Players docking on other Player aircraft

[Tenacity]

As I've said before on the subject, we dont need player docking.

HOWEVER, There is nothing I'd like more than to be able to launch NPC fighters from my carrier. It would probably have to be coded via FLhook, but having some manner of spawning 2-3 wings of fighters (6-9 NPC fighters) on the level of guard system npc's would be perfect for point defense against enemy bombers or fighters.

I'm not entirely sure how FLhook works, but if it were possible to use a command that checks what ship type you're using, and then spawns the appropriate npc types nearby, with other commands to have them attack a target or return to the ship... that would work well.

Something like:

/Launchfighters - FLhook checks to see what ship you're in. If you're in the order light carrier, it launches 4 Nephthys or Bastet NPC fighters equipped with mk8 fighter armor and class 9 faction guns. If you're in a liberty carrier, it launches Executioners or whatever the top grade liberty navy fighter is. If you're in an IMG carrier, it launches those Nyx fighters. If you're in a zoner carrier, it launches Eagles.

/Fightertarget - when used with a target selected, the fighters spawned for your carrier attack that target.

/Fighterformation - causes your spawned fighters to enter formation with your carrier.

/Recallfighters - causes your fighters to despawn (i.e. enter the carrier).

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[tazuras]

HOWEVER, There is nothing I'd like more than to be able to launch NPC fighters from my carrier. It would probably have to be coded via FLhook, but having some manner of spawning 2-3 wings of fighters (6-9 NPC fighters) on the level of guard system npc's would be perfect for point defense against enemy bombers or fighters.

Flserver could not handle this kind of load in addition to having a player cap of 200, it just wont work, atleast not without constant crashes. Also, no ship should be as effective against every other ship as this could make them.

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[Tenacity]

Flserver could not handle this kind of load in addition to having a player cap of 200, it just wont work, atleast not without constant crashes. Also, no ship should be as effective against every other ship as this could make them.

The server doesnt seem to have much problem spawning npc's anywhere else, this is no different.

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[De_Kaiser]

Well, i have an idea, like Tenacitys, but without the ability of commanding the fighters.
Can't you create a weapon (like a torpedo or rocket launcher) which launches AI-fighters instead of missiles/torpedos. The fighters will belong to the players faction, for example a Guardian for Libery-Captains or a Templar for Bretonians. In case of equipping it would be the samce as Tenacity proposed: armor upgrade and class 9 faction guns.
Of course, this weapon and it's "ammo" (the fighters) must be very expensive, but the one who can afford a carrier or a battleship, is also able to buy this, i think.
The weapon/launcher would only be mountable on battleships / carriers and i think it gives the ship-owner the feeling to be the captain of a "real battleship" or a "real carrier". Also, this would make a battleship or a carrier more worth as support units in battle events, where the captains of those ships can support the other players by launching those npc fighters.
Maybe, you can edit it that way, that if the carrier/battleship gets destroyed, the fighters which are launched also are death, like in starcraft with the protoss carrier.
Thats my idea of a carrier / battleship;)

[DiscoveryAccount]

I think normal players should be able to dock on the cruisers. That would be much cooler than making it possible to have NPC fighters that would make the battleship even more powerful than they already are.

I say players that can dock on battleships or nothing.

Anyway, I don't think that in Freelancer it makes no sense to be able to dock on battleship because we can already do it with cruisers that are stations.And I don't meant to lose my times enumerating all ways it could be used for.

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[tazuras]

The server doesnt seem to have much problem spawning npc's anywhere else, this is no different.

Notice that the spawns go down a lot during high player populations, like when more people would be using this feature. Also all other spawns occur when the server program wants them to, not when a player types in a command.

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[Varyag]

Carriers are great but did anyone else notice the bot command? Holy hell that would be fun. Build your own escorts for your ship.

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"I looked up and all I saw was green death"

[reavengitair]

Would be so fun...

But you know...

C'mon cannon! Do you think you can do it?

[Cellulanus]

Notice that the spawns go down a lot during high player populations, like when more people would be using this feature. Also all other spawns occur when the server program wants them to, not when a player types in a command.

Completely ignoring NPC mission spawns which are player spawned ships.

And the server doesn't seem to mind disrupting the tradelanes on you when the server is full or making the occasional random patrol run up, run into you then dock.

[De_Kaiser]

Well, i think this should no big problem for the server.
And it would be great for gameplay!
There are not 200 users online, everybody with a carrier and using this command^^