The goal with this suggestion section is to bring up new ways of improving the often neglected or rarely mentioned parts of the game. It is not about new ships, modules, weapons, etc. We get plenty of those. It is about improving game experience through the focusing on the social aspects of the game and the already introduced but “unfinished” projects. So all the things that were left out of the Dev Blog.
Corporate Relations
Spoiler
Corporate Trading: It could be iridium based. Pretty much the same way as current trading goes but among corporations. Of course it would require new modules for dreadnoughts. Also, new assignments and tasks exclusive to corporations would be necessary to be added.
Reward Offering by Corps : Corporations could organize special SecCon type battles for rewards that they offered for the winner. Joining battles might require a minimum fee (corporate resources) and the winner gets all the reward, or just simply by adding extra prize (iridium, modules, components, etc.) to the usual reward. (It could work for non-corporate organized events too.) This system would allow players to offer rewards within the game. Mass resource transferring should be prevented though.
Cruisers: I am sure there is no need to convince anyone about the high demand for cruisers. I would rather share a few ideas to urge their implementation.
Real time sector battles in open space : Since so many players want to see corporate ships in OS mode but putting dreadnoughts into existing maps is problematic, a much smaller cruiser could be a good alternative. Just as we’ve already seen the pirate cruiser around the stations already.
#1 Cruiser patrol: Direct control over a sector. Corporate cruiser (max. one/corp) could be deployed in any sector owned by a corporation. A cruiser could have a constant presence in OS (or just travel through a sector similarly to defilers) and provide protection, loot boost, docking point, etc (temporarily if it works like defilers). It could give increased reward (better loot in the sector) to corporate members and maybe add a toll fee to others (except allies, see alliance system below) if travelling through the sector. Also, it would mean extra protection to corp members, allies and neutral pilots vs. aliens, NPCs and criminals. The cruise ship could make any owned sector (max. one) a docking point for corp members, which is also highly demanded as you all know. In open space corporate pilots could also choose to control cruiser weapons/modules while docking to it (control over own ship would be lost and it would be docked for that time). Jumping to cruiser control mode would be possible from the hangar too if the current hangar is the Cruiser’s hangar bay. Squads, wings or solo pilots could attack cruisers and destroy weapons and modules on them. This would result in temporary criminal/aggressor status (for neutral and ally pilots), enemy is always in “red”. Destroying a cruiser completely in a sector would not be possible, and squads/wings/solo pilots could not force a cruiser to leave a sector (only enemy cruiser could). Lost weapons and modules of the cruiser would slowly be repaired/replaced automatically (for free… or not).
#2 Cruiser vs. Cruiser: Sorry, but this takes a bit long to walk around all the options so don’t mind the flood of text.
A corporation could decide on attacking another corporation’s cruiser in OS with their cruiser. Allied corporations would not be allowed to attack each other’s cruisers with cruisers (however, attacks by ‘renegade’ pilots allowed!). The two enemy cruisers would fly parallel to or circling around each other (within about 5-7 km) shooting while pilots of the dueling corporations could decide on joining in by controlling the cruiser’s weapons or their own ships. Both, enemy and owner pilots would be allowed to join in the battle by flying into the sector or using their cruisers for undocking. Neutral or ally pilots in the sector could intervene and fight against any of the dueling cruisers and pilots as well (Optional but highly recommended for the sake of random chaos and awesomeness.:). If neutral pilots would attack the owner’s cruiser they would temporally lose station protection.
Allied pilots may decide to attack an ally cruiser, too, in squad/wing/solo by turning off their protection. In this case both, their ally’s and own corp leaders got a notification about their “betrayal” and further actions may follow.:)) Notifications about attacks of neutral pilots would also be sent to let corporate leaders decide on their status with these pilots’ corporations. Time stamps, pilot names and corp tags, and cruiser attacks should also be displayed in notifications to see if an attack was organized or just random unruliness. A warning sign should notify pilots of both sides about a cruiser fight to let them join in as fast as possible.
Allies of an enemy corp are considered neutral as long as their actions don’t change their status. A Cruiser vs. Cruiser battle takes only until one of the cruisers is forced to leave a sector (losing all weapons or a certain level of hull, etc.). In case the enemy wins, their cruiser takes over (see Intruder patrol below) the sector (not ownership but direct OS control). Additional reward may be given to participants. Cruisers may fight each other without any support from corporate pilots but it would mean a high disadvantage due to differences in cruiser weapons/equipment and possible intervention of “outsiders”, players and NPCs on the map. Retreating cruisers would need repairs that would cost corporate iridium/resources and take time. Whoever takes over a sector with cruiser, that can further use the sector as docking point after the battle is over. OS cruiser battle times should be governed by giving mandatory repair time to the losers to prevent never ending attacks. Also, the winner should get protection from attacks for a while to prevent constant attacks from other corporations.
Sending a cruiser to battle would require “attack announcement”. The first who sends a cruiser to a sector (after it becomes available for fight) will be allowed to fight against the cruiser currently present and its owners, of course.
A sector could be controlled by the sector-owner corporation, an ally of the owners, an enemy of the owners, and lastly a corporation with ‘neutral to owners’ alliance status (since the leaders decide on alliance status). Taking over a sector would require either a cruiser vs cruiser battle or a simple occupation if the sector is not protected by a cruiser. So, if an owner corporation has given up the direct control over their sector and there is no allied corporation to take their place, then anyone could send a cruiser there without a fight. This would allow corporations with no dreadnought or owned sectors gain direct control over a sector (but not ownership). Losing direct control over a sector would send pilots docked into the cruiser back to the station where the corporation’s shipyard is at (or undocking would be possible from the corporate shipyard as well). Corporations with no dreadnought could decide to build a cruiser first for less resource and time.
If a sector changed owner, in other words, the ownership changed after dreadnought fights, the cruiser in the sector should be sent back to its shipyard.
#3 Intruder patrol: This would basically mean that a corporation’s sector is being patrolled by an enemy cruiser or by a neutral corporation’s cruiser (neutral corp can remain neutral even if they intrude). If the sector is not patrolled by the owner, then any corporation can claim the right to send a cruiser there without a fight (allies too). Or, corporations (enemy or neutral only; allies can’t fight for it it without changing their alliance status with the owner first) can take over a sector by defeating the owner’s cruiser.
#4 Ally patrol: An allied sector owner can hire corporations to patrol their unguarded sectors. Or allies can just take over each other’s sectors if those are not occupied by cruisers already. The owner corp may get a part of the patrolling corp’s increased rewards.
#5 Alien patrol : Alien Defilers have been lurking the sectors for a long time. Pilots even got a chance to defeat them in OS. It is time to renew this routine. ‘Alien patrol’ mode would mean that a sector is patrolled by a Defiler.
If there is no corporate cruiser in a sector, then the Defiler (and smaller alien ships) may take over randomly and make everything green of course. Defiler patrolling would be only temporary, and it would only travel through sectors from rift to rift occasionally.
If a sector is patrolled by a Defiler, any corporation (owner, ally, enemy, neutral) could attack it with their cruisers. A cruiser on its own would not be enough to defeat a Defiler.
If a sector is patrolled by a cruiser and a Defiler would attack, the fight would work similarly to any cruiser fight between corporations.
Introduction of an in-game alliance system: There have been talks about alliances for a long time as well. There were short lived attempts from corporations to form alliances. Cruisers could give a good opportunity to the introduction of an in-game alliance system. This system could give a purpose of owning and guarding a sector and being in a good status with a corporation.
Alliance status would be determined by CEOs and VPs exceptionally and applied to every member of an allied/neutral/enemy corp (not automated). Alliance status should have an expiration time, which means it should be renewed from time to time. There may be a maximum limit on the possible number of corporations within an alliance.
Allied or neutral corp members could be neutral to (unless they decide to mess around) and protected by the patrolling cruiser in the different zones, while enemies (according to alliance status) could not use station protection at all (vs. cruisers, owner corp members, and earlier friendly or neutral NPCs). This would mean that pilots of an enemy corporation could not have station protection in the sector and would be attacked by the cruiser (and maybe all or most NPCs) automatically. Neutral and allied corp members still could lose station protection temporally. Allies of the owner’s enemies would get neutral status.
War of Alliances: I think this speaks for itself. This should be a full scale war between corporations and their members. I can see monthly/weekly organized events by corporations, or a built in fight club for corps (similarly to SCL Challenger and Elite events). Special rewards offered by the game or by corporations. Special titles. Etc…
Optional: Pilots could individually register in the Alliance Wars sessions (if their corporation or allience decides to participate), which would give a special status to them. This status would be displayed next to their name during all game modes (only while a session is on) and it would provide special achievments and rewards: killing an enemy pilot with this status could give extra points and credit, MM would try to put as many enemies with this status on opposite sides as possible, in OS these pilots would not have station protection among each other, etc…
I think you can all get my points with the improvements of corporation relations. There are so many possibilities to improve these areas of the game.
Interface Upgrades
Spoiler
Multi-window UI
I don’t think I have to explain this much. The game really misses this user friendly feature. Multiple chat windows, store, workshop, trading, ship info, squad/wing list, etc. opened at the same time could put game experience to another level. This should also bring along the rework of the UI design.
UI rework
I know there has been a major facelift not long ago but it is still somewhat miserable to perform the different tasks. I prefer platforms being rather functional and practical than “shiny”. Being able to choose from different interface designs would also be great. But there were talks about this already I think.
Crew system
To be honest, I could see this feature removed completely. But if not, then every ship should have a crew setup option separately as a ship bonus selector. Elly ships and destros already have something similar then why not give it to every ship in the game. With Ellydium ships and their ability to move among ranks, ship based (implant) bonus selection would be even more helpful. Remove crew tab and add it to ship equipment and ship info window.
New game modes
Spoiler
1. Cruiser vs. Cruiser PvP/SecCon/OS: As already explained earlier, similarly to OS mode, cruiser battles could work as a PvP and as a special SecCon mode.
Team battle with cruisers: in PvP both sides would get a random cruiser. Cruiser levels, equipment would be the same. Cruisers would provide spawn points (undocking point) for the teams and spawn protection (by shooting at the enemy) to prevent spawn camping. Cruisers would shoot each other and pilots would fight in a heavy cross fire.
Spoiler
"…i don’t want to put the main focus on the cruisers anyway. Cruisers could have a few main functions:
Providing a spawn point for the teams. Being able to “undock” (spawn next to docking bay) would be nicer instead of just popping up in the middle of nowhere.
Other function of a cruiser could be the spawn point protection. Heavy turret fire could prevent mass murdering at spawn, which can be really disheartening.
Another thing I would like to see in game is some kind of area control feature. I’ve already had suggestions for that… somewhere. In this case the cruisers would shoot each other (like in seccon) and release all kinds of missiles, beams, projectiles, drones, you name it with friendly cruiser fire enabled. Of course the two teams should fight between the cruisers so this would require extra awareness of their surroundings."
Cruiser capture: A well-equipped cruiser, located in the middle of the map, shoots at both teams. The goal is to capture the cruiser and use its regenerating modules for lowering the enemy’s points.
Spoiler
"Cruiser capture could be different from current capture modes: The cruiser would be hostile to both teams, but still, players would be “forced” to get close and fight cruiser weapons and enemy team at the same time. Maybe it would not be allowed to capture the cruiser but certain capturing points on it. So, cruiser weapons would always shoot at the teams. And cruiser weapons should be hard to destroy of course. And it should have a shield that would prevent its weapons being gunned down from longer distances.
I would like to see this mode or something similar in game because I really liked those pvp battles when alien ships showed up and this one with a 3rd party involved could be much like that but more fair. (as you know aliens were quite unfair and often attacked only one team). I still liked it because it completely changed the pace of the battles often making both teams play it nice and deal with aliens first.
Cruiser SecCon: Basically the same as dreads but in a smaller scale.
The already mentioned feature, where pilots are allowed to control cruiser weapons, would also be a part of any of the PvP and the special SecCon modes.
2. Cage fight in PvP or OS: This option is to provide players a long waited Dog fight mode.
PvP battle: Teams fight around a central sphere, the ’Cage’. The goal is to keep the sphere under control until the enemy runs out of points. Only two players, one form each side, can enter the sphere at the same time. These two fight each other while the rest of the teams fight outside. If one of the players inside is destroyed, his team starts losing points. His team has to send another player (any player can decide to go in if having a chance and enough balls… i mean courage) into the cage again to prevent further losing team points. The teams continue destroying each other’s ships and try to prevent any enemy ship going inside the cage.
The sphere should have multiple entering point. It also could have structures inside and outside for cover and obstacle. I could also see the sphere moving. The two half of it could spin slowly, e.g. When there are two players inside, entrances should be closed by a force field or something.
The ’Cage’ in OS: This mode could be implemented in OS too. A map having a sphere would give us a chance to have some fun without being bothered by others. Pilots could organize fights, while others could spectate by simply flying there.
The cage fight mode could be built in a human or an alien environment. With human style, the sphere (inside and outside) could get buildings, turrets, gates, and anything resembling to human structures. While alien style could use crystal structures, energy beams, etc. The alien ’cage’ could be the core of the Leviathan, e.g.
3. In Hyperspace - The chase (Spec Ops): A cruiser and a Defiler fight while in hyperspace.
Smaller teams, 8-12 4-8 players, may be allowed to fight in this mode. „Just” add the two ships to a background effect similar to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_sOOJ0Qx8c Add a few effects like wreckages, rocks, etc. flying through the map destroying everything they hit, and the new epic mode is done. It would not be necessary to use the same mechanics as the current SecCon has. It doesn’t need to make players follow the big ships.
Your version would require the rework or duplication of the whole game universe.