Trading Guild Cargo Shipments/NPC interaction?

[generalBLT13]

Implementation
My idea is that is that a system for ordering cargo from the trading guild be implemented. There are two ways to do this:
-A new block being added, a communication terminal.
-A new function added to the GUI, this would remove the need to buy/craft the block.

Function
With this function you could order cargo shipments from the Trading Guild. This function could also be used to hire armed escorts/wingman Etc. Once you have placed your order (including delivery coordinates) the trading guild will dispatch a cargo ship with an armed escort from one of their stations. The cost of the cargo service would be based of 3 factors:
-The value/amount of the cargo at hand.
-The Armed escort size, a slider can be added to give this a custom setting.
-Distance traveled.
Each cargo transport would have a limit on the value of the cargo it can carry, this is so that players couldn't camp cargo transports in capital ships for easy resources. Another way to counter that could be a bounty system.

NPC Interaction
Whilst the cargo ship is in transit it can either be ambushed by players or pirates. You might happen to exit jumpdrive and be in a battle between the Trading Guild and Pirates (Trading guild could send reinforcements during hijacks for longer, more epic battles), or you could exit into what once was a fleet but now a ship graveyard. If the transport is destroyed in one of these conflict the Trading Guild will send a message back to the customer letting them know they won't be getting their supplies. This offers Risk VS Convenience.

Aside from players ordering cargo, the trading guild could also send cargo shipments between their stations, which could also be ambushed, but doing so could put a bounty on you.

One problem that might occur is sectors loading and unloading, how would this work?

Just calculate not loaded sectors statistically.

Add timestamps {earliest, maxTime} to these sectors when the ships will be inside this sector.
Calculate jump points only whenever a sector is changed.

Schedule actions with a global scheduler rather than continuously check whether ALL actions are active or not right now.

-Thanks NeonSturm

This is all i have to suggest for now and it would be awesome if we could expand this idea because i think it would add a great new aspect to the game.

(special thanks to SandBag for some of the ideas)

-generalBLT

 

[Zackey_TNT]

Yes we need this, Shops are stupid long towers and should be nerf. Pls SerB nerf the shop towers

 

[iceman6491]

Here, take all of my yaaaaassss

I wouldnt say replace the need for doing away with shops however. As if you made the block you mentioned expensive, then you would still need to visit shops early on and also would provide a less risky to hijack method of getting supplies (take a trip to the shops in your titan ) but with that would come added inconvenience as opposed to ordering up said supplies. Although to make this work shops would need to be less frequent. Or would you replace the shops with the Trade Guild 'station' you mention?

 

[generalBLT13]

Here, take all of my yaaaaassss

I wouldnt say replace the need for doing away with shops however. As if you made the block you mentioned expensive, then you would still need to visit shops early on and also would provide a less risky to hijack method of getting supplies (take a trip to the shops in your titan ) but with that would come added inconvenience as opposed to ordering up said supplies. Although to make this work shops would need to be less frequent. Or would you replace the shops with the Trade Guild 'station' you mention?

Nice, i just added that into the thread

 

[NeonSturm]

One problem that might occur is sectors loading and unloading, how would this work?

Just calculate not loaded sectors statistically.

Add timestamps {earliest, maxTime} to these sectors when the ships will be inside this sector.
Calculate jump points only whenever a sector is changed.

Schedule actions with a global scheduler rather than continuously check whether ALL actions are active or not right now.