[Suggestion] More variety at starports with different factions and states

[Darkrun]

While in human space, one of the most common things we do is dock at the various types of dockable structures. The addition of starport interior models for the different economies increased visual variety and made one element of the background simulation more visible. Hologram billboards of powerplay leaders and superpower iconography did similar for powerplay and the superpowers. It seems likely that, over time, Frontier might do the same for more elements of the background simulation, such as faction government types and faction states.

Starport visual and gameplay variety from faction and state seems like it could be an interesting topic to discuss, speculate, and suggest ideas for. Here are some things as a starting point:

• In lockdown, stations' blast doors could be closed. They would only open when approached by a ship that has requested docking and been scanned by security, and wouldn't close if something was in the way. Security vessels would be in a tighter formation near the front of the station. This would make avoiding scans more challenging.
• Varied speeding laws, based on government type and superpower allegiance.
  • Different speed limits.
  • Different thresholds for warnings and punishments. In some factions:
    • Speeding could carry an immediate fine.
    • Speeding could trigger a countdown in which to slow down or else get a fine.
    • Collisions while speeding could cause an immediate bounty rather than just a fine.
• Anarchy locations could not require requesting docking permission. Just land on any sufficiently large landing pad - the holograms on all empty landing pads would be lit up, with 01 above all smalls, 02 above all mediums, and 03 above all larges. If that makes docking computers not work, they don't care.
  • Submit too many pointless docking requests and the short-tempered flight controller might take a couple of pot shots at you with the starport's weapons.
• Some government types could charge a small credit fee for docking.
• There could be a heavy military presence at starports owned by a faction at war or civil war. Enemy faction fleets/wings would intermittently attack.
  • The attackers' goal could be to temporarily confuse the station with *mega chaff* and sneak a boarding party to one of the landing pads.
  • Maybe players could declare themselves for one of the sides, like in a conflict zone. If fighting for the defenders, they would be permitted to open fire within the no-fire zone (but would get a bounty as normal for firing upon noncombatants or other defenders.)
• If every faction in a system had a small exclusive base, factions wouldn't require official representation at every starport in the system. Starport owners wouldn't have to let the faction they are at war with, or the local pirate gang, use their starport's mission system.
  • The exclusive base could be a dockable mega ship or an outpost, or even just a non-dockable satellite with a station services style menu for taking missions and cashing vouchers. It couldn't be taken from them unless they are expelled from the system, at which point it could become derelict until another faction expands there.
    • Docking arms which you dock to with your cargo hatch could be a way for vessels to large too land at a facility to interact with its fuel and cargo services.
• There could be hologram billboards for faction states. Asking people to join the war effort, respect rationing during the famine, be vigilant and respect curfew during the lockdown, and so on.
• In lockdown and civil unrest, having weapons deployed within the no fire zone could carry an immediate fine, and opening fire a bounty.
• During civil unrest there could be angry NPC vessels occasionally attacking starport security, making avoiding scans easier.
• During famine and bust there could be fewer security ships on duty, making avoiding scans easier.
• There could be additional relevant decals painted on landing pads. Superpower logos, anarchy pirate skulls.
• In outbreak there could be jets of disinfectant and/or sterilising radiation in starport access corridors.

What opinions do people have on these ideas? Any other ideas on this topic?

 

[ZainlessBrombie]

The lockdown thing ist a cool idea
Different speed limits etc. may just be irritating or confusing
About not needing to request docking permission in some places: really like the idea, because right now every single station needs it yet they remind you that "this station specifically needs you to ask for docking permission" etc. That would make way more sense if there were also stations that don't need it. (maybe pirate stations?)
Docking fees: mmh I think they had a reason to not put that in in the first place, so maybe just military stations or the new large ships or something. Or have some stations that do not take visitors only refuel via limpets for horrendous cost (maybe a way to use blast doors?)
The station thing: getting boarding parties in as a special kind of smuggling with higher background simulation impact sounds like a cool idea, maybe you'd have to sell fake cargo and then you'd have 1 minute to leave the station as fast sas you can before they notice those cargo containers were boarding troops and start shooting you
Exclusive bases might disrupt the bounty system. Not sure though.

And the holograms featuring recruitement posters etc... LOVE the idea )
And having the special tings for outbreak is also really cool. Maybe they only let you out if your shields are down so they can disinfect you? ^^

 

[Darkrun]

Different speed limits etc. may just be irritating or confusing

Yeah. I was imagining only different limits higher than the current 100, like 120 and 150, and a notification of the speed limit where the SPEEDING warning is when it's not in SPEEDING mode.

And having the special tings for outbreak is also really cool. Maybe they only let you out if your shields are down so they can disinfect you? ^^

That would fit. Would make it have some gameplay, not just be cosmetic. If it was the same on entering, there could be warnings, and entering the docking bay without following disinfect protocol could result in immediately losing docking permission.

 

[Arry]

I think star-ports in Anarchy systems should rotate the other way.

 

[Hydrino]

I like a few of the ideas. For sure I would love for FD to use some sort of Procedural Generation to generate decals and holograms for each faction. The controlling faction at a station should have logos and colors and such.

And using the blast doors on stations for Lockdown or systems at War might be interesting. But it would slow travel down and travel is already time consuming enough.

Lots of opportunity for tweaks to ports based on system stats.

 

[Kyokushin]

Excelent idea!