Mercenary business meta-game?

[Professor Paul1290]

This would probably be something a very long way off if Vice ever considers it at all, but I thought it would be interesting to discuss.
What would you guys think if a lightweight management meta-game was added to Evochron?

I'm not talking about the space-sim stereotypical X Series or EVE style empire and fleet building sort of thing.
Personally I don't feel like that would would fit Evochron very well.

I'm thinking about something more along the lines of what is in Euro Truck Simulator 2 or to stretch a bit the FSX addon Air Hauler. Something that would add management aspects that would still revolve around your endeavors as a mercenary pilot for hire.

I can sort of picture something like an universal I.M.G. contract board that would list various contracts from various companies in the Evochron universe. These contracts would be more cross-sector in nature than the current local one-offs (a bit closer to distress calls than normal contracts).
Some of these contracts could have certain requirements, like maybe certain licenses, certifications, or positive rep with that company (this would be separate from the rebel vs. military rep), so that what contracts you do may affect what you can take later on.

Maybe getting a certification (or whatever you'd want to call them) from the I.M.G. in a certain area might require passing a test of some sort and it might need renewing every now and then. Getting positive rep with a certain company might involve doing a few minor contracts for them first before they trust you with the more important stuff.

Perhaps if you had a good reputation with a certain company you could negotiate a higher pay for a contract. Maybe companies you have good rep with might give you a discount on certain products or something like that.

This could also interact in rather interesting ways with the existing systems. If you have a bad reputation with the military in a certain sector, then taking contracts that involve you going there would be a bit more tricky. Having station licenses at the stations involved in a contract might make things easier.



Yea that's probably rather vague, bare-bones, and nebulous but I think it's enough for you to get what I mean.

I think if Evochron ever got some expanded management elements to it, it would be interesting if they fit with and strengthen the existing "freelance mercenary pilot" feel of the game.

Thoughts?









[Edited on 1-21-2013 by Professor Paul1290]

[Edited on 1-21-2013 by Professor Paul1290]

[Busch]

Sounds like it may be workable Prof., probably as a mod or an add-on ? Maybe the first "certification" could be the successful basic IMG Quest completion ? I like the cross-sector assignments bit. Might be workable with a tie-in to the Energy & Miner factions for global versus sector reputation considerations. A few of the suggestions I've read in other threads have explored the options of expanding an offered contract into two or three-part objectives. (As an aside from the multiple way-point combat missions) I don't recall off-hand, what Vices' stance was on this, but I'd guess that the breadth and depth of game-coding required would make that suggestion and/or implementation, rather prohibitive. And, was probably not in the "direction" Vice intends the game environment to proceed. Not that there isn't all that much to do now, a bunch more of the freelance Merc "opportunities" would be welcome, how ever arrainged.

[Maarschalk]

LOL. I thought I already had a real life!.....:P

[Rubber Chicken]

I always liked the option in the RiftSpace SW3DG game where you could choose a secondary weapons reloading discount as part of your payment. Sometimes it was a good option to take and sometimes not so much.

As far as having a SLIGHT bit of extra micro-managing added to the merchant aspect of the game - I'd be for it, but it would have to be exceptionally implemented.