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Author Topic: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.  (Read 11815 times)

Euphytose

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Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« on: February 20, 2016, 12:02:50 PM »

I usually run with transponder off because it apparently works like sugar for wasps, or honey for bears. Lots of small fleets just "attack" me instead of running away and that's free supplies and fuel.

Anyway, at some point I have to unload the loot, and Jangala is my HQ since I'm cooperative with Hegemony. And of course, I always forget to turn the transponder back on, which doesn't go unnoticed for long and someone reminds me that "I won't get off so easily next time". Which also nets me -3 rep, fine.

The problem this time is that I ran into somebody I had already met, so he did the logical thing to do, he actually attacked me, which then got me the hostile status.

Now, considering that I "know some of Hegemony's leaders personally", why would someone like him not immediately ask for pardon for not recognizing me, or something like that? Why do I even get fined for not having the transponder on? "Oh it's you? Ok sorry you can go." I can understand smuggling, but this rule is very annoying. It even got as far as me having the transponder off, turning it back on to quickly help an ongoing battle, and then the fleet I had just helped went back to tell me to turn it on.

When you have access to secure channels of a faction I think they should cut you some slack.
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sarducardun

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2016, 01:22:15 PM »

Running transponder off, yes, it was one of the first tricks I learned in the update, And it should not happen, they shouldn't do that in case you're a pirate if they haven't ID'd you already.

The auto attack is a pain too.
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Dri

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2016, 01:24:49 PM »

Yeah, I had that happen - had transponder off but happened to see a Hegemony fleet in major trouble that I totally saved from death. What happens right after the fight? That fleet I just saved from certain destruction came around and nailed me for some rep loss due to no transponder. I was in Cooperative status too.

There should totally be warning type system where once you get high enough faction rep they'll go: "Oh, its you Mr. Extremely-Valuable-Ally-Who-Has-Done-Many-Bounties-For-Us! Well, we'll let you off with a warning this time but do remember to turn that transponder on next time!"
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Sy

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2016, 01:46:38 PM »

maybe you should be able to get off without a rep hit like once per month or so, at least if you've already got high rep. it would still be a good idea to have it enabled while in allied systems, but it wouldn't be a problem if you forget to turn it on every now and then.

it makes sense that patrols aren't happy to see anyone with disabled transponder, as it makes their job of hunting down pirates and smugglers more difficult, but there are certainly situations where it feels weird.
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Tartiflette

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2016, 03:54:09 PM »

I think it make a lot of sense: Having an fleet of unknown military ships flying in you local space is bound to make a lot of people nervous... The kind you get shot down first and then the inspectors check the wreckage. As a matter of fact, I think the reputation penalty should be much higher, like -20 points. On the other hand I also think the "local space" should be somewhat limited around the markets with a clear visual indication, and maybe the beacon icon should be flashing red once you are inside.
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Sy

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2016, 04:02:38 PM »

yeah, getting a clear visual warning whenever you've got your transponder disabled in allied territory would be very helpful. it would have to only show under rather specific circumstances, though. if it shows all the time while you're somewhere deep in an enemy system, you'll just get used to seeing it and again forget to turn it back on when near allied markets.
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SigilFey

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2016, 05:22:54 PM »

Having a clear visual would perhaps be in order.  Maybe a little blinking red icon or something in a corner of the screen.

I don't think it should hold your hand or auto-enable it, though.  Basically, what the OP is describing is a very sly and dishonest thing to do.  Nothing wrong with that from a gameplay perspective!  But pulling in to dock with an IFF off should definitely carry a stiff penalty.  Viewing it from the perspective of law-enforcement, you're a weasel that's obviously been conducting some shady business somewhere...and now you've brought it into their territory.  Even if they can't prove it, you're not liable to make many friends.

I like the aspect of having to be careful with illegal activity.  One more layer of challenge!
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Achataeon

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2016, 10:25:02 PM »

Maybe a small, yellow exclamation point in the corner that shows that the system authority won't take kindly your running with the transponder off and a red exclamation point for when you are in hostile space. Small and unintrusive that fits on your TriPad.
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BuckCake

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2016, 01:52:10 AM »

I remember this being confusing as *** when I first started playing. Now I just roll with it. It can even be exploited if you have a large pirate fleet, since the transponder checkers will try to start a fight regardless of how many ships they have.
Another way to use it is to lure a fleet into hostile space or feed it to a pirate armada.
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topstalin

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2016, 04:53:54 AM »

I remember this being confusing as *** when I first started playing. Now I just roll with it. It can even be exploited if you have a large pirate fleet, since the transponder checkers will try to start a fight regardless of how many ships they have.
Another way to use it is to lure a fleet into hostile space or feed it to a pirate armada.

What's hidden behind the asterisks, the all three of them? "Ass"? "Confusing as ass"?
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Sy

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2016, 05:40:35 AM »

It can even be exploited if you have a large pirate fleet, since the transponder checkers will try to start a fight regardless of how many ships they have.
i think that's something that needs to be changed. it's fine that patrols check every contact, but a clearly inferior patrol force should still try to disengage when said contact turns openly hostile.
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BuckCake

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2016, 05:42:27 AM »

I remember this being confusing as *** when I first started playing. Now I just roll with it. It can even be exploited if you have a large pirate fleet, since the transponder checkers will try to start a fight regardless of how many ships they have.
Another way to use it is to lure a fleet into hostile space or feed it to a pirate armada.

What's hidden behind the asterisks, the all three of them? "Ass"? "Confusing as ass"?
A Sith version of Notting Hill, starring Sarrah Jessica Parker, a young Jeremy Bulloch and an animated sidekick.
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Sy

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2016, 05:46:24 AM »

A Sith version of Notting Hill, starring Sarrah Jessica Parker, a young Jeremy Bulloch and an animated sidekick.
you're right, that does sound confusing.
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Sy

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2016, 02:21:50 PM »

i don't think factions should ever really be okay with you having your transponder disabled. regardless of your standing, you're still potentially endangering their space by diverting patrol time and attention towards yourself that could otherwise be spent hunting down pirates and smugglers, or even defending against intruding hostile faction fleets.

more importantly, it would almost completely elliminate the need for the player to ever use their transponder again once they've got a high standing with their main faction. i don't think just removing that part of the sensor gameplay is a good idea. if anything, i'd say it needs to be more forgiving early on than it is now, while still providing more of a challenge later on when your fleet is too powerful to be challenged by the vast majority of other fleets around.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2016, 02:24:09 PM by Sy »
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Achataeon

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Re: Hegemony and their "no transponder off" policy.
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2016, 05:37:16 PM »

Maybe tie bounty hunting to missions? Having a bounty hunting mission would grant you the ability to fly "transponder off" around in the system for the duration of the bounty except until you get within a distance of a market, in which case you definitely should go "transponder on"
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