A player 'home station' seems like a good idea, with several other threads suggesting the same, e.g.
home port and storage
HOME...... what would make a station home for you..
I wonder if FD will let us build stations?
When Outposts / Colonies Are Built - THEN This Game Will Have a Point
A try at a summary is below:
The concept is that players could end up with a station they think of as 'theirs', if we can understand what that would actually mean.
There's actually two different possibilities:
(i) any player can nominate any station as 'home' which customizes station behaviour towards the player, including multiple players choosing the same station (this should be simpler than next option)
(ii) assume a model of exclusive single-player ownership of stations so that player can be given limited 'admin rights' over that station, e.g. make it hostile to players with Empire ranks.
Gameplay opportunity:
* it gives the player something to spend money on in addition to their ship
* it gives the player an opportunity to demonstrate their wealth in-game in a highly visible way
* adds validity to the 'single universe' multi-player concept ("come see my station"...)
* the economics/dynamic market aspect of E : D can be extended to the property market (e.g. station prices could be higher near the faction capitals)
* there's an additional combat opportunity if players control station weapons
Possible features
Low program development effort:
+ allow ships to be stored in a single station (regardless of where you buy the next one). "have the option of it being delivered to your home station instead of only where you purchase it, but with a time delay for delivery of course"
+ similar to ships, allow 'storage' of swapped out components
+ provide tailored scan and docking messages for players that have docked more than X times within the past time period (i.e. "Welcome home, Commander")
+ allow a player to 'flag' a system as their chosen home, so game can respond accordingly to home player, friends of home player, and visitors. "I like the idea of Flagging it as your home".
+ rename a station for X million credits, limit this to one per player - you can rename another one but the first goes back to default.
+ build a load more station types, so a personal preference makes more sense (this might be high effort, but modelling not programming)
+ provide different 'styles' of station interiors, from tropical to retail. Currently they are all mostly parking lots. (as above)
Medium development effort:
+ Allow 'home player' adjustments to enable/disable features of station e.g. number of docking bays, whether it has loitering or trespassing penalties
+ allow 'stored ships' to be permanently on display in docking bays of 'home' system, rather than hidden in storage. ("a personal 'hangar' like in World of Tanks")
+ a private landing pad. I don't want to have to ask for docking permission at my "home", or have it attempting to gun me down if I don't.
+ limit at least the speed at which a player could change homes to get a station bonus
High development effort
+ when walking in stations comes along, allow view of stored items (components or ships)
+ Allow player to configure a new station, i.e. construct it from standard modules, limit of one per player
+ allow player to control "importing/producing/exporting what I want it to, prohibiting goods I tell it to prohibit."
+ be able to upgrade it with modules to give it more storage space / production capability / landing pads.
+ require raw materials to be collected before base can be built.
+ allow players to sell their merchandise from the station, e.g. their ships or modules
+ allow 'manufacturing' at player-owned stations, so they can produce ammo (or anything else)
+ require upkeep to maintain functionality
+ support theft from player-owned stations
+ allow trade with other players for resources while station is constructed
home port and storage
HOME...... what would make a station home for you..
I wonder if FD will let us build stations?
When Outposts / Colonies Are Built - THEN This Game Will Have a Point
A try at a summary is below:
The concept is that players could end up with a station they think of as 'theirs', if we can understand what that would actually mean.
There's actually two different possibilities:
(i) any player can nominate any station as 'home' which customizes station behaviour towards the player, including multiple players choosing the same station (this should be simpler than next option)
(ii) assume a model of exclusive single-player ownership of stations so that player can be given limited 'admin rights' over that station, e.g. make it hostile to players with Empire ranks.
Gameplay opportunity:
* it gives the player something to spend money on in addition to their ship
* it gives the player an opportunity to demonstrate their wealth in-game in a highly visible way
* adds validity to the 'single universe' multi-player concept ("come see my station"...)
* the economics/dynamic market aspect of E : D can be extended to the property market (e.g. station prices could be higher near the faction capitals)
* there's an additional combat opportunity if players control station weapons
Possible features
Low program development effort:
+ allow ships to be stored in a single station (regardless of where you buy the next one). "have the option of it being delivered to your home station instead of only where you purchase it, but with a time delay for delivery of course"
+ similar to ships, allow 'storage' of swapped out components
+ provide tailored scan and docking messages for players that have docked more than X times within the past time period (i.e. "Welcome home, Commander")
+ allow a player to 'flag' a system as their chosen home, so game can respond accordingly to home player, friends of home player, and visitors. "I like the idea of Flagging it as your home".
+ rename a station for X million credits, limit this to one per player - you can rename another one but the first goes back to default.
+ build a load more station types, so a personal preference makes more sense (this might be high effort, but modelling not programming)
+ provide different 'styles' of station interiors, from tropical to retail. Currently they are all mostly parking lots. (as above)
Medium development effort:
+ Allow 'home player' adjustments to enable/disable features of station e.g. number of docking bays, whether it has loitering or trespassing penalties
+ allow 'stored ships' to be permanently on display in docking bays of 'home' system, rather than hidden in storage. ("a personal 'hangar' like in World of Tanks")
+ a private landing pad. I don't want to have to ask for docking permission at my "home", or have it attempting to gun me down if I don't.
+ limit at least the speed at which a player could change homes to get a station bonus
High development effort
+ when walking in stations comes along, allow view of stored items (components or ships)
+ Allow player to configure a new station, i.e. construct it from standard modules, limit of one per player
+ allow player to control "importing/producing/exporting what I want it to, prohibiting goods I tell it to prohibit."
+ be able to upgrade it with modules to give it more storage space / production capability / landing pads.
+ require raw materials to be collected before base can be built.
+ allow players to sell their merchandise from the station, e.g. their ships or modules
+ allow 'manufacturing' at player-owned stations, so they can produce ammo (or anything else)
+ require upkeep to maintain functionality
+ support theft from player-owned stations
+ allow trade with other players for resources while station is constructed
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