I just had an idea for an addon that the pirate players might like.

I was thinking it could be the result of some unscrupulous techies in grey space modifying a minning beam into a transporter beam they could use to "teleport" cargo right out of passing ships.

There could maybe be some requirement like having to have a cargo scanner equiped at the same time so the transporter beam can get a lock on the cargo and they could "mine" passing ships for cargo.

And maybe there could be a couple more addons for the traders/victims like a transporter beam dectector that alerts them when a pirate os trying to pilfer their cargo and maybe even a transporter beam scatterer addon as a counter measure preventing them from getting a lock.

Then again I've been away for a while so if this has already been added then nevermind. lol

There would need to be a downside to balance the advantage.

Possibilities:
Target must be stopped or traveling at less than ___ speed.
Beam is heavy, slowing the pirate ship
Beam has a high power drain
Beam takes up weapon slot(s)
Cannot turbo with beam

Maybe there could be some peaceful mining use for this, or ship-to-ship trading.

So,lemme get this strait...

I can steal cargo without even killing???! +1000 I've always wanted to pirate ongoers with magic.

Requiring the target to be stationary or slow moving would make this pretty useless, but it should require aiming (unlike a mining beam).

Instead, give it a very short range (say 25m, like a HE beam), and require it be "hitting" the target for a period of time (again, like a mining beams "mining rate").

With those and (some of) Whistlers other flaws, I'd +1 this. Sounds cool.

+1; can we move this to suggestions?

Also, we'll have to make beams aggro bots with this.

Oh, yes this belongs in Suggestions (Moved)

25m? It'll practically be useless...like the thought though

It would have difficulty taking from lighter ships, but surely a good pilot could keep pace with opponent capships.

Otherwise, create a grapple addon. Prevents either ship from moving more than 500m from each other, but breaks grapple effect if one's force against the grapple exceeds its proposed durability.

@GamingFOReel: It should not be easy to teleport goodies from the target. Requiring a very close range, and a duration means it requires skill to use. If it was an "easy" way to steal goodies, I'd -1 it, as simply shooting the target provides those results.

This would add a way to RP a non-violent thief. Hell, I would prolly even try it. Maybe not with Faille, but I have an alt ideally suited to RP a sneak-thief

Someone who artfully dodges Faille?

-1 we should expand the types of pcbs we have, pcb missiles or flares are the future!

Nah, not The Artful Dodger, he is associated with me, and I expect him to adhere to true Blargian principles. I have another alt in mind...

I would add that down-voting one suggestion is unlikely to speed up another. Better to make a new suggestion for expanding the PCB gear.

I think you're right but I'll save the suggestion for now.

+1 from me .

-1 we need better piwates.

What if it's not how slow they are overall, but the relative speed?

So if a behemoth is running along at 100m/s and you're in a Valk and you're within 15/ms of their speed and within 25-150m, you can syphon off cargo. Say, 4cu/s for the lowest version of the beam, and the military variants suck cargo off at 16cu/s.

That way it adds a skill mechanic - you have to match velocity and your target can juke or defend themselves.

Requiring matching the velocity and vector (to maintain minimal relative speed between attacker and target) would be functionally the same as requiring a slow/stationary target. Just ensure you need to aim the beam, and there's yous skill element taken care of.

And now a way to rob afk players without triggering a faction penalty....

-1

What's wrong with that, Pak? If one is gonna go afk in space, does one not deserve whatever fate befalls such a reckless individual?

I'm going to have to +1 it. But as said above by others, it needs some draw backs like:

20 grid
Large port
1000 credit tax to Corvus per cu teleported.
In monitored space, 1 faction point lost per cu teleported.
And it needs to teleport indiscriminately. So if someone has 199cu bearing grease and 1cu of hive posi, there is a better chance of teleporting bearing grease than the posi.

not sure i like or understand corvus taxing per cu. Everything else sounds good there, though.

Oh, and what happens if someone has only a single, really large item on their ship? The beam should take longer for large items.