Staged Missions

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

Hello FD! I have an idea for an entirely new class of missions.

These missions would be simple. When you take the contract, you are placed in a ship given to you by the employer, and are given a task to do in the area you're in. Certain systems, notably the FSD, are disabled for the duration of the mission. Abandoning the mission would either be A) impossible, B) The ship's FSD will re-enable and you'll lose your old ship, and gain the loaned one, or C) you're placed back at the terminal where you accepted the mission.

Missions like this could use lots of game assets currently unused and/or underused. For example, I could accept a contract which places me in an F63 Condor or Imperial Fighter being dropped from a Corvette/Cutter into an icy ring, and take out certain targets, whether they be other fighters, a larger craft, or perhaps beacons and containers.

Another example could be that I'm given a Sidewinder, and told to evade a certain target while picking off it's weaker allies. Destroying said target could fail the mission, perhaps.

A third example could be that I'm given an Eagle, and with some allies, I can go and destroy a convoy. So, now, it's obvious that I'm talking about scenarios basically identical to the training missions of both now and the past. Those are freakin' cool. To have those integrated with the main game, using actual galactic locations and having an impact on the galaxy itself, would be awesome. With future multi-crew and ship-launched fighters, this can only be expanded upon.

Alright, I've blabbed on enough. Thoughts?

 

[Psycho Romeo]

Alright, I've blabbed on enough. Thoughts?

A little sloppy I think, because of the failure mechanics:

Abandoning the mission would either be A) impossible, B) The ship's FSD will re-enable and you'll lose your old ship, and gain the loaned one, or C) you're placed back at the terminal where you accepted the mission.

I think a cleaner implementation would involve you needing to bring a specific ship that you own, because of the need to keep a low profile, or disguise, or space in a hanger, or whatever.

Example, capitalship_1 departing station_1 needs combat pilots for a sortie. Fighters of less than 200t are needed for air superiority. Accepting this mission gives permission to dock with capitalship_1. Abandoning the battlefield incurs bounty and heavy rep loss. Capitalship_1 departs in [15] minutes.

Example, keelback_1 is transporting extremely valuable data, and needs a fighter of less than 50t to accompany it to system_1. Payment will be [250,000]cr at destination. Keelback_1 will grant you permission for docking upon accepting the mission.

Example, powerplayfaction_1 is going to be staging a sting operation and we need bait. You will need a transport class ship and a specific set of livery. Upon accepting the mission, the livery will be given to you for the duration of the mission, as well as a canister of baitcargo_1. Simply go to checkpoint_1 and survive until reinforcements bring down the ambushers.