A Possible Mission & Addition Ideas
By Marksman
Note: This material was written for the old galaxy, but much of it could apply to the new galaxy. So read it. Now.
You should be able to capture people, and or release them for some info... amount of money... give them away for ransom, turn them in to police, federal government, imperial judicial system, some one whom this person got really pissed of , and who wants to kill him single-handedly. You also will get missions to bring some people alive...an here you will be having a dilemma...
Ex: Mister Tasayama asked from you to capture someone named Gina Reggins who going soon leave Arcturus telling you that she have stolen some of his research data. After getting some background about those persons in a police department. military, low class bars...you get this. Police department.
You learn in a local bar Fimord Tasayama is a godfather of local Mafia which business is selling of smuggled and stolen artifacts.
In local spaceport or bar or whatever, you get info that Gina is about to leave Arcturus for Sol on date ..../..../.... on ship.....
And then... Gina tells you: You have been fooled... I am archeologist and I have discovered on my last expedition an alien temple with alien artifacts. Fimord Tasayama who was one of sponsors of my excavations ordered his men (whom he originally sent to "defend" our archeology group, from planet dangers) to murder all group so that nobody will know of this findings. (***all archeological findings, must be fined 20% of profit to a government, alien technologies must be shared with military....etc) I have survived by hiding in a temple, hijacked a craft and currently looking for a way to collect the treasures...(Fimord put some defense satellite around the planet). Only I know the way to enter the temple, protected by alien technology, and that�s the reason Tasayama wants me alive. If you wont give me to Tasayama I'll tell you coordinates of this planet, and hidden place of landing. If you help me to get the treasures I'll give you 50%, and new technological stuff.
You can:
So in this mission I already demonstrated many ideas that should be in a game in regular (non mission) situation.
Some system should be unexplored or partially explored, with partial info, which you can fill in from various sources, beginning with High Institute for Exploration on Earth, and ending with some prostitute on some frontier planet , who will tell you that her previous client told her about this planet, with little village( you will have to get really close to that planet and activate your energy/live form detectors. Then land manually (if it is a village always) if has starport only first time, then you will be able to program your auto pilot.). So that previous client told that those primitive villagers make some very cool narcotics, and sell them practically for nothing or giving them in exchange for some Farm Machinery. Of course eventually those villagers will understand real price for their goods, there will be built starport, police department, but for now....it is clear profit. I think there should be more aliens in a game, not too many though, with some specific commercial preferences, and technology. My personal wish is for them to be humanlike, and esthetically nice looking. May be I am old fashion but it is somewhat hard for me to sympathize, or identify with some crystal or glowing orb. You may be even will be part of some first contact situation.
Anoter my idea is some products unique to some planets, very much wanted by some other people.
Ex: Arcturus trading elite has fashion to own as pets animals which can be found only on Achenor Achenor famous winged cat). Of course their export is controled by Empire. You can buy and pay the custom taxes(and make pretty good profit) or you can avoid taxes (and make very, VERY good profit). To get info, who wants what and who makes what look jounals, ask people...etc.
There must be events influencing prices/politics/allegiance of systems...even random ...plagues, wars, revolutions, discoveries... Some even will be major and you will be able to get know of them from journals, though some you will only know from romours or if you will try to get info about specific system (it can be also outdated)...
Ex: there is plaque on planet 55"56566757, independent... Why should Federal, or Imperial journals write about some pitiful little planet... But some drunk refugee in bar on Mars, will tell you how whole his family have died of this bloody plague, and how population there will pay any price for medicines or transport out of there. or another ex: In system Tau Ceti as a result of bombardment, a starport have been blown up, and with it also Robot manufacturing complex... so now this system instead of exporting robots is importing them...Of course you will have to land somewhere else, or reprogram auto pilot to land on a new starport as it will be built. I think you have got an idea...
Another thing... You should be able carry symbols of powers on your ship... Ex: if you carry federal military symbol (maybe containing your rank also) and you have been attacked in Federal space, when you will cry for help, any military ships, and other fellow fighters of dagger and cloak (or lasers and cloaking devices) will come to help you. But if you will intend to enter with those symbols to Imperial space......(Say...Can I have this Cobra Mk 2 when you die?)
To put or remove those symbols should be very hard thing, to avoid situation when players would switch their symbols as they see fit. Also... Federal military symbols for example will make federal police more flexible and forgiving... while if you will be reported committing serious crime caring those symbols...you will stain the honor of military ..and Federal fleet will decide personally take care of your education.
Of course there will be neutral signs, signs of corporations...and so on.