Module proposal: Communications

[FuzzySpider]

Coms in the game are very simplistic and, frankly, a bit "gamey". A bit more could have been done with them. How about a new core module - communications suite - that is necessary for all ships. Class A-E, same as everything else.

"But Fuzzy!" I hear you say, "Why in the name of the holy city of Las Vegas would we want such a thing?!"

Well let's think about this. Communications are used in a particular game area, pretty seamlessly, without us realizing it. There is one area in particular I think this would be useful. When we're interdicted the law show up to deal with whats going on, every time, without fail. But what if the pirate could target and take out the coms system? What if the trader had only bought a lower power (and therefore short range) comms system and was too far away from a nearby station for the crime to be reported? And if they have a low power comms system the authorities will take longer to get there, as they need more time to track where the distress signal is coming from.

I am not just suggesting that this be used for the local law, but people who are in wings or who have friends online. If they have a dead comms suite they need to reboot the systems before their friends can show up to help them. Or if they have only a short range/low power comms system their friends will have to actually search to find them (maybe they'll only get a sporadic "friendly signal" source that becomes more and more accurate the closer someone gets).

This would make the whole piracy thing a little more doable, it would make chosing loadouts that little bit more strategic and interesting, and might make the game that bit more immersive.

Aside from that it'd also be nice to alter the comms tab a bit. Maybe have 55 channels people can tune to, similar to a CB or something, so people communicate in private to plan things, but still be eavesdropped on. Also perhaps you could make it so that people need a higher class module to communicate outside of X lightyears (unless docked at a station - as stations could transmit anywhere with extremely high power).

What do we think?

 

[Scudmungus]

Luv it! Also tink if wi can be linkin comms to ingame object dat can be deployed, like a beacon den wi can also have mons setting upnetworks an oder mons disruptin dem.

 

[jadefriendly]

If they write more comms / scripts for the NPCs and give them personalities this might work.

If an NPC pirate interdicts me and asks for cargo, I want them to actually stop shooting and let me on my way if i actually drop some cargo.
Right now the comms don't mean anything they're just repetitive blurb.

 

[Soliluna]

Coms in the game are very simplistic and, frankly, a bit "gamey". A bit more could have been done with them. How about a new core module - communications suite - that is necessary for all ships. Class A-E, same as everything else.

"But Fuzzy!" I hear you say, "Why in the name of the holy city of Las Vegas would we want such a thing?!"

Well let's think about this. Communications are used in a particular game area, pretty seamlessly, without us realizing it. There is one area in particular I think this would be useful. When we're interdicted the law show up to deal with whats going on, every time, without fail. But what if the pirate could target and take out the coms system? What if the trader had only bought a lower power (and therefore short range) comms system and was too far away from a nearby station for the crime to be reported? And if they have a low power comms system the authorities will take longer to get there, as they need more time to track where the distress signal is coming from.

I am not just suggesting that this be used for the local law, but people who are in wings or who have friends online. If they have a dead comms suite they need to reboot the systems before their friends can show up to help them. Or if they have only a short range/low power comms system their friends will have to actually search to find them (maybe they'll only get a sporadic "friendly signal" source that becomes more and more accurate the closer someone gets).

This would make the whole piracy thing a little more doable, it would make chosing loadouts that little bit more strategic and interesting, and might make the game that bit more immersive.

Aside from that it'd also be nice to alter the comms tab a bit. Maybe have 55 channels people can tune to, similar to a CB or something, so people communicate in private to plan things, but still be eavesdropped on. Also perhaps you could make it so that people need a higher class module to communicate outside of X lightyears (unless docked at a station - as stations could transmit anywhere with extremely high power).

What do we think?

I like this. Unfortunately the channelled comms would not be doable in a player oriented environment, because of external tools, which is a shame as it would make for some interesting espionage.

 

[Jordan Cobalt]

Idk how useful this would be for the game. If it only works for wings it will be useless for piracy. Most traders, at least out of the ones I've seen, don't run in wings.

It's also the kind of thing that's only useful for piracy. Once their shields are down, you might as well just target the power plant, if you only wanted to kill.

I think the best implementation would be if it was a universal module on all ships, npc or cmdr. That stops both wings and npcs from showing up. It could be used as another intimidation tactic, allowing pirates to shoot out comms, then drives in order to negotiate or hatch break without a time limit. Mainly used in high or med sec areas.