You wouldn't even need to use the chat function for npcs in my opinion. We have built in functionality for communicating with other npc ships, it's just that they don't really do anything for you at the moment besides emergency refueling. I'd say go with the radio signal icon/symbol over a ship trying to communicate with you and use 'f' to talk to them and just add an extra dialogue option at the top for npcs when they have something special to say.
It would be nice to also add some kind of ping on the radar when an npc wants to contact you and have the option to have them do the same to call for help when being attacked. Would also potentially open the option to have random wandering npcs offer side quests and such more easily.
It would be nice to also add some kind of ping on the radar when an npc wants to contact you and have the option to have them do the same to call for help when being attacked. Would also potentially open the option to have random wandering npcs offer side quests and such more easily.