Some Suggestions for Features

[Ewok_Jedi]

So, I will be honest, I didn't read too many of the posts here and would prefer to make my own list of suggestions unhindered by worrying about repeating. I will also note, many of these suggestions are heavily inspired by Escape Velocity. Some may be planned features I don't know about. This game is about the closest thing I have ever found to being a successor to the EV games. Some I will go into more detail on than others.

1. Inertia: Ships in the game seem to slow down if you do not continually apply thrust, but this is simply not how inertia should work out in space where there is little to no resistance. I understand there are planets and stars with gravity and all that fun stuff, but if you're going to use that for an argument, you should be getting constantly pulled towards the sun or something. What I am more interested in is the gameplay aspect, and especially combat. The idea of zooming forward and then spinning around to fight an enemy behind you as you continue moving in the direction you were previously facing. In EV Nova you had this, at least up to a certain speed, which was a pretty high speed. Perhaps allow for certain features that will dampen this, either an option or even a ship component.

2. Fleets and patrols: It is fair to assume almost all planets with a station would have one of these: Armed forces, security, or police, or all of the above. More military-controlled/based systems would have fleets and squads of patrols that fight off hostiles, and the average system would at least have police patrols. Pirates are the only thing out there right now, as far as I've seen, and it kinda ruins the immersion of the game. Pirate attacks should be at the edges of systems and in uninhabited or pirate-controlled systems. Perhaps a few daring ventures closer to stations, where they would meet with defense forces. Allow for larger battles and allow the forces to call for backup so more enemies might possibly enter the fray. The world should seem alive around you. Inhabited and popular systems should be safer and more friendly, obviously with less populous parts of them, and the edges, having more pirates.

3. Communications: Along with the last idea, this one provides life. Allow for communication with other ships you find. Target and start communication, perhaps allow you to beg for your life and pay pirates off to leave you alone, or beg for assistance from others, potential allies. Maybe even put in some random basic missions they can give, such as requests for escort. EV Nova even had stations and planets that you had to request permission (and bribe sometimes) to dock.

4. Weapon Slots: I kind of see what direction you're trying to take with the way hardpoints are set up where certain ships only allow certain kinds of weapons (and in certain slots), but this feels a little... restrictive? at the very least a way should be added where you can pay money to have them changed out for different weapon types and upgraded to allow higher-tier. Customization is your best friend. People like customization. EV games basically had a set number of hardpoints which could be used for any weapon, and they were limited instead by mass. Each ship had a certain amount of mass it could hold (versus cargo space). Ships with more mass space could have more weapons and other features, where as ships with more cargo space could have more inventory. They even had ways to trade mass for cargo and vice versa. Not saying to overhaul the entire thing for this game, just suggesting maybe it can be opened up a bit more somehow so we can all make our dream ships.

5. Missions: One feature EV Nova had that could possible be ripped off almost exactly and be fine is the Mission BBS it had. Basically, a terminal with jobs that are posted. Ferrying people, deliveries, bounties, etc. Perhaps some of the jobs might be specific to players or factions the players are associated with. Stuff like that. Speaking to people for missions is nice, but IRL there -is- such a thing as the classified ads. Some equivalent would be cool.