USS Surprise

[JesusOnEez]

I've taken to going into more USS of late, just to vary things up...in the past I've mostly ignored them in favour of getting whatever I'm doing done as fast as possible.

Generally I avoid convoys, but usually go into anything else. For the most part, they're all pretty samey. Pick up some loot from debris (perhaps a pirate NPC shows up), defend someone being attacked...that sort of thing.

Last night, I went into a weapons fire threat 2, and found a battle going on...about 15 ships on each side going at it hammer and tongs kind of like a mini combat zone. I've never seen that before in a USS. It looked to me like system security vs. pirates. So I joined in and it was an absolute blast. Enemies were varied...mostly Deadly...from Sidewinders to Anacondas.

Picked up a lots of mats and cargo from that one.

Looking forward to coming across a few more of them!

 

[Sylow]

There's a number of such things around by now. If you enjoyed this, also drop into distress calls when you find them. Yes, there might be a ship asking for fuel. (Bad luck that most of us fly without fuel transfer limpets. ) Sometimes there's even a ship saying and doing nothing at all.
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But sometimes it's the "trader under attack" scenario. That means several waves of pirates attacking, each one stronger than the previous one. Just surviving and defeating all of them is a challenge, especially if you use your a smaller ship. What happens it you also actually manage to keep the trader alive i can't tell. I never saw it alive any more when the fight was over, i might occasionally have to take my Cutter to such a USS.
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So now we have two examples of USSes here, which most people don't even know about. The things are out there and they are fun. The "problem" is that they are not "optimal". People who search USSes usually want high grade emissions and encoded emissions, everything else is ignored. So as long as such content is hidden in USSes and people are not pushed into them, it will remain invisible for most.
.

 

[SkyB]

I once found a stranded T9 in Black/Red paintjob owned by an NPC named Blackbeard.
He was arguing with one of his crew member about who forgot to refuel.

Best distress call ever.

 

[MyThos]

These should trigger refuel missions and become a permanent USS. This is what I would call emergent gameplay!

 

[Raino]

"Fuel Mice" missions +rep

 

[DocPossible]

These should trigger refuel missions and become a permanent USS. This is what I would call emergent gameplay!

Aye, if they could introduce some sort of persistence into the game for things like this it would bring a lot to the game I think. Finding someone needing refuelling, zipping back into supercruise, equipping some refuelling limpets at the nearest station then getting back to them would be really nice. It's sort of available for missions - base scanning ones create persistent planetary search zones for the duration of the mission, so perhaps something like that could work for USSes...

 

[JesusOnEez]

There's a number of such things around by now. If you enjoyed this, also drop into distress calls when you find them. Yes, there might be a ship asking for fuel. (Bad luck that most of us fly without fuel transfer limpets. ) Sometimes there's even a ship saying and doing nothing at all.

I agree with MyThos that these should (somehow) be made permanent, and/or trigger a mission so you can come back and help them out for some reward. When I've gone into these before, I felt quite guilty about leaving them stranded. On the other hand, I've also toyed with the idea of putting them out of their misery...but never have. I don't want to be 'Wanted' in a system I'm probably doing a mission in.

 

[Red Fox Four]

Even if you help the ship out with refuel I'm sure the reward will be "Thanks for your help Commander. I wired you some credits for your help." and you get a "5876 CR Claim in Empire" on your Transaction Tab.

Totally worth it.

Personally I never helped them.

Only limpet I would offer them would be a Hatch Breaker Limpet.

Rewards for "emergent" stuff via USS in this game is always total rubbish so I never even scan a USS anymore. It's just wasted code floating past me in supercruise.

 

[metatheurgist]

I thought this thread was about what you named you ship.

But sometimes it's the "trader under attack" scenario. That means several waves of pirates attacking, each one stronger than the previous one. Just surviving and defeating all of them is a challenge, especially if you use your a smaller ship. What happens it you also actually manage to keep the trader alive i can't tell. I never saw it alive any more when the fight was over, i might occasionally have to take my Cutter to such a USS.

When you finish the last wave a rescue anaconda shows up and starts firing repair limpets. The trader continues to moan about being in danger. The Anaconda suggests you should join the navy (I wish!).

Even if you help the ship out with refuel I'm sure the reward will be "Thanks for your help Commander. I wired you some credits for your help." and you get a "5876 CR Claim in Empire" on your Transaction Tab.

You fill them up and they leave without so much as a thank you.

 

[Hell Razor5543]

When I first read the title I thought it was a new ship in the Star Trek Galaxy, and sister ship to the USS Enterprise!

 

[Red Fox Four]

When I first read the title I thought it was a new ship in the Star Trek Galaxy, and sister ship to the USS Enterprise!

Best Star Trek episode was "USS Callister"

 

[SkyB]

These should trigger refuel missions and become a permanent USS. This is what I would call emergent gameplay!

Of course, I did not have a refuel limpet. If that would have given me a mission I'd have loved to do it.

Unfortunately NPCs are rather dumb.

You can not apologise for misfire (which I remember you could do back in X3!)
Also, they fly away when covered in thargoid goo, defying my attempts ro save them with a repair limpet.

I'd really like to see FDev doing some improvements regarding this kind of stuff.

A better npc interaction would be fun.

 

[SkyB]

Even if you help the ship out with refuel I'm sure the reward will be "Thanks for your help Commander. I wired you some credits for your help." and you get a "5876 CR Claim in Empire" on your Transaction Tab.

Totally worth it.

Personally I never helped them.

Only limpet I would offer them would be a Hatch Breaker Limpet.

Rewards for "emergent" stuff via USS in this game is always total rubbish so I never even scan a USS anymore. It's just wasted code floating past me in supercruise.

A guy called Blackbeard must be up to something.
He could give us a small reward and a follow up profit chance mission.
That guy probably does smuggeling in a T9.

 

[lokeshsharma]

nice

 

[Watcher]

Yes, there might be a ship asking for fuel. (Bad luck that most of us fly without fuel transfer limpets. ) .

Which gives me opportunity to bang on the drum of make limpets and ammo type, give all ships a basic capacity of at least 1 limpet and a basic short range controller to do most jobs. Limpets should be our hands in space, pretty much all ships should have one with the option to add improved capability (range/during/number active) and ammo capacity. Anyway... FD say they are thinking about controller changes but still, soon maybe?

Meanwhile, when I'm not mission running, I agree that USSs are a fun distraction. You're not quite sure what you'll find and it gives you something else to do. I got jumped by more ships than I expected in a distress call USS last night, bit touch and go but it was fun. Trader just jumped out though, not so much as a thank you (that I noticed anyway)..

 

[Crank Larson]

These should trigger refuel missions and become a permanent USS. This is what I would call emergent gameplay!

I agree. If you encounter a refuel USS but don't have limpets, a mission could appear in your inbox for you to go and get fuel and then return. It should have a relatively short completion time, though (half-an-hour max, in my opinion).

 

[MyThos]

I agree with MyThos that these should (somehow) be made permanent, and/or trigger a mission so you can come back and help them out for some reward. When I've gone into these before, I felt quite guilty about leaving them stranded. On the other hand, I've also toyed with the idea of putting them out of their misery...but never have. I don't want to be 'Wanted' in a system I'm probably doing a mission in.

Well the USS could remain temporary, but if you accept a mission and this would then generate the permanent mission for your account, that would be great

 

[Schmack]

I feel like the stranded ships are more an opportunity to take their cargo than to help them. If you're a rescue type, then helping at least gives you game play. If you're a pirate, it's just more booty for you.

 

[Mengy]

Best Star Trep episode was "USS Callister"

You misspelled "Yesterday's Enterprise".

 

[CMDR Minion Blob]

Came across a Distress Call USS instance with a badly damaged NPC Python and a couple of pirate ships, which I had dispatched along with a few replacement waves. Then I sent over a couple of repair limpets and brought all of its systems back to 100% as a 'humanitarian gesture."

No acknowledgement and the NPC continued to sat there. 10 minutes later a Rescue Conda had arrived and started "rendering emergency response activities." Finally, both ships departed.The whole thing took about 20 minutes, clearly a partially-scripted event created before repair limpets had been introduced.

Since then I brake for nobody...