I think that 2 SS types should ask to see your papers.

I like Inc's idea, neon, with flames and a pitchfork...hehe

And a devil's head.

Two SS types, with flames and a pitch fork, that ask to see your papers....

Or an Arolte bot... ;)

Hmmmmm.

One one hand, this has gone too off-topic.

On the other, there is lots of good discussion.

Let's get it back on topic or we'll have to lock it.

<left>

yeah we could have a white rabbit in there as a clear warning. in front of a big cave. with teeth.

<right>

most people seem to agree that some kind of debris field (and that was *my* idea, not ctish's!) be used as a nice reminder of things to come. it could be ubber sweet if some still sparked & smoked.

while the music idea might add to the perceived danger, we dont have statistics of how many people actually keep the background music when they reach the envy to start exploring. it seems most people turn it off after a short while so to listen to their own music.

julio iglesias does fit with uit, while i keep manson for most other sectors.

though, for the other vets here, i thought i remembered some warning on my hud when i entered grey space in my early days (2 years ago). am i imagining things? and where has that warning gone since?

if we would have a warp-in warning, we could simply have some nation npc guard at every wh leading to grey that would warn you as you approached the wh. somewhat like npc pirates do. less the neuts. aka, something like

<*border guard bone head>: careful! you are approaching a wormhole leading to dangerous unguarded space! proceed at your own risks and don't complain on 100!

</right>

look at the bones!

</left>

<-- left and right -hand comment embedded as mind exercise for the reader and to tickle's whistler's envy to edit my own reply... >

You could have a Virgil bot (that was Dante's guide, right? read it a long time ago..) that messages players about the hell they're about to enter. :) I like the "abandon all hope ye who enter here" though.

Maybe have it on a roid stationed near the wormholes entering grey space as if a pirate group had towed it there and added signs. Would add a touch of atmosphere to say the least. Or you could have it stenciled ont he side of a burnt out Constellation drifting forever in space. That would be sweet.

From simplest to most complex, my ideas:

Just an audio warning - "You are now leaving Serco-Controlled Space" when you leave, and "Welcome to The Dominion." when you enter. Somethin like that. Of course, for those non-english speakers... Oh well. Maybe just big yellow text across your screen like we have now is OK.

(Which brings up the question of how VO will handle differing languages when it hits the big time.)

Perhaps the beginning tutorial should tell you something along the lines of "Don't venture into grayspace, that's certain death for green pilots... like you." Or something like that.

But I'll happily make some caution/warning roadsigns when I get home that Guild SW will be free to use. Maybe they can rotate in 3D space near the wormholes. Like "Danger: Hive Activity" or "Caution: Pirates in Rear View Mirror May Be Closer Than They Appear" or "Warning: Hazardous Travel Conditions Ahead."

Maybe a gradated system, from Low to High indicating the Threat Level for the system you're about to enter? It could be dynamic, based on the # of PvP player deaths in that system in the last hour. Hehe. Like the Terrorist Threat Level!

the debris field was uc's idea.

my idea is to change the graphics on the cargo drops we have now. scrap metal would still be scrap metal, and behave the way it always has, it would just look more like ... well... scrap metal. you know, a piece of a ships hull, with an occasional lightning arc to make it show up to the casual observer. weapon drops would have the same graphic. the weapon is still attached to a piece of ship, so it would look the same as scrap metal. so instead of have one graphic for cargo, like we do now, we would have two graphics. one for destroyed ships, and one for cargo that was actually dropped on purpose. one simple graphics change would do wonders for the visuals.

and... it is the job of newbs to complain. it is the job of pirates to give newbs something to complain about. the smart pirate will keep his fat mouth shut until it is time to ask for money again.

but, when is the last time you saw a smart pirate...

When was the last time you saw a pirate, period?

I think I saw someone dressed in a pirate costume several weeks ago, but that might have just been for Halloween.

Perhaps the term we're looking for is "opportunistic PKer"?

Nice, Lexi... nice... XD

Oh man, I wanna see that in-game so bad...

Yes, yes yes! Sadly, I have no idea where that could be integrated... plasma-riveted to a new roid or two at the WH's?

I like it Lexicon. Though my art skills are extremely limited, here's another idea,

Cute, but not clear enough. Needs a different rat image, and try cropping out the pie plate.

Simple, and not nearly as awesome as the ones above, but gets the message across, I think.

Needs a brighter hue of yellow, and less happy looking skull... but it's also the most applicable of the three.

When can we get it nailed to a roid?