Forums » Suggestions
Smuggling revamp
I was going through my personal list of ideas and noticed I hadn't posted this one yet, and the suggestions forums have been a little sparse lately. So, here's my idea on how smuggling could work, including a rework of the current cargo scanning/blocking modules.
Another potential implementation style of smuggling, involving both passive and active contraband scanning. Slight reworks of cargo scanners and blockers would be needed.
Cargo scanning mechanics
First, the mechanics behind hiding and revealing cargo. Instead of being able to instantly reveal cargo as with the current system, cargo scans require time and have a strength modifier. Likewise, ships and scan blockers also have a defense modifier. A scan level that is underneath the scan defense of the target will always fail. If it matches, then the scan should take some period of time to reveal ; if the scan level exceeds the target's scan block modifier, then the time period is reduced.
All ships have a scan defense of 1 (unless otherwise stated by the ship itself)
The existing scanner blocker has a +1 effect
The existing scanner spoofer has a +2 effect
The heavy scanner scrambler has a +3 effect
The existing Cargo Scanner has a strength of 1
The Experimental Cargo Scanner has a strength of 2
The Law Enforcement Cargo Scanner has a strength of 3
Scan blocking addons only use the highest strength equipped plus your ship's natural defense; having multiple blockers will not be helpful.
Scan blocking *deployables* will blind scanners under the scan defense of the deployable object itself. (defined below)
Cargo scanners ARE additive, but only those of differing types. Two standard scanners are only a scan level of 1, but a standard and experimental would result in a strength of three.
The maximum "blocking" level should never exceed the maximum "scanning" level, so that you can never guarantee passive protection from scans.
Standard NPC behavior
At nation borders and other checkpoints, there are at minimum 2-5 "Cargo Inspector" NPCs (scaling with activity). These bots fly Hornets with 2x Law Neutrons and 1x Law Enforcement Cargo Scanner, and typically try to remain near the wormhole/checkpoint/etc. When a ship jumps in, the inspector messages them to travel at a slow speed, and will fly up to them and attempt a scan. Successful scans that reveal items marked as contraband will initiate a tempKOS on that target. Failed scans (when the target's scan defense is too high) are treated as if the pilot had no contraband; in which the pilot gets the all-clear. If the pilot warps out before a scan is completed, it is treated as if contraband was detected.
If the pilot pays the inspector a fee, there is a random chance check on if the scan is ignored or not. The check has a higher chance to succeed if the pilot has a high faction standing. A pilot can only bribe their inspector once per hour, per inspector, regardless of the outcome.
I selected a hornet instead of a marauder simply because the marauder is not using the new texture system and thus cannot have a livery applied. Also, more NPC variety.
Inspection Checkpoint
A temporary minor event, a group of pilots in <blank> faction set up a capital vessel, a few strike force wings, and some inspection officers around a rapidly-built undockable station. The sector is treated like an ion storm, pulling pilots out of warp, to be inspected by that faction. This can occur in both populated greyspace and in UIT space, as part of the corporate warfare as well as attempts to mitigate illicit trade.
Contraband
Any commodity or weapon that is either restricted from general use or is banned by a particular faction can count as contraband by that faction's inspection officers. There could also be trade restrictions on items that are allowed locally, but not globally without proper licensing (Think along the lines of the Aurora drug in Starfield). AAPBs could be banned from use in Valent, or Corvus Holodiscs by the uptight TPG. There's also the unique datapad items generated by the trade guild missions, which could be data that some related faction wouldn't want to get out. Likewise, PCC missions could dynamically spawn new widgets specifically used for smuggling activities.
Items considered contraband should naturally have their sale profitability increase as the item is no longer naturally sold at the faction's station. Increasing this additionally might or might not be neccesary, depending on how the dynamic economy develops further.
Inspection Officer for hire
The player can also take missions where they are hired by a station at a natural checkpoint (or maybe the random ones too?), and fill a temporary shift and try to identify smugglers passing through. Similar to escorts, this mission is dynamically available, and automatically groups the pilot with other inspectors in the same mission (even other players if there are any). The player is given a temporary basic scanner, and is paid per 10 minutes on the job where at least three scan attempts were made. The mission interface can list local contraband, and includes buttons to designate the player's target as a contraband hauler. The player who makes the call is heavily penalized if the target is not hauling contraband.
Badges
The player can obtain a smuggler badge for profit made specifically by selling addons and commodities that are considered contraband by the faction that monitors the space of sale. The pilot must be at least neutral with the faction they are smuggling goods into.
Smuggler I - 1k contraband profit
Smuggler II - 50k contraband profit (unlock manu of heavy scrambler and ECM Launcher)
Smuggler III - 500k contraband profit
Smuggler IV - 1m contraband profit
Black Market Master - 25m contraband profit
The player can also obtain an "illicit trade protector" badge for successfully catching 25 smugglers during the "Inspection Officer for hire" mission. This is a one-off badge that allows the player to purchase the experimental scanner at select border wormhole stations.
Deployable Defenses and EM weapons
Another option for defending against scans are to deploy special objects or use unique weapons that interfere with scanning capabilities. These have a limited range of effect, but great defensive capability within their effect. If the smuggler is fine with being tempKOS, these addons would have little usefulness, so missions and activities should require the pilot remain at least neutral.
ECM Launcher: (ECM: Electronic CounterMeasure)
Launches a mine that jams scans in a wide area and can even reduce the radar presence of pilots within its field of effect, breaking target lock every few seconds.
EM Plasma Pulse:
A heavy blaster that fires highly magnetized plasma. This blaster has low damage, but the magnetized plasma will stick to the target's ship, and can reduce the effectiveness of their scanners for a period of time. Probably would be used in groups; one group goes and damages everyone's sensors, and then the smugglers head through later. Repair blasters or docking can remove this scanner debuff.
EM charged emitter:
A hardpoint emitter that drains a large amount of energy during its use to create a powerful scrambling effect specifically on your target.
Another potential implementation style of smuggling, involving both passive and active contraband scanning. Slight reworks of cargo scanners and blockers would be needed.
Cargo scanning mechanics
First, the mechanics behind hiding and revealing cargo. Instead of being able to instantly reveal cargo as with the current system, cargo scans require time and have a strength modifier. Likewise, ships and scan blockers also have a defense modifier. A scan level that is underneath the scan defense of the target will always fail. If it matches, then the scan should take some period of time to reveal ; if the scan level exceeds the target's scan block modifier, then the time period is reduced.
All ships have a scan defense of 1 (unless otherwise stated by the ship itself)
The existing scanner blocker has a +1 effect
The existing scanner spoofer has a +2 effect
The heavy scanner scrambler has a +3 effect
The existing Cargo Scanner has a strength of 1
The Experimental Cargo Scanner has a strength of 2
The Law Enforcement Cargo Scanner has a strength of 3
Scan blocking addons only use the highest strength equipped plus your ship's natural defense; having multiple blockers will not be helpful.
Scan blocking *deployables* will blind scanners under the scan defense of the deployable object itself. (defined below)
Cargo scanners ARE additive, but only those of differing types. Two standard scanners are only a scan level of 1, but a standard and experimental would result in a strength of three.
The maximum "blocking" level should never exceed the maximum "scanning" level, so that you can never guarantee passive protection from scans.
Standard NPC behavior
At nation borders and other checkpoints, there are at minimum 2-5 "Cargo Inspector" NPCs (scaling with activity). These bots fly Hornets with 2x Law Neutrons and 1x Law Enforcement Cargo Scanner, and typically try to remain near the wormhole/checkpoint/etc. When a ship jumps in, the inspector messages them to travel at a slow speed, and will fly up to them and attempt a scan. Successful scans that reveal items marked as contraband will initiate a tempKOS on that target. Failed scans (when the target's scan defense is too high) are treated as if the pilot had no contraband; in which the pilot gets the all-clear. If the pilot warps out before a scan is completed, it is treated as if contraband was detected.
If the pilot pays the inspector a fee, there is a random chance check on if the scan is ignored or not. The check has a higher chance to succeed if the pilot has a high faction standing. A pilot can only bribe their inspector once per hour, per inspector, regardless of the outcome.
I selected a hornet instead of a marauder simply because the marauder is not using the new texture system and thus cannot have a livery applied. Also, more NPC variety.
Inspection Checkpoint
A temporary minor event, a group of pilots in <blank> faction set up a capital vessel, a few strike force wings, and some inspection officers around a rapidly-built undockable station. The sector is treated like an ion storm, pulling pilots out of warp, to be inspected by that faction. This can occur in both populated greyspace and in UIT space, as part of the corporate warfare as well as attempts to mitigate illicit trade.
Contraband
Any commodity or weapon that is either restricted from general use or is banned by a particular faction can count as contraband by that faction's inspection officers. There could also be trade restrictions on items that are allowed locally, but not globally without proper licensing (Think along the lines of the Aurora drug in Starfield). AAPBs could be banned from use in Valent, or Corvus Holodiscs by the uptight TPG. There's also the unique datapad items generated by the trade guild missions, which could be data that some related faction wouldn't want to get out. Likewise, PCC missions could dynamically spawn new widgets specifically used for smuggling activities.
Items considered contraband should naturally have their sale profitability increase as the item is no longer naturally sold at the faction's station. Increasing this additionally might or might not be neccesary, depending on how the dynamic economy develops further.
Inspection Officer for hire
The player can also take missions where they are hired by a station at a natural checkpoint (or maybe the random ones too?), and fill a temporary shift and try to identify smugglers passing through. Similar to escorts, this mission is dynamically available, and automatically groups the pilot with other inspectors in the same mission (even other players if there are any). The player is given a temporary basic scanner, and is paid per 10 minutes on the job where at least three scan attempts were made. The mission interface can list local contraband, and includes buttons to designate the player's target as a contraband hauler. The player who makes the call is heavily penalized if the target is not hauling contraband.
Badges
The player can obtain a smuggler badge for profit made specifically by selling addons and commodities that are considered contraband by the faction that monitors the space of sale. The pilot must be at least neutral with the faction they are smuggling goods into.
Smuggler I - 1k contraband profit
Smuggler II - 50k contraband profit (unlock manu of heavy scrambler and ECM Launcher)
Smuggler III - 500k contraband profit
Smuggler IV - 1m contraband profit
Black Market Master - 25m contraband profit
The player can also obtain an "illicit trade protector" badge for successfully catching 25 smugglers during the "Inspection Officer for hire" mission. This is a one-off badge that allows the player to purchase the experimental scanner at select border wormhole stations.
Deployable Defenses and EM weapons
Another option for defending against scans are to deploy special objects or use unique weapons that interfere with scanning capabilities. These have a limited range of effect, but great defensive capability within their effect. If the smuggler is fine with being tempKOS, these addons would have little usefulness, so missions and activities should require the pilot remain at least neutral.
ECM Launcher: (ECM: Electronic CounterMeasure)
Launches a mine that jams scans in a wide area and can even reduce the radar presence of pilots within its field of effect, breaking target lock every few seconds.
EM Plasma Pulse:
A heavy blaster that fires highly magnetized plasma. This blaster has low damage, but the magnetized plasma will stick to the target's ship, and can reduce the effectiveness of their scanners for a period of time. Probably would be used in groups; one group goes and damages everyone's sensors, and then the smugglers head through later. Repair blasters or docking can remove this scanner debuff.
EM charged emitter:
A hardpoint emitter that drains a large amount of energy during its use to create a powerful scrambling effect specifically on your target.