NPC Wings would indeed go a long way into improving the Solo experience and bringing it "in-line" with the potential for "mode equality" stance. Most Solo players would absolutely LOVE to see NPC Wings implemented. (I know I personally would) I also see NPC "crew" (even if visual representation) being suggested a bit. And I don't see a problem with that from a purely aesthetic standpoint. Hell I'd love to see that particular feature implemented throughout all the modes.
Completely agreed on the "credit bonus" thing. Currencies shouldn't be used as a "motivator", even within various activities- if you enjoy the activity, you'll do it, and more incentive should be given for each activity outside of purely "pay". (Mission balance is horrid in this game, but that's a whole other matter and way OT, ship balancing too) That said, I also completely understand the issues with the current "weaksauce" C&P implementation but the issue with this is it's impossible to appease everyone in a game that caters to both criminal and law-abiding alike. Best you'll be able to do with it is follow a "bounty" route of some sort, but again it's a bit way OT for the current conversation.
And yes, I do agree at present all modes are indeed equal by no means. They're continuously imbalanced by features being introduced that are not available to all in whatever mode. Things like MFE (Mode Feature Exclusivity) just enhances the imbalance so much more and dials it up to 11.
In regard to exploits - it should always remain a non-partisan issue. No one should "embrace" such behavior if their intent is truly improving the quality of the game.
I believe that the imbalance only feels worse, because there's so little for us all currently that one grain of rice either way throws all the rice on the floor. From my perspective it has little to do with exclusivity and more to do with there not being enough to go round in too many areas of gameplay. With more stuff, there's less starve, so to speak. You wouldn't miss one grain if you have a whole container of fried rice.
MFE is only bad if there's too much to one major mode and nothing added to another; the imbalance needs to be brought to equality but not through symmetry. Not saying it is or isn't reflective of the current state, but this discussion can be about moving forward into better gaming for each major mode in any form. I'd want to add enough choice so that you're not losing anything in overall experience even if you can't participate in a mode-only feature. SOMEBODY is going to be sad no matter what happens but to me that's the guy at the smorgasbord with one plate covered in everything; I don't think we can keep catering to that guy only and have a game that's good for the majority cause it's kind of how we got to the latest forum asploed.
As far as C&P, I think it needs to be a richer experience for both sides of the law. It should be waay better at providing appropriate and timely justice so that people don't feel victimized by crime quite so much, but also fun for the guy going to jail or escaping the cops. Being a criminal in Elite is actually kind of boring and shallow, and needs more depth involved both to make it cooler when you break the law, and more dangerous/consequential if you fail, without going to the extremes I've seen posted about taking away the criminal's gameplay entirely. It should be a different subgame of "I got arrested, now I'm in the orange jumpsuit phase of Elite".
I saw a cool suggestion around here for a chance to voluntarily submit and be sent off to a mining prison colony, and fly a rickety rig while you operate in dangerous environments working off your pretend debt to society. I would get arrested on purpose to join the Red Dwarf Canaries. Stuff like that needs to exist so that crime is fun, as well as just punishment handed out. I'd also tie that in to deeper BGS associations, so that the more criminal you play, the more likely your welcoming systems are going to be losecs and anarchies instead of basing your pirate operations in the middle of Sol which is just silly.
Also, the food analogies are fast and thick with me today. Like oatmeal.
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Edit to Zig:
I get where you're coming from too. I don't know if I think that the divides can be bridged myself judging by the recent crapstorm, so I'm taking this route. Your route is equally appealing to me personally though. A unified yet discrete approach sounds like a valid concept.
I just don't know if that's possible either to weave all the gameplay everybody wants into a single mode. FD haven't managed to pull that off successfully as of yet. Much of what all of us want in any form is highly dependent on their execution skills beyond conceptualizing.