Post 2.3.10 multicrew questions/suggestions

[Mephane]

I have not had the chance to host multicrew as the helm until today, so I was a bit confused how to actually set what the gunner can and cannot do. Eventually Google sent me to this post which explains it:

3 – Helm safety measures (2.3.1 update coming later)

We’ve been actively listening to feedback from the community and one thing we’ve seen is a number of requests for greater protection for hosts of Multi-crew sessions and improved safety measures. That’s why we’re going to be introducing two new function controls for the role of Helm. The first change will allow Helm to toggle limited access for the Gunner role. When toggled on the Gunner will only be able to use weapons, not utilities (such as shield cells), and only Helm will be able to deploy and retract the ship’s hardpoints. When toggled off the Gunner will have full access as they do now.

So in other words, there is nothing to choose. You either give them full access to the kingdom, or you don't even get to benefit from things like 360° KWS, is that right? And the option is not even in the multicrew panel at the bottom, but hidden in the list of miscellaneous options in the "functions" tab. Talk about bare-bones.

Okay, so le me suggest a few things. I am probably not the first one to mention these points but I haven't seen anything about it recently.

* I don't think the helm would ever want the gunner to be able to actually deploy or retract hardpoints. This should always be the helm's decision alone.

* Some utilities are essentially free and harmless - i.e. cost no ammo and never have adverse affects from their use. In particular, all scanners (Kill Warrant, Cargo Manifest, Frameshift Wake) should be usable in any mode. There is nothing harmful the gunner can do with these.

* Last but not least, whether the gunner has control over some weapons or not (or there is no gunner), the helm's fire groups should never get messed up and always stay as they set them, and always show as they set them. More than once did the gunner switch to a fighter and I almost accidentally shot an unscanned ship instead of using the KWS (see above why I have to do it myself as the helm) because I was in the wrong fire group where the same button would perform the KWS and trigger the turrets - because with all turrets hidden from view it looks the same as the other fire group where the KWS is bound alone to that button.

------------------------------------------------------

Unrelated to the gunner role in particular, but multicrew as a whole:

* In the "history" tab of the comms panel, we need all the usual options. Right now I can do little more than add them as a friend or report and block them. Why can't I write a chat message, invite them back to the crew (because they got disconnected) etc. without having to add them as a friend first?

* The game should remember our setting for auto-refilling the crew if someone disconnects. More than once did I have to kick a random player who got filled into the slot immediately as soon as a player I had personally invited disconnected for a short moment. If I set it to not auto-fill, this should always persist. Also, we should be able to access this setting regardless whether the crew is full or not. [In fact this applies to a lot of stuff in the UI, not just multicrew: many options are only shown when something relevant to them is already active, meaning you cannot modify them proactively.]

* I still don't understand how crimes a re supposed to work. So I have a gunner who shot a pirate one second too early before their were resolved as wanted, and so we got an assault bounty. Yet the bounty does not show up like a regular one (with the 10 minute timer followed by the "ON H-JUMP" state after which you can pay it off), it just stick there... but when the crew is eventually disbanded the fine just disappears as if nothing had happened? Is this broken or am I just missing a piece of information here?

 

[Riverside]

I was similarly confused by the post-beta changes, thanks for digging the quote up.

I like what you propose, it makes sense from my limited understanding, however scanners (KWS etc) when activated will deploy hardpoints. This seems like an easily solved problem though.

 

[Mephane]

I was similarly confused by the post-beta changes, thanks for digging the quote up.

I like what you propose, it makes sense from my limited understanding, however scanners (KWS etc) when activated will deploy hardpoints. This seems like an easily solved problem though.

Well obviously in limited mode the gunner couldn't deploy the hardpoints, but when they are deployed, why shouldn't the gunner be allowed to use them?

 

[Drelthar]

The best way to handle this, would have been to allow the helm to use the weapon groups screen, to select another option for everything in there.

"G"

As in, Gunner.

This would be the third toggle (1, 2, G) when cycling through which weapons respond to which weapon group.

Setting a weapon to G, would grant the gunner role the use of this weapon/utility.

The gunner could then set those allowed weapons/utilites to whatever fire groups they wanted, in their own fire group panel.


This would be pretty intuitive, and fullfill every possible need.

 

[Vasious]

The best way to handle this, would have been to allow the helm to use the weapon groups screen, to select another option for everything in there.

"G"

As in, Gunner.

This would be the third toggle (1, 2, G) when cycling through which weapons respond to which weapon group.

Setting a weapon to G, would grant the gunner role the use of this weapon/utility.

The gunner could then set those allowed weapons/utilites to whatever fire groups they wanted, in their own fire group panel.


This would be pretty intuitive, and fullfill every possible need.

I support this

 

[Mephane]

The best way to handle this, would have been to allow the helm to use the weapon groups screen, to select another option for everything in there.

"G"

As in, Gunner.

This would be the third toggle (1, 2, G) when cycling through which weapons respond to which weapon group.

Setting a weapon to G, would grant the gunner role the use of this weapon/utility.

The gunner could then set those allowed weapons/utilites to whatever fire groups they wanted, in their own fire group panel.


This would be pretty intuitive, and fullfill every possible need.

Only if this does still keep your original fire groups intact. I don't want to have to rebind half a dozen weapons between flying alone and having a gunner (or just another playing swapping between fighter and gunner role).

 

[Riverside]

Only if this does still keep your original fire groups intact. I don't want to have to rebind half a dozen weapons between flying alone and having a gunner (or just another playing swapping between fighter and gunner role).

1, 2, G1, G2?

When not in multicrew G1 & G2 would function the same as 1 & 2, when in multicrew the gunner can use anything designated G*, the number has no effect on the gunner (could possibly use the G1 & G2 as a pre-set, changeable firegroup to help the gunner acclimatise to your ship).

 

[Mephane]

1, 2, G1, G2?

When not in multicrew G1 & G2 would function the same as 1 & 2, when in multicrew the gunner can use anything designated G*, the number has no effect on the gunner (could possibly use the G1 & G2 as a pre-set, changeable firegroup to help the gunner acclimatise to your ship).

That would indeed be a workable solution.

 

[GilliganTX]

I don't know what the answer is, but I've been trying to make multi-crew work now for about a week, and it's severely lack luster.

They cant plot routes or select a target body

The gunner options of "full" or "limited" are both wrong.

Not being able to use the SRV is an absolute killer.

Not being able to join a wing if you have someone in crew is an absolute killer.

I'm really disappointed.

 

[Vasco Sapien]

Multicrew.

 

[Mephane]

Something related I noticed: NPCs don't seem to use the KWS when flying the mothership. It's all nice and fun to be out in the fighter, but not so fun to find you have lost out on half the bounties because the NPC didn't use it.

 

[Drelthar]

Only if this does still keep your original fire groups intact. I don't want to have to rebind half a dozen weapons between flying alone and having a gunner (or just another playing swapping between fighter and gunner role).

"G" could simply only be an option when you have a gunner role in play. Once there is no gunner, it reverts to what you had active before.

Couple variables to save, which I guess are already saved somewhere anyway.