Lonesome Zoner ID : Do and Don´t for a Newb

[Flinx]

SRY to muddy the Water again,
but it was interesting to scan the Data ´bout Zoners ( Discussion closed ) so far...

I wish to ask the experienced Players a serious Question, and I hope I will NOT start the next shootout ... agreed ? ( Probably not )

I do not question the ID / Server Rules , but as a Newb to Discovery and the Community, I´d like to ask for advice to RP and agreed upon ID use in play :

I love the Osprey MKII , I adapt my Chara to it, and I accepted flying it as a Freelancer ( at 75% effectivity ) for quite some time.
But I did not WANT to be a Freelancer. I wanted to be Zoner, the additional power capability just served as a Bonus.

Why ?
Free to go nearly everywhere... free to stretch my Wings.
And free to pay the Price. To trade favours and pay prices, to accept or flee from laws that are not mine, to try to live it through... or leave the sector for clear space.

The Problem ?

How "close cut" is the ID played and observed ?



I want to play a commercial Escort Pilot.

Neutral to nearly everything while without assignment.
( Meaning Im all alone most of the Time with a probably growing File of "close Friends" who´d love to send me explosive Presents)

And lawful / loyal when payed to protect a Trader.
No Matter where this Trader wants to go. 10 % net Profit after the Trade flight, and I escort you from Core to Border and beyond. Round up or down as you please, I do not care much.

Of course I do not want to get a Carte Blanche, and I am prepared to accept quite a lot of RPG to keep the Chara and the Story moving. Not just because of the Ship, but because of the Story and the Chara I want to play.

For example : House or Faction Rules... Alliance ect. ... if I wanted to accept that, the Chara could have stayed Lib Nav Pilot.
Yes, I´m playing a lawful chara... but a Chara who´s Codex and Honour , who´s Integrity has been streched by day - to - day policies and rules in the Core so far that he cannot, will not stay under House Rule. So he goes out to the Zone.

And now the BUT :

Simply said , a Zoner may only defend a Zoner or a Zoner Base, correct ?

So if I join Group with a Trader, openly stating that I am commercial Escort,
strictly by the Rules I have to change ID to Freelance, take the 75% Energy drop and there I go.
I land, buy ID, change ID, sell ID, start... and I´m all lawful and confirming to Server Rules.

In Rule Terms, correct.

In RPG ? WHAT ?

So...

If I state that I´m Escort in assignment, grouping in with the Trader and not shooting first at a possible Attacker... am I stretching the Rules to far ?
Setting up a dangerous exemple that will be used to start a trolling Fleet of Ospreys till the Ship itself is banned from the Server ?
Getting myself restricted or banned ?

Or just ... playing my game, colouring my role... flying my zigzag Path from safe Harbour or Gate to Hole to...
oops, a Scrap Heap ?

Oh well, I thought I´d mine you for a Diamond´s Worth of Experience.
And hope it´s not perishable...


THX to LordMcRae for Advice ... and first assignments as a Freelancer

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[TAZ]pope residing at the Brunswick Shrine and Service Station. May HER blessing be upon you.

[Unlucky_Soul]

Good question. I unfortunately do not have the experience nor the expertise in the subject to come up with an answer. But i would love to know what others would say.

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[Zayne Carrick]

Better stick to freelancer ID. True freedom lies within it.
Also, you can try Spatial instead of Osprey.

[Binski]

Well I'm surprised no one's touched this so far. Although, one thing you'll learn with more experience, is that the Zoner ID and Zoner lore can often be a touch subject. Many people have differing views on how far you can take Zoner lore, and what would or would not be acceptable behaviour.

If its an escort you want to be, keep the Freelancer ID for sure. If you want to use a Zoner ship for that, then you will have to accept the power nerf. What you might wanna do is keep your Zoner IFF. That way you can prove your Zoner affiliation, and RP as a Zoner, but still be hired as an escort or bounty hunter. At that point you can defend Zoners if you are working for them at the time or they request it from you directly as an escort/bounty contract.

You can also change your ID's as you stated for different times. As long as you follow the rules of the ID you fly at that given time. However, to keep some continuity you have to be careful about how you change it, since the ID's automatically effect your rep with other factions. Some more than others. Zoner/Junker/Freelancer/Pirate are all types of independent entities, and not military organizations or corporations, and can be interchanged with little change to rep. Nothing a bribe or two won't fix.

I'm pretty sure if flying a Zoner ID you can only really escort other Zoners. Its not like a Zoner company like OSI that are Zoners, but formed a trade corporation. Thats just fine, but Zoners are supposed to be more so traders. Thats why there are no Zoner mercenary factions, since the ID prohibits that.

But I did not WANT to be a Freelancer. I wanted to be Zoner, the additional power capability just served as a Bonus.

Why ?
Free to go nearly everywhere... free to stretch my Wings.
And free to pay the Price. To trade favours and pay prices, to accept or flee from laws that are not mine, to try to live it through... or leave the sector for clear space.

Zoners certainly are free of House laws, however Freelancers are as well. Zoners can't exactly go anywhere (Gallia) and aren't neutral to everyone (Nomads/Wilde), just like any faction, same with Freelancers. However, as a freelancer, you shape your rep entirely on how you want to balance your lawful/unlawful status (with aliens and terrorists as exceptions). Zoners are similar, but can't fire shots in anger unless in defense of a Zoner ship or base.

I flew as a Zoner for several months last year, but with changed ID rules, I find flying as a Zoner is good for trading, or escorting other Zoners, or RP'ing things like research or deep space colonization, but not good if you're looking for a lot of action, especially as a escort.

So if its escort services you want to offer, your best approach would be to RP as having a Zoner 'background' (perhaps via Zoner tech, ship, IFF), but operating currently an independent Freelancer for hire (FL ID). Not sure how new you are, but you ID and IFF do not need to match (which is the common belief at first), many combinations are acceptable, and help shape how your character is perceived inrp.

I will say this, there are places where Zoners see action, but it's not always regarded as proper Zoner activity. Regardless, most Zoner traders or bases would be just as open to hire a Zoner friendly Freelancer as anyone else. Hit the Omicrons and the Omegas, you'll find the Zoners you're looking for!



EDIT: Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 4.86 Zoner ID used to allow defending friendly or allied ships? Like the FL ID?

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[Hone]

Ye sounds like you should be a freelancer and fly a civ/BW ship. Zoners arnt universal escorts thats simply not their RP, thats why you only see zoner ships escorting zoners.

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[Flinx]

Ye sounds like you should be a freelancer and fly a civ/BW ship. Zoners arnt universal escorts thats simply not their RP, thats why you only see zoner ships escorting zoners.

Thx for the posts so far, good to see that there´s response.

I looked at the Spatial... er... NO.
Other civ Ships are nice, good looking, too.

But just LOOK at the Osprey !
Whoever designed her : THANK YOU !

Seems I will probably drop back to Freelancer and keep on spinning my own Story, the only other Ships that touch me in the same way are coalition ( hm, no... ) and GMG ( hm... not with this Chara at this time , though switching to Borderworlder Ships is an Option )

I will say this, there are places where Zoners see action, but it's not always regarded as proper Zoner activity. Regardless, most Zoner traders or bases would be just as open to hire a Zoner friendly Freelancer as anyone else. Hit the Omicrons and the Omegas, you'll find the Zoners you're looking for!

Weaving in and out , nice to see that there are some Pilots and Bases out there thad do not appear on official Charts.
Still looking for friends, though

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[TAZ]pope residing at the Brunswick Shrine and Service Station. May HER blessing be upon you.

[Flinx]

Oh : And remember, Traders :

For a net. 10% Profit , Core to Border and beyond...
drop me a Message if you need an Escort, will you ?

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[TAZ]pope residing at the Brunswick Shrine and Service Station. May HER blessing be upon you.

[Hone]

I always hire escorts when im on my trader "Hone" so if you see me around give me a bell!

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