"Federation of Salvaging"

[Akkamaddi]

Yes, I'm going there, a FoM equivalent for salvaging. I know it may not go anywhere, but it could be fun to poke around again.

I know a huge problem with this idea is saying “salvage 20 ships in Sabot” or with a found crate system “find 10 crates in Bress” when systems will be generated that rarely see combat. There are hundreds of wrecks in Feris on any given day, but Sabot or Ichelon? A way around that is to have the “target” categories be Sphere, Furnace, Forge, Anvil, Verec-Per, Expanse/Alien, and AI. It would largely depend on having a Wide Spectrum System T2, but missions could be done clearing your own combat missions.

Description: The Bureau of Salvaging (BoS) is a multi-government sponsored organization directly managed by the Wreck Salvage Association. The Bureau's purpose it to analyze spacial hypermaping telemetry from salvaged ships. Anyone working for the BoS will receive a free system upgrade that will allow extraction of telemetry data from salvaged ships. The overt purpose of this is to scan for patterns of emerging quantum space disruptions, in this way functioning like a seismograph predicting earthquakes. A more discrete purpose is to track disruptions caused by dimensional travel, driven by fear caused by surprise of the A.I. incursions.

Mechanics: You start off with an interface similar to FoM, but you only start with 4 or 6 missions. For every 2000 points of WSA standing, you get +1 missions available, up to 10. You can pay 500 credits to re-generate the list.

The missions are to gather X Terabits of mapping telemetry from different “regions”, the regions being Sphere, VP, Anvil, The Forge, Furnace, Expanse Alien, and A.I. (A.I. is the only one not tied to a specific galaxy. AI ships anywhere will count, but AI ships do not count to regions.) The rewards are a number of credits per Terabit data, and points of WSA standing per Terabit. Since the missions are for large regions, the multiplier for distance is x1.1 if crossing galaxies in the main map, x1.5 crossing Sphere/Furnace, and x2 for Alien or AI missions.

Missions will initially be for 500 to 2000 Terabits, in x100 intervals. Every 5000 points of WSA standing increases the upper Terabit limit for missions by +100.

As an example, the salvager would get a mission to collect 1,300 Terabits of telemetry from The Forge. Salvaging any ship in The Forge except AI ships can produce telemetry data. (Think: the right ships will produce a crate for the mission.)

The telemetry data is acquired by salvaging ships in the specified region. For, say a VP telemetry mission, any non AI ship in the VP galaxy can be salvaged. The salvage must occur in the galaxy of the mission, but is not tied to a ship class, size, or faction. Sphere missions can be fulfilled by salvaging low end wrecks in Feris or Farpoint, or more quickly with larger wrecks in Descartes.

To acquire telemetry data, a wreck must be salvaged to the end. When a ship is completely salvaged in the appropriate region, a scan window pops up with the result of the scan for telemetry.

The base for telemetry data is 1 Terabit per size unit of the wreck. This is then modified by a random 100% chance roll that is based on your WSA standing

WSA standing 0 to 5000 points
Data corrupt, none found: 25%
-25% Terabits: 15%
-10% Terabits: 10%
Default amount: 40%
+10% Terabits: 5%
+25% Terabits: 5%

WSA standing 5001 to 25000 points
Data corrupt, none found: 20%
-25% Terabits: 10%
-10% Terabits: 10%
Default amount: 50%
+10% Terabits: 5%
+25% Terabits: 5%

WSA standing 25001 to 50000 points
Data corrupt, none found: 15%
-25% Terabits: 10%
-10% Terabits: 10%
Default amount: 50%
+10% Terabits: 10%
+25% Terabits: 5%

WSA standing 50001 to 100000 points
Data corrupt, none found: 10%
-25% Terabits: 10%
-10% Terabits: 10%
Default amount: 50%
+10% Terabits: 10%
+25% Terabits: 10%

WSA standing 100001 or more points
Data corrupt, none found: 5%
-25% Terabits: 5%
-10% Terabits: 10%
Default amount: 55%
+10% Terabits: 15%
+25% Terabits: 10%

The percentages above are the ranges of a 1-100 percentile roll to modify the base data cache size. A new salvager is more likely to get damaged telemetry data, while an experienced salvager is more likely to extract useful data as the ship is being destroyed. There is also a chance that the data is too degraded, or the wreck’s computer core is too damaged, to get anything useful, and this chance is never completely eliminated.

For example, a 32 unit size combat drone wreck being salvaged by a new salvager will produce by default 32 Terabits of telemetry. Given the player has under 5000 points WSA standing, the player has

Data corrupt, none found: 25% chance to find nothing
-25% Terabits: 15% chance to find (32 x 0.75) 24 Terabits
-10% Terabits: 10% chance to find (32 x 0.9) 29 Terabits
Default amount: 40% chance to find 32 Terabits
+10% Terabits: 5% chance to find (32 x 1.1) 35 Terabits
+25% Terabits: 5% chance to find (32 x 1.25) 40 Terabits

As a second example, an experienced salvager with 80,000 WSA standing salvages a 120 size Con Fed wreckage. Given the players higher WSA standing, the player has

Data corrupt, none found: 10% chance to find nothing
-25% Terabits: 10% chance to find (120 x 0.75) 90 Terabits
-10% Terabits: 10% chance to find (120 x 0.9) 108 Terabits
Default amount: 50% chance to find 120 Terabits
+10% Terabits: 10% chance to find (120 x 1.1) 132 Terabits
+25% Terabits: 10% chance to find (120 x 1.25) 150 Terabits

(Fractions of Terabits are dropped in the math. Integers only)

Terabits are not generated if the player salvages in the wrong galaxy. AI ships in any galaxy do not produce Terabits unless the mission is for AI ships.

When the number of Terabits gathered equals or exceeds the mission requirements, the player can complete the mission from the BoS Mission tab view. The player then gets credits and WSA standing. Canceling a mission causes a penalty of -5% of the reward against the player’s WSA standing.

-EDIT- When the Terabit limit for a mission is reach, the count for the limit stops, and no more Terabits are generated. The player is rewarded for the Terabits required by the mission, and cannot keep collecting "extra" for more reward. The mission is fulfilled, and new mission must be accepted.

The player can only have one BoS mission at a time.

Guilds can purchase BoS reward bonuses, as is done with FoM.

Thank you for your time. Constructive comments appreciated.

[Coops]

Morning, very well thought out and thorough post / idea. I'll be interested to see what others think. But over all 10/10 for presentation of a new idea.

Coops

[Lost Queen]

: )

I'm all for something that encourages players to clean up after themselves.
I would like to suggest one thing. This should require a new device that only allows you to see one wreck at a time. Otherwise, with Argo Scanners 2,3,and 4 installed along with a list extender you'll be able to pick the biggest ships from a list of 11. Thereby, maximizing your information gathering potential.

: )

[Akkamaddi]

My Queen,

I don't think that is an entirely bad idea. Lower level players will not have that advantage, and in most cases you will be loosing your weakest Agro scanner to the Wide Spectrum device.

Depending on how much you want to cripple scanning, you can add a device, we'll just call a BoM Kit.

If you make the BoM Kit a weapon fixture, you then eliminate the Scan Limit Expander. That cuts back on the number of hits you can see.

If you want to be more restrictive, make the BoM Kit a ship system, and if the game's code allows make it incompatible with the Scan Limit Expander. That way you are limited to two Agro scanners if you are salvaging your own wrecks, or one Agro and your Wide Spectrum Scanner. Higher level players would get the Agro 4 and small boost from a T2, which would be five hits.

I would keep the BoM Kit's requirements very low, like captain level 10, 50 energy, and Scan Tech 40.

If things went this way, and you made the BoM Kit a ship system to tightly limit scanning, you could have player made or Engineered BoM Box units, that are slightly better than the BoM Kit. Captain level 15/30/45/60, Energy 40/60/80/100, and Scan Tech 40/50/60/70. The Box units could grant +1 through +4 Hour to the scan range. This would be a bit of compensation to the loss of your second Agro scanner and Scan Limit Expander. You would have the same number of hits, but at least could have a bit more range. With best equipment, a BoM Box 4 vs. an Agro 3 (as your second scanner) would still loose two hours scan time, and loose +3 hits, plus the loss of the Limit Expander. (I'm trying not to disadvantage those who cannot afford a wreck extender.)

If the BoM Kit was a weapon fixture, the BoM Box could be dropped altogether.

[Akkamaddi]

Thank you, Coops!

I know this has been brought up in the past a few times. We already have the "dropped crates" model used by FoM and NPC's, and the combat mission model. While those could work, with Crate Drop model working well, the obvious problem, which I mentioned, is ensuring there are appropriate wrecks to salvage. The only work around to make sure it is available is to have randomly seeded wrecks.

This model makes things broad enough that you should be able to finish missions in Forge or Anvil. It also randomizes things enough that, like a FoM mission, you will eventually finish with patience, but you really can't plan when.

[pikolinianita]

I like this Idea
1) Terabite is boring - what about Zettabites? We could download many TB from derelicts, so modern Ship Comp Should be way bigger.

2) LImits (for amount of missions/ maximum bits) you suggest are bit too low. Hunbaba should have one level below max, to keep him interested in salavge lol. Probably limits should be more non-linear too. Or Two requirements for "level up" - Number of completed missions And WSA standing.

3) I tink Missions should be more specific - either Ship Type/affiliaton in galaxy or anything in one system. Too easy if Galaxy only.

4) I'd like to see introductory NPC, who use same mechanics, but is NPC and finishing mission line unlocks random missions.

5) Flexible System - If you plan more NPC, Similar mechanics could be used to search stolen loot, Crime clues, many other stuff, so system with some flexibility would be nice.

Anyway- I really like your ideas

[Akkamaddi]

I like this Idea
1) Terabite is boring - what about Zettabites? We could download many TB from derelicts, so modern Ship Comp Should be way bigger.

Exaqbit?

2) LImits (for amount of missions/ maximum bits) you suggest are bit too low. Hunbaba should have one level below max, to keep him interested in salavge lol. Probably limits should be more non-linear too. Or Two requirements for "level up" - Number of completed missions And WSA standing.

I'm also trying to keep a level-20 player in mind. I think a BoS mission should take about as long as a FoM mission. Yes, the limits may need to change, particularly with how it scales. I don't know the mechanics with FoM, except that it scales with your standing.

Another issue here basing BoS on FoM is that the standings are handled very differently. Take my stats. I have a FoM standing of 10 million, which by the stats portal has me at 11th place in my level category. When you switch to WSA, my standing is 357,000, and that has me at 4th place in my level category. So, I'm trying to extrapolate the mechanics of an existing model (FoM missions) when you cannot make a direct comparison.

3) I tink Missions should be more specific - either Ship Type/affiliaton in galaxy or anything in one system. Too easy if Galaxy only.

I think it would be good to "unlock" those when you reached certain captain levels and/or WSA standing, for a much higher profit.

I bring up that issue. in the discussion. I don't think the BoS should enforce combat. If you have to salvage a specific model or faction, you could probably survive on what you find in central sphere. However, if you have to "find ten lost salvage loot" (FoM model), or even salvage ten ships, in boondock systems you will probably have to make your own wrecks. If you require "salvage ten Rogarts Raiders in Terl", are essentially turning the BoS into another combat quest bureau, in which case we could debate the Alliance Combat Bureau.

If that was the case, then ditch BoS, create the Alliance Comat Bureau, but make their missions require "shoot-and-salvage". Instead of "shoot down five Cobras in Ethan", make Alliance missions "destroy and salvage Cobras in Ethan until you find the five Lost Crates".

Or both? We could do both things? Because what's more productive than bringing up the mythical Alliance Combat Bureau in the middle of a conversation? And poor Coops reaches for the Mylanta...

-EDIT- I forgot to mention, I think a much safer "category" if you want to get more specific is minimum wreck size. A bit of advancement could generate missions of "gather X Terabits of data from VP ships of at least 110 tons each". Or, the size could be baked into the missions from the beginning, with the minimum size at first being 10-30 tons. As you progress, the maximum tonnage range could go up, until missions start generating needing 200 and 250 ton wrecks, but missions requiring lower tonnage would still be created. (Just like I still get FoM missions for 4 samples, Ashar runs for 11 units, and Wesbec runs for 81 units.)

4) I'd like to see introductory NPC, who use same mechanics, but is NPC and finishing mission line unlocks random missions.

5) Flexible System - If you plan more NPC, Similar mechanics could be used to search stolen loot, Crime clues, many other stuff, so system with some flexibility would be nice.

Anyway- I really like your ideas

Thank you!

I assume your 4 and 5 are roughly the same thing.

If you are talking about NPC missions that are Lost Crate missions that are based on salvage rather than combat or derelict exploration (I'm still twitching from snarg missions), I fully agree. This has been brought up in the past, and I would love to see it. This could actually be a whole different thread. It is a little off topic, as I'm trying to to do a different model than the Lost Crate quest. This is a Fill the Gauge quest.

But, yes, i would like to see one or two salvage based Lost Crate NPC's. I think your idea of crime clues and stolen loot is excellent, and would be a natural story arc that would be easy to write.

You could also have a low-end NPC in Feris who is a WSA rep who constantly frets about finishing his job, and this quest chain is essentially salvage 4 ships in Feris, salvage 6 in Feris, salvage 4 in Farpoint, salvage 6 in Farpoint, salvage 8 in Feris, salvage 8 in Ethan, etc. Just give him a chain of ten quests cleaning wrecks in central Sphere. Perhaps the final quest could give the player a ROLF 2....

But, the Fill the Gauge model could also work for an NPC who is paranoid a new incursion will be coming from the Star Control universe, the Arilou will cross dimensional boundaries and shut down human worlds with DMCA copyright infringements. He could start wanting you to get telemetry data from combat drones in Farpoint 1, Farpoint 2, and Feris, then mining drones in Ethan, and so on until you find out that he was kicked out of the BoS because he's crazy.

I would also love to see one or two FoM NPC's that have Lost Crate mining missions: I lost my five remote mining scanner units in Ethan, two Agricola drones went missing in Torc, I had five samples of Mystery Rock that were lost in an explosion while mining in Ichelon, the postal drone with ten copies of "Rexx Fandom" spiraled into the asteroid field of Xellum and the fans are getting angry.

[Slurmewerds]

+1
I'm all for salvaging enhancements

[Slurmewerds]

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