Player Equipment Inventory?

This is a forward looking question for Traffic and later releases. How would you like your player equipment inventory to operate?

Players haul around cargo as pods. That is one of the cool things about Torn Stars. And some liked it so much they coded pod spewing from stations as an add on.

The players inventory of equipment is not cargo pods. It is stored in a "magical" location that travels with the player and can be used anywhere at any time. Kind of like a player in Half Life that can carry 8 weapons at the same time.

This topic is to discuss if you like the way it works now. Or if you would prefer something more "realistic". For this discussion, lets assume a new load out GUI exists.

Here are a few alternate ideas to the current magical inventory:

Idea 1: Player equipment exists as mini pods. You must transport them for rearming and repair. The player will form stashes of equipment at friendly stations, player owned mines, or where the player has wingmen to guard the equipment. Equipment must be near the player to mount it on a ship. As your equipment exists in the world, it can be stolen by NPC ships. As NPC equipment would also exist in the world, you could steal it. This is the most "realistic". Raiding into enemy territory requires keeping a stash of supplies. If your supply ship gets blown, your in trouble.

Idea 2: Player equipment is kept as cargo pods, but at load out time, you can use any equipment that is stored in the same system. If you want to use your equipment in a new system you have to carry it. Because LDS drives are so fast, we just make the assumption that you can run out and grab any item you want to mount on your ship. Rather than always having to fly back to the stash, you can loadout anywhere. More convienient, less realistic.

Picture this scenario: You jump into a system and arrive with a damaged capsule drive. Now what?
Do you use your magical inventory to replace the damaged drive?
Do you curse the fact that your spare part is in another system?
Do you curse the fact that you did not physically carry the drive part?

The cool thing about the last two cases, is that you must hunt down a new part. Either by purchasing or stealing. And that makes for new challenges and stories. In this example, the two are not much different.

I am sure more ideas will come up.

If the cargo is actually in minipods, how about going a step further and having weapons systems actually dock to the ship in game? An actual docking and attachment procdure? Perhaps depending on how the loadout is written, this could actually be a functional extension/requirement for it..?

We could also imagine a repair/equipment ship that flies around with the complete inventory of the players systems (and repair 'units'?), repairing and reloading ships as the player needs.

For the sake of realism, I would prefer to limit the types of systems that can be switched out to those that fall within the bounds of reason. As you mentioned GrandpaTrout, replacing a system like aReactor Ring or something else that integral to the ship seems crazy. That might then limit us to things that could actually be docked externally to the ship.

I regards to your ideas, I definitely prefer Idea 1. It just falls more in line with our vision, and seems to offer more oportunity to involve the player in the universe. Idea 2 would regard the universe and it's requirements as a hindrance to game play, rather than actually 'being' the gameplay.

Dockable weapons. I am going to move that idea to the loadout thread. It deserves more discussion (lots more).

I was a major backer of magical inventory until we settled on real pods as a component of the game. I admit I like the ease of use. It is always tricky to balance "real" with "fun". I guess the Idea 2 system wide inventory, is just a shortcut that allows a player to do a loadout without flying to pick up that lone PBC cannon they need.

If we assume the player can purchase repair at stations most of the time, then needing to haul supplies won't really be too much trouble. Then our discussion works down to "field repair" in hostile or unexplored territory. Much like fuel is currently handled. Players exploring new territory must plan to carry extra fuel. Players just flying from station to station have little to worry about.

So, as summery, another solution:
1. all player systems and repairs must be hauled as physical objects.
2. most stations offer repair, so 90% of the time, the player has ease of use.
3. possible repair ship that could also store repairs, much like a fuel tanker stores fuel. Players who make a living raiding as pirates, would want to hire a repair ship.

This is an interesting mix, because it gives our pirate players some reason to have non-combat wingmen to keep safe (and pay to hire).

Well zZz wish I'd read yer post here before I posted in the other thread, GrandpaTrout xP

Guys, just my 2 cents here:

1. "all player systems and repairs must be hauled as physical objects".
This just does not seem logical. Maybe if I was commanding an aircraft Carrier but a Tug?
I would ether have a few abandoned mines/outposts etc. where a player could setup shop. Home base could serve lots of uses.

2. "most stations offer repair, so 90% of the time, the player has ease of use".
I would recommend reducing this ability to only certain types of bases. Depending on your standing in a sector, repairs could be free or a fee charged.

3. "possible repair ship that could also store repairs, much like a fuel tanker stores fuel. Players who make a living raiding as pirates, would want to hire a repair ship"
Nice! Could I threatened to attack and TAKE the items I want? After all, life in space is a bitch.

We are collecting change so it is all good.

I am not sure I was clear on how this would work. A player can setup a "base" almost anywhere. They just need to stockpile repair, equipment and fuel at that location. All the "stuff" is stored. Empty stations are especially good choices.

Pirates would do something similar. They like to stay mobile to keep ahead of the Navy. You could raid pirate depots to steal equipment or cargo they have collected.

It would look like FreeSpace missions where you arrive to bust up opponents cargo depots.

The trick is that the player would need to haul that cargo to that location. And if he wants to move base, he would need to haul it to a new location.

Your right about limited stations. 90% is too many. Let see, shipyards for sure. Waystations (which support commercial traffic) Navy depots (if your allied). Some of the pirate bases (friendly).