NPC's and Fleet Carriers

[Scoob]

Hi,

I've only recently returned after a long break - basically from before Fleet Carriers were a thing. I recall reading some information back then saying how Carriers have no interaction with NPC's - so, no NPC's coming to buy / sell at your carrier, get repairs, rearm etc. Basically, the only interactions were with Players.

Just chatting to my friend, who has a Fleet Carrier, and he says that from day one (of him having a carrier, not sure how long after launch he got one) he's had NPC's landing on his Carrier and he's been making money from them. This is despite having no sales or anything enabled - just the base Carrier.

Can anyone explain in what ways NPC's can interact with Carriers and, potentially, earn the player money? I was pretty disappointed when that early information showed no NPC interaction, but my friend tells me how his is a literal hive of NPC activity - easily as busy as your typical Station - and he's making money from them.

Cheers,

Scoob.

 

[Crank Larson]

NPCs don't make FC owners any money. Only other players do. There is a lot of NPC activity around carriers if the system is busy, though.

 

[Scoob]

NPCs don't make FC owners any money. Only other players do. There is a lot of NPC activity around carriers if the system is busy, though.

So, is the NPC traffic just for show then? Was my friend mistaken thinking they were buying stuff? If so, how was his Carrier making money when it's set to Private (aka, other Players not allowed to dock) so it's just NPC's he sees coming in to land?

Scoob.

 

[Crank Larson]

Yes, the NPC traffic is for show. I've no idea how your friend is making money - but I'd love to know. How do they think they are making it?

 

[leeG]

NPCs land on my carrier all the time. They don’t buy anything. Just use the toilets, drink my coffee, then leave.

 

[CMDR D Noize]

Yes, the NPC traffic is for show. I've no idea how your friend is making money - but I'd love to know. How do they think they are making it?

Simplest answer, some real players are interacting with his FC, possibly in Solo.

And there's NPC ships floating about and landing on the FC.

That would make it look like NPCs are helping him turn a profit.

 

[GraphiteGB]

So, is the NPC traffic just for show then? Was my friend mistaken thinking they were buying stuff? If so, how was his Carrier making money when it's set to Private (aka, other Players not allowed to dock) so it's just NPC's he sees coming in to land?

Scoob.

Yes NPC traffic is to stop solo playing being boring with FC..
They even said so on there prelaunch video as it was a last thing addon...
The mega ships NPC were copy and pasted to make FC in the bubble not boring if you not part of a big squad that has lots of players...
When you leave the bubble they stop showing up and the empty space is really empty on the FC then...
The NPC ships still obey the local systems laws... So if they are lawless they can kill you and you can kill them with out punishment for doing so..

 

[Speedcuffs]

Hmm. If you interact with certain services on your own carrier, will that show up as a profit?

 

[Scoob]

Simplest answer, some real players are interacting with his FC, possibly in Solo.

His Carrier isn't set to allow others to land, so it's not that - unless there's a way to land on a Carrier without the owner's permission?

Scoob.

 

[GraphiteGB]

Hmm. If you interact with certain services on your own carrier, will that show up as a profit?

Yes
As stated before release as the owner the fees required are different if you use your own services, a % goes to the carrier and another % goes to the service provider... were you are 100% the service provider the profit is 100% to the FC which you then transfer back to your own balance on the ship...
On UC function the provider and FC split every transaction so your share is counted...

 

[Andro]

Had an odd observation the other day after checking in. Hadn't played in a few months since the Carriers update, got on to check my upkeep. Most every week was at something like 13mil, can't remember exactly, but I had set to inactive all of my services because I wasn't using it, so I couldn't give a rats if anyone else did.

Anyway, I noticed one week's upkeep was 13,000,002 credits, or something weird like that. What's all that about? I wonder what happened that week that cost me extra.

 

[Nadreck]

His Carrier isn't set to allow others to land, so it's not that - unless there's a way to land on a Carrier without the owner's permission?

Scoob.

If he's getting NPC's at all, I think his Carrier must be set to public access. IIRC, you don't get them otherwise.

Could be a bug, his access settings might be misreported.

 

[777Driver]

If he's getting NPC's at all, I think his Carrier must be set to public access. IIRC, you don't get them otherwise.

Could be a bug, his access settings might be misreported.

NPC's will show up and dock in any system that has NPC traffic, the level of carrier traffic is defined by the systems population, traffic type also depends on the economy. Those docking settings on the carrier only apply to Cmdrs.

 

[Troopi]

Weel, since the FCs have such high upkeep cost, it SHOULD be possible for NPC's to use the FC services and let it make profit. Relying on players for dumping money on the FC is really a no-go. I landed on one, near Colonia, from a HUGE list of FCs that were parked there. Access open to all players, no tax, it seemed a good place to test the FC services. Had some bounties to deliver, but got out without giving them, cause from 6,5mil of bounty value, I would only get +-5,2mil. No. No way. I don't think players will give any profit to FCs anyday soon.