Multicrew in the future is great...but what will they do?

[Sardu]

Hey everyone.

I love the idea of players being able to multi-crew ships in the future, however even the largest ships are currently designed to be completely flyable with one pilot so what is there left for the other pilot, or pilots, to do? It's almost like these systems are being designed backwards.

Sure there are lofty goals in the very long future, but have the developers talked about how it will be implemented in the short term?

 

[Gamel0rd1]

Was gonna make a thread about this ^

Maybe have an AI engineer you can hire for 10,000 credits per day to help out in your space craft. Automatically repairs modules, turns off different weapons if they are running out of power easily, automatically targets a preferred subsystem, helps align the ship when collecting cargo, undocks for you, ect. Fully customizeable. Not the ship AI because I actually want someone next to me for comfort. Hey, he could control the turrets and point some towards one enemy and others towards another!

 

[Ian Skippy]

Sure there are lofty goals in the very long future, but have the developers talked about how it will be implemented in the short term?

Considering they are already working on it and plan on releasing it in +-4 months, my guess is that they talked about it.

 

[bladebss]

I think when we get space legs, it will come into its own but untill then it will be a nice feature. Im hoping they can literaly do all the things I can so I can have a menue guy who sets highwake destinations in combat and swaps out shield cell power when im low amd take the wheel walst I eat pizza.. and sufocate to death buy my side when my canopy blows lol

 

[TuxedoSteve]

I think when we get space legs, it will come into its own but untill then it will be a nice feature. Im hoping they can literaly do all the things I can so I can have a menue guy who sets highwake destinations in combat and swaps out shield cell power when im low amd take the wheel walst I eat pizza.. and sufocate to death buy my side when my canopy blows lol

Friends who asphyxiate together stay together
I recall them saying at some point that as well as having your crew manage things like weapons and the power distributor, plotting jump routes, etc. that a multicrewed ship should be able to be as powerful as having multiple ships, so I fully expect some extra features that we just aren't yet aware of.

 

[Jaggedmallard]

I'm presuming they'll make turrets actually useful and maybe give them better control of the gimballs. Or maybe they'll do what FTL did and have it so other players/crew members can increase efficiency of things like your shields via minigames or whatever.

 

[Infidel Deity]

An NPC co-pilot would be nice.

 

[Cpt Shadow Wolfe]

Although I would not mind hiring and paying for training of an AI shipmate/crew, I think I would get bored quick on a multi crew ship. If my task is navigation, so I plot a course, then what, sit and twiddle my thumbs until we decide to go somewhere else? And seeing as how they can't even get the wings instanced right now, can see the same types of bugs showing in multi crew, "Navigator, plot a course to Sol...Navigator? Dang it, he got dropped again."

 

[Fox White]

I dont have a whole lot of faith in multi crew but one idea I really see them doing is multi direction shields. Ie while your piloting in combat one crew member can focus shield strength from the direction of fire. That being said be aware instead of a fully rotational ship model I fully expect this to be implemented using pip bars on a 2d holo screen.

Another possible is turrets being given control to crew members though that is a bad idea. It sounds cool but the ships manuever way to much for someone in a turret to track targets with out computer assistance which then you might as well just use the computer.

I admit I am guilty of hating on FD because I really dont see benefits to time spent on multicrew that could be spent on other things so I am open to hearing and believing wild crazy ideas that would be fun in multi crew.

 

[cptdavep]

Maybe we'll be getting new larger ships that can't be operated properly by a single player. so massive trade ships, small destroyers, huge passenger liners, carriers with loads of fighters etc... Each with special systems which require more attention than a single player can provide.

 

[metatheurgist]

The other crew members will be killing the Thargoids that boarded while you're trying desperately trying to escape mass-lock from the Thargoid Battle Cruiser blowing holes in your rear end.

Recently some guy went to a system with no shipyard and swapped out his E4 for an A3 FSD and now he's stuck. With multi-crew you could go over and pickup his sorry butt and drive him to a place with a shipyard so he can buy another ship with a C4 FSD. He can spend the time looking like a fool and asking "Are we there yet?".

 

[Kizbot]

I presumed that when they introduce the fighter bay modules that our Co pilot will be able to leap out in his eagle or whatever and offer flanking fire!

That would be awesomeness!

 

[DragoonKnight]

I presumed that when they introduce the fighter bay modules that our Co pilot will be able to leap out in his eagle or whatever and offer flanking fire!

That would be awesomeness!

And he will last all of 10 seconds, at best, when an FDL or Corvette focuses its fire on him.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Although I would not mind hiring and paying for training of an AI shipmate/crew, I think I would get bored quick on a multi crew ship. If my task is navigation, so I plot a course, then what, sit and twiddle my thumbs until we decide to go somewhere else? And seeing as how they can't even get the wings instanced right now, can see the same types of bugs showing in multi crew, "Navigator, plot a course to Sol...Navigator? Dang it, he got dropped again."

One presumes before FD decided to go ahead and do player based multicrew they actually had lots of discussions on about how it could be interesting, rewarding, and engaging.

However, until we start getting some details from the devs on how things will work, we can only speculate, since the info they have given on it so far is very sparse.

And like with all major updates, we will only know how well they implemented it when it is released. It could be awesome, or it could be a total flop. Only time will tell.

 

[[VR] Deggial]

There are obvious and straight forward tasks for multiple players:
- Gunner: handling (turreted) weapons
- Fighter pilot: mounting fighters, if available
- Engineer: handling of the AFMU during a fight while the pilot is doing his piloting

Some tasks would need enhancement of existing game mechanics:
- Engineer: handling shield distribution. A new type of shields has to be introduced that features split shield regions (front, 2x lateral, back). The engineer will be able to constantly change the distribution of the available system energy to all these regions as needed so the effective shiled strength will be noticeably increased.
In addition to this, he will be able to distribute energy to all three general pips and free the pilot from this task.

Finally, I would love to see completey new features: fast and skill-based "mini-games" that mimik complicated procedures. Something like the old 'Paradroid' "platine combat", for example:

(I wouldn'd mind a one-to-one copy; this minigame was fun!).

Those mini-games would simulate several in-game situations:
- Engineer: a crude system "hack" that overwrites the standard procedures. If won, all three capaciator bars will be on full power again. If lost, all remains unchanged, but the powerplant will be damaged.
- Electronic Combat Station: A launched hacking limped will give access to the opposing ship's systems. If the mini-game is won, the target ship's capaciator will be completely emptied. If lost, a feed-back-loop will do the same to your own ship! Instead of an opposing AI, the mini-game might be played against a player on the other ship, if available.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

They've said crew will take wing-slots meaning they expect a crewmember to balance with the effectiveness of a second ship. This mean any benefits should be very significant.
Again this messes up the game for those of us that don't play with friends a bit but hey ho, problems of making a single player game remake into an MMO. Guess the boring farts like me have to accept it (and I do, I just like to grumble ).

 

[Jezzah]

Multicrew.

Just can't see that being a thing in this game. I like to play open and i enjoy multiplayer side of many games. But with this one and it's vast army of solo multiplayer naysayers it could be another case of CQC. Fine idea but very few will bother with it. Even if there is take up I can only barely imagine that this could be entertaining for the player crew. The game is very pilot singular focused, I'm trying to imagine being sat in a cockpit twiddling shields, systems or weapons for someone when I know that as the pilot it's easier and quicker than telling someone to do it then it happening.

I suppose this is a baby step on the road to the ED FPS concept.

 

[the100thmonkey]

If it's done properly, a gunner/pilot combination will be very rewarding. Indeed, it could take combat in the game to another level.

In struggle to imagine how other aspects of multi-crew will be engaging, so I don't do any imagining. Without information as to what roles will be available, it's impossible to comment further.

 

[dr.aake]

I expect my co-pilot to be female and have blue hair. I have no other expectations.

 

[[VR] Deggial]

... The game is very pilot singular focused, I'm trying to imagine being sat in a cockpit twiddling shields, systems or weapons for someone when I know that as the pilot it's easier and quicker than telling someone to do it then it happening ...

End this is exactly what I tried to solve in my proposal two posts above.

Managing a multi-directional shield wouldn't be something a single pilot can do. You would have to man a dedicated station with dedicated UI for this. And while "station hopping" might be possible for a single pilot, it wouldn't be effective by any means.

Those "mini games" on the other hand would be completely impossible while flying/fighting!
There are many of these small games thinkable and adaptable to the sci-fi game theme, I can not even start imaging them all. Even a variante of 'Candy Crush' migth be possible! Think about it... bring your beloved girlfriend into the game and gain massive combat advantage due to her experience in mobile games!
But there are also more "reputable" games possible. Games that require fast combination skills, pattern recognition and so on. As soon as you introduce a time limit, they will be challenging!

Regarding the effects of successfully passed engineering hacks (let's start avoiding the frowned term 'mini-game'!), they are not limited to capaciator charges. The weapon damage could be increased for a certain time (maybe even for a downside, as a temporary reduced shield strength), the shield strength could be increased, a speed surge could happen (and the thrusters slightly dammaged in return; but heavily dammeged when the hack is failed to spice things up a bit).

All those possibilities could grant multi-crew ships exactly what is (rightfully) requested:
Increase thier combat capability tremendously and make them a valuable alternative to multiple ships in a wing.
And all this, while introducing a worthwhile activity for crewmembers beside the pilot!