So I have a few ideas that I have seen other forum users talk about and also a lot of my own ideas about how to give more depth to the core game. My intention with this post is to outline a hypothetical update just for fun that improves the core careers that were originally advertised as being part of ED, but are currently struggling with depth, content and focus. Hopefully even if you don't agree with some of my ideas you can get onboard with my motivation behind making this post and perhaps FD will realise that all a lot of us want is not new features tacked on to the game, but an improvement upon what the game has been trying to offer from the beginning.
The concept:
NPC wings will give players the ability to form a wing with NPC commanders from allied parties (not just factions) for mutual gain, this update is not just an improvement to the mechanics of pirating, trading and mining, but also increases the depth and reward of being allied with certain parties (ie stations). For this to work properly, pirating would have to be improved by giving players a proper UI to pirate through (more on this later). There will be 2 types of requests you can make to an allied station via hyperspace comms (so they take some time to get to you) or while you are in the station (immediate help), these requests are for an escort (for travel to or from that particular allied station) or for protection (for a protection wing within any system close to the allied station). These wing requests would run off a points based system to give a certain cool down and time limit for forming a wing with allied NPC's. There are 3 tiers of wing strength:
For example if I wanted to trade to a system 3 jumps away from me, I could get a medium escort which would cost be 10*3*2.0 = 60 points which would only cover my travel one way, then perhaps I could get a couple of sidewinders on the way back, 10*3*1 = 30. Now I only have 10 points remaining and have to wait a while before I can take advantage again, alternatively I could play it safer and travel only 1 jump to avoid the *3 penalty.
Another example is if I wanted to pirate a system that a knew had a tradeaconda frequenting it, I could get a high tier wing which would cost me 20*5 = 100 points for 10 minutes and hope the tradeconda shows up within that time, or perhaps I would get a medium tier for 20*2 = 40 points and hang around for 20 minutes to increase my chances.
If I wanted to mine a high density, dangerous res, I could do a quick in and out with a medium wing, which would give me 20 minutes of mining time with good protection.
Stations could also ask you via the BB to wing up with one of their NPC's for similar protection opportunities, this may or may not net you money, but it will give you bonus points which would hasten the cool down or give you bonus points ontop of the standard 100 points. This would allow you to get a wing more frequently if you take up these missions.
Why do this?
There are a few reasons for why this would be a fun thing to have in ED, firstly it would increase the depth to pirating, mining and trading. From the perspective of a pirate, it is sometimes hard to take down the more desirable trading targets such as a python, tanked up T9 or an anaconda, this would allow it to be much more viable, tense and rewarding than going after safer, smaller targets such as a T6. From the perspective of a trader who wants a way to counter piracy, just get an escort to that system! But the trader has to be careful, as they may only be able to do it a couple of times before you have to wait a while before your allied factions are willing to help you again. The trader now has to balance risk\vs reward and may look for less profitable trade runs closer to home for increased security. If a pirate wants to take down a trader in an escort, counter their counter by getting a better wing, which should straight away put you in a position of being more powerful than any winged trader if your ship is good enough. For the miner who has to use up all his ship space on refineries and limpets before travelling into dangerous res sites, just get a wing to protect you!
Other bits
TLDR
This post was just for fun, but also to outline some really good things FD could do to improve the core game and develop upon what we already have, rather than adding in tacky extras. In short, give us more depth to the base game through developing upon the base careers which are supposed to be in the game. I will be making other posts hopefully with more just for fun hypothetical updates to the other 'careers' we have in ED, which for those who have forgotten are courier, trader, explorer, miner, pirate, mercenary, bounty hunter, assassin and smuggler.
Thanks for reading.
The concept:
NPC wings will give players the ability to form a wing with NPC commanders from allied parties (not just factions) for mutual gain, this update is not just an improvement to the mechanics of pirating, trading and mining, but also increases the depth and reward of being allied with certain parties (ie stations). For this to work properly, pirating would have to be improved by giving players a proper UI to pirate through (more on this later). There will be 2 types of requests you can make to an allied station via hyperspace comms (so they take some time to get to you) or while you are in the station (immediate help), these requests are for an escort (for travel to or from that particular allied station) or for protection (for a protection wing within any system close to the allied station). These wing requests would run off a points based system to give a certain cool down and time limit for forming a wing with allied NPC's. There are 3 tiers of wing strength:
- Low (perhaps 2 sidewinders), cost = x1 points
- Medium (perhaps a vulture and an eagle), cost = x2.0 points
- High (perhaps a python), cost = x5 points
For example if I wanted to trade to a system 3 jumps away from me, I could get a medium escort which would cost be 10*3*2.0 = 60 points which would only cover my travel one way, then perhaps I could get a couple of sidewinders on the way back, 10*3*1 = 30. Now I only have 10 points remaining and have to wait a while before I can take advantage again, alternatively I could play it safer and travel only 1 jump to avoid the *3 penalty.
Another example is if I wanted to pirate a system that a knew had a tradeaconda frequenting it, I could get a high tier wing which would cost me 20*5 = 100 points for 10 minutes and hope the tradeconda shows up within that time, or perhaps I would get a medium tier for 20*2 = 40 points and hang around for 20 minutes to increase my chances.
If I wanted to mine a high density, dangerous res, I could do a quick in and out with a medium wing, which would give me 20 minutes of mining time with good protection.
Stations could also ask you via the BB to wing up with one of their NPC's for similar protection opportunities, this may or may not net you money, but it will give you bonus points which would hasten the cool down or give you bonus points ontop of the standard 100 points. This would allow you to get a wing more frequently if you take up these missions.
Why do this?
There are a few reasons for why this would be a fun thing to have in ED, firstly it would increase the depth to pirating, mining and trading. From the perspective of a pirate, it is sometimes hard to take down the more desirable trading targets such as a python, tanked up T9 or an anaconda, this would allow it to be much more viable, tense and rewarding than going after safer, smaller targets such as a T6. From the perspective of a trader who wants a way to counter piracy, just get an escort to that system! But the trader has to be careful, as they may only be able to do it a couple of times before you have to wait a while before your allied factions are willing to help you again. The trader now has to balance risk\vs reward and may look for less profitable trade runs closer to home for increased security. If a pirate wants to take down a trader in an escort, counter their counter by getting a better wing, which should straight away put you in a position of being more powerful than any winged trader if your ship is good enough. For the miner who has to use up all his ship space on refineries and limpets before travelling into dangerous res sites, just get a wing to protect you!
Other bits
- Provide a pirateer UI for the pirate and victim where an act of piracy can be initiated and demands fed through the victim via a UI on their ship. For the pirate they can select what type of cargo and how much they want (up to a maximum of the pirate wings combined cargo space) and for the victim they can either choose accept (automatically abandons requested amount of cargo) or not click anything and just run at which point a new button called yield comes up which they can only press after throttling down and retracting hard points. After a victim has yielded the pirate can make a new demand for either the same amount of cargo or more. This would make it easier for the trader and pirate and also help new players. This would also allow pirates to pirate NPCs! NPC victims would assess the pirate and his wing to make a decision about whether to yield or run.
- Miners can enjoy an increased likelihood of rare metals in high density, dangerous res sites, plus an all round increase to the amount of metals and minerals one particular asteroid contains.
- Perhaps medium and high protection is only unlocked when you reach a higher trading rank (for escorts) or a higher combat rank (for protection).
- Perhaps increased mass lock on enemy players when you are in a wing to make running harder.
TLDR
This post was just for fun, but also to outline some really good things FD could do to improve the core game and develop upon what we already have, rather than adding in tacky extras. In short, give us more depth to the base game through developing upon the base careers which are supposed to be in the game. I will be making other posts hopefully with more just for fun hypothetical updates to the other 'careers' we have in ED, which for those who have forgotten are courier, trader, explorer, miner, pirate, mercenary, bounty hunter, assassin and smuggler.
Thanks for reading.
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