Cargo-loading

[Shynras]

Usually in most games, you move items from an inventory to another easily, because they're not physically in the world. What I would like to see in DU, is a mix of "virtual items" and "real items". Examples:

 

-You have 1 kg of iron that you want to move into your ship cargo. You can store in in your personal inventory, move to the ship, and click-drag the iron into the cargo inventory (like in most games). 

 

-You have 10 ton of iron that you want to move into your ship cargo. Since your personal inventory is limited, you're likely going to use some kind of conveyor system

 

-You want to recharge your ship batteries. Usually would work like that: there's a physical element fixed into your ship called "battery", and a virtual item called "battery _%"; the battery element doesn't move, you would need to charge the virtual item using another element in your base, and then move it into your ship element "battery" by using your virtual inventory. 

What if instead we are able to move directly the "battery" element? Like if the nanoformer is able to detach an element from a grid, and let you replace it into another grid, mantaining all its specifics like energy amount % (battery), items stored (cargo), and so on. 

This would greatly improve the gameplay aspects, and the depth. This would create gameplay for:

-ship mantainance

-ship loading infrastructure

-physical cargo (imagine you want to sell like 100 already built batteries)

-ship design (ease to access to battery slots or other)

-combat (if a pirate is fighting vs a cargo with physical elements, he has to be careful to not break his loot)

-more

 

Why someone would want to move an already built battery instead of building a new one: building time, recharge time, etc... it just need to be more convenient, anything can be balanced. 

I'm not saying that anything has to be a physical item that exists in the gameworld, but just a few elements.

[ATMLVE]

I completely agree, this stuff would make the game better. The developers think so too, as they have already said that physical items (not the batteries, but things like iron and other cargo) will behave just about as you have described! Everything must be transferred physically, and every inventory has a limit.

 

As for the batteries, as in a battery detached from a construct maintains its charge, I imagine that they would behave this way. However, it is possible that they may lose their charge upon being detached from a core unit or power supply (not directly, but a construct with those things). I personally believe that it would maintain charge no matter what, but there hasn't been word on if it will be possible to directly link two constructs into one, and it is possible that the mechanics might make removing charged batteries impossible, so I'm just making some realistic speculation. Yes, the mechanics you described are great in my opinion, but they are not 100% confirmed.

[mrjacobean]

Instead of the nanoformer picking it up then placing it down, you could have it so that the battery/crate is first selected and then given a location for it to be beamed to (maybe have a maximum distance that the crate can be transferred so that it doesn't get beamed several KM across the countryside). Whilst we are at it, you could also have industrial sized nanoformers that, instead of building, are specialised in transporting items around using the same method.

[Lethality]

I'm all-for the physicalization of all items in the game world! Even non-cargo stuff.

 

But certainly encumbrance constrains (both weight and size, maybe others - perishability for food items? Need refrigerated storage, etc) would/could play a huge role in the economy

[Anaximander]

Step 1 : Add "nanofield tether" element in-game.

Step 2 : Add such a element on trading station, link it via nanofield tubes to containers.

Step 3 : Build "cargo-hauler" hangars, withh a certain set up of tether elements all around, so people can use tthem to unload cargo.

Step 4 : ????

Step 5 : Profit.



If these are not in the game, simple then, ask the devs to add "distribution" oriented gear in the game, and manually offload the cargo in larger than average volumes.

In EVE, we got specialised hauelrs for minerals, ore, ammo, commodities and play en masse cargo.It can work like that in DU. Have certain "mineral hauler" armors, that can carry more than your average person's invetory on a certain type of material or item, more or less making the player a mid-range container in size, so spacetruckers ACTUALLY need a crew to offload the cargo.

You know, MMO stuff. Freighter ships are not a one-man operation.


Cheers!

[Shynras]

we do know that it will be possible to carry ships inside other ships, anchoring them with an anchor element. So those are already physical elements. I was just wandering, what if we can move stuff like cargo containers or batteries prof a construct to another? To have a reference, look at the video that shows devs on a platform element, floating mid air thanks to thrusters. I imagine, before a trip, people using platforms or other ways to move those elements inside a ship to store ammo, fuel, energy, resources and various supply. 

[Lethality]

we do know that it will be possible to carry ships inside other ships, anchoring them with an anchor element. So those are already physical elements. I was just wandering, what if we can move stuff like cargo containers or batteries prof a construct to another? To have a reference, look at the video that shows devs on a platform element, floating mid air thanks to thrusters. I imagine, before a trip, people using platforms or other ways to move those elements inside a ship to store ammo, fuel, energy, resources and various supply. 

 

Well, there is this battery concept... which looks as if it might be a physical thing, to swap out? If that's what you mean. Still not clear.

 

[Anaximander]

we do know that it will be possible to carry ships inside other ships, anchoring them with an anchor element. So those are already physical elements. I was just wandering, what if we can move stuff like cargo containers or batteries prof a construct to another? To have a reference, look at the video that shows devs on a platform element, floating mid air thanks to thrusters. I imagine, before a trip, people using platforms or other ways to move those elements inside a ship to store ammo, fuel, energy, resources and various supply. 

You seem to be confused. Anchoring is simply nailing an object in space, it's an EVE term for placing an object that deploying a space station.

 

Even so, unless you deliver a container that a person contracted you to deliver to a station in particular, you will have to manully take stuff in and out of your containers to put up on the market.

 

Also, the DEMO you saw, was to prove that people can walk on constructs while they move, that kind of platforms ae 100% troll physics .

 

However, a good idea arises from what you said, clark machinery. Use clutches to hold a container in place, while piloting on and off the freighter to offload a container to the station the owner contracted you to.

 

BUT, this brings up an issue. In EVE, if I need something delivered to me, I give a person a container of mine with my name on it, then give them a list of items to buy for me and they bring back the container WITH items inside. But those haulers are trusted people I know.

 

The arguement could be made that when you are within a construct's grid,items can simply teleport between containers, for the purpose of delivering stuff, with tags associated on certain group of containers as "Delivery Hangar", where you drop stuff in there so you can validate your contract and be paid.

 

Otherwise, if it's the "Get these container bring them to me there" is gonna be quite more difficult, given haulers don't usualy deliver small sizes, they deliver 1 million m3 of stuff to a location. That kind of load, would need a lot of people to offload manually, thus needing loading / offloading vehicles to be created. Solution? Tethering beams. Tether an object and "drag" it behind you.

[Shynras]

@Lethality

 

If you take minecraft, it's like if you have to move the block "chest" from your house into your ship, instead of moving the "virtual items" from the inventory of your house's chest to the inventory of your ship's chest. That's it. 

 

@Captain

 

I'm not confused, there are anchor elements in DU: http://dualuniverse.gamepedia.com/Anchor_Units

I know that the platform video was to show something else, my example was to give a better image of how the gameplay could develop. 

[Anaximander]

@Lethality

 

If you take minecraft, it's like if you have to move the block "chest" from your house into your ship, instead of moving the "virtual items" from the inventory of your house's chest to the inventory of your ship's chest. That's it. 

 

@Captain

 

I'm not confused, there are anchor elements in DU: http://dualuniverse.gamepedia.com/Anchor_Units

I know that the platform video was to show something else, my example was to give a better image of how the gameplay could develop. 

Ah, I see. Those things are though more like clutches to keep something in place. Not a "delivery" method per se. What I suggested was a tethering gun that can pull a cargo container to it, thus having impromptu loading vehicles.