Currently system security is completly meaningless. The only aspect where it matters at all is when you are looking for an Interstellar Factors. High, Low, Anarchy are equaly secure/not secure. It shouldn't be like that. I think there is great potential for some interesting gameplay. The nice thing about my suggestion here, is that it requires no new content. Everything we need is already in game, we just have to tweak a few parameters.
And yes, this is related to the 'Supercruise Drop out distance' tread, but it covers a lot of other aspects.
My suggestion has 3 aspects:
1. Make high security systems dangerous for criminals
1a) Local security should interdict wanted ships in supercruise. Obviously, thats why they are patroling there. A wanted ship shouldn't be able to cruise around a high security system unpestered. He should be hunted by security until he's destroyed or leaves the juristiction. And they shouldn't just give up if you low-wake.
1b) Security forces should evaluate the treat level prior to attacking and call for backup if neccessary. If a lone patrolman sees a wanted criminal strolling trough the city mall wearing heavy body armor and a belt-fed machingun he wont just try to take him down on his own. He'll call for swat right away. Likewise local security shouldn't try to take down an elite corvette with a Viper MK3.
1c) Security ships should routinely interdict clean ships and scan their cargo (similar to these military interdictions). The chances of that happening should be dependent on local reputation and criminal record.
1d) The drop out distance on stations should be a bit higher to give the cops a better chance of finding contraband. (Yeah, that idea isn't from me, but its a good addition here). Currently a single heat-sink is enough to guarantee a unscanned landing.
1e) Smuggling large amounts should get you a bounty, not just a fine. Imagine a container ship full of cocaine docking in New York and the captain getting just a ticked and even keeping the cargo to sell it.
2. Make anarchies dangerous for traders
2a) Just like local security in high-sec systems, pirates should patrol in anarchies to check for 'tasty cargo'. They should interdict and scan you.
2b) If they find something worty they should call for backup. Where are these pirate lords that I always assassinate? I want a full wing of pirates, maybe even two. They should demand their part of the cargo. Give them hatch-brakers and fsd-reset missiles. You shouldn't be able to just submit once and low wake out before they fire a single shot and thats it.
2c) A higher drop out distance would give the pirates a higher chance to get you here, making things more dangerous.
3. Now that high-sec systems are dangerous for criminals and anarchies are dangerous for traders, we need a reason to move between those two
3a) Give us the option to buy stuff from the black market
3b) Increase the black-market price penalty for stolen goods to 50%
3c) Drop the black-market price penalty for contraband entirely, increase the price instead
3d) Remove black markets from anarchies
3e) Hauling missions to anarchy systems should pay significanly higher then those to high-sec systems. Add a warning in the mission description. Getting a load of high value goods trough an anarchy unscathed should be a challenge. A well payed one.
And thats it. Now you can go to a high-sec system. Fill your cargo hold with cheap stolen electronics. Fly to an anarchy. Try to get through all these pirates that want your stolen flat-screens. Once you're docked there you can sell on the regular market for a good price (cause noone in an anarchy cares if the stuff is stolen) and get a shipload full of drugs or firearms. Now you just have to smuggle these back to the high-sec system without getting scanned and you can earn big-bucks. High-Risk, high reward.
Important remark: For players who are not interersted in this, nothing would change. Its purely optional. Peacefull traders could just stick to high security systems and be just as safe as now. Criminals could just stick to anarchies and be also as safe as now (and sell their stolen goods like now).
Bonus Suggestion (this is actually new content)
Give us a smuggling engineer. He could offer us concealed cargo racks. Lower capacity, but shows something innocent when scanned. Should have a small chance of revealing the true cargo, depending on engineering level. Could come in two styles: 'Armoured' heavy but passive. 'Shielded' light but needs power.
And maybe a mod for ecm-systems that allowes them to disturb manifest scanns
And yes, this is related to the 'Supercruise Drop out distance' tread, but it covers a lot of other aspects.
My suggestion has 3 aspects:
1. Make high security systems dangerous for criminals
1a) Local security should interdict wanted ships in supercruise. Obviously, thats why they are patroling there. A wanted ship shouldn't be able to cruise around a high security system unpestered. He should be hunted by security until he's destroyed or leaves the juristiction. And they shouldn't just give up if you low-wake.
1b) Security forces should evaluate the treat level prior to attacking and call for backup if neccessary. If a lone patrolman sees a wanted criminal strolling trough the city mall wearing heavy body armor and a belt-fed machingun he wont just try to take him down on his own. He'll call for swat right away. Likewise local security shouldn't try to take down an elite corvette with a Viper MK3.
1c) Security ships should routinely interdict clean ships and scan their cargo (similar to these military interdictions). The chances of that happening should be dependent on local reputation and criminal record.
1d) The drop out distance on stations should be a bit higher to give the cops a better chance of finding contraband. (Yeah, that idea isn't from me, but its a good addition here). Currently a single heat-sink is enough to guarantee a unscanned landing.
1e) Smuggling large amounts should get you a bounty, not just a fine. Imagine a container ship full of cocaine docking in New York and the captain getting just a ticked and even keeping the cargo to sell it.
2. Make anarchies dangerous for traders
2a) Just like local security in high-sec systems, pirates should patrol in anarchies to check for 'tasty cargo'. They should interdict and scan you.
2b) If they find something worty they should call for backup. Where are these pirate lords that I always assassinate? I want a full wing of pirates, maybe even two. They should demand their part of the cargo. Give them hatch-brakers and fsd-reset missiles. You shouldn't be able to just submit once and low wake out before they fire a single shot and thats it.
2c) A higher drop out distance would give the pirates a higher chance to get you here, making things more dangerous.
3. Now that high-sec systems are dangerous for criminals and anarchies are dangerous for traders, we need a reason to move between those two
3a) Give us the option to buy stuff from the black market
3b) Increase the black-market price penalty for stolen goods to 50%
3c) Drop the black-market price penalty for contraband entirely, increase the price instead
3d) Remove black markets from anarchies
3e) Hauling missions to anarchy systems should pay significanly higher then those to high-sec systems. Add a warning in the mission description. Getting a load of high value goods trough an anarchy unscathed should be a challenge. A well payed one.
And thats it. Now you can go to a high-sec system. Fill your cargo hold with cheap stolen electronics. Fly to an anarchy. Try to get through all these pirates that want your stolen flat-screens. Once you're docked there you can sell on the regular market for a good price (cause noone in an anarchy cares if the stuff is stolen) and get a shipload full of drugs or firearms. Now you just have to smuggle these back to the high-sec system without getting scanned and you can earn big-bucks. High-Risk, high reward.
Important remark: For players who are not interersted in this, nothing would change. Its purely optional. Peacefull traders could just stick to high security systems and be just as safe as now. Criminals could just stick to anarchies and be also as safe as now (and sell their stolen goods like now).
Bonus Suggestion (this is actually new content)
Give us a smuggling engineer. He could offer us concealed cargo racks. Lower capacity, but shows something innocent when scanned. Should have a small chance of revealing the true cargo, depending on engineering level. Could come in two styles: 'Armoured' heavy but passive. 'Shielded' light but needs power.
And maybe a mod for ecm-systems that allowes them to disturb manifest scanns