Ship with real crew

chilong · Post by **chilong** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 12:48 am

I haven't really thought this through enough to be tossing it around as an idea but what the heck, a little brain storming never hurt (after reading this you'll probably think, "unless during the storm in your brain gets struck by lightning as is apparently the case with chilong).

But anyway I was wondering how it would work out if there was a ship large enough to warrent a small crew - let's say a 4 man crew, possibly a pilot, 2 weapons ops front and back, and an engineer all of who were MP,s who have teamed together. Each station would be complicated and challenging enough to keep crew members busy. Damge would require the enginneer to diagnose, analyze and repair. Weapons ops would have a few more choices/adjustments to make including keeping thier weapons of choice in top working order. Thde pilot might have morer complicated radar, mapping and contrls, ie, trim etc. .

The whole idea being a few people that work together as a team to run 1 ship that has challenging enough aspects that would keep all happy.

Well, I'm already thinking that i should keep my stupid ideas to myself and n........hey....what was that rumble.......sounded like thunder.....hey.....I smell something burning....I thimk itj chmmgh frloooo sgyfkul;.....gaaa...gaaaa.....

[Edited on 1-7-2010 by chilong]

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 12:59 am

that would be very complicated I think. Its a good idea dont get me wrong but that would be like flying a cap ship..

chilong · Post by **chilong** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:10 am

Yeah, your probably right. Guess I'm just in jabbering idiot mode and felt like ......hey.,......where did that baby come from.......it's.....all..lime green.....wha.. hey.....who painted this baby.... I wank anserts agh j nwhh.....GAAA....GAAAAK.........

More on the perils of brain storming after this message......

Anyway I have barely scratched the surface with exploring with my own ship. The idea may appeal to some seasoned players just for fun. But like you pointed out, it's probably a long way to go to find out.

Post by **Marvin** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:26 am

I know a couple submarine simulations that would really benefit by a crew-style multiplayer option. But, then, you'd need to find somebody who could do his assigned job properly.

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:30 am

Cut that idea down to just one other MP crewman and it's an idea that has been kicked around some.
The idea of an MP crewman manning a "turret gun" has been explored.
No final word on it's practicality, but it is an idea that has been toyed with.
There are problems that have to be worked out, but it has been considered.
Maybe next year...

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:07 am

Yes, would be a great Idea, but I don't think the complication lies in the programing part of the game, but more with getting a crew together to work as a team on multiplayer to do their asigned task. Heck as it is in MP it is difficult for some Clans to work as a team to do Coops...take clan [BA] as an example.......LOL......

:P:P:P:P

Post by **Marvin** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:33 am

To really make it effective, you'd need a lot of things for the pilot to fly over, under, around and through ... enough for the gunner to wish he was somewhere else. Like a really cluttered asteroid field ... or big caves that can totally damage your ship when you run into solid rock ... or planetside mountains and deep canyons where you can dodge missiles and evade enemy fire. So that when you're done, the guy in back says, "Just drop me off at the next jumpgate and I'll walk home."

DennyMala · Post by **DennyMala** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 9:37 am

There are games that may be better suited to do this as they simulate a real crew situation. A B-17 sim for instance.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:41 pm

Originally posted by Marvin
To really make it effective, you'd need a lot of things for the pilot to fly over, under, around and through ... enough for the gunner to wish he was somewhere else. Like a really cluttered asteroid field ... or big caves that can totally damage your ship when you run into solid rock ... or planetside mountains and deep canyons where you can dodge missiles and evade enemy fire. So that when you're done, the guy in back says, "Just drop me off at the next jumpgate and I'll walk home."

LOL....should be drop me off at the nearest jumpgate and I'll walk to that place "I don't remember".....

:P:P:P:P

TGS · Post by **TGS** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:56 am

I have thought about this a few times over the years. Not so much for this game... but for several in this genre and realistically it would never work. For a number of reasons.

For one you have to keep in mind this would be a multiplayer situation. What happens if someone is lagging? What happens if someone chooses not to react appropriately? What happens if someone gets disconnected?

The fact is there are really too many things that can potentially go wrong in that system.

Don't get me wrong I would absolutely LOVE to see it... but it just isn't feasable because at the end of the day there are ... idiots and troublemakers who would deliberately ruin it. Granted it might not happen in this particular game because it simply doesn't attract that type of person for the most part. But such a system if done well could take off to massive proportions... and if it did it would attract those people.

Imagine if you will your ship is your "character" now imagine someone else has partial control of your character. What if they didn't like you? What if the engineer didn't want to repair yet didn't want to give up the spot... thus taking up the spot and being absolutely useless. It would fail. What if a person didn't have a full crew? It would fail.

By the way for those who followed star trek online's early conceptualization that was one of the things they were aiming for. To have multiple people commanding a starship. Now I stopped following it so I don't know what happened specifically to cause them to go away from that... but they went from that to each person commanding their own ship. Sad but true. I just don't think such a game will ever be possible unless you can ensure that you have decent people with you. Also you'd have to have AI capable of taking over for players when the spots couldn't be filled.

DennyMala · Post by **DennyMala** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 9:14 am

A couple of solutions can be easily made. The pilot (the captain as I see it) can fire any crew member and if a spot is empty then the AI control the station as we have now.

cheops · Post by **cheops** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 2:23 pm

I have a feeling that the most fighting would come from 'I want to be the Pilot!':P:P:P:P

Post by **Marvin** » Sat Jan 09, 2010 12:45 am

Actually, Aces High has had the option for a very long time. In fact, the situation I describe above comes from a couple missions flown with me as pilot. The first guy refused to fly with me again and the second guy was my dad ... and I didn't have the heart to ask him if he wanted a second ride.

Combat Flight Sim III also has the option. As does FSX.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Jan 09, 2010 3:46 am

ROFL...... Marvin you keep cracking me up. I'm sure it has nothing to do with your piloting skills the persons just had weak stomachs......Hahahahahaha.......

:P:P:P:P

Post by **Marvin** » Sat Jan 09, 2010 6:24 am

Maybe ... but this is probably an option Denny hopes will never make it into any Evochron game.

DennyMala · Post by **DennyMala** » Sat Jan 09, 2010 9:18 am

LOL!

I'd have that ride....no problem. You know me by now....I'm crazier than you sometime.

As for the fight for piloting status, it is obvious that the first comer is pilot automatically......or the ship cannot exist. Other players have the option to go to another ship and be pilot, or crew the existing one.

tha_rami · Post by **tha_rami** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 9:55 am

I don't think any subgame would be as satisfying for a player as flying his own spaceship, instead of playing minigames or bejeweled inside a sci-fi setting to 'repair the ship'. On top, unless you have the dedication some World of Warcraft clans have, there is no way to reliably 'fill your ship' unless with AI, and if you have AI, why wouldn't the player that has to do repairs fly in his own ship?

It sounds fun in theory, but in the end people probably buy the game because of the space sim.

DennyMala · Post by **DennyMala** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 10:56 am

Well, it depends on what job the crew have to do. If you think of a defensive turret manned by a player, such as the B-17 gunners, I'd go for it instead of being pilot. I like the bomber position too more than the cockpit.

It is bound to tastes and options. Surely being the engineer wouldn't be so appealing, but you can create interesting roles.

Dengar · Post by **Dengar** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 6:07 pm

Mr MuchTalk

You have absolutely no idea how well, or otherwise BA work as a team!! Bossk thinks he's the boss (I know I am, but I let him think he is)!

Like all teams we have good days and bad days. OK mostly we have bad days, but when we get it sorted BA are one of the best clans around.

Mind you, the team chatter over TeamSpeak is something else!!!!!

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 6:47 pm

ROFL....Mr. Bandage.....

:P:P:P:P