Are Rock Hermits planned to reappear at any point? I miss that element of classic Elite 
Now, on a slight tangent, having heard people wanting to own their own stations and others saying "heck no!" to that idea, I wonder... why don't we make it possible for a player to create a Rock Hermit station?
I'm not sure what the rules would have to be given the persistent nature of the universe (only one allowed per field?) or what they could be capable of (basic repairs? Refuel? Rearm? Whatever it is it would be very limited) Maybe it only has 2 docking spots (one reserved for the owner), or maybe just one (and only the owner can get permission to land)?
Being able to create a Rock Hermit station could allow an explorer to set up shop in an area and explore more thoroughly. Maybe A Rock Hermit "Kit" would require at least a total off 10 "class" worth of space (ie 2 Class 5, or 2 Class 4 and a Class 2), which would be targeted on an asteroid and would manufacture it in a day or so. Or something that requires 2 trips - one for the hollowing out, the other for the framework.
The dock itself wouldn't look at all as nice as what you see at outposts. It would look like a cave with a basic framework for landing. Maybe additional trips could make the station nicer, but it should never be able to do what even a basic outpost can. Oh, and it would still be expensive as heck.
Something like that could give you a sense of a home base without unbalancing anything.
Now, on a slight tangent, having heard people wanting to own their own stations and others saying "heck no!" to that idea, I wonder... why don't we make it possible for a player to create a Rock Hermit station?
I'm not sure what the rules would have to be given the persistent nature of the universe (only one allowed per field?) or what they could be capable of (basic repairs? Refuel? Rearm? Whatever it is it would be very limited) Maybe it only has 2 docking spots (one reserved for the owner), or maybe just one (and only the owner can get permission to land)?
Being able to create a Rock Hermit station could allow an explorer to set up shop in an area and explore more thoroughly. Maybe A Rock Hermit "Kit" would require at least a total off 10 "class" worth of space (ie 2 Class 5, or 2 Class 4 and a Class 2), which would be targeted on an asteroid and would manufacture it in a day or so. Or something that requires 2 trips - one for the hollowing out, the other for the framework.
The dock itself wouldn't look at all as nice as what you see at outposts. It would look like a cave with a basic framework for landing. Maybe additional trips could make the station nicer, but it should never be able to do what even a basic outpost can. Oh, and it would still be expensive as heck.
Something like that could give you a sense of a home base without unbalancing anything.
