I had an idea a while back, where you sometimes would take random damage (Like when you get cloes to stars) without realizing it. But, it'd only happen to things like shield dispensirs, reactor cores, thrusters, and anything like that. Stuff that makes the ship run.
Anyways, what that would do would create a purpose on larger ships for actual crews, and so you could have decently interesting long voyages on merchant vessels.
Also, somethings that would go hand in hand with this suggestion:
Repair pistols: So you don't have to use a repair drone everything you get a scratch on your ship
AI crews: AI crews that you could hire
Anyways, what that would do would create a purpose on larger ships for actual crews, and so you could have decently interesting long voyages on merchant vessels.
Also, somethings that would go hand in hand with this suggestion:
Repair pistols: So you don't have to use a repair drone everything you get a scratch on your ship
AI crews: AI crews that you could hire