Well, when I say "get rid of them" I don't mean literally - they serve a purpose in the game; just not as sites for extracting resources. Really they are more like piracy hotspots - so my suggestion is to run with that:
At some point in the future, "pirate bases" like these could also become places for criminal players to sell goods, repair and rearm to a limited degree.
- Rename the most hazardous RES to "Pirate base", and rather than being permanent, spawn them like conflict zones but dependent on the security/crime level of the system rather than a BGS state.
- The "Pirate Base" signal source would behave like a capital-ship combat zone, but with the two sides being the system authorities (controlling faction) and the local pirate (anarchy) faction (or generic pirates if there is no local anarchy faction)
- If the local controlling faction *is* the anarchy faction, then there would be *no* opposition, just pirates! Big challenge for the players!
- The "pirate base" would contain a "pirate" capital ship (their mobile base), bristling with gun emplacements, and generally behaving like any other capital ship in a CZ.
- Generally gameplay at a "pirate base" would be the same as in a normal CZ, with the following changes (for added variety, and to better suit the lore):
- Players can align with either side, as normal, but if you align with one faction you will lose some reputation with the other faction.
- If you do not align with either side, their behavior will depend on your relationship with the factions. If you are friendly with the pirates they won't attack you, but otherwise they'll see you as fair game! If you are wanted, the system authority vessels will attack you as normal.
- (optionally) pirates in such a zone might automatically treat as friendly players who are wanted, or have a high Notoriety, making such locations possible havens for players to escape ATR ships and authority pursuit.
- The level of system authority presence could depend on the security level and faction influence levels in the system. The level of system authority participation would be lower than in a "normal" CZ (logic being that the pirates are 'hiding' from authorities, or have bribed them to stay away - the player just happened to detect them)
- Like a CZ, if you declare for either side, you don't have to scan opposing ships before killing them, but kills will affect your reputation with that faction (which, to be honest, should also be the case in 'normal' CZs)
- If you side with the system authorities, you earn bounties rather than combat bonds.
- If you side with the pirates, you earn combat bonds (from the anarchy faction), or nothing if they are generic pirates (they have no budget to pay you!) . You earn combat rank normally either way.
- The "Pirate Base" signal source would behave like a capital-ship combat zone, but with the two sides being the system authorities (controlling faction) and the local pirate (anarchy) faction (or generic pirates if there is no local anarchy faction)
- Less hazardous RES could become "Pirate Activity". As above but without the capital ship, but instead a scattering of "Smuggler" pirate (or neutral) vessels as well as "combat" ones. The logic here is that its a meeting point for the pirates, where they are gathering to drink rum, fence booty, torment captives and swap tales. Like CZs and current RES, they could come in several levels of challenge.
- The least-hazardous RES could remain RES, but with a reduced pirate presence, so they become places primarily for slightly hazardous mining with slightly higher-than-average yields, rather than combat zones.
At some point in the future, "pirate bases" like these could also become places for criminal players to sell goods, repair and rearm to a limited degree.
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