I want access to my permanent record!

[brent]

Okay, so I admit my main character is a heartless bastard. Hell, his name is Blackheart for a reason. He has been waging war against the clans since the Star Trader 1.x days.

He has a pretty predictable routine. Attack any non-syndicate ship on sight, loot their hold, conscript the crew, then destroy the ship.

Lately we've been hearing leaks of information that all of these actions have been recorded and tracked. We have all been profiled and flagged by some secret intelligence organization. Some computer somewhere has labeled my favorite badass as a murderer and slaver and who knows what else.

Well I want to know! As for Hyperion Star Hero Holy Executioner Blackheart, he doesn't give a crap who has labeled him what. Some of my other captains, however, are more concerned with public perception and personal reputation.

I would love to see the files kept on my captains and what flags have been placed on them based on their actions. Perhaps some of these softer captains could attempt to make amends for any offenses they committed. Sickening I know, but frankly some of my captains are do-gooder pansies who try to get along with every one.

So, I ask the grand designers of the universe, release our records!

[Kelvin Zero]

Perhaps a way to have this portrayed realistically in game would be to have your Captain get updated information whenever he performs surveillance missions on enemy factions or captures an enemy ship that has records as cargo. That would update your personal information about your infamy.

Of course the factions that like you would be able to tell you about why they like you when you go to the Hall of Records. Then again you could try pulling off the same thing with your enemy factions but that would really take some chutzpah to fly to the capital of an enemy faction, land, walk through security, flip off the regional prince, march into their Records room and demand to know what info they have on you.

Care to try that Brent?

[oldalchemist]

Isn't that what a political officer would do?

[brent]

At least one of my captains would do that. He has a crew of 320 that are fanatical and it would be quite a sight to see them all marching into the Hall of Records.

But seriously, there was a thread where Cory mentioned flags like murderer, slaver, and others that the game engine uses. This was the first time it had been mentioned.

It is obvious that Cory has programmed a far richer game than is evident in the game play. Knowing a bit more would be of benefit to the players.

I know which factions love me and which ones hate me. I assume that the ones that hate me think I am a murderer. But is this really how this works? Am I flagged as murderer, or not, for each faction or am I flagged for the ST Universe? Can I undo the flag? Once a murderer always a murderer?

Does one time blowing up a ship after victory, or conscripting a crew, flag me for life?

I have paid for pardons when my crimes against a faction were petty, but I'm so despised by some now it would take a massive effort to improve my reputation, and frankly I don't want to. I like having enemies to beat up on and friends to share the spoils of my conquests with. Do pardons erase these flags or do they remain and I just made a faction less hostile?

How many of these flags are there and what are they? It really does seem the game keeps track of a lot of information on the captains beyond faction score. I'd really love to see it.

It could be included in the score screen or the captain screen below the other stats.

While my original post may have been written with my tongue in my cheek, my "wish" is a serious one. I really do want the ability to see my characters "permanent record".

[jamobey]

Hi Brent,

I agree. Reading this forum, it quickly becomes apparent that MANY layers of gameplay that I would have never guessed were there.

For a handful of those, I'd love to see a way to either display them, or check them from time to time. I think in one post Cory was talking about not wanting to reduce the ships to a sting of numbers, but I'd love to be able to visit a senior mechanic at a star dock to get a more involved read on my ship. I figure you could either have those features at the stardock, or they could be new officer (information officer?)

The features that come to mind right now are crew composition, ship abilities (beyond the fast/moderate readout), and current captain flags. ***edit - ship repair parts too!

I think the advantage of not making them a pay button or officer is that you leave the potential for gameplay without them - so new players aren't confronted with too much, but then when/if they start to WANT to tinker with their crew composition they can start using it.

Whaddaya think?

[darkmonk]

Just to add my two cents, I agree with Brent, wishing for a way to see the global flags and get into the factions' mindset a bit more to see how they really feel about my Captains.

Jamboey's got a good idea too, setting it up as an Officer. I was also thinking perhaps it could be set up as a sort of base somewhere? That way its as though you're paying a group of pirates to hack into a faction's databases and pull your records. Success grants you useful knowledge, failure a lowered relation and a possible attack if the signal is traced back to your pirate hidey-hole. Just a thought