OXP idea - Auctions and unknown cargoes

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ffutures
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OXP idea - Auctions and unknown cargoes

Post by ffutures »

A couple of ideas, most likely useful for OXPs. Both probably come from watching too many Storage Hunters etc. episodes.

Auctions
The idea, basically, is that some bases might have old storage units filled with abandoned cargo and other crap highly desirable items, possibly including equipment, which get cleared out and auctioned occasionally. The snag is that you don't know exactly what you're bidding on until you get it. So, it might be described as e.g. "24 cargo pods, two large crates labelled 'Military Surplus,' one crate labelled 'Livestock'"

Not quite sure how bidding would work - maybe the player gets three opportunities to bid, and each time is told how much competitors have offered? And gets the item if the final bid is the high one?

When you win, you find out what you got - for example, in this case four cargo pods might be empty and worthless, ten might be furs, and the other ten minerals, the military crates might be e.g. an ECM hardened missile and a faulty docking computer (which can be discarded, or installed but you have to pay for it to be repaired), the livestock crate might be slaves or a Trumble.

I really have no idea how this could be made to work, but I think it could be fun.

Unknown Cargoes
It might be interesting if a small proportion of cargo pods were unidentifiable if you scoop them up - the label or transponder tag was damaged, and the only way to find out what's inside is to open it in port. Contents are otherwise randomly-generated standard stuff, and you can see them normally when you press F8 in port, but they're always a gamble since you don't know what you're getting; if the hold is getting full, do you keep them or dump them?
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Re: OXP idea - Auctions and unknown cargoes

Post by Diziet Sma »

Sounds like it might make a fun addition to New Cargoes.. which already has some funky auction code in it..
Most games have some sort of paddling-pool-and-water-wings beginning to ease you in: Oolite takes the rather more Darwinian approach of heaving you straight into the ocean, often with a brick or two in your pockets for luck. ~ Disembodied
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Re: OXP idea - Auctions and unknown cargoes

Post by ffutures »

Diziet Sma wrote:
Sounds like it might make a fun addition to New Cargoes.. which already has some funky auction code in it..
I hadn't realised there was auction stuff in there - I definitely need to add New Cargoes.
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Re: OXP idea - Auctions and unknown cargoes

Post by ffutures »

Thanks - I'm really enjoying New Cargoes.
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Re: OXP idea - Auctions and unknown cargoes

Post by Diziet Sma »

You're welcome! 8)

Be sure to read the [EliteWiki] Trading Advice page.. it will save you some grief.. :wink:
Most games have some sort of paddling-pool-and-water-wings beginning to ease you in: Oolite takes the rather more Darwinian approach of heaving you straight into the ocean, often with a brick or two in your pockets for luck. ~ Disembodied
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