vaporwolf
09-11-2009, 01:57 PM
Just an idea for something that could spark some cool content for the game that is based around bringing players together in a dynamic way.
Basically the idea is to give each captain the ability to trigger a distress call that would be broadcast to all other ships in the system/sector, giving them the option of accepting a quest to come to the aid of the distressed ship, or if they are on the opposing faction, seek salvage/intel from the wreckage of the enemy ship once it is destroyed.
Rewards for assisting/salvaging a ship that has broadcast a distress signal could be some extra progress toward your next rank or some resources/equipment. These would be awarded based on level of involvement in the rescue (damage done to attacking ships, assistance with bolstering the broadcaster’s defenses, etc.) or on a first come/first serve basis with salvaging (if the broadcaster happens to be destroyed prior to being rescued).
To keep this from being exploitable/spammable there would need to be certain requirements to be met before enabling the distress call ability.
1. The ability has an Xhr cooldown.
2. Your ship’s condition must be under 50% hull integrity and/or you must have taken damage from x number of equal or higher level enemy combatants in the last x (timeframe)
Activating the distress signal could also have other side effects such as:
1. Bolstering your ship defenses while hampering your offensive systems to simulate a crew holding out for help to arrive.
2. When your ship is destroyed, instead of vanishing in a warp-core breach, escape pods are launched and a ruined hulk is left behind. Same faction members can get credit for rescuing the escape pods and reclaiming the hulk while enemy faction members can salvage the hulk unless it is reclaimed by the friendly faction.
3. Possibly create a PvP bubble around the ship that is active only for those players who accept to respond to the distress signal.
Another possibility would be that each career could have ways to modify how the distress signal works, so perhaps science careers could reduce the cooldown or bolster shields even more, while engineering careers could boost maneuverability.
This could create some very interesting dynamics.
For example:
A federation science vessel has been tasked with charting an unusual nebula in a recently explored area of space. But as they approach they are suddenly attacked by five hostile ships. The captain knows they don’t have the firepower to win this fight, but running isn’t an option either, so he authorizes a distress signal then reroutes power to the shields and begins evasive maneuvers.
Three federation cruisers in the sector pick up the distress call and decide to answer and set a course to aid the science vessel. Meanwhile two klingon birds of prey also pick up the signal and decide this could be a good chance to gain honor in battle and perhaps some new intelligence on what the federation is doing in this sector.
The science vessel is in dire straits, and while they have managed to do some damage to their attackers, they won’t last much longer. When all looks lost two of the cruisers arrive on the scene and destroy two of the attacking vessels almost immediately. Two of the remaining hostiles turn to face the new threat while the third continues to focus on the science vessel. The fight looks to be going in the favor of the federation ships when the Klingon birds of prey uncloak and attack just as the third cruiser arrives on the scene.
Will the klingons be able to prevail against the federation ships and claim a new prize for the empire? Or will the science vessel be rescued and able to continue on its mission to investigate the nebula.
Thoughts?
Basically the idea is to give each captain the ability to trigger a distress call that would be broadcast to all other ships in the system/sector, giving them the option of accepting a quest to come to the aid of the distressed ship, or if they are on the opposing faction, seek salvage/intel from the wreckage of the enemy ship once it is destroyed.
Rewards for assisting/salvaging a ship that has broadcast a distress signal could be some extra progress toward your next rank or some resources/equipment. These would be awarded based on level of involvement in the rescue (damage done to attacking ships, assistance with bolstering the broadcaster’s defenses, etc.) or on a first come/first serve basis with salvaging (if the broadcaster happens to be destroyed prior to being rescued).
To keep this from being exploitable/spammable there would need to be certain requirements to be met before enabling the distress call ability.
1. The ability has an Xhr cooldown.
2. Your ship’s condition must be under 50% hull integrity and/or you must have taken damage from x number of equal or higher level enemy combatants in the last x (timeframe)
Activating the distress signal could also have other side effects such as:
1. Bolstering your ship defenses while hampering your offensive systems to simulate a crew holding out for help to arrive.
2. When your ship is destroyed, instead of vanishing in a warp-core breach, escape pods are launched and a ruined hulk is left behind. Same faction members can get credit for rescuing the escape pods and reclaiming the hulk while enemy faction members can salvage the hulk unless it is reclaimed by the friendly faction.
3. Possibly create a PvP bubble around the ship that is active only for those players who accept to respond to the distress signal.
Another possibility would be that each career could have ways to modify how the distress signal works, so perhaps science careers could reduce the cooldown or bolster shields even more, while engineering careers could boost maneuverability.
This could create some very interesting dynamics.
For example:
A federation science vessel has been tasked with charting an unusual nebula in a recently explored area of space. But as they approach they are suddenly attacked by five hostile ships. The captain knows they don’t have the firepower to win this fight, but running isn’t an option either, so he authorizes a distress signal then reroutes power to the shields and begins evasive maneuvers.
Three federation cruisers in the sector pick up the distress call and decide to answer and set a course to aid the science vessel. Meanwhile two klingon birds of prey also pick up the signal and decide this could be a good chance to gain honor in battle and perhaps some new intelligence on what the federation is doing in this sector.
The science vessel is in dire straits, and while they have managed to do some damage to their attackers, they won’t last much longer. When all looks lost two of the cruisers arrive on the scene and destroy two of the attacking vessels almost immediately. Two of the remaining hostiles turn to face the new threat while the third continues to focus on the science vessel. The fight looks to be going in the favor of the federation ships when the Klingon birds of prey uncloak and attack just as the third cruiser arrives on the scene.
Will the klingons be able to prevail against the federation ships and claim a new prize for the empire? Or will the science vessel be rescued and able to continue on its mission to investigate the nebula.
Thoughts?