Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I have a skill book some 20 systems away. I really don't care to fly there, though I can. If I had 10000 Tritanium that would take swapping ships to fetch, that might become a really big hassle. So there are two issues with remote possessions: 1) delivery contracts are not a reliable system and, for small cargo, not feasible, 2) they give nothing to the completing character beside ISK and have no role-playing value. My opinion is that every gameplay enhancement should come with that extra "oomph," helping to diversify the world.

I see two solutions, both of which should be in the game. First, a simple computer-controlled delivery service, perhaps as easy as right-clicking on an Asset to show the time and cost (greater for delivery through low-sec systems). This is purely for convenience, because the cost should be prohibitive. The universe's transportation companies - InterBus etc. should do it. It's time they actually transported something and competed with freelance carriers, which is the second option. Here is how all this might work.

1) A player places a contract on the market, just like now. He can choose to have the goods transported through NPC corporate means or invite third-party carriers. There is an ISK cost.

2a) If the player wants it done for the full amount and within the estimated time, there is nothing easier. The delivery time might end up being longer or shorter than through the alternative, depending on how attractive he makes the offer (more lucrative offers presumably will attract attention, and be carried through, quicker). This option should only be available at the transportation companies' stations, which are not hard to find.

2b) If the player would rather save or there is no right office nearby, he can invite third-party carriers. To do that, he specifies what percentage of the calculated ISK price he is ready to pay, up to 100%, and that percentage is shown next to the open offers. It's best to color-code the percentages to make clear to viewers what is more worth taking. (At the core of this is fixed price for transportation. Right now it's impossible to judge quickly whether some contract is worth taking up. Players specify whatever compensation they want, distances vary, it's a mess. Under the new system the calculations would be uniform, but players would still be able to make better or worse offers through the percentages).

3b) The player may demand a collateral or have the failed agent pay the damages. In the second case, the sum will be detracted automatically from the offender's Wallet every time his balance is positive. In other words, money will disappear as soon as it comes in until outstanding debts are paid.

4b) Any number of players may take up an offer. The number of those who have is shown next to it. The first to get the cargo gets to do the work, the rest to feel sorry they weren't quicker.

5b) The player taking up someone's offer may take an extra step. If he is content with getting some of the money and the course looks too risky (deliver to the Stain etc.), he can ask the transportation or insurance NPC corporations to insure the property. What will the insurance cost and what will it cover? This is up to the contracted player. He can promise any percentage of the projected compensation to the NPC, and that's half the percantage of the cost of property the insurance will cover. Obviously this offsets risks and reward in various ways.

An example. Player A wants Tritanium delivered to a system 15 jumps from the pick-up point. The Contract system tells him that it would, through InterBus etc., take 5 hours and cost 100k ISK, there being some tough spots along the way. Player A is not a mogul and he's not close to any such NPC outpost anyway. So instead he puts up a third-party offer at 70%, or 70 k. (There might be a time bonus/penalty as well.) Player B, browsing offers, takes this one up, in part because there are no other takers, it doesn't require a collateral and Player B is confident he can provide. What's a few pirates, anyway? Just as he clicks "Accept", his frigate is blasted. He now has to carry the goods in his shaky old Industrial. Balancing greed with reason, the player visits the local Penn Insurance office and offers them 30%, or 30K, of the compensation. The Tritanium is now ensured at 60% in case anything happens. And it does in the person of killyaall030, the bastard child of 0.0 and naming laissez-aller. Bam! While Player B gets some of the money back, he still owes A 40K, and until he pays, his Wallet will stay dry. If very behindhand, he might lose security status.

There might be an extra feature here, for role-playing and fun. Space is dangerous, and some small percentage of all-NPC deliveries might fail. When that happens, the sender is notified, with apologies, and a mission generated for available InterBus etc. agents, offering capsuleers to go and rescue the goods, now held by pirates. The owner can start a conversation with any NPC agent of the corporation, even if he does not normally have any available, and accept the mission. If it's him who wants to fix this, he will earn loyalty points and a standing increase for helping the corporation save its face as well money back. If another player not only beats the pirates but brings the goods to where they were supposed to go, he will receive 50% of the ISK paid for delivery and his name e-mailed to the owner (for thanking).

What do you all think?

A couple huge gaping issues in your plan here.

First, you're talking about implementing a completely new system just because you don't like using the already existing and perfectly functional system (Hint: contracts work fine for small-volume items and ISK-benefit to the other player is all they need).

Second, unless you're planning on having NPC haulers flying between systems carrying the goods, this will be exploited to no end to transport goods safely with no risk whatsoever. Worried about that 500M implant you're taking to Jita to sell? Dock up 2j away and have a NPC teleport it to Jita for you, completely bypassing any possible risk.

However, if you do have NPC haulers carrying all the goods around, they will be routinely scanned and ganked for their goods, especially near trade hubs. Not to mention the added server load that all of the random NPCs flying from station to station carrying your stuff would add.

Third, your 3b point leaves the door WIDE open for people to roll up an alt, accept a bunch of these assignments, give the goods to their main, and then default on the assignments and biomass and make a new alt.

The core issue with your idea is that what you're suggesting is pretty much just courier contracts, except with NPCs handling transport if players don't get around to it. Couriers already work fine as-is if you know how to use them, so there's really no point at all in adding this.