Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Currently the most common view of smuggling is running capsuleer drugs through high security space. But as it stands it's just a gamble at each gate. That isn't gameplay, that's just rolling the dice.

So how would we expand this? Well Eve is a game of consequences and your choices matter so at the bare minimum we should factor in faction standings and perhaps overall standing into that percentage. Those with higher overall standing would have a better chance of making it through a gate without being found with contraband. This however is still something that forces players to roll the dice, though the dice may be more in their favor.

Smuggler holds could be added to the game to further push things. With skills attached to them they would act in a unique way. They would be a module, preferably a low slot and would add an additional cargo hold to the ship as a percentage of the ships overall cargo space. Objects put into smuggler holds would be much harder to find both by factions AND players utilizing ship/cargo scanners.

How would this work?
A smuggler hold would display as a different low slot module. Either cargo expander, internal nano fibers, inertial stabs or even armor platting. Skills would likely boost the effect of these or allow players to choose what module they falsely represent. This could also simply be displayed via what meta type smuggler hold you have. Smart smugglers could alter their ship fit to further make this look convincing.

How to catch a smuggler.
Their skills and the meta of the smuggler hold are the defense in this case, while cargo/ship scanners are the attack. Depending on the skills with these scanners and their meta level would allow a % chance of discovering that a ship is using a smuggler hold. Those with low skills or meta modules against someone with low to moderate skills for smuggler holds would still see a disguised smuggler hold module, however if they were to look close (likely at module info requiring those scanning to actually manually look) it would mention that either something looks off or straight that it is a smuggler hold. With high skills against a low skilled smuggler you could likely see straight through the disguise. If you discover that they have a smuggler hold in this way a cargo scanner will directly see into the hold. With only a partial find (using the info window to discover it) the cargo scanner will have a very low chance of finding anything hidden within, but if it did it would be mixed with regular cargo contents making it difficult to determine if it's actually smuggled goods or just something the player is holding normally.

Finally how to avoid getting caught at gates.
Given that it is still a random chance to get caught by NPC's even with a smuggler hold and decent skills/standings, there should be something you can do if you get caught. This could be represented via a mini game. This however is something I am unsure of how to approach. CCP did a decent job with the hacking mini game so perhaps something similar could work here. Then again with new skills and modules to help reduce the chance of getting caught it might not be needed as that could be enough defense.

With that said I feel however that players should further be able to affect their chances at gates with customs officers either through bribing or gaining a global suspect tag if they choose to try and gate crash. Even gaining some kind of rapport with customs officials either negative or positive through some kind of interaction. This could apply for those hunting smugglers as well by having some sort of smuggler report system if a player were to find another player with illegal cargo.

BR's are not immune to NPC cargo scans. Further flying a BR is announcing that you have things you don't want found where as this idea opens up a whole new section of game play for other ships. Hell they could receive a heavy bonus to this which could be as good or better game play wise then their current cargo scanner immunity.

Also smuggling could simply be the act of moving valuable cargo through areas where ganking is common.

How about a Shielded Cargo Container? It would be 2,000m3 on the outside and 500m3 on the inside (very thick lead shielding!) and reduce the chances of a scan detecting the contents by some percentage. Maybe ~95%ish.

There was talk years ago of getting rid of the customs NPCs and replacing them with player tools. I hope they'll get around to doing that some day.

Even just adjusting it so that you get a global suspect timer would be a better option then what is currently in the game. However it doesn't help players trying to smuggle goods under the nose of other players though.

Just change it so the NPC's have to lock you first then scan you.
That makes it so fast ships that are alert can actually 'smuggle' by running the gates.

I would take care of modules. I proposed a tree of them recently. Smuggling could become a real profession.
https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=386015

Also LP-Stores of Syndicate, Thukker Tribe, ORE and maybe Interbus could get some new items:
https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=348950

There are 2 ways possible:
1. no prestated immunity against scanning, but ship boni for scan avoidance. (comparable to warp stab / warp blocker)
There are Syndicate modules to increase scan immunity and Fed. Customs cargo scanner which can beat them.

2. Small Syndicate ships (frigate and cruiser size) which have unscannable cargos too.
These ships should be fast but weak in defense.
Other big ships might be scannable but extremely hard to kill (heavy defense, weak offense)

In order to avoid the use of gates, very small ships (frig size, extremely low sig radius) can have a builtin "Syndicate Small Covert OPs Jumpdrive" using fuel, affected by fatigue. Only frigate sized mini haulers can use it. They are not affected by jumpdrive jammers.

Also "Syndicate audit log secure self-destructable containers" could be a solution. Cargo capacity should be 60% of container size in m³.
- +2 scan avoidance or unscannable
- can be anchored in space
- a failed hacking attempt or shoot it will result in an explosion what destroys all content and might give collateral damage at 5km range
- if dropped from cargo they will keep closed

There are a lot more ideas in order to make smuggling more interesting.

then it's a good thing BRs don't have to use gates...