I realize this is probably not something that's on any near-term radar for Devs, but it was something I was thinking about a bit while on a recent playing-break.

Player owned Capella's (or some other, as yet un-introduced megaship) might be the sort of goal that would inspire a few old players to return if just long enough to create one (which should be no trivial matter regardless of how much credits/parts you have on hand).

1. A Capella (or whatever megaship) should persist in space even when the owner is offline.

2. It should be essentially like a station with a small NFZ and indestructible like the stations.

3. However, certain points on the ship could be temporarily destroyed or damaged. Like docking bays, sensor arrays, turrets... these would self-repair (ostensibly there's a crew) perhaps a some cost like station rent is.

4. It should cost a few hundred thousand credits a week to maintain. Maybe even a million. If the owner leaves the game, this will start a process of abandonment and eventually it's "repossessed" by the bank or whatever (a motivator for owners to stay active in the game).

5. But, if "repo'd" it can be reconstructed again for 250 million credits (or whatever).

6. The Capella would cost millions to fuel because of it's mass, requiring an alternative fuel. (Sammic?)

7. The number of Capellas that can occupy the same sector is limited. After a set number, the sector is restricted until one leaves or is "repo'd." Perhaps some sectors allow more than others.

8. Capellas would be restricted from parking in a WH sector (would prevent guild blockades). The navroute would automatically continue to the destination, which can't be set unless the owner can afford the fuel and a non-restricted sector is chosen.

9. Players can home, trade, equip ships, and store goods (paying rent to the owner). Trade and equipment inventory and pricing are controlled by the owner.

******

This is all just brainstorming and I realize that not being able to destroy/conquer a Capella is something that many would disagree with, but I think having one persist in the absence of the owner would encourage a lot of guild cooperation to create and maintain one.

I imagine the cost of creation to be something like 5 times the effort/materials of a trident. Or more. I also think this could be an interesting way to start utilizing the Unknown System if Sammic (or some other, as yet undefined element) is introduced as the fuel.

Keeping the fuel rare and expensive ensures that their use isn't trivial (like a single guild using 3 Capellas to dominate other guilds, etc.). If they get used like that, there's a cost.

Anyway... this was more a thought experiment than an expectation that the Devs would get on it by next release. I'm sure Ray can't fit it in until at least December. :)

Capellas are just awesome and I would love to fly one.
But as some actual potent hauler.
And not like a permanent station.

Give them adequate agility for their size, 8 turrets, 2-2.5 million armor and like 90-100k shields, what would be reasonable for such a ship.
Rebuying cost is... 1.5 million would be reasonable.

Keep it simple guys, the current way how capships work is good enough. For me at least.

5 times a dent would be bit too much... 2.5-3 times is more reasonable and actually buildable on a reasonable time scale.

As even if they are meant to be group projects, nothing should shop from solo pilots building such a ship, (not many players will attempt making one anyway), as its still not that big (the newsletter about it when it was first added in 2017 i think stated its about 2.5 times the length of a trident, or about 520-560 meters)
What is still pretty damn big if you ask me.

Capellas are fine as just regular big haulers for a small group of players who are willing to build one, or some crazy solo people.

For very big guild projects what presist in space there should be destroyable player owned stations/capitols, with placable defensive turrets, or destroyable turrets on the structure itself.
Even some very small semi-permanent outpost for solo or group players, what can be thrown down in greyspace or in some new hidden systems as a temporary or permanent home for small groups of players, or lone pilots with lots of time, resources and dedication.

I probably should have titled it, "Player owned Megaship." But I get the whole Capella thing. Honestly, I think a capella class ship just isn't needed in the game. A megaship that could allow a trident to dock externally with it, however, would be useful. But only if it persists 24/7. And you really can't have that for destructible ships.

Well its up to the devs how they implement the capella
However, I am still on the side of adding it as an actual flyable ship. As its not that big