Smugglers and Mooring Rings

[Baltar]

Smugglers should be using smaller ships designed for smuggling. Pirate Transport, Firefly, various Freighters, etc.

Don't forget the Border World Transport ... infocard on this one specifically states it is a common choice for smugglers.

[BaconSoda]

Well, I think the planetary surface thing is fine and dandy, but everyone here seems to be forgetting the mooring fixtures exist because the large transports can't land due to physical complications, like not being able to escape the planet's gravity. Due to this, they have to moor outside the planet's atmosphere, and use a Heavy Lifter to unload their individual cargo pods in space and transfer them to other, smaller ships in order to move the goods to the surface of the planet.

Now, then, why would the police allow for that situation to happen when they clearly know that the ship insert ship's designation here is a smuggler? Furthermore, even if a smuggler is in a smaller ship, what is keeping an officer of the law from locking down the entire landing pad, knowing that insert ship's designation here has a cargo comprised almost completely of class 1 narcotics? Or Artifacts that have been "Proven" to be dangerous to Human life?

I just don't see it...

Also, the Liberty Officials do leave Manhattan's Orbit. I see them quite often in California and Texas...

EDIT: And that all means I'm all for this improvement.

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[8:32:45 PM] Dusty Lens: Oh no, let me get that. Hello? Oh it's my grandma. She says to be roleplay.
[12:49:19 AM] Elgatodiablo: You know its nice that you have all that proof and all, Bacon... but I just don't believe you.

[waddoff]

Please, this thread isn't about the oorp of the LPI. If you joined us you would know we RP a lot, and we do fly around on patrols, but we always have at least one person manning the Mooring Ring. There's little use patroling the tradelanes when Smugglers often come from the Colorado JH, and there aren't enough resources to keep up a constant patrol to catch those criminals.

But again, this isn't targeted towards the LPI, so lets leave it there, shall we?

Sure I agree it would be nice if a smuggler RPed disappearing into Manhattens underbelly. But this simple fact is they don't. Their 'rp' consists of complete silence, or a "why should I?" until they dock. Then it's "haha, now you can't touch me" or "what cardamine?" >logout<

How is that not oorp, aside the fact they just docked with a hostile base. Whenever you preform an illegal act outside a base, even if they are neutral to you (ie, shooting someone, refusing to drop cargo to local lawful npcs) the base turns red and you aren't allowed to dock.

Smugglers who actually do RP shouldn't mind this extra feature to make it more difficult. Personally I smuggle because it's exhilirating to fly in with a Firefly full of Cardamine and try to get passed the police. And I believe it would be just as fun to RP getting sprung, trying to flee to an unlawful base, but getting cornered and having to pay the price. If the police ever manage to catch me, thats what I plan to do, mooring ring or no mooring ring.

That's a good point about anyone being able to dock with a mooring ring. It would have to be tested, but I think if the base the mooring ring is connected to is hostile you won't be able to dock, whether the mooring ring is hostile or not. But if it does make it possible to dock with hostile bases, then disregard this idea, because that would cause more problems than it solves.

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[farmerman]

I like the idea. It would be nice for both sides.

With that in mind though, it seems strange for the long distance smugglers to do the riskiest part. Shouldn't they head to somewhere else like, say, Beaumont or Alcatrez and let smaller, less suspicious ships take it the rest of the way?

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Faction info links: Samura Heavy Industries : LWB : Watchers

[jimmy Patterson]

smuggleing cops/military coast guard/home defence fleet nuff said do your jobs give the indies something to rp make them say home defence fleet ships or something

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kudos tommeh for sig

[Srkad]

There are mods that have this sort of thing, it never works out...

EDIT: Or im really a mega smuggler and dont want this to happen. You decide...:D:D

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[Camtheman Of Freelancer4Ever]

Yes well if you set the starting money at 8,500 we must do whatever we can to make money.

[Jonathan_Archer_nx01]

/signed

It takes hours for the light fighter to destroy a train or something that big.

[Baltar]

Please, this thread isn't about the oorp of the LPI. If you joined us you would know we RP a lot, and we do fly around on patrols, but we always have at least one person manning the Mooring Ring. There's little use patroling the tradelanes when Smugglers often come from the Colorado JH, and there aren't enough resources to keep up a constant patrol to catch those criminals.

No ... its about attacking the role play of smugglers. Dude ... you cannot expect people to be silent while you slander them. And don't complain because YOU don't have enough resources to cover the job. You wanna catch a smuggler (which is a cat and mouse game by the way) you've gotta outsmart them. Changing the game mechanism in your favor is not going to solve anything. All its gonna do is allow you to capture EVERY smuggler and your LPI team will cease the search away from Manhattan. Instead we'll see every LPI available hover above Manhattan ... one will kill the lane and the rest will decimate the smuggler. Oh boy ... more fun. Say goodbye to the smuggling role play since Bounty Hunters in battle cruisers like to hang out near unlawful bases farming unlawful NPCs and hitting human players. Yeah ... they'll kill the docking ports for the unlawful bases and do the same to the smuggler there. No more smuggling ... LPI can pat themselves on the back for being SO successful ... and all the happy lawfuls can enjoy the game while everybody else scratches their heads saying WHAT?

But again, this isn't targeted towards the LPI, so lets leave it there, shall we?

No ... its targeting smugglers. And if you're gonna badmouth my role play ... expect the same in reverse. You wanna drop it ... make a retraction.

Sure I agree it would be nice if a smuggler RPed disappearing into Manhattens underbelly. But this simple fact is they don't. Their 'rp' consists of complete silence, or a "why should I?" until they dock. Then it's "haha, now you can't touch me" or "what cardamine?" >logout<

Um ... what do you want? You want the smuggler to come out and announce, "Hey LPI ... I just entered the Colorado jump hole with 3400 units of Cardamine ... I'll be arriving at Manhattan's docking ring from the underside in approximately 2 minutes ... boy ... I hope you guys don't catch me." Then we start to hear donuts hitting the floor and belly's sloshing about as the LPI start up their engines for the intercept. Yeah ... good role play ... lets do that.

How is that not oorp, aside the fact they just docked with a hostile base. Whenever you preform an illegal act outside a base, even if they are neutral to you (ie, shooting someone, refusing to drop cargo to local lawful npcs) the base turns red and you aren't allowed to dock.

Smugglers are not hostile to Manhattan ... no more hostile than the Trader ID is hostile to Crete or Malta. The ONLY time Manhattan ever went hostile to anyone smuggling was when the NPC did their role play declaration, "Freelancer xxx, you don't mind if I look in your hold for contraband, do you?" ... then there's this 10-20 second pause ... then you hear, "Just as I suspected, drop that cargo at once or we'll open fire." ... then there's another 10-20 second pause and a dialogue box requesting you to either accept or decline. Only then ... after the smuggler declines ... or the time expires ... then and ONLY then will the docking ring go red. That's a full 1 minute at least ... plenty of time to dock and ignore the authorities. Then its the planet's authorities to do something.

So ... unless the LPI is planning on taking the full 1 minute or so to role play between the time the smuggler gets into scan range and he refuses ... don't lecture us. Just admit that you want the easy way out. You've already got the battleships, dreadnoughts, juggernauts cruisers, destroyers, gunboats, bombers and fighters at your disposal ... what do you need this for?

Smugglers who actually do RP shouldn't mind this extra feature to make it more difficult. Personally I smuggle because it's exhilirating to fly in with a Firefly full of Cardamine and try to get passed the police. And I believe it would be just as fun to RP getting sprung, trying to flee to an unlawful base, but getting cornered and having to pay the price. If the police ever manage to catch me, thats what I plan to do, mooring ring or no mooring ring.

Carrying contraband does not make you a smuggler. Carrying contraband and AVOIDING the authorities makes you a smuggler. The whole idea is to avoid being caught. I rarely ever bring my stuff to Manhattan ... BUT ... what about the Manhattan black market? That is part of role play. Why do you suppose Manhattan pays the most for Cardamine and Artifacts? And why do you think its one of the best places to purchase Counterfeit Software. With your proposal ... you can say goodbye to the black market role play. The same rules apply to you that apply to pirates ... if the trader (or in this case the smuggler) docks before you catch him ... to bad ... your loss.

That's a good point about anyone being able to dock with a mooring ring. It would have to be tested, but I think if the base the mooring ring is connected to is hostile you won't be able to dock, whether the mooring ring is hostile or not. But if it does make it possible to dock with hostile bases, then disregard this idea, because that would cause more problems than it solves.

Bases and planets are not hostile to traders and smugglers until they are caught and you run through the whole demand process. Here's something to consider:

1. Smuggler arrives and you declare your scan
2. Saying "halt" and the smuggler refusing does not give you the authority to destroy him ... in fact ... you have no reason to halt me until AFTER you scan me
3. After you scan me ... you gotta tell announce what you found and demand I drop it
4. You need to give me a few seconds to make up my mind as to whether to drop it or not.
5. If I say no ... fine ... shoot away ... if I ignore you for too long ... fire away
6. If I make it to the docking ring before you can get the scan, make the declaration, wait for my response and then start shooting ... your loss not mine
7. Don't call me OORP because you cannot catch me before I dock
8. If this whole dock disruption thing goes through ... cool ... makes it more challenging ... BUT ... with a dock disruption available ... you can't just park above the ring (that's crap role play and you know it)
9. Quit calling us OORP because you can't do your job ... a smuggler is SUPPOSED to avoid you and is SUPPOSED to ignore you and is SUPPOSED to run silent and dock as quick as possible

[Yngen]

This suggestion needs more development.

If smugglers are expected to role play more the complications of using a large transport for their profession (which even the Borderworlds Transport is,) then more support should be given them. Presumably if a smuggler ship is too large to unload on a planet they would go to a nearby station where they have contacts, like Rochester which is near Manhattan. There they would sell their goods and leave it to the Junkers to get them to planet-side dealers.

I would support the idea of hacking docking collars/mooring fixtures if:

1) viable drop off points (unlawful bases) with slightly less profit were made available at all of the major house planets. This gives the smuggler a choice to risk a landing on a planet when law enforcement is asleep, with a backup plan to land somewhere else for slightly less money.

2) These drop off points are run by a variety of unlawful factions. For example if I don't like dealing with Junkers I would like to sell to Xenos in Liberty instead, or Gaians in Bretonia instead of Junkers, or Farmers Alliance in Kusari instead of Hogosha. In other words don't assume all smuggling runs back to Corsairs or Outcasts, take the synthetic Marijuana runners into account and give them viable ways to role play their trade in multiple systems. LPI shouldn't be the only ones having fun with smugglers after all.

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[AU]Anton_Blix
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