[Suggestion] Mega-ship Colonia Ferry

[Titus Balls]

Neat, editing posts to make my claim earlier wrong

No wonder this forum has a bad rep, you make a suggestion and the resident forum master jumps on you for being new.

First off not sure what you are suggesting about the editing of posts (my only edits has been typos or adding something extra in my own posts, and I have no powers to edit your posts)?

Secondly I didn't jump on you for being new. Being new is great and I'd encourage any new player or member to post here, sometimes Frontier don't have all the best ideas in the game.

What did annoy me was the defensiveness and the suggestion that I am somehow changing your words when they are clearly available for all to see in the post. That isn't how a forum works. There's public record.

There seems to be some misinterpretation on what I'm proposing,

No, just some people disagreed on parts of the idea and made their own suggestions - in a suggestions forum.

For what it's worth, the OP is a good idea but it will need a lot more thinking and refinement from Frontier.

 

[Bladefeather]

How about a Vacation Tour megaship that circles the galaxy at regular intervals making stops at interesting locations (Colonia, Maia, Sag A, Beagle's Point, etc), and you can tag along for a small docking fee. It has a specific schedule and sticks around in a system for 24 hours, giving you time to undock and explore before making another long jump. Don't get left behind or you'll have to wait a month or more or plan the long trek back home yourself.
A great future feature when space legs comes around would be a central bar where ride along players could discuss their trip with each other. Have a real mobile community.

I was thinking something close to that. Perhaps the old Narwhal Liners used by the President of the Federation before switching to Farragut's could be used. schedules could be posted to Galnet and you just hop on, pay the fee, and tour the galaxy.

 

[Esvandiary]

There's literally nothing unique, and you must be kidding about that "effort" and "enjoyement".
If it takes more than two days to get to jaques from the bubble, the ferry is a dead feature on arrival. Literally the reason why I'd hop on that ferry is to save time, remove that and it's pointless.

Well, then I'd suggest you fly to Colonia yourself (it's easily doable inside 8 hours in an engineered exploration ship if you really want), and also to stop sounding like you're speaking for everyone. Perhaps other people might have other reasons for choosing to travel in that way - or perhaps they only get small amounts of playtime regularly, in which case that potentially would be the quick way for them.
Personally I'd probably be quite up for doing a slow trip to Colonia - meet some people taking the same ride, pop out and do a bit of exploration close to the Colonia Connection bases for a week or so, park up back in the megaship and jump onwards.
If I wanted to go to Colonia quickly, I'd do it the same way I have done before...

 

[J'Ram-Dar]

The whole point of OP's suggestion was to provide people a quick way to get to Colonia, whether it be for heavy mining ships, heavily engineered combat ships or newer players. This would provide some incentive to actually go out there. If there was additional content such as an engineer in Colonia, this would give greater incentive to go out there.

There are so many stops on the way to Colonia that it shouldn't take more than 90 minutes to travel to any one of them, in a ship with a decent jump range. It doesn't really seem meaningful for a mega ship to jump somewhere 90 minutes away.

I don't think this mega ship would be for explorers, you do your thing. This is for everyone else who wishes to get to Colonia quickly to help with the expansion, this delayed trip with discourage people from doing so as you're potentially a sitting duck for weeks on end.

This concept is supposed to appeal to the masses, not the few who want an extremely niche use of it. Many of the suggestions being thrown around could be fulfilled by simply flying there.

 

[Earth Ultimatum IV.]

Well, then I'd suggest you fly to Colonia yourself (it's easily doable inside 8 hours in an engineered exploration ship if you really want), and also to stop sounding like you're speaking for everyone. Perhaps other people might have other reasons for choosing to travel in that way - or perhaps they only get small amounts of playtime regularly, in which case that potentially would be the quick way for them.
Personally I'd probably be quite up for doing a slow trip to Colonia - meet some people taking the same ride, pop out and do a bit of exploration close to the Colonia Connection bases for a week or so, park up back in the megaship and jump onwards.
If I wanted to go to Colonia quickly, I'd do it the same way I have done before...

I've been to colonia once with my Cobra to unlock Palin, and twice in a fully loaded Conda to deliver rares for the SDC colonia expansion CG.

Sure, feel free to have two colonia ferries, one fast for us, and one slow with several stops for the explorers. I'm not talking for everyone, I'm just fighting for my part of the issue.

 

[Esvandiary]

I'm not talking for everyone, I'm just fighting for my part of the issue.

"Good job, that kills the purpose of that ferry. If it takes more than two days to get to colonia, it's a dead feature on arrival"

Sure, feel free to have two colonia ferries, one fast for us, and one slow with several stops for the explorers.

"The issue" here is that you want this to effectively reduce the investment to go there to zero. Hop on, arrive at the other end near-immediately. That's what people have a problem with - that right now Colonia is meaningfully separate to the bubble because you have to make the effort to get there, in the same way as you would to visit other faraway sights.

The multi-hop suggestion is simply adding a different dynamic for that effort, rather than removing it entirely - if you can't play very much, but you're willing to restrict what you'll be doing in the game for the next few weeks, you could now go to Colonia for a not-insurmountable "cost". Previously those people just couldn't go unless they were willing to have it take months anyway.
For the people with the playtime and the will, Colonia is already there and perfectly reachable. This would be a way to expand the group who can feasibly go - and give other people an alternative option if they prefer - not make it trivial to do so.

 

[CitizenKai]

We must prevent the creation quick ways to get to Colonia. This is one of the worst things that can happen.
We need an easy and fun way, but not fast.

I wrote my offer above and I think it is the best way.

 

[Olivia Vespera]

Once per week is too fast and missing opportunities.

Better would be something like going Amundsen>Sacagewea>Polo in one direction and Gagarin>Eagle>Hillary in the other.

That way it takes 4 weeks both ways, the Colonia Connection would gain some more meaning and travelling directly would still be faster (but you could plan to hitch a ride for one stop if it's coming your way).

quite like this idea too.

 

[Lestat]

With how fast ship an go back and forth Colonia. The only slow down is the user and their ships jump range and how they use neutron stars system. So this idea not needed. I don't think people would like the idea waiting at a station for a few weeks and not play the game.

Remember people laziness is not a skill.

 

[CitizenKai]

With how fast ship an go back and forth Colonia. The only slow down is the user and their ships jump range and how they use neutron stars system. So this idea not needed. I don't think people would like the idea waiting at a station for a few weeks and not play the game.

Remember people laziness is not a skill.

This is the reason I suggested my method.

 

[BDelacroix]

I like the idea. Have it stay at each of the weigh stations for one day each. If you miss the bus, then you have to catch the next. That is 10 days for a round trip?

- - - Updated - - -

I wrote my offer above and I think it is the best way.

Does anyone ever think otherwise of their own ideas?

 

[Earth Ultimatum IV.]

"The issue" here is that you want this to effectively reduce the investment to go there to zero

There is no investment. It's a huge useless grind. This community needs to stop accepting "staring at the black screen, mashing the same button for eight hours" as content.

I'd be fine with keeping the two-day Colonia ferry only accessible to those who first travelled there manually, but for heaven's sake get rid of the stupid grind and time wasting that has to be repeated everytime you want to move there.

 

[Aina321]

bad idea

There is no investment. It's a huge useless grind. This community needs to stop accepting "staring at the black screen, mashing the same button for eight hours" as content.

I'd be fine with keeping the two-day Colonia ferry only accessible to those who first travelled there manually, but for heaven's sake get rid of the stupid grind and time wasting that has to be repeated everytime you want to move there.

I think it is a totally bad idea. If you want to be out there, fly out there. If it is to far for you to, well then stay in the bubble and have fun there.

 

[Lestat]

There is no investment. It's a huge useless grind. This community needs to stop accepting "staring at the black screen, mashing the same button for eight hours" as content.

I'd be fine with keeping the two-day Colonia ferry only accessible to those who first travelled there manually, but for heaven's sake get rid of the stupid grind and time wasting that has to be repeated everytime you want to move there.

When we have ships like the Anaconda that can reach 55 60+ ly Jump range So Jumping 330 Plus Neutron star jumping. You can almost cut that in half let say 170 jump So a few hours of scanning basic scan of stars. Unless your still using the Sidewinder?

 

[Ashnak]

...This community needs to stop accepting "staring at the black screen, mashing the same button for eight hours" as content.....

Who died and made you king? Speak for yourself, I have no problem with that. But do not presume to dictate what I should be doing.

 

[MickyG1982]

I can see it being a thing... "But"

It would have to be something more along the lines of this:

First, split currency into 2 banks - The "Bubble Bank" and The "Colonia Bank" The bubble bank holds standard credits & the Colonia bank doles out Colonia Credits.

When you first take the trip on the "Colonia Ferry Service" you apply to become a citizen of Colonia, this gives you access to a Loaned Sidey + 1000 credits just as in a normal start. The bank of Colonia won't initially allow you to transfer credits between the bubble & colonia but will offer an introductory mission that will allow you to get the ball rolling.

Complete the introductory mission & you can transfer small amounts of your "Bubble" Credits to Colonia Bank, in exchange for a small handlers fee (this will increase exponentially the more you wish to transfer providing diminishing returns) once per hour (can be set automatically at stations). Improve your relationship with the bank & you will get more favorable terms etc.

Explorers getting there the "old fashioned way" will get immediate access to this service & be able to transfer all their credits immediately if they so choose (as they already have the respect of the bank). Those that have made it to Colonia the old fashioned way will also be able to use the ferry to get back - but their ship will have to stay in port & get transferred back if they want to keep it - just like those on the outward journey.

The passenger "Colonia Ferry" is only fitted out for taking people from Port A to Port B in a single jump, to cargo, mats, equipment data anything, just people. If citizens want to move their equipment it either has to go the old fashioned way (manually) or get transported there (expensive). The cooldown could be 24 hours between trips - again, only for passengers & the trip has to be paid for in the local currency - you need to earn your ticket back (which can be difficult if all you have is 1000 credits).

The net effect is that the game effectively provides you with another start point later on in the game when you have done all you want to do in the bubble (or a simple fast travel point if you have explored all the way to Colonia). Players who chose to use the ferry rather than make their own way there will have a lot of work to do to get established, explorers will have more opportunity because of the choice they made & should be rewarded for the extra effort they put in to get to where they are.