NPC ship communication

[G.T]

Has anyone seen an answer to when we will be able to communicate with NPC ships? Have asked the question to a receive a stiff ignoring (nothing new), a lot off additional stuff coming out is fluff compared to actually (guess what) interacting with the ship's around you, ie the non player ones which make up the majority.

I wondr whether it is too technically difficult for the more immediate 'apparent' depth they want to give to the game. It would have to be done right, but needs to be done soon, the lack of gameplay as a result of this is turning me off the game. If we are not interacting then what's the point?

 

[Arubeto]

That's the newest I've got:

NPC comms is on the list, but not close enough that I can talk in detail about it yet.

I hope the next big update after Powerplay will focus on finally improving NPC in many of those ways discussed in the DDF & DDA. (persistent NPCs, NPC wings, NPC comms, NPC contacts etc.)

Edit: even though I am looking forward to 1.3 and how it might dramatically improve the meta-game, it's still just that: an improvement of the meta-game, not of the day to day immediate game play of flying. So I absolutely agree with you that after two meta-game updates (1.1.: Community Goals and 1.3: Powerplay) and one multiplayer update (1.2: Wings) a solely game play and content focused update improving NPCs should come next. Just imagine how much it could improve 90% of normal game play if suddenly our interaction with our surroundings in a direct way (not via influencing factions and powers) would be more varied than just shooting them.
Ah well...one is allowed to dream.

 

[Cmdr. Numa]

Some very basic things simply as picks from a list in the comms panel would be enough. A taunt to make them attack you (hopefully), a warning to move out of the way and a demand to surrender and drop cargo are the things that come to mind. Oh, and wingman orders once we can have NPC wingmen.

 

[PhazonAran]

I want wanted NPCs to try to bribe me so I won't kill them

 

[Arubeto]

Some very basic things simply as picks from a list in the comms panel would be enough. A taunt to make them attack you (hopefully), a warning to move out of the way and a demand to surrender and drop cargo are the things that come to mind. Oh, and wingman orders once we can have NPC wingmen.

I believe a list of communication presets like those you mention are exactly the way Frontier is going for. Anything else could quickly become unfeasible.

I want wanted NPCs to try to bribe me so I won't kill them

I don't know about bribing wanted NPCs, but there were plans about bribing authority vessels in case you are wanted yourself and they catch you. Have a look at https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6276 for details.

Perhaps we get something like that or other points from the linked post in next week's dev update, when Michael Brookes is supposed to talk about a "crime special":

Michael will be doing a 'crime special' in his next dev update... so I won't steal his thunder!

 

[G.T]

Perhaps we get something like that or other points from the linked post in next week's dev update, when Michael Brookes is supposed to talk about a "crime special":

I think that is unlikely as he question is evaded but happy to be proved wrong

 

[Iskariot]

I would like to be able to ask npc where to find a certain target. It would be great to have to follow clues that way.
I think that would be much better than 'accidentally' encountering an npc in a USS every single time I am looking for someone.