Granted. Transports do have inside space. I was thinking of the collector type bots. Kinda hard to stick a pilot in that.

My main point is this: if you were to refurbish one of those, you'd basically be scrapping the bot except for the hull and the engines. Each bot is built and programmed for efficiency, which is the reason they're used. You can take that out, but I get the feeling it would be easier to just a) produce the now-pilot-able bots in the first place, or b) use scrap and make different ships with them.

As for the in universe stuff, efficiency. Some other reason would make sense, but the whole idea that it'd be more efficient escapes me.

Better yet; a mission that involves capturing a queen, and do the retro fitting in vitro. It'd make sense that alot of hive bots have ample cargo space. If nothing else, hive bot styled ships may look cool.

well how ever it would get done...what ever story is used behind it, it would add a ton of new ships to the game.

Hive bots get to have their massive armor due to their utter lack of any sort of life support, and human interface systems. I'd imagine that the amount of work needed to convert a hive ship into something human pilotable would take a TON of effort verging on the just-build-a-new-ship level, but I guess that's what mission strings are for.

I'm not normally a fan of "thread necromancy" but I mentioned the ideas in this thread to one of the Devs in game... (Ray, I think)... and he liked it. Also, for the people who felt the bots are to small for a pilot... see the heavy bomber right next to the Orun Collector? The difference is negligible



[EDIT] Actually, given that the Rag is in front of the bot... the Bot is significantly larger. The Rag is 7 meters, roughly 23.1 feet from the collector yet the collector still appears much larger.

I like the idea. From the realism point of view, sure the vastness of the bot needs to be scraped to refit it for a pilot, but the armor, engine, and a few items do not need to be changed. These parts would otherwise need to be made thus saving resources for better things. How about making the free bus a retrofitted collector bot?
Besides, that more ships, more options, and best of all meaningful missions.

and then, of course, eventually the option to join the hive to gain access to an exciting life of protecting yer bretheren from the local human meanies. and of course piloting queens and such and such and having a 24 hour escort. because who wouldnt want to be part of the hive!

yes i would lovveee a levi to fly! EAT TEH MARSHMELLOWS <.>,..,<.> Zan

Just to clarify... I do not feel that piloting a Queen should grant you a 24/7 escort... (even if you were able to take missions from the hive. Which would be cool.) Actually, a relationship with the Hive would be logical for some factions, Serco, Valent... etc... etc...

As for piloting a queen or a Levi, I figure a Queen would be similar to a Trident and a Levi would be the equivilent of a HAC. Cool ideas but probably not something we would see in game until we can actually pilot cappies ourselves.

I would also suggest that these "Hive Ships" only be for sale in Gray space stations.

Where are the factories of the companies: Aputech, Dentek, Fennus, Helman, Siepos?? Listed only those that have more than one model. Are they on planets?

Alternative ideas to introduce them:

* Make those factories/corps to be attached to existing capitol stations, but due some contractual clause they were not allowed to sell to consumer, now those contracts starts to end and those companies offer to market.

* Relate to player-owned stations, like those companies outsource the administration of their new space stations to player while factories remain on planet nearby.

...what?

Anyways, grab a Valent A-47 Assault bot, bring it back to some grey space station unauthorized by the UPK, spoon out all the robotics crap from the center, stick a seat in it, add a couple cup holders, and let me fly my illegal bug bucket.

I would also suggest that these "Hive Ships" only be for sale in Gray space stations.

I'd go so far as to say Corvus and Xang Xi only.

And Chaakin, you don't need cup holders, there's a reason the Great Maker gave you fists.

* Make those factories/corps to be attached to existing capitol stations, but due some contractual clause they were not allowed to sell to consumer, now those contracts starts to end and those companies offer to market.

I think Alloh's idea is that the Hive ships should just leave the closed and be happy, and that it isn't necessary to crate any Hive monster ships on the closets, because if they leave the closed they can be happy even without being where the candies are.

But doesn't leaving the closed necessitate entering the open? Wouldn't that be considered a bad thing in shady business circles?

there's a reason the Great Maker gave you fists

To bludgeon thine enemies and to expand their women?

And hold a tall glass of rum, of course.

Another thing we could do with hive ships is create missions in which we would infiltrate the hive? Say, communicate with a queen using some sort of binary translater and conduct research on bot behaviors.

You have never made a post that a) contained any evidence of thought or b) wasn't an act of necromancy. Just stop.

the op sounds like a great idea provided you chop off alot of the armor of some of the ships, say the extra space was needed for a cockpit and life support etc.

and whistler, north Africa, Rommel had some British tanks that were captured and repaired with battle salvage, some of those invariably ended up back in British hands.