[Suggestion] TP/M5 class taxi and bus lines

Board Index » Roguey's X3 Mod » Suggestions » [Suggestion] TP/M5 class taxi and bus lines

Eagleguey (11)

Posted 13 years ago.

I don't know about you folks, but I was kinda wondering...why do I get a TP mission, or an M5 taxi mission, but can't set my TP/M5 to do that on their own?
Well, so here is my suggestion

TYPE: Script -> Ship Command
AVAILABLE: On TP or M5 class only. Race/Sector doesn't matter
WHY:
TP's are useless at the moment. You can buy them, and they cost good money. Well you DO have those 3 missions you can take with them...but really? who bothers with those....
M5's are good ships later ingame for exploring, refuelling etc. but those you get in the beginning (found/capped/bought) are pretty much just sitting around when not flown by you...so, Why not just make a script and put those buggers to work?

HOW:
The idea is simple. You buy a TP class ship, install Trade Command Software Mk1 on it, and under one of the categories (trade or special), you find a command called "Start Buss Line", and "Set Buss route".
The Set Buss route allows you to set the sectors in which this buss will operate. This way you can haul people from let's say Cloudbase South East to Emperor Mines.
The start buss line command, starts the TP on the selected route.
The TP starts in the first sector, and docks at a station or two...or three in that sector, before going to the next one again docking on stations, and proceeding this way until the last selected sector, where it turns around and goes back to the first sector.

The M5 would have the same option, just with taxi missions.

REWARD SYSTEM:
Well a single buss line doesn't make much money as everyone knows. But an idling TP makes even less! Big grin

Seriously through, the pricing would vary from TP to TP, the more passengers it can hold the more you get from it. I was thinking something along the lines of 20 credits per passenger per station, and 1000 credits minus for each time the line cycles (maintanance fee).
Also, you get a small race recognition bonus for each time the buss line cycles, making this even more interesting.

Tricky stuff:
you HAVE to have docking permission in the sector the buss line wants to work in. This will be checked when you set a sector.
The sectors you choose have to be next to each other. This will, again, be checked when selecting a sector.

Burn rubber, not your soul!

Roguey

Trueguey (22)

Posted 13 years ago.

Thats a great idea m8, TP class ships do have a very limited function atm. The bus lane idea makes them actually do something. I recommend that they dont make too much money, as they will make UT's useless. So if they make say 1,000 to 3,000 per run, they would make their money back within say 33 to 100 runs. They could be the cheap UT's.

NetHawk

Eagleguey (11)

Posted 13 years ago.

Yeah I was thinking about that too. I don't have all information for every TP out there, but the argon Express can be a reference point:
COST: 441,056 - 662,964
Can carry: 750 L cargo
So, being get...10 L cargo? sounds fair to me.

The Express is set for 6 sectors buss line.
At the most, it docks in each sector on 3 stations.
And the heads back
ok, 20 is a bit much...that would make huge money.
let's say 4 credits per person.

so we get:
Sector Count * Docking in sector count * Persons transporting * credits payed each = profit

we have 6 sectos in each way, making a total of 12 sectors. at most it's 3 dockings per sector e.g.
12 * 3 * 75 * 4 = 10800 Credits per run.
once the run is complete you pay 1K for maintanance, so the real maximum profit is 9800.

That's not bad for a 6 sector buss lane.
To make things a little more interesting. It could include a bit of randomness. Let's say,
a chance from 0-5 to dock at a sector, and a chance of 0-75 of people boarding.
This will make the numbers a bit more unpredictable. Also, the chance of the TP being destroyed exists allways.
I still think this is better then nothing Big grin

Any ideas are welcome

Burn rubber, not your soul!

Roguey

Trueguey (22)

Posted 13 years ago.

well I think one thing you might need to check is enemy sectors - I hate seeing UT's going across Xenon sectors. Its just crazy!

NetHawk

Eagleguey (11)

Posted 13 years ago.

well, you are the one setting the sectors. Like I said, 2 commands. One for adding/removing sectors and one for starting the buss lane.

Burn rubber, not your soul!

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