VO is one of the few MMO's out there that allows multiple players to control the same avatar (ship), but the low player density makes finding a gunner nearly impossible.

I suggest you allow people to invite/accept gunners regardless of where both players are currently located. This would encourage players to actually be gunners, as they could gun for someone in deneb without flying all the way from sedina (as an example).

I would imagine this would be fairly trivial to implement, aside whatever rules for when the ship blows up (send the gunner back to their original location (ship/station/whatnot)).

A good interim idea while the game is still relatively quiet. If the gunner is warped back to their original location when killed or leaving the turret I don't see any way to exploit it.

Like it. Please implement this!

Interesting. Will consider.

bump.

AND implement some retribution for being gunner, like pilot offers a payment, or payment for kills like escort missions.

Well, I have to mention that there may be some technical challenges in pulling this off. Requiring both players to be docked in the station was not just a gameplay thing, it also make sure all the characters to be used are loaded into the same sector (which is authoritative for what happens to them). Pulling people from elsewhere may require some work. But, again, we'll look into it.

Possible way:

-Both pilot and gunner(s) must be DOCKED at any station within same nation.
-Death is cheap. Gunner "dies" here and ressurect inside host ship. A small time penalty and a message for both (transfering [player]'s mind to [station_1] and the normal "jump" animation shows for gunner (while servers moves his profile)
-A pilot's group is created automatically, VoIP inside ship = local talk.
-Gunner invite must include 'salary' offer: /gunner invite Name 999

These requires more evaluation and comments:
-When player dies he returns to home station. (RFC).
-If player leaves ship on space = die
-When player leaves ship docked?
---Dies again and respawn [home|last] station?
---After M minutes as gunner he stays on docked station, or offer option to stay on docked station or respawn on [home|last] station?
("deaths" in stations should not count on players stats)

I am really interested in enhancing the multi-player side of VO, more cooperative player interaction...

Limiting to stations within the same nation makes application in grayspace a bit more problematic. It also further complicates the implementation, and I'm not sure if there's a real point to it. I believe we ignore gunner standing anyway, and if they die or leave we'll probably stick them back in their original location.

Adding salaries is interesting, but that's another layer of complexity to implement.

I would rather "keep it simple" and basically look at doing what the original poster said. The main issue is two players with locked character data spread across two sector daemons, handing off the information. We do this a lot, of course, but I'll just need to check with the guys on how straightforward this case will be. Stuff like linking them by "nation" does not simplify anything.

+1

I'm not entirely sure why this would be desirable. Yes, there is a low player density in VO, but when you want a gunner it isn't a matter of wandering aimlessly until you happen to dock in the same station as someone else. You pick who you want to gun for you, and you meet them somewhere.

I disagree, ladron. With the time this can take (worst case on the undesirable side of 15 minutes), gunners simply aren't a viable tactic alternative, as I see it. If you were able to duck into the next station and hold up a 'gunner wanted' sign, so to speak, this might be mitigated somewhat.

ok, KISS: Both docked at any station. No payment on 1st stage
But can we have a string on "/gunner invite" reply *like*:
-[player] invited as gunner. Consider pay some credits for his work

It is expected to see that same "jump" screen while your character data is moved across two non-neighbouring sector daemons.

As now, even if you are a Vet, with lots of old-time friends playing on same time frame that you are, it's not simple to get a gunner, even more 3 to fill a moth.

But if you are a newbie, knows no one? And want to be a gunner while you're on Sol2, while only offer is on Itan? Gunner would be a great activity for newcomers to know people and places with no expenses (credits are worthy for them!)

Gunner from anywhere can also boost the second M on MMORPG, as cooperative interaction instead of PvP... P+P(+p+p).

Filling a moth with gunners would be a trivial exercise for CHRN. If you can't do it, it's probably a result of your poor personal hygiene moreso than some perceived flaw with the /gunner system.

I don't think personal attacks on Alloh are getting anything accomplished. I can see his point, in that it can be quite difficult to get a number of people together for any reason, let alone mounting gun turrets. And for a new player who knows nobody, yeah. I think being able to gun from anywhere would be an attractive feature all around.

Agreed, for the moment, a gunner from anywhere is a good idea

And want to be a gunner while you're on Sol2, while only offer is on Itan?

This is the main reason that this is a bad idea. It is absolutely game-breaking for an Itani pilot to teleport a Serco into the middle of Itan and hire him as a gunner. I'm disappointed that no one else seems to realize this.

The game mechanics need to encourage roleplay, not blatantly fly in the face of it. I understand and can tolerate some degree of non-rp mechanics for the sake of fun, but this goes way too far.

If you want a mechanic for inexperienced newbs to be hired as gunners, that is a completely different matter (and one I would support), but that isn't what is being discussed in this thread.

I'm disappointed that no one else seems to realize this.


Most of us realize it, but just think this whole idea is too retarded to merit any substantive discussion whatsoever.

Come off it.

Most of us realize it, but just think this whole idea is too retarded to merit any substantive discussion whatsoever.

There is that. I was referring to the others posting in this thread though, not the entire community.

And want to be a gunner while you're on Sol2, while only offer is on Itan?

This is the main reason that this is a bad idea. It is absolutely game-breaking for an Itani pilot to teleport a Serco into the middle of Itan and hire him as a gunner. I'm disappointed that no one else seems to realize this.

That is why I proposed that to be nation-wide only. Maybe no restrictions on gray. But as Incarnate say that would be complex, and we wish evolve ideas instead of talking about people... and also since any new stuff implemented can be evaluated and changed later...

This game has many "layers", different player have different reasons to play here. Not everybody is a natural born predator (to be polite).

Also, every time a troll post, its a *BUMP*... so they are sorting of approving the idea, but are unable to socialize.