This suggestion is based on what others have posted since 2004, discussions with others, and Incarnate’s posted thoughts on idea.

-

Based on the Atlas Type Mk1 with the exception it has no turret (like the npc atlas) and is reversed (the back is the front).

Breaching Pod
Levels: 5/-/-/-/- (required for manu mission)
Armor: 18000
Cargo: 1
Weapons: 1s, 1L
Mass: 15000kg
Length: 14m
Thrust: 325 N
Turbo Thrust: 350N
Max Speed: 55 m/s
Spin Torque: 8.5 Nm
Turbo Speed: 180 m/s
Turbo Energy: 50/s
Special: Docking Bay Breaching

This is how the mechanic would work: This breaching pod would need to sit in the dock (or in the case of the goliath, within 1m of the dock) of a deshieled capitalship, and once it is there, every 30 seconds it makes a breaching attempt. The chance to succeed is based on how much armor the capital ship has. For example, if a trident is being targeted, and it has 999,999 armor left, then the breaching pod has a 1/1,000,000 chance to succeed. If the dent has 1 armor left, then the breaching pod has a 999,999/1,000,000 chance to succeed.

If the breacher succeeds, then breaching bots enter the capital ship and destroy the inhabitants. The breacher than has control of the capital ship. (At some point, having an actual fps shooter style shoot out in the interior of the capship would be awesome, but is beyond the scope of this suggestion). The captured capital ship has to be manually piloted (no remote commands). Other than that, it can be used as normal.

Once the victim reaches latos M7, they’ll have access to a separate insurance mission. This mission will allow the victim to file a report and place a bounty for the death of the capship. Once completed, the victim will also be able to rebuild their capship right away. A victim should not be penalized for crimes against them.

Once the report is made, the capital ship location would be relayed to the owner and any bounty hunter. A sort of space lojack if you will. Any sectors where the original owner is admired/pos would list the capship, the pilot, and any passengers as -601 tkos for 24 hours every time they are spotted (if that capital ship enters those sectors). With the exception of corvus. Corvus M-14 is the only place where it could be docked. Until the capitalship is destroyed, anyone who has docked illegally with the capital ship will be tracked via the bounty system. Because M-7 is where the insurance report is filled out, M-7 won’t allow this ship to dock.

The victim can send a remote /explode command if they end up in the same sector as the stolen capital ship. Once initiated, anyone on the stolen capital ship would be trapped there until death.

Reasoning: Being able to capture a capital ship and it’s cargo would be a fun addition to the game. Not penalizing the victim keeps things fun. Pilots engaging in this kind of behavior would get a 5 start gta style treatment, which can be adrenaline inducing. Because of the chance system, this could potential be used against NPC ships as well (factional issues an all). The breaching pod would not be that nimble, meaning that the pilot would need a team supporting them. Teams of players is good in a MMO. Also potential for unrats to use these pods against players, and increasing their capship numbers in their home sector.

Negatives: Non really, because victims are not penalized for the loss, with the exception of having to run back to M7 to file a stolen property report. Going back to M7 is already a thing when a capital ship is destroyed.

Positives: Potential for temporary throw away captured ships in the game which could be used in large capship battles.

Sounds fun, but I don't think the /explode feature for the victim would work, it's too easy (and negates your positives with the fleets /exploding the enemy stolen caps immediately, if those even lived long enough to get there).

Also since you mention the FPS style fighting for control of the vessel - while we both know that'll never happen, it would be interesting if the victim could defend against the hacking in some way, so it's not just a given once armor goes low. Could be a minigame of some sort where the hacker needs to get past the defender, with the hacker having the advantage. I don't have anything specific in mind yet though.

That aside I like it.

So...once the report is filed, the owner will know the capship's location even when it has been hacked and is (temporarily) in the ownership of the hacker? Or will they get to know it only if the hacker enters nation space with the stolen capship?

Also, I don't see why the pilot and passengers should get 24 hour tempKoS. Just let them be tKoS while they're piloting the capship. Leave the capship outside and enter nation space, and you're safe.

As Snib said, I don't see the "enter the sector and trigger /explode" system working well. The owner might just trigger it as soon as the capship is hacked, making the whole thing meaningless.

Use against NPC ships would still be bad. Personally, I can live with Xang Xi or Ineubis or Biocom tempKoS if that enables me to pilot a dent, or even a capella. As for unrats using it against player capships, it seems like wishful thinking. NPCs simply can't fly well enough to stay near or inside the dockbay of a ship for 30 seconds straight.

> Use against NPC ships would still be bad

Oh right I forgot to point that out. I'm also against NPC usage for the same reason already discussed in the other thread - NPC caps are plentiful and too easy to fight. I might change my mind if you let me steal a Levi. j/k ;)

I can't speak too much to the suggestion because it's too big for my brain to properly evaluate, but I don't see why hijacking an NPC trident would be bad - they have bad loadouts with extremely low damage (the AI versions of capship weaponry are worse in almost every way), and as such would be neither overpowered nor hard to kill. Maybe some timer would limit its use (either in-game or real time).

I will say a potential negative not discussed here with the suggested rebuy system is that a player could essentially duplicate and give his capship to friends in order to trawl around greyspace.

> I can't speak too much to the suggestion because it's too big for my brain to properly evaluate, but I don't see why hijacking an NPC trident would be bad - they have bad loadouts with extremely low damage

Because even if you don't use them for combat they are still excellent haulers, and according to the suggestion combat 5 would be all you need, not even a sub, so it would be faster to get a fresh alt into an NPC trident than it would be to get it into an XC...

That aside, the suggestion in the OP includes being able to dock the ship so the loadout could be changed, making it fully combat ready.

Add to that the fact that NPC dents have a lot more shields than TTMs

+1 for ability to hack NPCs.
+1 for idea of hacking pod instead of addon
I'd just increase pod craft reqs to 10(or 15)/-/-/10/- so it won't be so easy to equip fresh alts with better npc dent
And what about npc (f.e. capella) jumping into unrat sectors? Will it also get hacked?

Also since you mention the FPS style fighting for control of the vessel - while we both know that'll never happen,

Inc has stated previously that we should not dismissive ideas outright even if we (as players) think their chances to be implemented might be too hard. But instead we should have a hopeful disposition in these threads. So while it might be a stretch, I definitely dream of a day when i can do this in VO.

So...once the report is filed, the owner will know the capship's location even when it has been hacked and is (temporarily) in the ownership of the hacker?
&
I will say a potential negative not discussed here with the suggested rebuy system is that a player could essentially duplicate and give his capship to friends in order to trawl around greyspace.

The owner and all bounty hunters will know the location. For those not in the know, with the current bounty hunting system, you can talk to the marshal. If there are any bounties, you can ask the marshal about a specific pilot on the list, and the marshal will tell you where and when that pilot was last seen. As long as that pilot has been anywhere monitored or guarded.

With my suggestion, i am stating the capship has a transponder built into it that is activated by the insurance company. When the capship is stolen, the capship insurance company in this instance takes ownership of the capital ship the moment the capship is stolen. The victim has a duty to make sure the capital ship is destroyed, as does the insurance company.

A bounty is placed (by the insurance company) for the destruction of the capital ship. Any bounty hunter can inquire with the marshal (or even the insurance agents in M7) and they will be told the current location of the stolen capital ship. This means, that even if the victim is in cahoots with the criminals, bounty hunters will be actively trying to destroy the capital ship, and they will know where to look. As this is a game, they might not get the exact location in unmonitored space, but maybe a location in a 4x4 grid area.

Being hunted like this, means the criminals will not have easy use of the capital ship. Its destruction will always be imminent. This will make things interesting for all involved.

I also imagine a old west style wanted poster in the news feed announcing the bounty. With an image of the capital ship and the name.

To mitigate the potential for abuse by capship owners who might be purposely letting their capship's be stolen, the insurance company may increase insurance premiums for that pilot. Similar to how the wait period is increased to buy back in the capship when it has been destroyed too often in certain period of time. (also in the same vein to my previous suggestion of a cool down period for capship buy backs).

With my suggestion, i am stating the capship has a transponder built into it that is activated by the insurance company. When the capship is stolen, the capship insurance company in this instance takes ownership of the capital ship the moment the capship is stolen. The victim has a duty to make sure the capital ship is destroyed, as does the insurance company.

I think that's tilting the balance too far against the "criminal". Make it similar to the bounty system, where the location that will be given is where the capship was last seen in monitored space. The definition of "monitored space" in this context would include all nation space (where the "victim" is Respected or above) and only greyspace stations with who's factions the victim is Admired or above. Corvus would not report locations to anyone, regardless of what the standings of the victim are. An exception would be if the victim is tri-KoS. Then, no nation would report spots, but Corvus will.

Note, this would apply only if the thief is seen with the stolen capship. It's reporting the location of the capship, not the thief.

I think that's tilting the balance too far against the "criminal".


You misunderstand. Capital ships and the like are late to end game items. This suggestion, like capital ships, falls under the heading of a late game/end game activity. Players partaking in this activity will be able to handle the pressures applied to them.


Corvus would not report locations to anyone, regardless of what the standings of the victim are.

Why wouldn't Corvus do so? Corvus already reports kills to major factions so bounties can be applied.

Then I think location reporting should be confined to system, not sector or 4x4 grid or whatever. Already it's pretty easy if you know the system.

Might I also suggest, an addon which disables the "transponder" and stops spots, but cannot be un-equipped, uses up half the grid on any capship, and will definitely self destruct the capship after 24 wall clock hours. The alternative for the desperate thief who just wants to use an even further nerfed capship for a short duration in peace.

I am making this suggestion within this same thread because it is meaningless outside of it. Please do not cite Rule #5 to me here.