2. None of these generic cannons. Sure, they may have cool names, but they're all practically the same. Gimme a Nova cannon or a Scatterbeam anyday...

3. Better looking ships. 'Nuff said. I don't care for the Noveau art stylings much.

1. Improve ship upgrades i.e. 2D top down where you can select what gun mounting gets what gun, generally... more like Privateer. Different armor classes, and the fact that you NEED to buy stuff like errr... not being able to go to an enemy stronghold without levelx armor, 2 thruster packs, 3 ion cannons, class3 repair driod etc...

2. 3D star map. I like to see where I am in Space. I'd also like to have seen an option to buy star charts for your computer like in PR1.

3. Better hail system so you can talk to other AI NPCs

4. Make the ships look a bit sleeker

5. More mission varieties, like Cargo Run, Escort, Taxi, Joint efforts to blow up a base, Annual race course events (trade lane courses - would be INTERESTING).

6. Varying ship statistics i.e. ships have different ROTs, Top speeds, Thruster speeds, Pitch, Roll etc...

7. Manual Roll - and the option to re-instate the joystick if you want to.

8. Distress beacon - ones you can pick up yourself, or (for luring in the unsuspecting) a beacon you can use yourself.

9. More of the ship cockpit. Somebody said "flying spreadsheet" earlier... I LMAO... because it's true.

10. Ability to see what sub-target you have chosen via a [ box around it like in all other space sims.

11. Docking and trajectory lines like in Elite iWar and Edge of Chaos/iWar2.

12. Remove Nanobots and shield batteries. Have a repair driod instead so that repairing takes more time and you must lay away somewhere like badlands, debris field or asteriod field. Strip Shield batteries and allow user to purchase "shield regenerators" in different levels - obviously the better the level the faster the re-gen.

13. Remove the NO-FUEL thing, and put it back... it's stupid that you can fly forever with thrust on full. Besides I often like using my thrusters sparingly but now I can just use it whenever and it's no fun (so I dont use it - even though it's there... which annoys me still... i cant win this thruster thing).

14. Tractor beam looks cr.p I like the good ol' blue bubble effect, and they should have removed the ability to tractor in a lot of items at the same time.

15. Ability to manually dock when the docking port is external on a space station.

16. Investing money into companies like stock options... putting money in the LSF would make you more friendly.

17. Being abble to blow up pockets of gas in a nebula or badlands.

18. Put back some of those FMV sequences... I used to love landing on Perry (PR1) because my centurion looked so damn nice pulling into this futuristic station. And on PR2 landing on that nice looking planet with the errr... train that goes by... err...

19. Going into formation with a cargo ship would result in them opening hail channel with you asking wtf you are doing... and you can either ignore, repsond with "im here to help", "gimmie your damn loot", "im just along for the ride"... helping them out against hostiles would make them more friendly and you get a "phew, thanks partner".

20. Ability to hire wingmen/wingwomen errr...

Okay basically. I dont have the game, but I have played the demo to death and been reading this forum for quite some time... what I just realised is I want Elite Frontier, iWar and most importantly Privateer 1 and 2 combined and given the graphics Engine Freelancer uses.

Kip.

*tractor beam fail

that's a good list kip.
I'll really appreicated more expansive and unique upgrade options each ships. Dramatic random missions. But keep the arcadely actions.

Wow, that list covers pretty much all I could want from this game. Particularly the part with all ships being equally fast. Otherwise, that list pretty much states my opinion of what could be improved, but I'd like to add a point..
The ability to name your character and most importantly, your ship. For audio purposes, ("Freelancer A1-1, cleared to land." you could be able to select a codename from a list, for example. Or they could just but it out. Anyway, naming them both, and also customizing your character's appearance, age, gender, birthplace, etc. Maybe even add an option to pay someone to "spraypaint" your ships (Did anyone else think the blood dragons' ships looked kinda cool? Imagine a blood-red Eagle )
All these things are extremely easy to code, also those on the other list. Hell, they've already done a lot of the things mentioned, only for NPCs, though.
They could really tune this game up to be extraordinary, but I have a feeling they won't. Ever.

1.) Swarm missiles

2.) Defensive/Offensive drones for freighters, takes up cargo space when not deployed

3.) Better mining system, maybe mining drones that do the work for you, and takes up cargo space when not deployed.

4.) Better looking ships, heck, hire me to design the ships, I bet I can do a better job

5.) Custom paint job or Insignia, or both.

These are features I think would have made Freelancer an even better game.

1. The ability to rise in ranks within factions "Morrowind style". Some might argue that this isn't "Freelancer" like, but most freelancers probably work for organisations, just on a contract basis instead of as an employment. You could join the navy or the order and get higher ranks from combat missions or join the shipping/mining organisations and gain ranks by doing cargo missions. Mabye ships could be "unlocked" by reaching certain ranks (instead of just a level requirement).

2. The ability to own more than one ship. Even if you could only control one at one time, having a simple "hangar" somewhere would be a nice alternative, that way people could get both a maxed out combat ship and keep a cargo ship "on ice" for some cargo missions now and then. It could also make the game last longer as people perhaps would collect ships. Mabye you could rent space for storing ships at the shipyards.

3. Larger cargo ships. The largest cargo capacity is 275, with the arguably best cargo ship at 250. Given that the VHF class ships have 70 cargo capacity, this seems rather small for ships completely designed for cargo transport. For comparison, imagine if a 747 had four times the cargo space of a fighter jet.

4. Some sort of large scale economy alternatives. Perhaps space station building, buying shares in companies (or taking them over entirely), etc.

5. More complex ship design. More variables adjustable by the player through upgrades.

EDIT: just noticed that my #2 was the original post, ignore it.


Edited by - Lemlestarn on 11-03-2003 15:10:48

The price tag 30 quid for a crap game is abit much

Wars not about whos right its about whos left

"I don't care for the Noveau art stylings much."

That 'Noveau art' stuff is courtesy of Carlos Sanchez Ezquerra, probably the greatest graphic novel artist of our time. And we're darned lucky to get him.

Edited by - Beery on 11-03-2003 15:26:33

"Remove the NO-FUEL thing, and put it back... it's stupid that you can fly forever with thrust on full."

Erm... in space you CAN fly forever at speed. The ships aren't really usaing fuel when they're at full speed.

Proposed changes and or additions
1.) Quests, Require you to accomplish multiple tasks with excellent faction.
Example: You see the new Liberty “Very Heavy Fighter” but you can’t buy it.
A.) You have to complete 20 non job board missions, given out by the people in the bar, for the Police,
Then you get special mission – reward is a single special item
Example: is a Highly efficient mid level weapon.
You are now flagged for next Liberty Mission
B.) You are sent to the Liberty research institute, and you complete 20 non job board missions.
Then you get a special mission – reward – you are allowed to purchase a single special item at that base.
Example: is a shield enhancer.
You are now flagged for next Liberty mission
C.) You are sent to a Military base in toughest Liberty zone, and you complete 20 non job board missions.
Then you get a special mission – reward – you are able to purchase the “Very Heavy Fighter”
You have now been flagged as finishing Liberty System Quests
2.) Quest Items Like above can be done for every Major and Minor House. Minor House might result in a Cargo pod or EMP turret which can be mounted on your hard point.
3.) After you have completed the quests for major or minor houses and you faction is at least neutral to those, you could be approached by the Order for a final quest resulting in a Prototype weapon to use against the Aliens.
4.) Also, as the Quests are completed the game environment can change.
a.) New jump gates completed to boarder systems.
b.) Local Base destroyed in Police quest mission is rebuilt when Military quest mission is done.
c.) After you help the Liberty Research Institute develop that new ???tron shield, the local authorities should be using it.
5.) Items from Fights. The only way you can get that highly efficient military grade weapon, shield or engine is to pry it out of their dead fingers. Of course the drop rate should be 1 in 100. In 32 nomad kills I got five cannons and two blasters, way to easy.
6.) More realistic fights, one Eagle should not be able to take on eight Titans.
a.) The NPC should follow the same rules as you. If you need to be level 30 to purchase that ship then any NPC in that ship should be at least a level 30.
b.) NPC Patrols should have two ships, Escorts have three, Raiding parties have four, Strike forces have eight and so on.
c.) NPC Shields should regenerate
7.) Increase the cost of high end equipment and ships by a factor of 10. The prices of the perishables are currently in line.
8.) Provide a variety of types of missions. Bounty, patrol, escort, transport and etc..
9.) Increase the equipment that can be modified or added. See Privateer 1 for ideas.
10.) Allow for the purchase of a single base. No personal required
a.) Cannot be destroyed.
b.) Price depends on capacity, three sizes 200, 500 and 1000, to hold excess loot.
c.) A single Tax bill upon construction, Cost varies on Location.
d.) Can hold one other ship, you must return to your base to switch. I know this means that your character becomes your avatar instead of your ship. I think it gives you greater game playability.
e.) Only has three screens, Ship, weapon and cargo “Selection”.
11.) I hear all about these bomb making terrorists, but no one takes the missions. If you decline too many of these types of missions, let them blow up a trade lane ring once in a while. Of course after a certain number of missions it will be repaired.
12.) If a Pirate base is built in the area and you turn down the mission to destroy it, let there be a temporary increase in trade lane disruptions.
13.) For the Ladies, allow for the role changes Juni can be the Freelancer and Trent can be the Liberty operative.
14.) Provide some sort of tough quest to expand the number of systems.
Example: finish the Order Quest and get a jump gate key to explore half a dozen or so more systems.

Things I really liked:
1.) The variety/quantity of systems and planets to explore
2.) The Flight engine was very smooth for me.
3.) Facial animations

Things I expected
1.) more planet or station detail
2.) More equipment options
3.) It to take longer to get to level 38

Things I hated
1.) Hand gestures, they got old very fast
2.) Not enough time between the Story line missions


Edited by - Sotl on 01-04-2003 18:31:48

Edited by - Sotl on 01-04-2003 18:33:04

What i meant about remove the fuel thing is that you have no need to refuel your thrusters or pay for the cost of fuel. In space if you hit your thrusters and keep them on you're speed will increase exponentially and you will go forever (or at least until you hit something or disintergrate).

Kip.

*tractor beam fail

***Since this topic pops up daily I have a standard reply prepared. ***


My "wish list"...


1. Dynamic Trading
Mostly only for MP reasons, but would still add playing time and options to the SP game as well...to stop the "start at midnight, rich by 1AM" style of playing.
If I sit outside a planet and destroy every ship trying to land there I would expect to see them run out of some goods and start offering more cash for any shipments which may make it through...the players shipments may not make much difference in an economy, but those cargo haulers with 1,000,000 tons of goods never reaching dock sure seem like they should.

2. Multiple Ship Ownership.
Yeah, I am a "freelancer", that still doesn't explain why I can only own one ship.
So, I don't "belong" to any "faction". That means I can't rent a space at a port to store an extra ship or two?
The whole idea of being a "freelancer" is being able to take whatever job you want to and take it whenever you want to take it.
Having to sell off "ship a" and all it's gear just top buy "ship b" and all it's needed gear to take a different style job for a while seems rather stupid for any rational mind to accept.

3. TRUE differences in ships.
Even just allowing the upgrades that have been disabled in the game to again be purchased and used. To allow ships to handle better, go faster, fight better, defend better, whatever the owner really wants them to do best.
Right now I see very little difference between most ships in the game...which is why you usually see the same ship being used by every player at any given level...boring.
Any time you can SO easily say what the "best" ship is and what it's "best" selection of "add-ons" is and don't even have anyone debating it...well it just says to me that there are some things wrong.

4. MORE OPTIONS
Basic options.
Like difficulty sliders/toggles that;

a) Stops the "Meet Juni At Manhattan" type of messages that flash every 3 minutes in BIG BOLD LETTERS across the middle of the screen. For God's sake, why did they bother to even put the journal in if they were just going to hold your hand through the whole campaign and remind you every 3 minutes anyway? If I want to know what to do next in the SP game I will check the damed journal, I don't need to be NAGGED about it.
If my woman kept telling me "You should vaccuum!" every three minutes I would gag her, lock her in the closet, and leave her there for the night!

b) Stop waypoints from being made for EVERY MISSION. I am not an idiot and I think most other players aren't either. If the mission description says to go to area "4C" I think I can find it without somebody holding my hand and guiding striaght to the mission location of putting waypoints up for me so all I have to do is keep hitting F2 or F3 until I get there.
*I* think it may even be fun to just be told "Go kill 'Joe X'. We THINK he may be in the New York system" and have to actually WORK to find the target, and EARN the reward.

c) Adjusts starting faction reputations. Sometimes you want to start the game friendly to people just to have it easier, other times you may want to start the game without everybody being your friend. I personally HATE being so friendly with so many factions in the SP game, I would rather have to earn their trust than have it just given to me. If this means I have to wait a while to meet Juni someplace because they won't let me land yet...GREAT! It makes the game last LONGER.

d) Adjusts damge given/received. It already seems to be an option, but they never tied it INTO the choosable otions. It is in the PerfOptions file though. Just needs some refining and installation finished.

e) Turns off the "turret view" on-screen notification, the "mouse flight" on-screen notification, etc. All that crap doesn't need to be shown all the time. I think we know what "modes" we are in without the being written there for us like we are morons.

f) Actually TURNS OFF the HUD section at the top center, instead of just making it a "rollover" pop-up type of thing. It is nothing but annoying to turn it off and still have it popping up to obstruct my view whenever I try to target something in that area of the screen.
Plus, anyone whom has played for more than ten minutes seems to use KEYSTROKES for those actions anyways. We should be able to TOTALLY disable the damned thing, not just make it "auto-hide".

5. Join a Faction
It is VERY rediculous to believe that the player is the ONLY person in the ENTIRE Sirius System wchich is not aligned with a faction.
Saying "it's called freelancer" is NO excuse.
I have DONE "freelance" work, and MANY times it leads to being HIRED PERMANENTLY!
If nothing else there should AT LEAST be OTHER "freelancers" flying around for the player to meet in the game. Seeing only people which belong to large groups makes one feel more like a pariah than a freelancer.

6. FIX MULTIPLAYER!!!
They need to have the server run from a SEPARATE set of INI files, and ONLY from the SERVERSIDE set of INI files!
This would not only help make the game more cheatproof, but would also make it easier for server hosts to run "Mods" on their servers without the "mods" also affecting any SP games they may play from the same machine.

7. Missions
Put all the ones they reportedly took out for being "uneccessary" back in.
Period.

8. Bounty Board
The "News" board chould also have a "Outstanding Bounties" alert section.
This would list NPCs, and even PLAYERS in a MP game, which have been breaking laws(Killing Pilots, Caught Smuggling, etc) in the current system, and list what the reward is for "bringing them to justice".
There wouldn't need to be any "accepting" these missions. Just the next person/NPC that kills the listed criminal would recive the reward posted automatically, and recieve a message saying so.
Players could even be allowed to post such bounties on other players. It would just add a lot of depth to the game in my opinion...it has in other games I have played.

9. Death PENALTIES
In MP there SHOULD be REAL PENALTIES to being killed. As it is right now you just respawn at a base with full health. Seems more like a reward to be honest. Oh yeah, you lose whatever cargo/unequiped weapons you were carrying, big deal. That is only a penalty to players that run cargo. It does NOT penalize those players which mainly attack other players....they rarely carry anything they will lose.
I think it should take an amount of your cash on hand equal to the value of the ship and it's equipment you had when you died, to pay for a new ship/equipment of the same type you had. And, if you do not have enough cash it should put you on the base(The last one you were on that sold any ships.) with NO ship, and you must buy what ever one is there which you can afford and whatever equipment you can afford....if you cannot afford any then you must start over, it is essentially true "death".
IF the "multiple ship ownership" was also added then it should just send you back to the base where you store your other ships, whichever base is closest if you have ships at more than one base.


Anyway, they are the main ones on my "wish list".
I don't think ANY will ever "come true".
I still enjoy the game though, but there is no such thing as perfection.



Later,


Pyrate Dredd

Some of these may have already been mentioned, but since I'm just spilling my brain out here, I don't really want to bother with cross-checking.

- Better interaction with NPC's :
Sending distress signals, answering distress signals, demanding cargo, NPC acknowledging help you provide, escort formation for full length of their route (across systems and all), requesting escort.

- Other freelancers :
NPC's just doing their own thing. Flying around attacking ships, escorting non-affiliated-with transports, bargaining with the player, and vice versa, for help in an assault, etc. Besides, being "Freelancer Alpha 1-1" seems to suggest there'd be others...

- More customization :
Engine, power source, repair droids, tractor beams (single-object/multi-object,range differences,power consumption differences), armor classes.

- Space dynamics :
Small, destroyable bases pop up every now and then for various groups. They also disappear every now and then to indicate battles between other forces. Destroyed ships (like those marked with X's on the map) should pop up every now and then with a story based on the factions of the area.

More to come, I'm sure...

Agree on lots of this. Especially the own more than one ship thing. It could also be a great RPG element in that you could:

a) use your credits to buy a hanger on one of the big bases, the easy but expensive option with the downside that you will be close to police patrols

b) locate small bases owned by NPCs out in the dust clouds/asteroid fields etc. To get ownership of one of these bases you'd need to undertake a series of missions for the owner - the old RPG side/mini quest. These bases would be near jump holes and away from police patrol routes.

Not only would you be able to keep a second ship in your new base BUT you could also keep a limited supply of cargo there too, allowing you to buy stuff cheap when you find a good source, and then stock pile it until you find the best selling location.

And if prices were dynamic, i.e. fluctuated then choosing what to sell, when and where would become a nice challenge.

Edited by - dmwnz on 11-03-2003 21:36:59