For ages I've been pondering how to give trading factions more reason to exist. Most seem to struggle although I note Bowex are very active at the moment. Perhaps they are hauling ore.
I want to encourage groups of traders, i.e. trading factions and clans. I'm not so interested in individual traders.
One idea is implementing something like the HC /escort command where traders that are escorted are 10 times tougher. Weapons damage to a trader that is escorted does only 10% of the normal damage. The attacking party would need to destroy the escorts first or be overwhelming strong to quickly destroy the transports.
Thoughts?
Proud member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"
' Wrote:For ages I've been pondering how to give trading factions more reason to exist. Most seem to struggle although I note Bowex are very active at the moment. Perhaps they are hauling ore.
I want to encourage groups of traders, i.e. trading factions and clans. I'm not so interested in individual traders.
One idea is implementing something like the HC /escort command where traders that are escorted are 10 times tougher. Weapons damage to a trader that is escorted does only 10% of the normal damage. The attacking party would need to destroy the escorts first or be overwhelming strong to quickly destroy the transports.
Thoughts?
Greetings.
As far as i know Bowex was hauling BMM's Ore.
Well that idea sounds good, would this boost effect the shields or only the Hull's strenght?
And does it work with amor upgrades?
And would it work with Transport and Liners (since that could bring a CAU 8 Royal Liner up to 8 Million Hull strengh if i understood it correctly)?
Would this command be available to all Players grouping together, or would it be limited to official factions?
What with official non-cooporate-factions doing trades? For example Corsairs / Outcasts smuggling Cardi.
Generally that idea get a big *thumbsup* from me, that would finally make escords usefull in another way than as scouts.
But i sense abuse here i.e. a single LF as Escord which is only evading whilst both are thrusting to the next base running.
If it's getting close the Transport which is uber-boosted could provide Bots/Bats for the Escords.
That one probably would also have other some other consequences than boosting trading... How about monetary benefits? Like traders of same ID-s on the same base at the same time could get.. a percentage of discount when grouped. That seems a bit less exploitable.
And also could lead to preference of hauling more expensive cargo, what might also motivate certain people to group up...
I really like that idea, but you should make it something like each escort makes the trader 2 times stronger, instead of 1 escort making the escort 10 times stronger. Too much possibility for abuse.
I.E: A transport is getting escorted by a Starflea good at dodging, the pie-rat can't manage to kill the Starflea, which makes it impossible to kill the trader.
I kind of boils down to whats the benefit of joining a trade faction?
Bowex has a cool ship (The Shire)
For other factions are there any benefits other than having a group of poeple to trade with which might not even be the case if you are in the wrong time zone.
Plus unless the hook command is made for factions only then there still is no reason to join a faction.
Though the discount Idea for official trade factions THAT would be good. That might stir up more activity.
Yeah, a discount on some faction specific goods would definitely increase activity in the factions, since you'd make more money being part of a faction than being an indie trader.
![[Image: evan_85.gif]](http://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/evan_85.gif)
![[Image: orangesig.png]](http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7305/orangesig.png)
![[Image: smgsterlin.gif]](http://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/smgsterlin.gif)
