spike
Exemplar
Posts: 360
|
Post by spike on Mar 15, 2011 11:33:02 GMT -5
oldalchemist, good call. That's much more like smuggler behaviour. As you say, they don't sneak into a world and then set up a market stall. They already have a buyer lined up, a business partner, or the person who hired them to do the job.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldalchemist on Mar 15, 2011 13:52:29 GMT -5
So with smugglers, maybe the trick is the ability to get into hostile urban areas and perhaps landing bonuses on urban planets in general.
Maybe a more descriptive landing process would make it feel like smuggling even if the numbers don't change. Right now the issue, I think, is that smuggling doesn't feel like smuggling to the player.
|
|
spike
Exemplar
Posts: 360
|
Post by spike on Mar 16, 2011 5:36:52 GMT -5
Agreed. I am barely conscious of the fact that landing on a planet - without being intercepted - is a skill-based task. Some flavour text for success / failures would help a lot.
It sounds like the simpler solutions for better Smuggling are
1. Smuggling becomes about performing Smuggler contracts
2. Smuggling becomes about buying and selling in Black Markets
3. - combination - get Smuggler Contracts, to and from Black Markets
Now, maybe the buyer and seller of the smuggled cargo don't necessarily trust the Smuggler. So the Smuggler might have to 'Buy' the cargo, i.e. put up some kind of deposit or downpayment against the risk of the Smuggler just stealing the cargo, rather than deliver it. This could be based on Rep level - with high Rep comes high trust. Anyway this is not an essential idea for Smuggling.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldalchemist on Mar 16, 2011 9:35:49 GMT -5
I'm thinking this about smugglin':
1. Better landing process description. Are there ships blockading the planet? Can I get clearance from the tower (merchants and faction friends should be able to do this) Am I trying to get down covertly?
2. Smuggler contract #1. Deliver package/passengers. This is not exchange based and takes up no hold space. This is basically the current delivery contract.
3. Deliver X tons of X good to X buyer. It's up to the smuggler to get 10 tons of clothing and deliver it to Nude Prime. Steal it, buy it, harvest it from pants plants, just get to the planet with 10 tons in the hold and visit the Palace/Spice Hall/etc. It ends like a contract, but the goods are subtracted from the hold. The smuggler shouldn't be selling stuff at the exchange. It's a public market.
4. Smugglers and Rep: If you shoot your way down to the surface and unload illegal hats on the palace steps, you gain and lose rep. If you sneak to the spice hall and hand off 5 tons of torpedoes to a buyer who never sees your face, you don't gain rep or lose it. Nobody saw you do it and nobody's talking. If you deliver, but it's not quiet, you might even lose rep with both parties. Right now, contracts seem too 'loud' for a smuggler.
|
|
|
|
Post by slayernz on Mar 17, 2011 19:53:03 GMT -5
How about having a ship upgrade that is exclusive to Smugglers - a Smugglers hold (cargo pod) upgrade similar to the water-fuel tank. So with this upgrade, you get -15 or -20 cargo slots that are *almost* undetectable, even if you are boarded (small % chance that the boarding party will detect the hidden hold).
|
|
|
|
Post by Cory Trese on Mar 17, 2011 19:59:09 GMT -5
slayernz the Smuggler, Merchant and Explorer have hold protection class abilities. 12%, 5% and 3% respectively. oldalchemist I love this contract idea. In fact, I love this thread so much I'm implementing it! spike Smugglers now have the ability to sell into Bans and Taxes at a profit by meeting with Smuggler only black market traders. If the traders cannot make a profit for the Smuggler, then the Smuggler receives "Trade Records"
|
|
|
|
Post by ehkamp on Mar 17, 2011 20:48:07 GMT -5
When you say that "the Smuggler, Merchant and Explorer have hold protection class abilities. 12%, 5% and 3% respectively," what does this mean? Is 12% of the Smuggler's Hold protected from Search? Loot? Detection by another Ship?
|
|
|
|
Post by Cory Trese on Mar 17, 2011 20:54:03 GMT -5
The smuggler has 12% reduction in the percentage of encounter based on illegal cargos.
So, say a sector is 40% encounter chance and a Captain has 20 units of illegal goods. That would raise the encounter change to 60%. However, a Smuggler would only has 48%, due to the 12% protective ability.
The Smuggler is an expert at stacking crates and keeping certain cargo "behind" the reactor where it cannot be scanned.
(( All stats and equations vastly oversimplified to protect the innocent. ))
|
|
|
|
Post by ehkamp on Mar 17, 2011 21:59:12 GMT -5
So Smugglers can hide 12 units of illegal Cargo, Merchants 5, and Explorers 3?
|
|
|
|
Post by slayernz on Mar 17, 2011 23:04:26 GMT -5
There is still that 40% base chance of having an encounter, and I'm guessing that should you surrender, there is a 100% chance of the aggressors taking all of your carefully stolen stuff.
My suggestion was hopefully a way to keep x units of "stuff" even if you are boarded. If the Smugglers Hold was, say, 20 units of storage, then at the very least, you should be able to keep 20 units of restricted goods that won't be taken on boarding (piracy or inspection).
|
|
|
|
Post by sgtcookie on Mar 18, 2011 3:47:58 GMT -5
Isn't that what I was talking about before as a part of that long arse post?
|
|
|
|
Post by Cory Trese on Mar 18, 2011 3:59:11 GMT -5
and to come full circle yes, these upgrades are coming ... they are, in fact, already coded. however, the water-tank (on which they are based) does not work (people complain) with the exchange and looting. THEREFORE, all this stuff is on hold until I fix the water tank. When? I dunno  sorry |
|
spike
Exemplar
Posts: 360
|
Post by spike on Mar 18, 2011 5:14:43 GMT -5
spike Smugglers now have the ability to sell into Bans and Taxes at a profit by meeting with Smuggler only black market traders. If the traders cannot make a profit for the Smuggler, then the Smuggler receives "Trade Records" AWESOME!!!!!  Actually even the trade changes you just made, have made the way of the Smuggler much cooler. Like just now I found myself flying past Cadar warships, no Permit, ducking and diving as a wanted Criminal, because they have an Artifact shortage on their world and I just HAVE to land to sell my wares. |
|
|
|
Post by sgtcookie on Mar 18, 2011 6:31:11 GMT -5
and to come full circle yes, these upgrades are coming ... they are, in fact, already coded. however, the water-tank (on which they are based) does not work (people complain) with the exchange and looting. THEREFORE, all this stuff is on hold until I fix the water tank. When? I dunno sorry Take your time Cory. We would rather have something done right than done fast. |
|
|
|
Post by oldalchemist on Mar 18, 2011 10:21:33 GMT -5
If you're going to implement smuggler features into the code, you shouldn't tell anyone. It's likely that Big Hats will board and remove them!
|
|
