Non-Static Cargo Containers

[elDunco]

I'm thinking that for storage containers we should be able to move the containers and not have them be static pieces on our ships/constructs. Perhaps they could be on hover-capable pallets or dollys allowing the player to move them one at a time with our nano-former. I feel like it would make storage more practical than the more common style of static storage containers. With static containers you would essentially be unloading the cargo into your inventory and then walking the items to the next storage unit. Non-static containers would allow the loading of a cargo bay/warehouse and give off a more immersive feel.

 

Any thoughts?

[Kurock]

Since there are no such thing as buildings and ships in DU, only constructs, nothing prevents you from creating a very small construct with container and hover element on it and call it a "hover-pallet".  

 

I like the idea, and hope it is possible "out of the box" in DU.

[Anaximander]

Well, given the game actively sports anti-gravity technology, just have Gravity Guns ala Half Life 2 and use them to haul equipment, tie them to a skill training that can lead to Tractor Beams / Webifiers, and you got a Cargo Loader job for people to make money or role call into in a group.

[FD3242]

As Kurock said "Since there are no such thing as buildings and ships in DU, only constructs, nothing prevents you from creating a very small construct with container and hover element on it and call it a "hover-pallet". "

 

But I think it would be nice to have something that dose that without having to be a construct. It would be smaller and easier to use.

 

For example you would not need to push it around my running into it. Instead you could press a button and your charter would actually put there hands on it to push it around.

[FD3242]

Well, given the game actively sports anti-gravity technology, just have Gravity Guns ala Half Life 2 and use them to haul equipment, tie them to a skill training that can lead to Tractor Beams / Webifiers, and you got a Cargo Loader job for people to make money or role call into in a group.

I like that idea. That way people can just pick up containers.

[Anaximander]

I like that idea. That way people can just pick up containers.

Yeah, and it solves MOST other issues with relocating cargo, like :

 

1) relying on animations that take time to develop and are prone to glitching in hilarious, yet terrible ways.

 

2) it's something that can bleed into other gameplays, mainly, Tractor / Webifier beams, AKA, things that slow down ships, for both pirates and law enforcement.

 

So it's two birds with one stone kind of deal. Plus it would make for a good ship building idea, by having hauler class ships having space as their advertisement, rather than "how many containers it already has". If you can cram in 100 large containers and ten boxes, that should be possible to be done. That way certain ships could even smuggle people in.

 

Emergent Illegal Immigration, can't get any better than that in a game.

[Lord_Void]

I remember asking JC this question, and sadly he said that this will likely not be possible initially. I still hope it is though. It seems like the ability to load and unload cargo containers should be a basic game mechanic, especially when people will be dealing with shipping massive quantities of goods.

 

For large ships, I suppose you could make a number of small hovering cargo containers and move them in and out of a bigger ship, like others mentioned. Sadly, those would not be as space efficient as just being able to move the containers themselves with a forklift or something.

[FD3242]

I remember asking JC this question, and sadly he said that this will likely not be possible initially. I still hope it is though. It seems like the ability to load and unload cargo containers should be a basic game mechanic, especially when people will be dealing with shipping massive quantities of goods.

 

For large ships, I suppose you could make a number of small hovering cargo containers and move them in and out of a bigger ship, like others mentioned. Sadly, those would not be as space efficient as just being able to move the containers themselves with a forklift or something.

Did he mention why this would not be possible?

[AccuNut]

I could see this for small containers, (as in, maybe compact-car sized ones,) but I feel that being able to simply manipulate a full-size shipping crate by hand would detract from the game. I think you should need to build some kind of "mover" vehicle, like a sci-fi forklift of sorts. It would make sense, since larger / heavier objects should need more powerful equipment to move them.

 

Besides, it would add another element to shipping large amounts of cargo. It isn't just anyone who would be able to move 7-ton containers around. This would create a need for actual shipping specialists with access to the necessary equipment.

 

This isn't to say that hover-pallets are a bad idea, only that once a container is "hovered", you should still need a vehicle of some kind to move it.

 

As a side note, a hover "lifter" that attaches to the top of the crate might be better than a pallet because it wouldn't have to sit under the container. That means you could position the container, then remove the lifter an attach it to the next one.

[Sullos]

I really like the idea, in fact it makes me wish I had thought of it myself!
It would really add to immersion and making a realistic approach to the Sci-fi genre in which we see many shows or movies where cargo containers are being moved from dock to ship, and then needing to be secured on board the ship as to make them not fly around.
I would imagine that a static element that can be part of a ship (Like a personal locker of sorts, or cargo container) and then at a later date perhaps once ships are much more common and used to transport goods, a non-static element lorry or hover pad could be added to the game and used to transport goods.
Example -
Space/planet dock with cargo containers of purchased goods - player pushes / controls a hover pad that already has a container built into it onto the space dock next to the purchased goods - player takes items from dock container, puts into portable container - pushes portable container back onto ship and unloads.

It would be a slow process for sure, but would massively speed up things in regards to being able to transfer masses of resources on board a vessel as opposed to making several trips by yourself.
 

It is certainly an idea I like though.

[Lord_Void]

Did he mention why this would not be possible?

 

It wasn't so much that it wasn't "possible" (as in technically feasible), it was more that they were not going to implement it, or at least weren't planning to at that time.

[Lethys]

I hope they get this into the game any time soon - otherwise it would be very very tedious to ship cargo anywhere

[calewars]

I'm thinking that for storage containers we should be able to move the containers and not have them be static pieces on our ships/constructs. Perhaps they could be on hover-capable pallets or dollys allowing the player to move them one at a time with our nano-former. I feel like it would make storage more practical than the more common style of static storage containers. With static containers you would essentially be unloading the cargo into your inventory and then walking the items to the next storage unit. Non-static containers would allow the loading of a cargo bay/warehouse and give off a more immersive feel.

 

Any thoughts?

I like the fact your putting star wars mechanics into the game with the hover ability. Would be intresting to be in a space mall zooming through riding one.

[Lord_Void]

I hope they get this into the game any time soon - otherwise it would be very very tedious to ship cargo anywhere

I agree. I really hope they do. Being able to move cargo containers around would vastly simplify trade and logistics. Plus it work well with hiring people to ship things for you, since you could just give them a sealed cargo container and not have to worry about them looking inside.

 

Forklifts for the win!

[Mazillus]

I agree.

 

I'm sure they will have this in-game. Because what would be the point of building larger ships if you had nothing to put in them. 

[Begogian]

JC mentioned at GDC how to build these types of things. You will need to build small constructs that hover and have mounted containers. You can make a ship that hovers and carries 50 containers if you have the time and resources to build it.