May be kinda problematic on the AI side. There is currently a bug where sometimes the AI for all NPCs on a settlement or even combat zone just stays still. They still turn to look at you, and on CZs they still shoot enemies in range, but most active responses are simply turned off. My guess is that whatever code that directs NPC AI, does it so for every NPC present. Having a new NPC appear out of nowhere might not be supported by the implementation of the engine (Havok's implementation by Fromsoftware, for example, has problems with creating NPCs, and most of what Fromsoftware does with NPCs that are "created" is actually hiding the NPCs and just transporting them into view). Would be nice though.
NPC guards scan other NPCs, but as far as I have farmed settlements for things, I noticed that the NPCs on a settlement that have bounties are always fixed and they never get scanned. My guess is that NPC-to-NPC interaction is either hard coded or at least predictable, with some failsafe to prevent NPC-to-NPC engagement disrupting player behavior.
This is a better solution to the need at 3). Random pirate attacks on instances that we enter outside of a mission, kinda like it happens when you enter megaship space when on ship. That would mostly cover that, and would likely be implementable since they changed scavengers to drop from drop ships, instead of being already on the settlement.
For these to happen during missions, FDev would need to make sure there are some safeties in place, like, a random pirate attack triggers settlement and fails your mission because it said "no alarms" or "no harm" when you couldn't do anything about it. Imagine losing a mission paying out 2 Suit Schematics that you needed, because a pirate attack happened and killed an NPC you need to interact with during a delivery mission? It's sensible and realistic (pirate attack killing your friendly NPC), but may not be fair to the player nor fun.
Frankly, I prefer the current state of stealth, where you have pay attention and understand patrol routes, and plan your way accordingly. Adding body-sized containers could create so many problems and require so much resources, that the effort would be better placed somewhere else.
A quick and narrow list on possible issues related to that:
- Reduce immersion:
- Where would it make sense to put one?
- Where wouldn't?
- What kind of human-operated storage would make sense in a sci-fi setting with heavy automation?
- Require rebalancing/reworking all settlements:
- Where would it help?
- Are places where the storage is present used by the player?
- Are places where a storage is needed feasible to have one?
Still, I do hope we get non-lethal options (still get the bounties for assault and notoriety) and maybe carrying unconscious people for kidnapping/rescue missions, where you can only use secondary weapons while carrying. Would be hard to implement, but these mission types would be complicated and fun.
E-breaches are an easy implementation because they stay in inventory (illegal item that prompts arrest on scan), can be easily limited/balanced (Scav carries two, all rest carries one, so Scav can re-power a settlement AND disable authorization scans to make it easier to clean), and are not "completely free" to use (NPCs will notice placed e-breaches and get suspicious).
Since tools are tied to suits, this tool would need to be tied to a new suit, probably geared towards infiltration (what I'm REALLY WISHING FOR), and that could cause a few problems. If an NPC scan you and you have that suit with that tool, do they immediately aggro on you as they should? Would such suit with such tool be even legal, normally produced, and widely available?
I AM hoping for a new suit oriented to infiltration, but I don't see it being that overpowered to the point where it can hack anything for free (and no puzzles, please...). Maybe it could carry e-breaches AND hide them from scans? Being able to carry the e-breach further into the facility can open some doors (figuratively AND literally) while also being riskier (closed spaces are patrolled more often, and might see placed e-breaches more easily).
Also, "hard lock for better chance at rare items" is already kinda implemented. Some lockers are specific to what kind of loot they'll carry, like how Power Lockers and Security Lockers can carry Suit Schematics but all the rest won't. Current implementation is even better because it creates a sense of immersion (you have to know where the good stuff is, not just stumble upon it) and create thoughtful and targeted gameplay (you check the computer with enough clearance, sees where are the important lockers, and go for them).
Tesla actually doesn't do that very well. It only works on streets, you can lock a car in place using a circle of salt on the ground (best meme ever), and musk rat just knows how to suppress media on the rare cases where people get hurt. Also, driving AI for rough terrain that works in any gravity would be really hard. That said, there is a thread on "peak Xenobiology" that discusses A LOT about the need for a more personal, fast and easy to use SRV. Such SRV could solve that last mile problem (fast transport from-and-to ship parked nearby) while also helping Xenobiologists.
When you hack a Atmospheric Regulator, NPCs inside the building may get out to check it. I remember trying to "choke NPCs out" by doing that once, and nothing happening, only to later see them wearing helmets inside and thinking to myself how stupid I was. Some updates later they added (or fixed, if it was supposed to always have) NPC behavior to go check atmospheric regulators in case of decompression.
If it was something settlement-wide, it would most likely just raise an alarm and put everyone on battle stations (more harm than help), or be overpowered. Still, it would be nice if we had a deployable small decoy that caused minor radio-frequency noises prompting people nearby to find it (riskier, but more reliable than atmo regulators, and can be used anywhere). Maybe an addition to the infiltration suit? Please FDev...
This could cause a lot of rework (adding new rooms and mechanics related to them), but maybe settlement-wide alarms could cause lockdowns in a different way. A settlement-wide alarm could cause all doors get clearance level raised by one (effectively locking down anything level 3). This could either make the mission harder (requiring a higher level clearance) or straight out requiring usage of the Scav suit to overcharge doors or E-breaches to bypass them. Lockdown could be bypassed by turning off Authorization Scans or turning off alarms too.
Currently, Auth Scanners have two states: On, and Off (either having the whole Auth Scans disable, or due to settlement being powered down). If they actually have 3 states (On, Off, and Powered Down), FDev could simply add a 4th state for Lockdown where its clearance level is raised by one. If it is truly boolean, this implementation could be harder, but probably worth the trouble, specially if they add megaship on-foot invasion (using the new carrier interior assets) where they could be in lockdown mode from the start and lifting it would be necessary to progress on the mission.
It's hard to ask for new things on Odyssey, since the rough launch showed how they hadn't all the quirks of the game engine down to a point of being comfortable with changes and additions, plus being hard pressed between adding and fixing/optimizing, but now we're on a better place. It's still hard to ask, specially what takes a lot of work (either asset creation, or rebalancing/reworking) since their numbers might've taken a hit from the negative reviews at launch, but maybe we can hope. At least for what is easy to implement and has a good impact.