Forums » Suggestions
Insurance Policy
Starting off in the game, or trading, is frustrating if you get
continuously destroyed. How about an being able to buy an insurance policy for %10 of ship value that lasts for... say, 4 dockings? An insurance policy would disable all but one small weapon port to provide some assurance that aggressive pilots won't use it.
If you get destroyed while you have a policy, you get to buy back your ship for nothing, or a fraction of the real cost.
continuously destroyed. How about an being able to buy an insurance policy for %10 of ship value that lasts for... say, 4 dockings? An insurance policy would disable all but one small weapon port to provide some assurance that aggressive pilots won't use it.
If you get destroyed while you have a policy, you get to buy back your ship for nothing, or a fraction of the real cost.
I have to admit of all the insurance threads that have cropped up in the last year, you are the first one with a sensible idea for making something otherwise senseless work.
My problem with insurance, is that what sort of stupid insurance company would insure a ship versus acts of war? What sort of stupid insurance company would insure a ship that you more or less or taking out to get destroyed?
You: "Excuse me, I'm about to go to war, would you insure my attack fighter from damage at a reasonable rate so that I can buy it back again after its destroyed for much less than its cost?"
Insurance Agent: "So, what you are really saying is that you want our company to buy your warships as often as you blow them up, and in return you will give us a small percentage of the ships value in a token gesture?....And I see here that you've destroyed 87 ships in the past two weeks...Wow, that sounds like a swell business deal, we're in!"
Insurance companies make money because they pay you less money than you pay them.
But, you do actually have a semi-reasonable idea bundled with your insurance policy idea...
"An insurance policy would disable all but one small weapon port to provide some assurance that aggressive pilots won't use it."
But I'd take the idea one further: your insurance policy is null and void if you mount any weapons on the ship.
A couple of other ideas:
You don't insure the ship (or you don't just insure the ship) - you insure the ships cargo at a cost of say 10% of what you paid for it. A policy on cargo is valid until the cargo is unloaded. If your ship is destroyed before the cargo is unloaded, then the insurance agency sends its NPC bounty hunters after the vessel that cost them the cash, and pays you for the cargo. Of course, you probably still could do some insurance scams with this one, but its an idea.
You have an 'insurability' rating based on how successfully you've delivered the cargo in the past. Lose alot of cargo's (more than 10%) and your rate goes up. Lose more than 50% of your cargo's, and the insurance agency won't insure your goods at all. Lose less than 2% of your cargo's, and the insurance agency might drop its fee down to 5% for such a trustworthy customer.
Your cost for ship insurance could be based on your average policy life time, and the better your insurability rating the more lax the insurers might be with thier strictures. If your average policy life is a week or more (real time), not only would your rates go down significantly but they might start insureing increasingly heavily armed vessels. Since you appear to be using them in such a responsible fashion, the insurers have nothing at all against you protecting yourself (and thier investment) from pirates.
My problem with insurance, is that what sort of stupid insurance company would insure a ship versus acts of war? What sort of stupid insurance company would insure a ship that you more or less or taking out to get destroyed?
You: "Excuse me, I'm about to go to war, would you insure my attack fighter from damage at a reasonable rate so that I can buy it back again after its destroyed for much less than its cost?"
Insurance Agent: "So, what you are really saying is that you want our company to buy your warships as often as you blow them up, and in return you will give us a small percentage of the ships value in a token gesture?....And I see here that you've destroyed 87 ships in the past two weeks...Wow, that sounds like a swell business deal, we're in!"
Insurance companies make money because they pay you less money than you pay them.
But, you do actually have a semi-reasonable idea bundled with your insurance policy idea...
"An insurance policy would disable all but one small weapon port to provide some assurance that aggressive pilots won't use it."
But I'd take the idea one further: your insurance policy is null and void if you mount any weapons on the ship.
A couple of other ideas:
You don't insure the ship (or you don't just insure the ship) - you insure the ships cargo at a cost of say 10% of what you paid for it. A policy on cargo is valid until the cargo is unloaded. If your ship is destroyed before the cargo is unloaded, then the insurance agency sends its NPC bounty hunters after the vessel that cost them the cash, and pays you for the cargo. Of course, you probably still could do some insurance scams with this one, but its an idea.
You have an 'insurability' rating based on how successfully you've delivered the cargo in the past. Lose alot of cargo's (more than 10%) and your rate goes up. Lose more than 50% of your cargo's, and the insurance agency won't insure your goods at all. Lose less than 2% of your cargo's, and the insurance agency might drop its fee down to 5% for such a trustworthy customer.
Your cost for ship insurance could be based on your average policy life time, and the better your insurability rating the more lax the insurers might be with thier strictures. If your average policy life is a week or more (real time), not only would your rates go down significantly but they might start insureing increasingly heavily armed vessels. Since you appear to be using them in such a responsible fashion, the insurers have nothing at all against you protecting yourself (and thier investment) from pirates.
that seems like it could be fun cele
and a generally well rounded idea
oh my my my, I'm starting to talk like cele :D :D
cheers
and a generally well rounded idea
oh my my my, I'm starting to talk like cele :D :D
cheers
I did request some type of insurance feature in 3.1.x, but only for the reason that it took a while to purchase a new ship after death. But then the nifty buyback feature was added to alleviate that inconvenience. Aside from saving money, what else would this insurance policy do besides provide a quick recovery? With all the good trade routes around, is it really that big of a loss to lose a fully loaded Ragnarok or Valkyrie? Improve your piloting skills and learn how to escape from hostiles, and you won't even need any special insurance.
arolte, it isn't a need, it is a feature, you know something to integrate the roleplaying perspective in the game.
Like I said, if you are against this, then you would be against electronic gizmo's, reputation system, ... so in short evereything that improves the game in a non beat em up kinda way.
cheers
Like I said, if you are against this, then you would be against electronic gizmo's, reputation system, ... so in short evereything that improves the game in a non beat em up kinda way.
cheers
True. I was merely questioning its short-term importance for development, since there are A LOT of other things that need to be dealt with ASAP before all the bonus features are added. But sorry, don't let me stop you from making long-term suggestions.
/me steps back and wimpers.
/me steps back and wimpers.
Me apologisez for his harsh words,
but as you can see, celebrim mentioned the reputation system. In my opinion, that was something that the devs were willing to put in. But to figure out some other uses besides anti-pirating, there could be this or some other extra features, like in any RPG, the features are a part of its attractiveness to bigger groups.
And like you said, that is more for later on, but like I heard, the devs are really thinking about putting something in against the excessive whining , and swearing in game, so this can be the reputation system. And maybe, even maybe they can put this in as the cherry on the cake :D "or was it sugar on top, oh well, don't know anymore"
cheers
PS: me gives arolte some tissues, and stop the wimpering now, it works on my nerves :D :D :D
but as you can see, celebrim mentioned the reputation system. In my opinion, that was something that the devs were willing to put in. But to figure out some other uses besides anti-pirating, there could be this or some other extra features, like in any RPG, the features are a part of its attractiveness to bigger groups.
And like you said, that is more for later on, but like I heard, the devs are really thinking about putting something in against the excessive whining , and swearing in game, so this can be the reputation system. And maybe, even maybe they can put this in as the cherry on the cake :D "or was it sugar on top, oh well, don't know anymore"
cheers
PS: me gives arolte some tissues, and stop the wimpering now, it works on my nerves :D :D :D
Lots of interesting replies and good points. I just want to add that the insurance policies should be tailored for beginners who can't trade the value of a good ship in one run. The reputation system sounds like a wonderful idea. Companies like Ebay couldn't survive without such a system to prevent fraud. If I'm going to trust a player to take me to a secret sector, I want to know that they have a good reputation. Similarly, if a player with a bad rep flies into my sector, I want to scram fast, and make it harder for them to pirate me.
The three nations provide a form of insurance policy already. If you're willing to risk your neck out there in space, the nations will give you a limitless supply of EC-88's with cheap engines, batteries and lasers.
If a trader is unable to evade those nasty pirates out there on the highly lucrative routes, s/he can always build a cushion of money by trading the crumby routes. You can run a few routes between your home sector and the adjacent one, or from your home sector to a station two sectors away, etc. It's possible to slowly profit and stay close to your nation's stronghold.
If a trader is unable to evade those nasty pirates out there on the highly lucrative routes, s/he can always build a cushion of money by trading the crumby routes. You can run a few routes between your home sector and the adjacent one, or from your home sector to a station two sectors away, etc. It's possible to slowly profit and stay close to your nation's stronghold.
I like the idea of insurance for trade ships. Helps noobs get on their feet, and ofcourse there is a nice insurance scam I've already thought of. I think this would be a really good element for the final game.
Okay, there could be "trade insurence", quite the hefty price, but you would get your ship back free and its cargo if you were destroyed by a raider or what not.
somthing to prevent this i think would be that if you had any weapons on board the ship, your policy with the insurence company could be terminated. My other idea for this was you wouldnt be able to use the weapons until you are fired upon. my only fear about that is that some one would get the policy fly into an enemy sector and wait to be attacked by a red/blue/gold/NPC ship. thats why i think weapons should be LOCKED or not allowed on trade ships.
somthing to prevent this i think would be that if you had any weapons on board the ship, your policy with the insurence company could be terminated. My other idea for this was you wouldnt be able to use the weapons until you are fired upon. my only fear about that is that some one would get the policy fly into an enemy sector and wait to be attacked by a red/blue/gold/NPC ship. thats why i think weapons should be LOCKED or not allowed on trade ships.
We have a bank... why not insurance?
But please, PLEASE... no lawyers!
But please, PLEASE... no lawyers!