Proposal, make Anarchy systems actually dangerous and add a criminal reputation

[Threeofseven]

Currently, anarchy systems are just like any other system. There’s really no danger in visiting one. Personally, I think that should change.

I think they should be populated with pirates, that are not as incompetent as most NPCs. Interdictions from these pirate should be much harder to win and they should have engineered weapons and such. To balance this, the profits from trading in an anarchy system should be much higher.

Criminal commanders, like myself, should also receive a reputation based on criminality. Commanders with a high criminal status should be respected and welcomed in anarchy systems while met with suspicion and difficulty in lawful systems.

Would anyone have any problem with the above?

 

[PaxtonNewt]

Currently, anarchy systems are just like any other system. There’s really no danger in visiting one. Personally, I think that should change.

I think they should be populated with pirates, that are not as incompetent as most NPCs. Interdictions from these pirate should be much harder to win and they should have engineered weapons and such. To balance this, the profits from trading in an anarchy system should be much higher.

Criminal commanders, like myself, should also receive a reputation based on criminality. Commanders with a high criminal status should be respected and welcomed in anarchy systems while met with suspicion and difficulty in lawful systems.

Would anyone have any problem with the above?

yes

 

[Florenus]

Criminal commanders, like myself, should also receive a reputation based on criminality. Commanders with a high criminal status should be respected and welcomed in anarchy systems while met with suspicion and difficulty in lawful systems.

This is very shallow understanding of anarchy, as being some kind of asylum for cryminally insane.
Of course pirates might thrive in anarchy, since there's no authority to spread control, but why would people respect criminals just like that? After all, they are criminals and probably steal from and murder those living in anarchy just as anyone else.

 

[Drelthar]

I'd like to see more difference between systems in general, and this would be a decent way to start.

 

[Stealthie]

Been saying the same thing for years.

Fundamentally, for every benefit and perk of being lawful, there should be a similar advantage available for being lawless.

Half the engineers should be in high-sec systems and you should have to become allied (in addition to engineer-specific unlocks) before you access them.
The other half should be in anarchies and you should have to gain "criminal rep" before you can access them.

Similarly, if you're wanted by a faction you should be seriously hassled by cops in those systems.
Conversely, in an anarchy a Clean pilot should be targeted constantly but a Wanted pilot would be left alone.

I don't really like the whole "wanted ships" thing but it'd work with this too, cos you could build ships for doing lawful stuff and ships for doing criminal stuff.


Anybody who played Elite (1984) remembers trying to fly into Riedquat for the first time.
ED completely undermines that aspect of gameplay.

 

[Tarman]

This is not a pirate.



That being said, I wouldn't mind some systems that were more criminal-based to give you what you're looking for. Anarchy in general ain't it, tho.

 

[Vardaugas]

I'd rather see systems controlled by an anarchy faction turning into pirate havens from where they stage pirate attacks into near by systems and haul the loot back for sale. They'd increase prosperity in the anarchy system and reduce prosperity and security in nearby systems.

 

[RamirezKurita]

I quite agree with anarchy not being the same as pirate controlled, its fundamentally about an absence of bureaucratic laws and instead about individual freedoms, including the freedom to exercise power over others by whatever means. This lends towards anarchies being favoured by pirates because they generally have the kit, skills and contacts to survive in a world where power is absolute, but it doesn't necessarily mean that an anarchy is controlled by pirates.

If anything, I'd prefer it if there was further extensions to system security values, with criminal and cartel securities being lower than anarchies. Anarchies would still be dangerous, any freighter that doesn't have combat potential rivaling its cargo value would soon meet its end, but those seeking true pirate havens would be required to venture deeper. At the far end of lawlessness would be the cartel systems that would have a lot in common with high security systems, where the one true law is "no bounty hunters" and any ship that carries a KWS would soon be angrily engaged in a furball of surprisingly well equipped pirates. In between would be the general criminalised systems, where people will generally leave you alone unless you have cargo or kick up a fuss.

 

[Dillon Fallon]

Word for word my thoughts on this.

Granted there is a disconnect between a pirate run state and a true anarchy, but in terms of this game as it is now this is what I would prefer that we saw in an anarchy system.

At the moment, anarchy systems feel the same as high security systems when I've turned report crimes off.

 

[Threeofseven]

I get what people ARE saying, but according to the game description Anarchies are generally criminal gangs and piracy is at their core. It would take more effort on the part of frontier, but making different types of anarchy governments would be pretty cool.

We have some faction that have Pirate in their name so piracy would be obvious. Some are drug empires or cartels, narcotic production/smuggling and such could be their focus. Others with names like mafia could be simply general criminal activities like running slaves, assassinations etc.

 

[Stealthie]

I get what people ARE saying, but according to the game description Anarchies are generally criminal gangs and piracy is at their core. It would take more effort on the part of frontier, but making different types of anarchy governments would be pretty cool.

Without wishing to get too political, I suspect some might be attempting to defend the idea of anarchism based on some naive and absurdly flawed affection for the concept in real-life.

ED is a game.
In that game, I'd like to see anarchies portrayed as Mad Max style places where crime is acceptable, outlaws are revered and strength is power.

I dunno if it would be possible to portray anarchies, in ED, as places where like-minded communist hippies trade lentils for home-made dreamcatchers and knit clothing out of hemp but it'd make for crappy gameplay.

Also, I may not have been entirely successful at avoiding political rhetoric.

 

[Guest193293]

Can't see why you should be welcomed just because you have a high criminal status, unless you have a high reputation and influence with let's say, the controlling faction.
Pirates, cartels, mafia whatever they attack and kill other criminals too, nobody is in the same team.
If anything, commanders with a high criminal status should be even more in danger because of the challenge others can see, like to mess with a notorious criminal just because; or to test you and see what you are capable of.
Some will see a threat, others an opportunity.

 

[dxm55]

I think FDev shd just rename Anarchy to Ungoverned, or lawless.

Because that's what it really is. A system where no one has jurisdiction.

 

[Vasious]

Without wishing to get too political, I suspect some might be attempting to defend the idea of anarchism based on some naive and absurdly flawed affection for the concept in real-life.

ED is a game.
In that game, I'd like to see anarchies portrayed as Mad Max style places where crime is acceptable, outlaws are revered and strength is power.

I dunno if it would be possible to portray anarchies, in ED, as places where like-minded communist hippies trade lentils for home-made dreamcatchers and knit clothing out of hemp but it'd make for crappy gameplay.

Also, I may not have been entirely successful at avoiding political rhetoric.

Independent Cooperatives are what you are after based on the flavour text about them.

The autonomous collective on free individuals voluntarily associating for mutual benefit, but lacking the straight hierarchies of the Communist factions.

And I dont mean it is the hippies trade lentils for home-made dreamcatchers and knit clothing out of hemp type

I mean the frontier settlers working together for mutual survival and benefit without a formal societal structure and hierarchy.

 

[Vasious]

Have a looksee here to see all the faction type dialogue based on states which give an indication of how they function

What do the factions say? 2nd edition for 3.3

The release of 3.3 altered the way how states work, but also adjusted the faction representatives' lines on some cases. Hence, I'm creating a new thread to catalogue the post-3.3 dialogue and retiring the old thread in Dangerous Discussion. EDIT: Per my own discovery of democracies having new...

forums.frontier.co.uk

 

[dxm55]

Anarchy is self governance. Anarchy systems could vary from death gauntlet to free love seminar. Lot's of crazy variations on self governance.

Shouldn't self governed systems be considered Independent?
They may not be part of the Alliance, but they surely are independent.

Anarchy should be part of the security level of a system.
Governed systems have high, medium and low security.

Anarchy means that there is no governance and no security, hence it is lawless.
Hence we shd just rename it to "Lawless" or "Uncontrolled".

 

[yminale]

In theory there are NO LAWS in anarchy therefore nothing is illegal. It's basically might makes right. Ironically, pirates actually have very complex codes of conduct. The legendary Pirates of the Caribbean were one of the few groups to practice democracy.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

99.999% of the galaxy is unpopulated and therefore an "anarchy" system. seems like there should be a little more space to play in for those that don't want all danger all the time.

furthermore to have every anarchy system populated with skilled pirates would require a birthrate so high even rabbits would be impressed as well as pirate training academies in every system to train these skilled pirates.

Most pirates and outlaws are NOT skilled. they just have weapons and no manners or respect for property rights.. If they were skilled they'd have real jobs and buy things instead of trying to steal other people's stuff.

 

[dxm55]

In short. Lawless systems.

So since there are prob few to no stations, outposts or bases in lawless systems, and no regular traffic there except to pass thru to jump in and out in transit, there is also no logical reason for pirates to gather there in droves (unless there are RES sites).

That's why pirates should flock to Low sec systems. Not anarchy....

 

[Ouberos]

I get what people ARE saying, but according to the game description Anarchies are generally criminal gangs and piracy is at their core. It would take more effort on the part of frontier, but making different types of anarchy governments would be pretty cool.

We have some faction that have Pirate in their name so piracy would be obvious. Some are drug empires or cartels, narcotic production/smuggling and such could be their focus. Others with names like mafia could be simply general criminal activities like running slaves, assassinations etc.

View attachment 132896

Yes I agree there should be more fun to be had in being a criminal. I live in hope that the Galnet winking cat, credit theft, art theft and ship theft are all indications of future gameplay.

On a separate note could you tell me which faction you took that screen shot from please? I'm interested in his forehead tattoo.