So the whole megaship ferry thing to and from Zende was kinda...well, not well thought out given by the time the ship jumped you'd miss the CG. That was then, this is now, and I'd like to propose the addition of more of these ferry services!
Essentially, the weekly tick 'jump' of a dockable megaship is a very handy concept for new and veteran players alike in the bubble. While they are most certainly not the quickest way to get somewhere, they definitely would provide an added boost of commander movement around the bubble. Below, I propose several routes (some with actual system names, but most are 'concept' instead).
Capitol Transportation Services
These three megaships are employed by their respective diplomatic branches to facilitate ease of communication and trade between the three major capitol systems: Sol, Achenar, and Alioth. While the Alliance, Federation, and Empire are certainly tense with each other given their histories - diplomacy is stronger than ever before with the Thargoid threat and founding of AEGIS. These megaships, six in total (a pair for each of the three routes) allow docked commanders to easily access the space of another super-power once they have acquired the permit for any of the other capitols.
- Commanders should be aware that while the megaships allow visitation to other capitol systems, if the commander departs a system they are not permitted for they will be unable to return to it. As such, megaship entry should be regarded as a 'one way diplomatic trip' and plan accordingly.
Maia Transportation
This pair of megaships was established in response to the sudden attack on Obsidian Orbital in the Maia system as a means to provide a steady flow of materials and personnel to the extremely important research work being conducted there. Commanders seeking to visit Professor Palin (if he returns, given recent events) or to take the fight to the Thargoid front can utilize these vessels to easily relocate their heavy attack craft that might otherwise take many jumps to respond.
The Colonia Highway
Far from an expedient service, the Colonia Highway is a pair of megaships that pass each other but once every six months - near a centrally located waystation along the 'Colonia Highway' established in 3303. Commanders can utilize these megaships to journey towards Colonia (or back from it) at a leisurely pace, using the support of the megaships for localized expeditions during the weekly refueling or taking advantage of the megaships various mission contracts for local resources or exploration work.
The Colonia Highway is also one of the few megaships that supports transport services for ships, allowing commanders to arrange for multiples of their craft to be docked aboard and slowly hauled back and forth to Colonia at a fraction of the cost. It's a long wait, of course, but it beats the transport fee!
Just some ideas for how this mechanic could be expanded to be more useful throughout the galaxy and enhance commander movement if planned out / scheduled. I mostly see these as beneficial for newer players with limited jump ranges (little to no engineering) or veteran players in heavy duty vessels with inherently limited jump ranges. You have to plan around these jump schedules, of course, but that's a fair price for ease of mobility rather than mind-numbing low-range jumps to other parts of the bubble.
Thoughts?
Essentially, the weekly tick 'jump' of a dockable megaship is a very handy concept for new and veteran players alike in the bubble. While they are most certainly not the quickest way to get somewhere, they definitely would provide an added boost of commander movement around the bubble. Below, I propose several routes (some with actual system names, but most are 'concept' instead).
Capitol Transportation Services
These three megaships are employed by their respective diplomatic branches to facilitate ease of communication and trade between the three major capitol systems: Sol, Achenar, and Alioth. While the Alliance, Federation, and Empire are certainly tense with each other given their histories - diplomacy is stronger than ever before with the Thargoid threat and founding of AEGIS. These megaships, six in total (a pair for each of the three routes) allow docked commanders to easily access the space of another super-power once they have acquired the permit for any of the other capitols.
- Commanders should be aware that while the megaships allow visitation to other capitol systems, if the commander departs a system they are not permitted for they will be unable to return to it. As such, megaship entry should be regarded as a 'one way diplomatic trip' and plan accordingly.
Maia Transportation
This pair of megaships was established in response to the sudden attack on Obsidian Orbital in the Maia system as a means to provide a steady flow of materials and personnel to the extremely important research work being conducted there. Commanders seeking to visit Professor Palin (if he returns, given recent events) or to take the fight to the Thargoid front can utilize these vessels to easily relocate their heavy attack craft that might otherwise take many jumps to respond.
The Colonia Highway
Far from an expedient service, the Colonia Highway is a pair of megaships that pass each other but once every six months - near a centrally located waystation along the 'Colonia Highway' established in 3303. Commanders can utilize these megaships to journey towards Colonia (or back from it) at a leisurely pace, using the support of the megaships for localized expeditions during the weekly refueling or taking advantage of the megaships various mission contracts for local resources or exploration work.
The Colonia Highway is also one of the few megaships that supports transport services for ships, allowing commanders to arrange for multiples of their craft to be docked aboard and slowly hauled back and forth to Colonia at a fraction of the cost. It's a long wait, of course, but it beats the transport fee!
Just some ideas for how this mechanic could be expanded to be more useful throughout the galaxy and enhance commander movement if planned out / scheduled. I mostly see these as beneficial for newer players with limited jump ranges (little to no engineering) or veteran players in heavy duty vessels with inherently limited jump ranges. You have to plan around these jump schedules, of course, but that's a fair price for ease of mobility rather than mind-numbing low-range jumps to other parts of the bubble.
Thoughts?
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