Each escape pod should have two options; the first is the current choice of turning it in to Search and Rescue for a standard payout, the other should be specially delivering the pod to a specific destination!
This could even be to a specific settlement. The rewards for this should be unknown and highly randomized; some should give you nothing, not even a thank you. Some might get out and immediately start shooting at you. Some might give you a huge reward. You'd never know!
But there should probably be a seed for their location. Pods seeded from burning stations, for example, would only give you a small token of thanks, every time. By contrast, a pod found on a desolate planet 10kly from the bubble would have a high probability of giving you a big reward!
But they shouldn't be treated as just any other commodity. There are people in there, and now that we can actually see people, it's the perfect time to expand on the details!
For example, you might have a seed list of 0-100. The higher the number, the higher the potential reward, but the more difficult the acquiry.
It's important to note that all of these can offer any of the lower rewards, as well. So even if you do get a seed 100 pod, your chances of actually getting the 500m credits would still be relatively low. But the chance would always be there, and be tempting! Who knows, maybe you'll rescue the price of some Imperial faction!
This could even be to a specific settlement. The rewards for this should be unknown and highly randomized; some should give you nothing, not even a thank you. Some might get out and immediately start shooting at you. Some might give you a huge reward. You'd never know!
But there should probably be a seed for their location. Pods seeded from burning stations, for example, would only give you a small token of thanks, every time. By contrast, a pod found on a desolate planet 10kly from the bubble would have a high probability of giving you a big reward!
But they shouldn't be treated as just any other commodity. There are people in there, and now that we can actually see people, it's the perfect time to expand on the details!
For example, you might have a seed list of 0-100. The higher the number, the higher the potential reward, but the more difficult the acquiry.
| Seed | Source | Rewards(also includes all above options) |
| 0-10 | Burning Stations | 0-100k Credits, Grade 1 materials(rare) |
| 11-20 | Search and Rescue POIs | 100k-500k Credits, Grade 2 materials(rare), Attack |
| 21-30 | Thargoid Megaships, steal from pirate smugglers | 500k-1m Credits, Grade 2 materials(common) |
| 31-40 | In-Bubble Horizons Surface Sites(large), Thargoid POIs | 1m-2m credits, Grade 3 materials(rare) |
| 41-50 | Out-of-Bubble Surface Sites(large), | 2m-5m credits, Grade 3 materials(common) |
| 51-60 | In-bubble surface sites(small(1-2 pods)) | 5m-10m credits, Grade 4 materials(rare) |
| 61-70 | Out-of-bubble surface sites(small(1-2 pods)) | 10m-25m credits, Grade 4 materials(common) |
| 71-85 | ??? | 25m-100m credits, Grade 5 materials(rare) |
| 86-100 | ??? | 100m-500m credits, Grade 5 materials(common) |
It's important to note that all of these can offer any of the lower rewards, as well. So even if you do get a seed 100 pod, your chances of actually getting the 500m credits would still be relatively low. But the chance would always be there, and be tempting! Who knows, maybe you'll rescue the price of some Imperial faction!
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