Astro Trader

[Damocles Edge]

I was thinking about the process of finding a new ship of specific type and requirements.
At present in Oolite it seems to be a case of wandering around systems with a high enough TL for the ship that you are looking for in the hope that one becomes available.

What if there was a service available via subscription were you could identify and connect you with vendors of specific ship requirement and their system locations? (kinda like the well known 2nd hand car selling publication)
Maybe you could have varying cost, condition of ships and components?
Possibly you could have the option to make the vendor an offer below the asking price (with the risk that the vendor refuses to sell to you at all if the offer is refused).

[Disembodied]

Information on ships coming up for sale on other worlds could be handy … I think you'd have to get there by a certain time to buy one, though. It's a lot of money to spend, sight unseen … and the seller has to trust that the buyer will actually turn up, too.

Ship auctions might be interesting: if you're lucky you might get a bargain.

[Damocles Edge]

Information on ships coming up for sale on other worlds could be handy … I think you'd have to get there by a certain time to buy one, though. It's a lot of money to spend, sight unseen … and the seller has to trust that the buyer will actually turn up, too.

Ship auctions might be interesting: if you're lucky you might get a bargain.

Yes - I like the idea of ship auctions

And I agree there should definitely be a time factor on the sale of the ship - perhaps a variable to add the cost factor which could assist you as the buyer (but at an increased purchase price) would be the option to have the vendor travel towards you, the more hops they have to make to meet you to carry out the sale the greater the purchase price. This could be that the vendor travel all the way to you in order to sell (ouch - expensive) or more likely meets you at some midway system point.

A thought I previously had - is it assumed that all ships that are bought at present are brand new?
Surely there is a 2nd hand market (could be an idea for a galcop mission based on mistaken identity due to the activities of a previous ships owner).

[Norby]

More ways to buy a wanted ship would be good, yes. For example:
- Other docked pilots could offer his ships for sale in Station Dock Control interface.
- Player could ask the pilot of a liked ship in space using BroadcastComms MFD.
- Player could leave a message by typing the name of the wanted ship in Bulletin Board System.
- Receive an Email sometimes when a similar ship is available somewhere, even in another galaxy.

[Disembodied]

A thought I previously had - is it assumed that all ships that are bought at present are brand new?
Surely there is a 2nd hand market (could be an idea for a galcop mission based on mistaken identity due to the activities of a previous ships owner).

My personal belief is that a lot of the ships - especially those with various pieces of equipment already fitted - are at least second-hand, if not third-, fourth-, or fifth-hand. They are properly maintained, though, and good as new (if not better: a brand-new ship might have various little bugs and niggles to be worked out, that only show up after several hundred hours of flight).

There is an OXP that provides cheaper  second-hand ships that are distinctly and definitely used … it's a pretty old OXP, though, and might need some modification.

[Damocles Edge]

More ways to buy a wanted ship would be good, yes. For example:
- Other docked pilots could offer his ships for sale in Station Dock Control interface.
- Player could ask the pilot of a liked ship in space using BroadcastComms MFD.
- Player could leave a message by typing the name of the wanted ship in Bulletin Board System.
- Receive an Email sometimes when a similar ship is available somewhere, even in another galaxy.

All excellent ideas Norby
It makes you realise how Broadcast Comms can be linked into so many aspects of the game (I'm bracing myself that one day Broadcast comms will send me the following "If you've been hurt or injured in an accident that wasn't your fault......."

[Damocles Edge]

My personal belief is that a lot of the ships - especially those with various pieces of equipment already fitted - are at least second-hand, if not third-, fourth-, or fifth-hand. They are properly maintained, though, and good as new (if not better: a brand-new ship might have various little bugs and niggles to be worked out, that only show up after several hundred hours of flight).

There is an OXP that provides cheaper  second-hand ships that are distinctly and definitely used … it's a pretty old OXP, though, and might need some modification.

That provides some very interesting food for thought about how the mechanics of the game work with regard to ships and associated equipment.
There is kinda of a binary process to everything where things either works at 100% efficiency or do not work at all. It would probably complicate matters no hugely but it would be interesting if equipment / ships gradually degraded in performance terms over time and need the service overhaul to bring them to peak efficiency (making servicing a very important part of the game).
Just a thought - but I appreciate what a pain in the ass it would no doubt be to game mechanics

[phkb]

More ways to buy a wanted ship would be good, yes. For example:
- Other docked pilots could offer his ships for sale in Station Dock Control interface.
- Player could ask the pilot of a liked ship in space using BroadcastComms MFD.
- Player could leave a message by typing the name of the wanted ship in Bulletin Board System.
- Receive an Email sometimes when a similar ship is available somewhere, even in another galaxy.

Great ideas! That'll give the author of those OXP's some work to do, eh?

Hang on...

[cbr]

Indeed great ideas. Perhaps a dedicated new AND second hand spaceship selling channel for Snoopers would be of interest too...

[Damocles Edge]

Maybe you could have dealer/ ship yards that cover just a few ship manufacturers (or even just one)?
When you think about it Stations cram an awful lot in (Police / trading of goods, ship repairs, ship outfitting and modifying, ship sales)....
Maybe it could be an idea to separate some of those things to another station / ship yard that handles ship sales, equipment fitting and servicing?
When you think about it in RL terms you drive your car to the supermarket and buy goods, you may use the supermarket to do some banking at the ATM but wouldn't buy a car at the supermarket (unless ASDA are trying to muscle in on yet another market), you wouldn't have parts fitted at the supermarket or a service done. You may buy fuel from the supermarket and regular consumable items associated with driving though.
Would a similar perspective work or be applicable in oolite?
This was previously done in the S.I.R.F oxp http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php

[montana05]

Maybe you could have dealer/ ship yards that cover just a few ship manufacturers (or even just one)?

Interesting idea, as you mentioned the S.I.R.F. http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/S.I.R.F. would be an OXP to build on.
Lets say some systems (maybe 2 - 3) in every sector specialize in shipyards, while crossing such a system you can visit various
stations with different offers and look for the vessel you had in mind.