Middle States Stations

We have been considering eliminating the need for docking with stations. Not eliminating the feature itself, but just eliminating the need when ordering Pods. Because pods are spewed from a station, to be picked up outside, it seems reasonable that traders could establish an external link, order their pods, wait for them to be 'spewed' then pick them up. In most space/trading sims, the player would dock in an internal bay and would have cargo loaded into their 'virtual' docking bay from within the station. Epic has real pods that really need to be pushed around. And they are not loaded from within a station.

So would eliminating the need to dock with a station take away something from the simulation? Should docking be enforced, to perhaps simulate the transfer of solid currency. Or perhaps merely because the pilot wishes to stretch his legs and make contact with humans once again (i.e. the station bar etc.) What services/features would one expect a ship/trader to take advantage of when docked with a station?

We are interested in hearing people's thoughts on this.

The external link is good idea, but only for pod business, then make that you need to dock for rumors, bar visits, seeing the billboard for missions and meeting people.'

Oh and do not make the pod unloading/loading too slow, it will surely eat out interest for trading, or make that you can skip that part somehow (I mean, it's like the cutscenes fro docking with Lucrecia, nice the first 2 times, boring as hell the next n+1 times).

The docking function for stations should be functional at the very least and should provides something that you can't get from doing business outside the station. The newsnet and mission loader probably makes the most sense.

Once more into the breach...

Hmmm. I think docking adds to the feel of the game. Who's to say you don't dock just to get air, fuel, stretch cramped legs, etc?

Perhaps it is a social aspect of the universe, you meet face to face to do business. This makes especial sense when trading with the Sultinate. After all, who's to say you are who your Ship ID says you are? Reputation and manners are important in a hostile environment.

Perhaps some factions will have differing customs. Some places just want to make money and are happier just taking money and spewing pods from the conveyor.

Some might require you to wait, as each customer who visits in person for the hospitality of the business owner slows down how many customers they can see over a given time period. To see a Sultinate merchant you have to wait a small time period if someone is doing a transaction.

Maybe you don't see some members of a given faction until your reputation is good enough. "Prince (long honorific) is most regretful he cannot accomodate you at this time. Prince (etc) has much to see to, but greatly values his customers. Please call upon him another time."

I am leaning towards enforced docking. For whatever reason. One thing that would make it either required or not, is currency. What is the currency? Is it physical? Or is it electronic? Would anyone trust electronic currency, given the seperation between stations, and the far from hospitable environment of the overall cluster? Might we imagine some kind of hard currency that would actually change hands during the station dock?

Another consideration is that docking might be required for players with a low standing with the target station. A player with very high standing might be given special privileges, including the ability to remotely order pods.

I like the notion of faction/station standing impacting the remote ordering.