Let's Talk Fuel

[Deity]

Actually, I am rather drawn to this concept. From a lore angle, adding fuel as an actual resource in *Freelancer* makes sense and provides a completely new layer of gameplay that may very much revitalize the experience.

Certainly some negatives exist. Nobody enjoys seeing their gaming session terminate because they overlooked replenishing their fuel supply. New players who aren't accustomed to tracking their fuel purchases will find this to be particularly annoying. Furthermore, it appears to be an excruciating way to pass on mid-fight fuel depletion.

Still, considering the larger picture, I believe the benefits far exceed the drawbacks. First of all, this would establish a new kind of gameplay: fuel haulers, rescuers, or even scavengers waiting for someone to run out. More significant interactions would directly help the role-playing environment. More reasons exist for players to look for one other out, assist, or even take advantage of one another. Sending out a distress call would suddenly be a question of life or death (or at least a respawn), not just flavor text.

Moreover, the economy will much improve. *Freelancer*, despite its strong trading system, battles a lack of incentives once players have made sufficient money. Introducing fuel as a regular cost establishes a good money sink rather than something punitive, but enough to remind you that you are a little cog in a vast world that always uses resources.

Particularly appealing is the notion of rewarding specific ship classes for their fuel handling. This might at long last give ships otherwise collecting dust in the shipyards meaning. The best part is that this seems like a system that would naturally produce more stories, reasons for interaction, and meaning behind daily actions in the game rather than just like a mechanic meant to make things complex.

Clearly, harmony is very important. Ignoring that would kill the fun; there must be a clear, fast, and easy means for someone stranded in the middle of nowhere to call for assistance or recovery. But with careful design, this seems like a change that could greatly improve the whole game dynamic even if it appears little on paper.

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Captain Echo
“Flying free between the stars. No flag, no chains.”

Independent | Smuggler | Explorer