them from said pirate (NPC only).
If you're blown up by security, you need to bail them out of jail.
If you blow up on a surface, you need to go find their escape pod in your SRV. Or go find a medical centre and pay their bills.
If you ignore it too long, they do eventually die/go missing/go to jail forever.

For pay, they should only get 1-5% pay when inactive. If that.
And shouldn't "steal" experience, but simply earn their own. And never while inactive.

FDev would probably implement this as a new type of limpet controller.

 

[Six6VI]

FDev would probably implement this as a new type of limpet controller.

NPC limpet dispenser upgrade in the crew lounge

 

[Kzak]

Until FDev gives the crew their own escape pod, I'll not hire any crew permanently, only on a mission-to-mission basis.