Directing trader activity towards lanes - attn all devs

[Pavel]

Biggest cargo hold available will never be poor choice for traders. 100 m/s cruise speed less will not be end of world for trains; on crossroads between lanes they barely ever reach full 350 m/s. Average distance of 20k to mining field from a base will take ENTIRE 20 seconds longer to cruise through.


And if pirates are more interested in pvping navy guys instead of pirating, isn't that argument for that change, to nerf cruise speed so avoiding pirates on lanes by taking holes isn't effective anymore?

[SnakThree]

When was the last time you saw/know/? off plane trader? I haven't since 4.86.

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[Moberg]

When was the last time you saw/know/? off plane trader? I haven't since 4.86.

Last time when I decided to stalk a Mastodon in Liberty on my nomad, actually. Probably a week ago. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it is not there.

[SnakThree]

When was the last time you saw/know/? off plane trader? I haven't since 4.86.

Last time when I decided to stalk a Mastodon in Liberty on my nomad, actually. Probably a week ago. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it is not there.

So, a very few people doing that warrant for a change? Do you think those would stop doing it?

As I explained, they are probably conserving time by doing something else while alt+tab'ed. Doesn't matter if that will be 5 minutes to traverse system or 8. They will still be off plane, out of your sights.

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[Moberg]

So, a very few people doing that warrant for a change? Do you think those would stop doing it?

As I explained, they are probably conserving time by doing something else while alt+tab'ed. Doesn't matter if that will be 5 minutes to traverse system or 8. They will still be off plane, out of your sights.

I don't know if you even read my post.

Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it is not there.

The fact that I have already encountered this on the first two attempts after playing nomad for weeks show that the problem may be more persistent than you thought - or I have an amount of luck that'll win me every lottery. I'm certain that if I try it again, I'll observe the same phenomenon.
Causing more delays for 5kers when not taking lanes will give powertraders more incentive to use those. It is a small change that allows the systems to get shrinked a little and make the gameplay better for unlawful characters - especially since you would have to travel less distance between jumpholes. If you don't realize, travel distances were nerfed to disencourage traders from using jumpholes. This change also harms the unlawful characters, since they have more travel time between systems to get to piracy spots and hunt traders (piracy without hunting is less thrilling).
By making it less appealing for 5kers to use jumpholes for shortcuts instead of lanes (and thus reducing cruise speed), we can return jumpholes to better locations to help unlawfuls travel faster while not rerouting the trade through jumpholes.

[SnakThree]

Powertraders do use lanes already.

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[Moberg]

Powertraders do use lanes already.

Again, read what I wrote above.

Have I ever denied that they do? Don't try to put words into my mouth.
That many powertraders nowadays use the lanes is a consequence of the change to jumphole connections and locations that harms unlawfuls as it increases their travel time between hotspots and hunting grounds by a lot. Reverting the jumphole locations to more fortunate positions would mean that a lot of 5kers would use jumpholes again. Nerfing the cruise speed to make lane usage the most viable choice will direct 5kers to lanes again.

That doesn't mean traders flying below plane to avoid interactions don't exist.

See it now?

[Lythrilux]

When was the last time you saw/know/? off plane trader? I haven't since 4.86.

Last time when I decided to stalk a Mastodon in Liberty on my nomad, actually. Probably a week ago. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it is not there.

So, a very few people doing that warrant for a change? Do you think those would stop doing it?

As I explained, they are probably conserving time by doing something else while alt+tab'ed. Doesn't matter if that will be 5 minutes to traverse system or 8. They will still be off plane, out of your sights.

Don't justify that as a good thing or a "people do this, therefore this suggestion is pointless" . It's an unhealthy attitude to alt+tab out, the player clearly doesn't want to have any player interactions.
With Pavels suggestion, maybe alongside some things like high risk/profit routes, this would make traders more attentive.

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[Binski]

Part of the "problem" of piracy...if you want to look at it one way, is that a transport that can see you coming 13k away has plenty of time to cruise up and escape if it wants to. That's regardless of size. I think it makes the game more interesting and increases value/risk if you change this so that SOME transports have an easier chance to escape (say, smaller transports with a faster top cruising speed), and some do not (large Trains). In either case, there is no guarantee of outcome. A smart pirate in a good ship has a better sporting chance of overtaking his prey, but could potentially lose in combat, while a smart transport captain could still outwit the pirate and make a getaway.

We play this game for the space travel aspect don't we? Its a trader's right and open option to take evasive action on the sight of a hostile contact. That's what being a good trader is. Applying space travel tactics to keep yourself safe. Thinking in 3D and using that space is what makes this game not just some side scroller or console game with set stages. Who wants a huge space to give the feeling of a big universe but also wants to just get from point A to B as soon as possible?

A trader is not always successful when going off plane to evade a pirate, especially if a pirate is on top of things, he sees that trader too, and starts moving around trying to see what direction he goes. Regardless, sure, its fine to lane pirate, but to change the speed of 5k'ers after all this time just to 'entice' people into making themselves more vulnerable to people just frustrated that population is low, especially in the overnight hours, is not going to help anything guys. 5k's already have no CM, if you can get close enough they're done. I have no 5k transport, and I mostly pirate these days, and still don't support this. For a drop to 250, and yes with constant hair pulling NPC trade lane disruptions, that cargo hold should see a jump, making it worth taking the time loss from using it. Then, MAYBE, you could sit on the lane and think 'well, might get lucky this time of night and at least get a 10k'er come through'...

We need to come up with new PRACTICAL applications within gameplay, and more INSTRUMENTAL items/commodities. Things with actual in game purpose, giving them a more real time value. More game options, not less, will help keep the numbers up.

btw, I'm all for buffer systems. This is space, its big. Bigger = better. If those systems contained things to do or supplied items of use, it would not be so bad spending time travelling. I mean, people complain about powertraders but want buffer systems removed? Huh? Less systems means easier money and less game, and means you might as well just open up every ship and give a 1 billion restart out again and say to hell with it.

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The Further Exploits of Captain Antares (August 2015) │ (alt) JonasHudson
*Argo | Special Operative ID (Approved Request)* | Argo Compilation Video
################ *Proposed OF Challenge System* ################
############### The Book of Piracy (Piracy Tutorial) ###############
############### Binski Alamo (Youtube Channel) ###############

[Gaz83]

Yes go for it. If you want to kill off the sever population even more.