The idea of small player-built structures came up recently in the thread Exploring for profit vs exploring for the experience and it seems like a concept worthy of wider discussion.
We know that construction and ownership of large space stations by players will not feature in the game. It is outside the game’s focus on the lone pilot, and such stations would be extremely expensive, difficult and time consuming to construct. They are an activity more suited to governments or corporations.
However I think there is a place for a different kind of player-built structure that would enhance gameplay in many ways without changing the game’s focus or requiring any adjustment of the mechanics that are currently in place. Let’s call it the Deployable Multifunction Container, or DMC.
What I’m thinking of is a standardized metal structure much like a contemporary shipping container, but supplied in kit form. Once assembled it would have a capacity of about 20 ship cargo containers. DMCs could be easily and quickly assembled to provide a variety of functions and could be enhanced by the addition of add on kits to provide extra functionality.
The “bare bones” DMC would be just a metal box and could be used to hold a supply cache on a planet, moon or large asteroid. A small power supply and generator package could be added to provide shields and positional thrusters so that the DMC could be deployed at fixed co-ordinates in space. Several DMCs could be attached together to create larger modular structures. A larger power supply and generator package could be installed to add environmental control and create a habitat. Such habitats could be the core of initial colony structures, temporary military installations, long-range explorer’s bases, etc.
Features:
• Small enough to construct and deploy in a reasonable time-frame (unlike large stations)
• Affordable for an individual pilot
• Fits neatly with existing game lore and does not change the focus of the game.
• Considered by the game engine as just another “ship” owned by a player (but a ship with most of the normal systems disabled).
• Located at co-ordinates exactly like any other ship, just permanently.
• Does not include any sort of defense mechanism other than optional shields.
• Has a very small radar signature and goes unnoticed most of the time (but there would always be the risk that someone else might find and raid an unattended DMC).
• Would allow players to establish mini-bases for their operations (eg traders could establish warehouses to stockpile goods ; pirates could construct clandestine mini-bases with minimal but essential re-supply and repair facilities ; explorers could establish advance caches of supplies, repair bots and other materials to extend their exploration activities, etc.
• A range of DMCs plus add-on kits could be offered for sale both by in-game credits and as microtransactions.
• Provides a virtual “home” for players. One thing that several people have asked about in this game is whether the pilot will have a home base. It's been pretty much agreed that this is not relevant to E:D because our ships will be our real homes, and most players will spend their time moving about too much to make a home base practical. However DMCs would allow players to have any number of "homes" at locations of their choosing.
Any thoughts?
We know that construction and ownership of large space stations by players will not feature in the game. It is outside the game’s focus on the lone pilot, and such stations would be extremely expensive, difficult and time consuming to construct. They are an activity more suited to governments or corporations.
However I think there is a place for a different kind of player-built structure that would enhance gameplay in many ways without changing the game’s focus or requiring any adjustment of the mechanics that are currently in place. Let’s call it the Deployable Multifunction Container, or DMC.
What I’m thinking of is a standardized metal structure much like a contemporary shipping container, but supplied in kit form. Once assembled it would have a capacity of about 20 ship cargo containers. DMCs could be easily and quickly assembled to provide a variety of functions and could be enhanced by the addition of add on kits to provide extra functionality.
The “bare bones” DMC would be just a metal box and could be used to hold a supply cache on a planet, moon or large asteroid. A small power supply and generator package could be added to provide shields and positional thrusters so that the DMC could be deployed at fixed co-ordinates in space. Several DMCs could be attached together to create larger modular structures. A larger power supply and generator package could be installed to add environmental control and create a habitat. Such habitats could be the core of initial colony structures, temporary military installations, long-range explorer’s bases, etc.
Features:
• Small enough to construct and deploy in a reasonable time-frame (unlike large stations)
• Affordable for an individual pilot
• Fits neatly with existing game lore and does not change the focus of the game.
• Considered by the game engine as just another “ship” owned by a player (but a ship with most of the normal systems disabled).
• Located at co-ordinates exactly like any other ship, just permanently.
• Does not include any sort of defense mechanism other than optional shields.
• Has a very small radar signature and goes unnoticed most of the time (but there would always be the risk that someone else might find and raid an unattended DMC).
• Would allow players to establish mini-bases for their operations (eg traders could establish warehouses to stockpile goods ; pirates could construct clandestine mini-bases with minimal but essential re-supply and repair facilities ; explorers could establish advance caches of supplies, repair bots and other materials to extend their exploration activities, etc.
• A range of DMCs plus add-on kits could be offered for sale both by in-game credits and as microtransactions.
• Provides a virtual “home” for players. One thing that several people have asked about in this game is whether the pilot will have a home base. It's been pretty much agreed that this is not relevant to E:D because our ships will be our real homes, and most players will spend their time moving about too much to make a home base practical. However DMCs would allow players to have any number of "homes" at locations of their choosing.
Any thoughts?
