Please Help me with ID and IFF concepts

[Jan_Mattys]

Hello everybody.
I am new so I have a question that's probably stupid.

Yesterday I just started my first character, and after studying a bit online I decided that mining was a nice way to start and have some cash. I bought a Mining ID in Behetlem and saved enough to buy a mining transport in Pittsburg, but another player told me that without a Freelancer IFF it all was pointless. He taught me about /restart beginner, and while I did as I was told, I didn't really grasp the meaning of it, except that now I feel there's a fundamental part of the game and the community I am missing.

So, what's the point with IDs and IFF, and more importantly, their mutual relationship?

I understand that IFF is "Identification friend or foe" and is related to reputation with the various factions. It is also, I believe, the first thing that other players see about me. That is, I can have a IFF because I belong to a faction and see red, white or green other players based on my rep with their faction. Right?

What I do not understand is the following:
1- Why are IDs and IFFs related? Why do I need BOTH a Freelancer IFF and a Miner ID in order to get the bonus from mining?
2- What happens if I have a IFF and a conflicting ID? for example, allegiance to the Liberty Rogues and a Liberty Police ID? Is that possible at all?
3- If I have green reputation with two factions, how can I switch from one IFF to the other?

Simply put, is there anyone willing to take my hand and give me a quick course on these concepts (in a easy-to-understand way with few acronyms, if possible). Or at least anyone willing to point me to a helpful thread, if there's already one I can be directed to?

Thanks a lot. I really look forward to RP my way into Discovery, but I am at loss with these concepts and I really feel they are key concepts for any fullfilling experience and a good PR (also, I always feel like I am on the brink of breaking the rules without knowing it... for example yesterday I flew with two IDs for a while - Mining and Freelancer - not knowing it wasn't allowed)

Help please?

Jan

ps: if at all possible please keep it simple, as english is not my mothertongue.

[Corile]

IDs are associated with various reputation adjustments that ensure you don't do anything stupid (like docking a Rogue cruiser on a Police station). They also define a set of rules that you have to follow. IFF is just how other players see you.

1- Why are IDs and IFFs related? Why do I need BOTH a Freelancer IFF and a Miner ID in order to get the bonus from mining?

They aren't always related, but the mining thing is just game mechanics.

2- What happens if I have a IFF and a conflicting ID? for example, allegiance to the Liberty Rogues and a Liberty Police ID? Is that possible at all?

The situation you described - no. However it's generally bad taste to have conflicting IDs and IFFs and someone might decide to sanction you for this.

3- If I have green reputation with two factions, how can I switch from one IFF to the other?

Dock on a base and write /droprep.

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[Vito]

http://discoverygc.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=93181

Q: What is "IFF" and what does it do?
A: You can improve your reputation with different factions, and you can see your standing with each faction in your Reputation Sheet (Default: F8). Once you have full green rep (9 blocks green) with a faction, you will be shown as part of that faction to others, and the name of that faction next to your name is called IFF. You can check your IFF by checking for the blinking gold faction name at the bottom of your reputation sheet.
Q: I have the IFF of a wrong faction. What should I do?
A: You can use the /droprep command to lower your rep with the faction you currently have as IFF. Each droprep costs you 350,000 credits, and will lower your rep with that faction to +0.6, and you have to relog for it to take effect. This way, if you have full green rep with multiple factions, you can use /droprep until you have the desired IFF.
Q: I bought an ID and my reputation is changed. Why?
A: Each ID, has a feature called "Reputation fix". Based on the reputation of each faction, their ID adjusts your reputation to reflect the factions you should be hostile to.
Q: What are "Guard" factions?
A: Each major faction, has a regular reputation as well as a guard reputation and a guard system. These systems have bases in them only accessible if you have a good enough reputation with that faction's "Guard", and offer the high-end equipment belonging to that faction. This is why you may see some Navy players as green, and others as red. Because you have a good enough rep with the regular Navy faction, but are still hostile to Navy Guard, so players with regular Navy IFF appear as green on your scanner, but those with Navy Guard IFF appear as red.
Q: When I undock, I get a message about "Incompatible Technology". What is it?
A: Each ID has a set of restrictions regarding which ship and equipment you can use. These restrictions are enforced by these powercore adjustments. It's not against the rules to use a ship/gear with an ID that gives you a low powercore, but there's no workaround for the core reduction either. For the detailed chart of the resulting powercore of each combination, you can check the Nerf Chart.
Q: What is "PoB" and what does it do?
A: PoB or "Player Owned Bases" are bases built and managed by players. These bases work the same as regular bases, but they can be destroyed, and have limited cargo space. There are also certain items (Cloaks, Jumpdrives, Survey Modules, Docking bays) which can only be built on PoBs.
Q: Can I send cash from one of my ships to another one?
A: Yes, you can. Using the /givecash command, you can send cash from one ship to another, and it's perfectly within the rules no matter if the character receiving the money is yours or someone else's. Most people have a character they use to make money, and then send that money to their other characters to use.

[sasapinjic]

IFF for mining is important , because if you don't have matching IFF , ID , mining ship and mining lasers , you wont have mining bonus .
As for non mining IFF , it is only mater to NPC and Players see you as friend or foe , and on what bases you can land .
For example , if you restart as helium miner , you will have perfect freelancer/miner IFF , good relations with police and navy , that will allowe you to mine at best possible speed when equipped with proper equipment , but since you are independent miner , other big mining corporations , like GMG will not like you , because you are not under your influence and you and other miners like you reduce their profit , therefore , you will have no docking permission to their basses .

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[Jan_Mattys]

Ok, thanks everybody for the quick replies, all very helpful.

My last (for now) question is: apart from the Mining thing, that requires IFF + ID + Ship + Weapons in order to get the full bonus, are there other mechanics that have IDs and IFF influence each other?

Is there any place/document/thread where I can see those?

[Sand_Spider]

Just to explain /droprep a little..

Lets say your IFF reads Liberty Police, but your other fully friendly faction is Universal Shipping. If you want to switch your IFF over to Universal, /droprep will set the Liberty Police reputation to just below friendly; the highest form of neutral. This causes you to lose the Police IFF. If you have another full friendly faction after that - in this case, Universal - that faction will become your new IFF. The faction you have all the way at the bottom of the reputation window is your IFF, as long as it is full green and the text is flashing at you.

Thanks to genius code writers, most IDs will automatically keep the same IFF flashing as your ID. It will also make sure the proper factions are white, green, or red to you. There are exceptions to this, and Freelancer ID is one of them. Miner ID will adjust some reputations, but not everything.

Something else to keep in mind: Red doesn't always mean dead, especially if you are a Freelancer. People love their roleplaying in this community, so if you ever come across a pirate, try and talk to them for a bit. They may or may not lower the amount of credits they ask, but they'll appreciate the interaction all the same.

Lastly, see if any mining player factions are recruiting! They could teach you how the game works, plus where to mine for more profitable minerals besides helium. Having friends to back you up while you are new is always good.

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[Jan_Mattys]

Just to explain /droprep a little..

Lets say your IFF reads Liberty Police, but your other fully friendly faction is Universal Shipping. If you want to switch your IFF over to Universal, /droprep will set the Liberty Police reputation to just below friendly; the highest form of neutral. This causes you to lose the Police IFF. If you have another full friendly faction after that - in this case, Universal - that faction will become your new IFF. The faction you have all the way at the bottom of the reputation window is your IFF, as long as it is full green and the text is flashing at you.

Thanks to genius code writers, most IDs will automatically keep the same IFF flashing as your ID. It will also make sure the proper factions are white, green, or red to you. There are exceptions to this, and Freelancer ID is one of them. Miner ID will adjust some reputations, but not everything.

Something else to keep in mind: Red doesn't always mean dead, especially if you are a Freelancer. People love their roleplaying in this community, so if you ever come across a pirate, try and talk to them for a bit. They may or may not lower the amount of credits they ask, but they'll appreciate the interaction all the same.

Lastly, see if any mining player factions are recruiting! They could teach you how the game works, plus where to mine for more profitable minerals besides helium. Having friends to back you up while you are new is always good.

Very insightful advice. Thanks a lot.
Also, I already got robbed by a pirate in my first run with Discovery, but I must say it has been a quite pleasant experience.
As I said, I'm here to roleplay as much as shoot at things, so I already intended to follow your advice.