What the heck is a death penalty? Is death really the only way of negotiating with players right now anyway?

Most of those types of things would be fodder for an expansion pack, or sequel. for apatch, the only thing I can think of is a server option to turn of pvp in certain areas (like Liberty). Even then I don't know how tough that would be.

ER

2 things....

Personally...I hate the idea of a death penalty...but I think it would be a good add on....

And Second....I have been seeing the term "PK". I have been assuming it's rookie bashing...or specifically targeting people in a lesser ship/lower level. This SHOULD be banned...It's not fair.

Imagine....Mike Tyson in a boxing match with a 5 year old.....

In general...I agree with the ideas.

Weapons are fine the way they are...Just need to add level 10 turrets and lower the prices for missiles and other ammo...They are just too high...I've been finding myself avoiding them....because I can never afford to buy more then a couple.

There should be different levels of Shield batts...and Nano Probes....Cuz when you have a ship with a couple thousand points of armor....hit the boosters once, and at least half of the boosters are gone, even when you have a ship that carries 63 (Eagle without cheats) Of course...Price would have to increase with those levels...

Say something like this:

Shield Booster 1-Normal $200
SB 2 $400 (Double recharge amount)
SB 3 $600 (Triple)

Etc. Same for Nano Bots. But make it that you can only buy one type at a time...and make a level requirement, just like ships and weapons. If it was possible, also make it so that they increase in size also...like a lvl 2 booster takes 2 slots...so if you can carry 12 (like the Rhino) you can only carry 6 lvl 2 boosters....

Just a thought...

-Arg



-Narf

I would like to see more mission variety, and I like the idea of a changing economy, one where commodity values would change based upon your actions in the game.
I like the idea of bounties, not as missions, but if you are out flying around and you find a guy, maybe you could get a message saying that there is a bounty on him.
This probably won't happen, but I would like to be able to join a faction, and have their allies and enemies. (I really want to be a bounty hunter) Also, if you were a member of a faction, maybe you could get discounts on their bases or their ally's bases.
Finally, I would like to be able to personalize my ship... I don't mean build it from the ground up, but maybe have the option to paint it different colors, like you can find in most car racing simulations like the NFS series. Also, I would like to be able to put some decals on my ship, a big flaming skull on the wing would kind of add to the aura of a nice bounty hunter ship.

Hmmm

For those that have played Mechwarrior 4...That game has the ability to paint the mech, and also put custom decals on it (Haven't figured out the custom decal yet tho)

Mechwarrior 4's a MS game...So why can't this game have that option.

-Narf

yeah i got mech 4 and the painting is cool. Would be good for clans on Freelancer you could paint all the same colour then you would all look cool

My biggest suggestion to DA would be more variety in missions. The biggest feature mentioned about the game prior to its release was the fact that you could choose your own destiny. In fact, the box itself lists 6 different "professions" you can pursue; (I can't remember them right now and I'm at work so I can't check my box). The official website even touts that you can become a lane hacker, pirate, policeman, etc. Microsoft really makes the game sound open-ended, which I think is their main selling point.

The problem is that the missions do not really reflect this. When it comes right down to it, there is only ONE kind of mission; blow up ships. The game would be so much better if DA simply added more types of missions.

Now, I am not a programmer, but I do have a reasonable amount of computer knowledge (as many gamers do), and it doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to add a variety of missions including cargo deliveries, passenger deliveries, recon missions, etc. Nothing fancy, but it would add a little more variety to the game and would give players that true "freelancer" feel. The merchant player would be able to take missions for carrying goods or smuggling equipment and drugs. The bounty hunter player could assassinate or (even better) capture and return notorious criminals. The navy/police player could do recon missions, scouting missions and, of course, combat missions. The pirate player could get missions from the "bad guys" of the game to attack certain freighters, steal certain cargo, disrupt certain convoys or trade lanes. The possibilities are endless and it would only take DA designing 5 or 6 different mission "templates" and throwing in some random variables like they do with the "blow up ships" missions.

The game is awesome, but I think it would be truer to the "freelancer" spirit if there were more variety of missions.

My 2 cents...

Wap

Some nice features...

More and better custom filters for multiplayer selection. First and foremost - being able to use regular expressions to match a specific server or group of servers you want to connect to.

Second, let the players define their 'favorite' servers a little better. This can be done two ways. First off, when you are on a server, give the option to 'remember it.' Then, when you go to search for a server to connect to, do like in Jedi Knight 2 where you can look either on the global server for a game or only poll your 'remembered' servers to see if any are online and list only them. Another option that would be nice here is allowing players to enter the server they want to via an in-game dialog box where you could specify things like ip and port without having to screw with the shortcut files. Put these ones on your 'remembered' or 'preferred' list and do like above where you can search through only those ones.

Aside from that, what other people have said here about random missions would be awesome. From what I can see of the game and from my coding experience, assuming they had a good model for the game and didn't hack it together, it *should* be relatively easy to add in new mission types such as the ones mentioned here. To add to the list, I'd like to see higher level missions where, if you were doing a mission for one of the Navys, you could get not only fighter support, but capital ship support. Imagine blazing away at a Xeno compound with 10 wings of defenders that deploy throughout the mission while 2 wings of Navy fighters support you and a battleship takes on the base...

Another thing that would be nice, and which was mentioned above as well, would be a more realistic economic model. There is nothing here that accounts for something as simple as supply and demand. Now, I will say this in Digital Anvil's defense - the amount of cargo a single fighter is insignifigant when compared to the 60,000 in the trade convoy ships, but still, a bit more fluctuation in prices would be nice.

I'd also like to see some expansion regarding the Hispania. It's kinda glossed over in story mode, but it should be easy for them to put together say 5 or 6 story type missions dealing with their descendants. Following along with this idea, it'd be really cool to see several different 'stories' you could access by flying around to different bases and talking to people. Then you don't have one overriding story, but you've got mini-campaigns that you can do at your leisure.

I'd also like to see more things to do in MP, especially that race! Imagine if you could race NPCs or even other PCs and place bets on who would win and stuff. I can't think of any original ideas for this off the top of my head, but it would flesh out MP some and gives things for people to do other than run trade routes for insane amounts of cash, kill xenos, or kill other players...

All that is gold does not glitter
Not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
--JRR Tolkien

Yah races would be kick ass.

Those transports do carry a lot but they should not really affect the economy cuz if they do, then you wont sell or buy anything worth while, it would defeat the point. The transports should be for pirating and stuff.

Races would not kick ass for those of us who had trouble with mission 6 in the Single Player (the race with Hovus)

I for one, use a track ball...and will NOT switch to a mouse.

Even if I had a mouse, I have never been able to fly accurately enough to traverse a ring course. Lose the rings...and it would be ok.

Maybe a demolition derby instead?

-Arg

-Narf

Nobody would ask you to participate in such missions/competitions. ALso trackball is not good for gaming, its not accurate enough. Get a 10 dollar mouse.

I finished Freelancer and found that it was actually somewhat better than I expected. I'm sure everybody's sick to death of the Joystick issue, but me personally....i think it would have been nice. And should have been made an option at the very least. my 2 cents.

I was digging around my desk looking for some other space sims and found a little possibly unknown space sim called X-Beyond the frontier. (german published game...i think) I'd bought it about 8 months ago, along with its expansion pack X-tension. Getting to the point, the games space combat sucked harder than....well ...let your imagination run with that one. Stiff, unforgiving control and rather bland weapons were the on the menu for this part of the game.

Yes getting to the point. What made this game incredible was the fact that you could build and OPERATE your own space stations. Everything from mining bases, to shield and weapon facilities. Combined with a verry intricate trade model and reeeeeally vast systems( i think over 50 or so...forgot so dont quote me) You could own and command your own shipping fleet. Comanding transport XYZ( you could name them too) to pick up a large order of power cells and deliver them to your silicon production facility in the Velcro system (made that up but you get the point)

You had your own wingmen to protect your ships as well as your self...or you could embark on a pirate raid on several stations...the possibilites were endless.

I was hoping that someone would incorporate this same idea(s) in a fan made expansion pack. Imagine controling your own stations, buidling a fleet of transports and reaping the mucho cheddah from that!!!!

Something else I noticed. Where are the guilds? Is there a base you can sign up and join each of the guilds or is it limited to just blasting as many Corsairs to become a member/ally of the Bounty Hunter guild? I miss that in Privateer. I also loved all the cool contraband that the game had. Correct me if I'm wrong but...where the heck is it in this game? I thought we were supposed to be able to trade that stuff? Somebody PLEASE add that to the wish list for a possible add-on/ex.pack.

*please insert clever signature here*

I'll agree with WapCaplet 100%!

Let me also add that I'd like to see the different equipment upgrades that were once planned for the game put back in, the ability to add decals to your ships and something to spend your money on after you've gotten the best ship/weapons/ etc. Maybe the ability to build your own outpost, or buy a planet and build bases on it. Something!

And how about putting those great ships & weapons somewhere that you don't have to be friendly with the Pirates to get them?

And, just as a suggestion for different mission types, why not have a contact for "The Order" show up in the Manhatten bar once in a while with missions to go out and kill some Nomads that have showed up in system such & such? It would give more challenge to the game, while giving the "feeling" that the main campaign is continuing. As already mentioned, they could make a couple of "Templates", so every mission wouldn't be exactly the same.

Ok you NEED those cruiser ships they would fit in the trade janes and jump gates. There in the sp fighting alot why nmot let us fly them. Also i think owning your own station would be good. Make the game a lot longer maby get different defence grids for your base. I dunno but we NEED the cruisers.

If I could have just one feature added to this game it would be the ability to purchase and pilot capital ships. I just love it when I get behind the captain's chair of a super huge ship crammed to the brink with overwhelming firepower. Remember, bigger is better. I also lke the idea of owning a base. Think, you could have your own base in some system and have other players come and dock. Maybe have your own little economy inside your base, like choosing what commodities, equipment, or ships you can sell at your base for other players to buy. That would bring a totally new way of earning credits to the game and bring in more variety.

Also, new equipment would be nice. I'd like to buy a new engine that could actually increase my ship's normal/cruise speed, or maneuvering thrusters that could help my ship take sharper turns (maybe restrict them to light fighters to give them an advantage over the heavy and very heavy fighters). Custom decals and paint is a nice idea to, I wanna feel unique rather than just another Joe flying an Eagle.

My main thing, as I mentioned earlier, is that capital ships should play a larger role! Maybe not just the player being able to buy and pilot one but also having the computer use them more to. In SP I just loved to make strafing runs against capital ships. It was nice to see how my tiny little fighter beat the total crud out of a huge heavy cruiser. I'd also like to see the factions (in MP) attack the other factions with cap ships. I like to fly between two groups of cap ships right in the center of their fire, dodging it and then returning with my own weapons. The battles would be more action-packed if they had cap ships and not just fighters.

Just to add my little comment to this:

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ALso trackball is not good for gaming, its not accurate enough.

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I use a trackball and I personaly have found it more accurate than any standard mouse I've ever used. I beat Hovis in the race my first attempt without having any problems moving through the rings.