I imagine none of these are new suggestions, but with new forums and all I figured I'd throw them out there to pickle for however long! Below are some mission-design suggestions for Passenger gameplay, ranging from simplest first to most complex last (or what I assume would be simplest to most complex...I'm not a programmer, after all).
1. Get-Away Tour (Any Passenger Type, Economy Most Common)
If you've ever played the X-Universe games, you may recall missions for passengers that were simply 'jump to as many systems as possible within the time limit', where failure occurred because you didn't return in time. This is similar in design, but with an added step - all of it is detailed below:
-Review Mission: Passenger Type, Quantity, Special Needs (Wanted, Law Abiding, etc.), Time Allotted for Tour, and Payout per Visit.
- Accept Mission and load passengers, Timer starts on acceptance.
-Timer can range from as little as 15 minutes to 2 Hours, as listed in mission.
-Commander completes the mission whenever they return to starting station or fails if time runs out before they complete it.
Payout is a fixed amount based on passenger type, quantity, and any behavior modifiers (as normal). This fixed amount is multiplied by the number of stations the commander docks at not including the starting station.
What does it add to gameplay? Get-Away tours can be paired with existing missions for those who do short-haul or even tour missions. Payout is based on docking though, not system visit - so this leans more in favor of pairing with transport missions. The commander essentially has a choice to make when they see these missions and the choice will be informed by their knowledge of the local area and its typical passenger routes. Get-Away Tours won't pay very well on passenger routes spanning only a few stations, but the 'investment' in their seats could pay well on an extended passenger route of many stations. Larger ships with better jump ranges, like the Beluga Liner, would also have more opportunity with these missions - pending the commander keeps an eye on their clock(s).
2. Rescue or Salvage (Economy Only)
The passenger has just learned of an incident in space and wishes you to take them there immediately. Essentially a salvage operation mission with the added requirement of a passenger module, the presence of a passenger allows for more personality in a mission.
-Review Mission: Economy Passnger (2 to 4), Special Needs, Time Allotted, Payout for successful completion. Mission will advise the commander may need an SRV, Collector Limpet, and/or FSD Interdictor.
-Accept Mission and load passengers, head to target system.
-Passenger informs of target, just like salvage missions, commander flies towards and drops out.
-From here, there are divergent arcs depending on passenger:
a. Wreckage with 'Mission Target' debris, such as pods or named salvage
b. Wreckage and Enemy Ship(s), passenger instructs commander to defeat enemies
c. (Surface) Wreckage with pods or named salvage
d. (Surface) Wreckage with enemy targets (skimmers or enemy ship(s))
-After completing the passenger's directive, return to starting station to complete mission.
What does it add to gameplay? Not a lot, to be honest - basically an additional requirement to existing missions of salvage. That said, if FDev wanted to create 'branching missions' - such as how Wetwork performs, where the task evolves as you undertake the mission, a passenger-oriented salvage mission could also have dynamic changes. The requirement of a passenger cabin (even a small on) also removes a module slot, potentially increasing the risk or difficulty of the mission for smaller ships/newer commanders.
3. Rare Goods Escort (First Class or Luxury Only)
A connoisseur of Lavian Brandy (or whatever rare good) has asked that you transport them and their entourage to a local supplier so that they might personally inspect the cargo, then have you haul it back to their home station.
Review Mission: First Class or Luxury (2 to 12), Special Modifiers, Time to Complete, Cargo Space Required
Accept Mission, load passengers and head to target station.
Arrive at target station, passenger has dialogue about how great the rare good is, load the rare good from mission screen (like a trade mission), prompted to return home.
Return to starting station to complete within time limit. Failure on ship destruction, loss of cargo, or time expires.
What does it add to gameplay? So this is a 'hybrid' between trade and passenger missions. In addition to the risks of carrying the passengers (depending on modifiers and rank of mission), you also have precious cargo to return with. A fun twist on this is that the cargo can be stolen - much like slaves in trade missions if you're the liberator type - so you could choose to keep the rare goods and stiff the passengers (which may or may not be profitable - you've gotta do the math on that!) or deliver it all safely for a sum potentially less than the value of the cargo.
1. Get-Away Tour (Any Passenger Type, Economy Most Common)
If you've ever played the X-Universe games, you may recall missions for passengers that were simply 'jump to as many systems as possible within the time limit', where failure occurred because you didn't return in time. This is similar in design, but with an added step - all of it is detailed below:
-Review Mission: Passenger Type, Quantity, Special Needs (Wanted, Law Abiding, etc.), Time Allotted for Tour, and Payout per Visit.
- Accept Mission and load passengers, Timer starts on acceptance.
-Timer can range from as little as 15 minutes to 2 Hours, as listed in mission.
-Commander completes the mission whenever they return to starting station or fails if time runs out before they complete it.
Payout is a fixed amount based on passenger type, quantity, and any behavior modifiers (as normal). This fixed amount is multiplied by the number of stations the commander docks at not including the starting station.
What does it add to gameplay? Get-Away tours can be paired with existing missions for those who do short-haul or even tour missions. Payout is based on docking though, not system visit - so this leans more in favor of pairing with transport missions. The commander essentially has a choice to make when they see these missions and the choice will be informed by their knowledge of the local area and its typical passenger routes. Get-Away Tours won't pay very well on passenger routes spanning only a few stations, but the 'investment' in their seats could pay well on an extended passenger route of many stations. Larger ships with better jump ranges, like the Beluga Liner, would also have more opportunity with these missions - pending the commander keeps an eye on their clock(s).
2. Rescue or Salvage (Economy Only)
The passenger has just learned of an incident in space and wishes you to take them there immediately. Essentially a salvage operation mission with the added requirement of a passenger module, the presence of a passenger allows for more personality in a mission.
-Review Mission: Economy Passnger (2 to 4), Special Needs, Time Allotted, Payout for successful completion. Mission will advise the commander may need an SRV, Collector Limpet, and/or FSD Interdictor.
-Accept Mission and load passengers, head to target system.
-Passenger informs of target, just like salvage missions, commander flies towards and drops out.
-From here, there are divergent arcs depending on passenger:
a. Wreckage with 'Mission Target' debris, such as pods or named salvage
b. Wreckage and Enemy Ship(s), passenger instructs commander to defeat enemies
c. (Surface) Wreckage with pods or named salvage
d. (Surface) Wreckage with enemy targets (skimmers or enemy ship(s))
-After completing the passenger's directive, return to starting station to complete mission.
What does it add to gameplay? Not a lot, to be honest - basically an additional requirement to existing missions of salvage. That said, if FDev wanted to create 'branching missions' - such as how Wetwork performs, where the task evolves as you undertake the mission, a passenger-oriented salvage mission could also have dynamic changes. The requirement of a passenger cabin (even a small on) also removes a module slot, potentially increasing the risk or difficulty of the mission for smaller ships/newer commanders.
3. Rare Goods Escort (First Class or Luxury Only)
A connoisseur of Lavian Brandy (or whatever rare good) has asked that you transport them and their entourage to a local supplier so that they might personally inspect the cargo, then have you haul it back to their home station.
Review Mission: First Class or Luxury (2 to 12), Special Modifiers, Time to Complete, Cargo Space Required
Accept Mission, load passengers and head to target station.
Arrive at target station, passenger has dialogue about how great the rare good is, load the rare good from mission screen (like a trade mission), prompted to return home.
Return to starting station to complete within time limit. Failure on ship destruction, loss of cargo, or time expires.
What does it add to gameplay? So this is a 'hybrid' between trade and passenger missions. In addition to the risks of carrying the passengers (depending on modifiers and rank of mission), you also have precious cargo to return with. A fun twist on this is that the cargo can be stolen - much like slaves in trade missions if you're the liberator type - so you could choose to keep the rare goods and stiff the passengers (which may or may not be profitable - you've gotta do the math on that!) or deliver it all safely for a sum potentially less than the value of the cargo.