I've been planning something like this for many years. But yes, it does require some implementation time. In fact, this sort of border scan appears in one of my missions, "High Risk Courier Needed".

Anyway, we are headed in this direction. We'll probably redo borders first, then create NPC scanning, and so on. The whole prospect of smuggling and contraband has been on the to-do since the 90s, but we could definitely use it in the near term.

I'm looking at totally re-organizing the NPCs, perhaps next week (mostly from a development standpoint, which will make it vastly easier to do interesting design stuff). I'll keep this in mind as I start to do that.

A useful variant on this could be corrupt behaviour in Corvus stations. Corvus is primarily a piratical faction, so you would expect the Corvus station guards to be mostly law-abiding except when they see an easy mark, or someone who isn't much liked by Corvus.

So, if you turn up to a Corvus station in an ec-89, expect to get challenged and/or shot on sight for being a noob. If you turn up in a Behemoth XC, expect to get asked to make an immediate contribution to the Corvus Station Guards' benevolent fund or be shot. If you turn up in a fully-armed valk or prom, expect grovelling servitude from the guards; ditto if you're admired by Corvus.

Finally, if you turn up and sell a moth-load of exotic spices or Deneb rum, could we at least see a little loss of flying skills in Corvus guards immediately afterwards? It ought to be possible to get the entire staff of a pirate station completely blotto and unable to fly (vary the effects with differing exotic substances here; so Itani LoveWeed produces differing effects to Serco BattleStim).

That'd be awesome.

Wyrm, that is a damn fine idea.

+1 to Wyrm

+1 to Wyrm

+1 to ME for liking this thread.

+1 to wyrm :)

+1 to wyrm, no doubt!

To above steps, add:

0) Add Corvus "border" guards to Corvus Hold, as Beta test. Gradual implementation would allow us watch their decay...

But surely FUN as proposed...

And Xang Xi guards, hail in chinese??

That'd be confusing, but pretty awesome. Just make sure they hail in English afterwards. ;)

Finally, if you turn up and sell a moth-load of exotic spices or Deneb rum, could we at least see a little loss of flying skills in Corvus guards immediately afterwards? It ought to be possible to get the entire staff of a pirate station completely blotto and unable to fly (vary the effects with differing exotic substances here; so Itani LoveWeed produces differing effects to Serco BattleStim).

Lol :) that would be so funny

bump

Jul 23, 2010 incarnate: perhaps next week
Shameless BUMP...

Check also:
* New items, new twist on old items, smuggling, border patrols and consequences
* Serco Frenzy Drug > Contraband

The most simple implementation:
-NEW items produced in grayspace are forbidden to enter nations. Stations does not allow docking unless you have a cargo scanner/spoofer. Items have very high prices. Trying to dock with or Unloading contraband results in penaties.
-Some national items and weapons can become mutually exclusive, as Serco Ale banned in Itani, or Avalons banned in UIT.

heh nice resurrection alloh. Always like this thread... guess I'll give yet another +1