Escape pods for Vipers?

[Cody]

I came across a lone Viper trying to deal with three fugitives (Asp, Moray and Cobra III - I think), and he was in trouble, for sure. I was running dirty (only a fifteen credit bounty on my head), but I intervened, as any good citizen should. I eventually splashed all three bandits and received a thank you message (it only dropped my bounty by three credits) - then the Viper turned on me. That's cool, I was expecting it - but my ROE don't allow me to splash Vipers, except in extremis, so I was forced to evade. If I hadn't intervened, the cop would've been killed, without the option to eject. I know that I've mentioned this before, but Vipers really should have escape pods. The fact that I could then splash Vipers gently has no bearing on it - but it would be nice.

Possibly, the thank you mechanism needs adjusting somewhat too - but those poor hard-pressed cops need escape pods!

[CommRLock78]

The fact that I could then splash Vipers gently has no bearing on it - but it would be nice.

Suuurre it has no bearing. LOL. But you're right, all Galcops should have escape pods .

[Eric Walch]

(only a fifteen credit bounty on my head), ....... and received a thank you message (it only dropped my bounty by three credits) -

The a thank you message by a viper will reduce your bounty by 20%, so its correct code wise.

[Diziet Sma]

Agreed.. the poor bastards should have them. Or at least let them punch out with a Remlock.

Linking to an earlier suggestion/discussion for this same feature.

(only a fifteen credit bounty on my head), ....... and received a thank you message (it only dropped my bounty by three credits) -

The a thank you message by a viper will reduce your bounty by 20%, so its correct code wise.

I think EV's suggestion that

Possibly, the thank you mechanism needs adjusting somewhat too

was more about, perhaps the individual cop that says 'thank you' should leave you alone afterwards, even if your bounty is still high enough to warrant attacking. The current behaviour doesn't exactly encourage bad guys to become good citizens.

[CommRLock78]

I think EV's suggestion that

Possibly, the thank you mechanism needs adjusting somewhat too

was more about, perhaps the individual cop that says 'thank you' should leave you alone afterwards, even if your bounty is still high enough to warrant attacking. The current behaviour doesn't exactly encourage bad guys to become good citizens.

That's a really good point. I think a lone viper who was just saved by a 'bad guy' from being splashed would be more likely to turn a blind eye - no matter the bounty. It's hard to say how more than one viper would respond - seems like attacks then would be hit and miss, depending on the current 'mob-mentality' of the group.

[Cody]

I think EV's suggestion ... was more about, perhaps the individual cop that says 'thank you' should leave you alone afterwards, even if your bounty is still high enough to warrant attacking. The current behaviour doesn't exactly encourage bad guys to become good citizens.

<nods>

It's hard to say how more than one viper would respond - seems like attacks then would be hit and miss, depending on the current 'mob-mentality' of the group.

In that situation, you'd have to save all of them, as I did here with this flight of four (pic taken after the dust had settled - I was running clean, that time).

[Eric Walch]

I think a lone viper who was just saved by a 'bad guy' from being splashed would be more likely to turn a blind eye - no matter the bounty.

I think it would be no big problem to exclude the thankedShip from being found by the AI command scanForOffenders. That is the scanning method by bounty that the police uses.

[Diziet Sma]

Good to hear it would be an easy fix..

[Eric Walch]

Good to hear it would be an easy fix..

Added to my oolite version now. It is an easy change because the last thankedShip was already stored in an internal variable.

For testing, I added a police and a pirate in the same location, waited till the police and pirate started fighting. Than I raised my bounty to 400!

Now I killed the pirate and got a thank you message. After this, the viper started patrolling and I followed him for several minutes. The viper should have turned to me several times without the change.

Of cause it is only working for the viper that send the message. Other vipers will still go for me. And the viper has short memory because he only can remember the last thanked ship. Now we only must discus if this is a bugfix going into 1.78 of a new feature going into 1.79.

[Cody]

Now we only must discus if this is a bugfix going into 1.78 of a new feature going into 1.79.

It definitely ain't a bugfix, so it must be a new feature... cool.

[another_commander]

I would call it a new feature. Also, I would recommend that there be a possibility (especially for high bounty players) that the Viper requests the player to leave the area immediately or it will assume its legal duties. If the player does not flee within x seconds, then the policeman will do his duty, i.e. start intercepting the player. It would seem a bit weird to me that every single police ship that I happen to assist turns a blind eye to bounties that might be in place.

[Disembodied]

I would call it a new feature. Also, I would recommend that there be a possibility (especially for high bounty players) that the Viper requests the player to leave the area immediately or it will assume its legal duties. If the player does not flee within x seconds, then the policeman will do his duty, i.e. start intercepting the player. It would seem a bit weird to me that every single police ship that I happen to assist turns a blind eye to bounties that might be in place.

Definitely - this sort of feedback is great for enhancing the feeling that there's real intelligence in the game. Something like

[X] police thank you for your assistance - now get the hell out of my jurisdiction!

Your assistance is appreciated. My scanner seems to be malfunctioning: maybe you should leave real quick before I fix it ...

etc.

[Smivs]

I'm liking the sound of this - it would add some believability and more immersion into the game.

[maaarcooose]

Also to add to this wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that once your bounty gets REALLY high, the cops would think twice about engaging you on their own. They're supposed to be people after all and any lone human cop would probably not go after a rather hefty criminal single handed.

This of course opens up the can of worms as to the standard police are like patrol men, dealing with petty crimes, general violence and public disorder where as the major criminals would be targeted by the CID department with raids and a SWAT team coming after you.

For example say you had a really high bounty, there would be a small chance that on launching, there is a squad of police ships and/or 'SWAT' team waiting to ambush you.
This would of course be more likely to happen at a high tech level, corporate world.

It would give the police a little more depth in the game.

!m!

[Cody]

I would call it a new feature. Also, I would recommend that there be a possibility (especially for high bounty players) that the Viper requests the player to leave the area immediately or it will assume its legal duties. If the player does not flee within x seconds, then the policeman will do his duty, i.e. start intercepting the player. It would seem a bit weird to me that every single police ship that I happen to assist turns a blind eye to bounties that might be in place.

Cool idea, Admiral... now then, what about escape pods?

For example say you had a really high bounty, there would be a small chance that on launching, there is a squad of police ships and/or 'SWAT' team waiting to ambush you.

The player would simply hyperspace out... unless the GalCop equivalent of the Flying Squad were able to follow.