Forums » Suggestions

Buying Bots

Nov 25, 2004 DannyK link
I think a great way to jump start an economy would be the ability to hire labor. Until the Vendetta population grows to a substantial amount I think guilds should be able to buy unarmed bots to do labor and earn the guild a greater income with simple mining or transporting tasks.

Of course these bots should be less efficient than a human pilot (not to mention unarmed), but invaluable in their diligence of following simple orders requiring little skill and the ability to purchase them en mass.

One could buy 10 bots and do 10 things at once. This could be telling a bot to "bring this cargo to this system and sell it" or "go mine for this ore," which would then get you the money and the Xp points.

This could also add a new level to the game in competition.

Basically, when you go hunting for bots, you could be hunting bots belonging to another human. When you get the cargo from the bot you killed, not only did you gain cargo, but another player lost it. Now the guilds have more of a reason to recruit human pilots: to protect the mining/trading bots.

If there was a pressing reason to build a strong guild (such as protecting your own company of trade bots) many guilds would fight for your allegiance. Competition would spring up between guilds and pretty soon you end up joining which ever guild will give you the most benefits. Perhaps this idea of salaries is a bit far fetched.

None-the-less, I think the ability to hire a cheap source of labor (despite inefficiency) is invaluable, especially during these early months of the game. It will add more value to credits, greater value to recruiting members in a guild, and overall competition in the world of Vendetta.
Nov 25, 2004 Dank link
I realized I posted this under my other account DannyK instead of Dank. Not that it matters, really.
Nov 27, 2004 Solra Bizna link
It sounds like a pretty good idea, but there would be some severe balance issues that would need to be resolved. What happens (FE) if someone hires ten bots to collect and sell Xithricite ore, and goes on vacation for six months? He has now gained a zillion trade and mining levels without having to actually PLAY...
One way to deal with that would be to have the bots only work when the player is logged in... but then he could just idle...
-:sigma.SB
Nov 27, 2004 Chao link
Bah, we already AFK miners anyway. The bots could be just escort providing additional cargo space, for example, and they'd trail your ship around.
Nov 27, 2004 Shapenaji link
Yeah, but if people kill those bots regularly, being afk would be extraordinarily bad. Perhaps the bots would always have to be in the same sector as you.

They wouldn't be able to hold an infinite amount of cargo, so it would be no different than going afk while you're mining. when they fill up on cargo, they're stuck until you take them back.

I would also make bots relatively expensive, at least 100k each, something worth protecting. and that would also give people a sink for some of their money
Nov 28, 2004 Yumineo link
I personally like this idea and it should be added to the game, although only certain players should have this ability
Nov 28, 2004 yodaofborg link
I also like the sound of this idea.
Nov 28, 2004 jexkerome link
I think their mining shouldn't give XPs to the owner; it's enough that he's getting ores for selling while he's out doing other stuff.

As for protection, a fighter Guild specializing in guarding could be created right now for both miner and merchant players. Just agree on a fixed sum or percentage of income and you'd be set. This game's crying out for a law-enforcement/guardian Guild as it is.
Nov 28, 2004 Dank link
yeah, i like the idea of making them expensive. And I also like the idea of the bots only being in play while you are playing (i don't know how to deal with idle players, tho) The idea of them only being able to escort works. You're just able to pick up a lot more cargo per trip since they could fit it... I see how that applies to mining, would that also work with free trading?

Although the escort idea would destroy the possibility of building a huge business doing multiple tasks at a time.... ideas?
Dec 04, 2004 smittens link
In responce to Solra Bizna's point...

What if you could tell the bots "mine here" but then you'd have to tell them "Now sell here"

Then, when they fill up, there'd be no point to them until you have them sell their stuff.
Dec 11, 2004 Lord Q link
it would be cool to not have to spend time mining to get money. i get bored when i have to rebuild my funds by mining for signifigant periods of time. But i definatly think that you shouldn't get xp for what your bots do, and that in thruth it is easy enough to get money as it is.
Dec 13, 2004 bobis2high link
Um.. I’m kind of new here to the game (I’ve played less than 1 month) but why do guild need money right now? But when/if (preferably when) guild are able to build stations or really expensive capital ships come out then I could see a reason this would be beneficial, but then I would add the restriction that the guild has to have some station or capital ship present for the bots to return too.