[Suggestion] Direct transfer of cargo via Collector Limpets

[nrage]

See this reddit thread/post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDange...g_and_limpets/d5reb1j?st=ir3xjo64&sh=7e7fd133

This was not my idea originally but I think it's a good one, and hopefully not a huge amount of work.

Essentially, instead of having to drop cargo which the other commander then has to scoop or use collector limpets to collect, you indicate some # of items of cargo in your ship for "transfer" to a specific target and then either your active limpets or their active limpets will carry out the transfer. So, the cargo goes directly from cargo hatch to cargo hatch and either commander can be in control of the limpets. Both hatches would need to be open, and in range.

This will make cargo transfer less of a chore and pave the way for things like trade/shipping missions where separate commanders carry the goods for a leg of the total journey and are paid a percentage of the total based on distance travelled.

 

[goemon]

i basically like the idea, but i'm not sure how this would make things easier compared to:
- receiving commander has active limpets
- giving commander drops 20-N(number of active limpets) of cargo, and repeats

?

is it about the giving cmdr not needing to drop 20 t of cargo repeatedly?

 

[nrage]

i basically like the idea, but i'm not sure how this would make things easier compared to:
- receiving commander has active limpets
- giving commander drops 20-N(number of active limpets) of cargo, and repeats

?

is it about the giving cmdr not needing to drop 20 t of cargo repeatedly?

It does several things:
- Automates the process (as you say, not needing to drop 20t of cargo repeatedly).
- Makes it less likely to lose cargo through accidental collisions or cargo expiry.
- Makes it possible to do things like this: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ns-with-separate-legs-for-separate-commanders
- Makes it possible to transfer cargo to a ship which does not have a collector controller (uses the givers limpets).
- Opens the door for future ship-to-station transfer via limpets (station is just another target): https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...Ship-to-station-transfer-of-cargo-via-limpets

Plus, I just find the idea of "jettisoning" cargo into space so haphazard and reckless, where's the control, where's the precision which should be present in space flight. It just seems wrong somehow.

 

[Lestat]

Not needed. If both players have Collectors. They could do this right now.

 

[nrage]

Not needed. If both players have Collectors. They could do this right now.

Do what exactly? Transfer cargo? Of course you can, the point is to make things better and this does that in several ways, plus opens the door for other cool mechanics.

 

[goemon]

Plus, I just find the idea of "jettisoning" cargo into space so haphazard and reckless, where's the control, where's the precision which should be present in space flight. It just seems wrong somehow.

yes, that is a good thing about your suggestion. probably would be best if it would be only a "giving cargo"-function of collectors, though (because otherwise - why can't i pirate cargo with limpets, if the hatch is shot out....)

 

[nrage]

(because otherwise - why can't i pirate cargo with limpets, if the hatch is shot out....)

Easy enough to explain "in lore terms". Have a look at what I wrote here:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ns-with-separate-legs-for-separate-commanders

In particular:

Pirates would be able to intercept CMDRs and using Hatchbreakers pull cargo from either ship. They would still have to remove shields to use hatch breakers because the "transfer" process is what keys the collector limpets to allow them past the other ships shields.

So continue in this vein. The cargo held inside a ship is locked in place (you don't want it sliding around) and a collector requires the ship to release it. The collector limpet from the correct target ship has been given that "key" by the "transfer" process. Without the "key" the limpet would have to "break" this lock, collector limpets can't do that, only hatchbreakers.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

I like this idea,
If i understand correctly, it would work like a fuel transfer Limpet, but for cargo?

UI would be simple, you use the "jettison" menu, with and added option for "Cargo Transfer", when a valid target is selected, with an open cargo hatch.
Your limpet(s) then go and ferry it across.
Not sure how to handle limpet lifespan though. Having it blow up mid fight is impractical. And having 1 per cargo container is impractical.
But having them return to the cargo bay is unbalanced.
Maybe they can only ferry X amount of cargo containers each, then explode after the last one?

 

[nrage]

I like this idea,
If i understand correctly, it would work like a fuel transfer Limpet, but for cargo?

Sorta, the difference is the limpet lifetime. A fuel limpet is always a one-use limpet. See below for more on the lifetime..

UI would be simple, you use the "jettison" menu, with and added option for "Cargo Transfer", when a valid target is selected, with an open cargo hatch.

That's what I was thinking, except for the requirement of the cargo hatch(es) being open at this stage. It's enough to mark the cargo to be transferred and give a target at this point.

Your limpet(s) then go and ferry it across.
Not sure how to handle limpet lifespan though. Having it blow up mid fight is impractical. And having 1 per cargo container is impractical.
But having them return to the cargo bay is unbalanced.
Maybe they can only ferry X amount of cargo containers each, then explode after the last one?

Once you have marked the cargo for transfer and given a target then any limpets you have already launched, or subsequently launch (with nothing targeted) would start transferring cargo. So, they would operate just like collector limpets launched without a target. In fact, a better way to think of this is that collector limpets launched without a target would consider a cargo transfer request in the same way they consider/pick floating canisters to collect. I believe they collect by closest first, and if so then if you were the sender of the cargo these would take priority, but if you're the receiver and the other ship is at a distance with some canisters closer to you then they might do those first.