Not entirely true. It would also affect PvE, but also in a good way (assuming this isn't implemented in a silly only if combatants are all players kind of way). There are times where NPC pirates will interdict you and they are clean. You may be smuggling or carrying a privacy sensitive passenger or something, so have report crimes off but are also clean. This option would allow you to return fire, without having cops show up and risking them scanning you which could ruin your day.
Thank you, this is a really good point. Of course it would be equally useful to clean Cmdrs who wish to fight NPC's without authority assistance in some situations also.
It's just a good idea that should be implemented. Perhaps an addition is we are notified if they call for assistance. Think of it as we hear the call so it shows in comms as something simple like [cmdr name]: requested assistance. Just so it's clear as to what's actually happening (currently we know assistance is coming because we get a bounty or it's increased, but we do know it's coming, with this we'll know we've been reported due to bounty, but also know they if they have/haven't requested assistance). Informed gameplay is better than guessing IMO.
Yes, another good point. Ideally I also think that the Report Crimes status of a targeted ship should show up after basic scan in the left panel, alongside shield %, bounty value, etc.
What functions does the report crimes off do?
IMO this shouldn't even be in the game. If we had a more robust crime system then any action you carry out in a law abiding system would result in your crimes being reported.
The 'Report Crimes On/Off' toggle can be accessed from the right panel. By default, it is on. By switching it off, you choose that any crimes committed against your own ship (not anyone else's ship!) are not reported to the authorities - basically, they don't exist.
Hence, PvP-ers are able to carry out consensual duelling and wing fighting in any system without authority ships appearing to break up the party, because when we shoot each other, no police are summoned and (if clean) we say clean. No bounties are incurred.
Without the report crimes toggle it would be impossible to engage in consensual PvP outside of anarchies, meaning that, for example, Adle's Armada could not practice PvP outside of their home station of Cleve Hub, Eravate, and all rounds of the current Season 3 of the PvP league would have to be conducted in anarchies.
The issue the OP addresses is a proposal to add a degree of sophistication to the current system to deal with the situation where the victim of (what would have been) a crime in policed space wishes to deal with it themselves without any police being summoned.
This situation arises where the aggressor has report crimes 'on' - basically, in that situation, as the game stands, police will be summoned to attack the aggressor or to attack the victim, depending on whether the victim has report crimes on or off respectively. The proposal is to add a third option which would permit the victim to defend themselves legally yet alone.
