New type of passenger missions: Intergalactic bus lines in ED.

[RedRobe75]

I would love to see the current passenger missions model (taxi model) being overhauled and extended to include a genuine bus model. By that, I mean fixed intergalactic bus lines/routes between a fixed pre-chosen number of systems (inter system routes), and indeed fixed routes between star bases, outposts and planetary outposts within the same system (intra-system routes). In such a model, you would simply stop at each station, outpost or planetary outpost and wait for passengers to disembark and embark automatically at each stop (e.g. through a counter in the top corner, showing how many passengers have disembarked and embarked before you close the doors), just as a regular bus line would do. Corporations could offer you contracts for establishing new lines/routes, to which you could say "yes" and agree to take on the contract and do the route. No passenger or faction interaction, just disembarkation and embarkation of passengers at each stop. You would then get paid by the corporation after completing the route, and get paid to repeat it another time.

I feel passenger missions in the form they are now are very limited in nature to mere taxi runs. In addition to that, I would very much like to see an option for us "bus drivers" out there as well. Alternatively, a kind of system where players could get an overview of which passenger destinations within each system are the most popular ones, for example showing this visually, like the way trade flow is shown in the galactic map menu between systems, so that players could make their own bus routes according to this data/statistics.

Best regards,
Jørn H.

 

[Nevian0225]

How about a super bus for players who want to go to Colonia?
Maybe an open frame megaship that takes a weekly run back and forth with ships and cargo.

 

[TrailBlazer 143]

I think a great addition to passenger missions would be for them to want you to hunt someone down as apart of the Passenger mission. If they're wanted of course. Also a little voice acting can go a LONG way

 

[phoenix4416]

I like, especially as a way of fast/slow travel. Possibly even go one step further though.
Have a proper freight service incorporating the current method of having modules transferred to your current system. For example under the new model have it so that players can take on a mission to transport another players stored modules to them so long as they have the assets to cover a hefty fine for the loss of the module. If an fsd weighs 16t then it takes up 16t of cargo space. Then have it so players have the option of either transferring their modules the current pricey way or doing it via another player for say 20% less. The customer even has the final choice via the messaging system to decide if they want to allow the transporter to move their module, possibly even restricting it to player facfion members.

By doing this it would open up a whole new part of the game where you could have player factions with a proper player driven freight transport service. Not only that but in piracy players could steal a module and should they install it on their ship then they would be logged as having stolen modules further adding to their risk.