How's about changing the cargo time-out to solve 2 'problems':

*Cargo all over sector 4
*Shoot-die-cargo-pirates

If a ship explodes, the cargo should fly away from the ship using the new 'explosions moves stuff' system. And time-out a bit quicker, maybe something like 1 minute or so. Most of the cargo should fly backwards (because that's where the cargobays probably are), so if you destroy a ship (from the back, wich is the case 99% of the times) you'll always get some cargo (if the ship is fully loaded.) But you'll get much more if the ship jetissons it... (all cargo vs some cargo)

Cargo that is jetisoned and cargo that came from the frigate will just stay the same.

Agh, come on people; say something!

:P

no. reason: 1 minute gives people no time to pirate or recollect their cargo

i say no with the same reason of Urza

If you jettison it you still save your cargo... so if you see you're going 180 m/s towards a roid; press 'j' and everything will be 'fine'. Also pirates can still 'get' cargo, but not as much... unless they make the victim jettison.

Maybe add something like: only 25% of the cargo has the normal timeout after an explosion, the other 75% is blown up. It could even depend on cargo 'type', 0% of the flameable gasses will survive, but 90% of the ore will still be there.

what if someone has a maud full of cargo and have no money cause they used it all on a maud with cargo and they try to chat but forget to press "t" and accedentally press an expolde bind. then he land in a sector far away and have to try to collect the cargo in a bus. how do you think he will colect his cargo?

He's screwed no matter what zoid. But this is a bad idea. Makes it too hard to get people's cargo, and with nothing to stop the cargo moving (crates don't have brakes) it'll fly away forever.

It would only fly away for about 1 minute or so untill it disappears...

But remember: if the cargo is jettisoned...

Or... you could make this optional, you set what your cargo does if your ship explodes ^_^

I think if you're going 180m/s when you jetison the cargo should be moving at that speed too... It would make it interesting if the pirates had to chase their cargo as well as the ship they're trying to kill... lol. Ahem. Sorry, couldn't help myself. I don't like a cargo timeout because it's really not realistic at all. Cargo doesn't just -disapear-

-outrider

Ah, well then... let's keep it on the 'cargo should move too thing'. How's about that? If you fly 100 m/s and jettison, cargo should fly at something like 97 m/s (so if you drop cargo when you go 0 m/s it should fly backwards.) And if something explodes cargo should fly away at something like 40 m/s + the speed of the ship in the direction the ship went as seen above... so if a ship goes 180 m/s and explodes, the cargo flies away from it at 40 m/s but it also moves in the same direction as the ship did at 40 m/s (if you had physics you'll prolly understand this without many problems, else you're probably screwded.)

The underlying assumption is fundamentally flawed.

People don't 'pirate' in order to take cargo. People primarily engage in 'piracy' in order to earn PK's. If they also get some cargo, well, that's just a bonus.

The solution to PK's is not simple, and to a certain extent people are going to have to accept that 'piracy' and PK's are part of the game.

Sure it is. Don't count pk's. If the server doesn't count them, nobody's gonna be in as big a hurry to get 'em.

Then people will develop bots, scripts, or unofficial counts on thier own.