General Search and Rescue Role

[Commander Tanohora]

As an explorer rather than someone seeking combat, the game would be enhanced for me if I could earn my credits performing rescue services. Such a role could involve carrying repair/refuel limpets for those heavily damaged in battle - for a cost perhaps , search and recovery of escape pods, recovering an occasional bit of technology to enable engineering, a few minerals from planets/moons after escape pod recovery, data, black boxes etc. Such a role would have to be less of a target for pirates etc, logic being that even pirates need rescuing, even if it means getting locked up when returned to a station.

I know it's called "Dangerous" for a reason, and I'm expecting my suggestion to be ignored, but even so, a universe with a less confrontational role would make it a lot more enjoyable for me. It may be surprising, but not everyone wants continual combat. Occasionally perhaps, that's inevitable, there's scum out there, but so far I've managed my first month where I've only deployed hardpoints about 3 times, and those three times have been purely for defence.

I would like a universally recognised ship livery that signifies a search and rescue role.

Yes, I have a fairly well-armed ship, armed to what I consider to be a thought-out level of effectiveness, but my focus has also been on the shields and robustness of the hull, plus ECM and other protection against attack so that I can have time and ability to get away, but to also fight effectively, but only if truly necessary.

Maybe I'll turn into a monster if I keep getting attacked - it is happening a bit more frequently, and at awkward times, like when on the surface prospecting - but that conflict isn't my thing. I like a touch of the unexpected to keep it interesting, but centred on battle and destruction... nah... I'm a lot more thoughtful than that. I like to explore a long way outside the bubble.

I'll probably be told to get farm simulator lol, but I like space, variety, exploration, a bit of unexpected danger from space phenomena, but I also want the means to avoid it sensibly. To gracefully retreat when I can, and kick seven bells out of the attacker when I can't and it's unavoidable. For me, being gentle isn't being weak, it's a life-style choice. I'd like to see it catered for in Elite.

There, said my piece.

Commander Tanohora

 

[Lhorndra]

Welcome to the galaxy and to this forum, CMDR!

Such a role could involve carrying repair/refuel limpets for those heavily damaged in battle

There are famous player groups dedicated to these tasks: the Fuel Rats and the Hull Seals. Admittedly, the game mechanics don't reward this with a rank or similar, and you don't get any credits either, but everyone you have saved will be forever grateful.

search and recovery of escape pods, [...] black boxes etc.

That's already in the game. In all stations with a "search and rescue" administrator, you can hand them in and get some credits in return.

recovering an occasional bit of technology to enable engineering

I'm not sure I understand that correctly, but the reward for recovering materials is that you now have said materials as a resource for engineering.

It may be surprising, but not everyone wants continual combat.

No, not surprising at all. You'll find a lot of dedicated haulers and explorers in game as well as here. If you play in open, then yes, some human CMDR can and will gank you eventually if you happen to be in a popular system. But NPC pirates leave you alone, usually, if you don't have anything valuable in your cargo hold.

I would like a universally recognised ship livery that signifies a search and rescue role.

That would be nice, yes.

Maybe I'll turn into a monster if I keep getting attacked - it is happening a bit more frequently, and at awkward times, like when on the surface prospecting - but that conflict isn't my thing. I like a touch of the unexpected to keep it interesting, but centred on battle and destruction... nah... I'm a lot more thoughtful than that. I like to explore a long way outside the bubble.

You can dismiss your ship while surface prospecting. NPC pirate ships will not attack your SRV or your on-foot CMDR. (I assume that in your example, you didn't engage in on-foot combat at settlements, because that would be a different story.)

I'll probably be told to get farm simulator lol, but I like space, variety, exploration, a bit of unexpected danger from space phenomena, but I also want the means to avoid it sensibly. To gracefully retreat when I can, and kick seven bells out of the attacker when I can't and it's unavoidable. For me, being gentle isn't being weak, it's a life-style choice. I'd like to see it catered for in Elite.

If you play in solo, usually you can avoid almost all dangerous combat situations. If you're out in the black, far away from the Bubble, there is nobody at all that will attack you anyway. Inside the Bubble, winning interdictions or fleeing should always be doable, as long as only NPCs are involved.

There, said my piece.
Commander Tanohora

o7, CMDR.

 

[Commander Tanohora]

Hi Lhorndra,

Thanks for the nice welcome and pointers. I was aware that some of the things I mentioned are already in-game. I'm still at the discovery stage though so everything is appreciated.

Wouldn't a dismissed ship still be targeted by NPC pirates if it has some cargo in? I assumed that so didn't dismiss my ship when it had goodies in because of thinking that might be the case...

Amusingly, I've been told by several NPC pirates that I'm not worth the effort! LOL. As they say, to be cursed by the devil is a blessing indeed!

I've learnt to explore empty (apart from repair limpets) so that I have greater jump distances, less conflict, and of course room for legal salvage.

Some salvage is needed for engineering updates that I have pinned, or at least I think that's what it is. Perhaps they are found in space in wreckage from a battle, but I assumed I might find what I need when exploring wreckage on planets. I've certainly found old shield generators and various oddments, as well as cargo and escape pods. I just haven't found what I'm looking for... Ooo that's a good lyric...

I shall seek out philanthropic organisations at some point. For the moment I point the ship at what looks like humans are absent and go exploring, mapping etc.

I played the original Elite and got to the highest ranking, but this later version is way more involved! I keep spending my CR on ship upgrades so haven't even got spare for a coffee in a station! LOL

Thanks for your help

 

[Commander Tanohora]

Thanks Koma for not including spoilers. I'm still learning so the "hint" to be more curious was nicely done

I will look for a paint job in the rescue style too

 

[Lhorndra]

You're welcome.

Wouldn't a dismissed ship still be targeted by NPC pirates if it has some cargo in? I assumed that so didn't dismiss my ship when it had goodies in because of thinking that might be the case...

Well, your ship will be targeted and fired upon while lifting off, yes. As soon as it enters supercruise, it leaves the instance and just vanishes. It's simply not in game anymore and therefore completely safe.

Some salvage is needed for engineering updates that I have pinned, or at least I think that's what it is.

Basically, there are three types of, erm, "stuff" in the game:

• Commodities
  • Everything that needs cargo space in your cargo hold. You can't transport commodities without a cargo rack. You can trade most commodities in space stations. Commodities have nothing to do with normal engineering. However, unlocking some special modules at technology brokers (or at certain megaships), does require certain commodities.
  • Commodities at Inara
  • Commodities at the ED WIki
• Materials
  • Needed for engineering and synthesis (creating refills). They are magically stored somewhere and remain there even if your ship or SRV is destroyed. There are three types of materials: raw, encoded, and manufactured. Some of them are mission rewards, raw materials are lying around on a planet, encoded data can be scanned, manufactured materials can be found at signal sources. That's as spoilery as I will get. You can trade materials at, surprise, material traders.
  • Materials at the ED Wiki
• Goods / Components / Data
  • Stuff you get and use during on-foot (aka Odyssey) gameplay. Again stored magically, i.e. permanent. You can upgrade or modify suits, hand weapons and the like with it.
  • As you now know the drill: yes, there are lists on Inara and the ED wiki as well.

I played the original Elite and got to the highest ranking, but this later version is way more involved! I keep spending my CR on ship upgrades so haven't even got spare for a coffee in a station! LOL

Don't bother, the coffee onboard stations is really bad, usually. Better buy a ship with a built-in coffee machine! Yes, some cockpits feature coffee machines.

 

[Commander Tanohora]

That made me laugh, seems to be the same wherever one goes in the galaxy. Machine coffee sucks bigtime!

Thanks for the help