NPC Crew Repairs

[Micro753]

With upcoming NPC crew additions, I have a suggestion for another benefit to having them on a ship:

Shipyards are capable of fixing damaged ships using a design, but having shipyards require a station. For nomadic players, or for ships too big for shipyards, allow NPC crew members to repair ships from a blueprint of the ship. I don't know what the plan for blueprints are in the future, but if they are going to be removed in favor of shipyards replacing their function, then this could be their new purpose.

How it would work:

After a battle, the ship would have to be put in a state similar to reboot; you can't fly it or use any of its systems (let's call this repair mode for now). While in repair mode, you would give a copy of the ship's blueprint to an NPC who is in charge of others. (You would assign NPCs to the repair group in a menu similar to the fleets menu, with the NPC at the top of the list being the one you give the blueprint to.) You would then give the group an order the same way you would give orders to a fleet; in the new menu. When ordered to repair, the NPCs in the group will take blocks out of any storage on the ship and start replacing missing blocks, and they would use healing beams to repair damaged ones. If the ship is not in repair mode, then they will do nothing.

If the ship is attacked while in repair mode, you would have to take it out of repair mode to fight back. Turrets will not work while in repair mode (the same should be done for turrets in reboot mode if that is not already the case). Taking the ship out of repair mode will take time (maybe the same as a reboot), so make sure you are safely away from hostiles before attempting repairs.

 

[Cornedo]

I'd make it so they can use healing beams anytime, repair mode would just be for replacing destroyed blocks.

 

[terra mining corp.]

I'd make it so they can use healing beams anytime, repair mode would just be for replacing destroyed blocks.

This could lead to npc's leaving ship in battle to repair armor and getting shot off, it should be a separate order though.

 

[NeonSturm]

If you had 2 armour plates, can you repair the one not facing the enemy ship while engaging in combat?

If repairing sub-entities would not put the master-entity in repair-mode.
Else, I would de-pair the entities and re-pair them before I move.

 

[stealthyninja235]

I'd love to see emergency repair teams or something like that to plug the hole in your ship. It doesn't have to be strong, but it should provide an extra little bit of defense, also encouraging people to have more crew.

 

[jayman38]

Scifi ships are frequently repaired while "under way", and even while in combat. As long as individual NPCs can't repair too quickly, and as long as NPC repair numbers are kept under control, I don't think the ship needs to go into reboot mode while being repaired slowly by NPCs. The key is that the NPCs are slow, to avoid ships that regenerate faster than they can be damaged.

 

[kiddan]

I like this idea, it could totally fit-in with the mentioned crew morale, too! Repairmen would stop working if their morale got too low (from fellow repairmen dying, low wages, etc).