1.5: New Signal Source

[Walter]

There's a new Signal Source in the 1.5 beta, the Distress Call.

The first one I came across was just wreckage being supervised by a lone Viper. This did nothing but scan me and claimed to be an unaffiliated System Authority vessel. A little odd as this was an Anarchy system with no stations.

In the second an Official Rescue Ship was taking a pilot on board so I polished off the victim's attackers.

In the third I arrived just as the holdup was taking place - a couple of Eagles and a Viper doing a "Stand and deliver" act. Donning my black mask, drawing my silver lasers and with a "Hi-yo Silver" I sprang into the fray. Just as I killed the last bad guy his backup team arrived - two Cobras and an Asp. Bit more of a struggle, but just as the Asp met a fiery end, his backup team turned up - and Anaconda and three Vultures. With shields down for the second time and the canopy gone the final Vulture was dispatched. I was at death's door and knocking quite loudly, but gamely carried on rescuing the stricken vessel (actually, I had no idea what had happened to it - in all the excitement I completely lost track of it).

I think the 'Conda clipped me and that was the end of my brand new refurbished A-specced FDL, which was just a few LS from the home base station after a 156LY journey from Shinrarta Dezhra - the SCB slot was taken up by a fuel scoop.

Good job it's only the Beta.

Well, what would have happened if Walter had caught the 'Conda? What then?

[Xebeth]

► Show Spoiler

There's a new Signal Source in the 1.5 beta, the Distress Call.

The first one I came across was just wreckage being supervised by a lone Viper. This did nothing but scan me and claimed to be an unaffiliated System Authority vessel. A little odd as this was an Anarchy system with no stations.

In the second an Official Rescue Ship was taking a pilot on board so I polished off the victim's attackers.

In the third I arrived just as the holdup was taking place - a couple of Eagles and a Viper doing a "Stand and deliver" act. Donning my black mask, drawing my silver lasers and with a "Hi-yo Silver" I sprang into the fray. Just as I killed the last bad guy his backup team arrived - two Cobras and an Asp. Bit more of a struggle, but just as the Asp met a fiery end, his backup team turned up - and Anaconda and three Vultures. With shields down for the second time and the canopy gone the final Vulture was dispatched. I was at death's door and knocking quite loudly, but gamely carried on rescuing the stricken vessel (actually, I had no idea what had happened to it - in all the excitement I completely lost track of it).

I think the 'Conda clipped me and that was the end of my brand new refurbished A-specced FDL, which was just a few LS from the home base station after a 156LY journey from Shinrarta Dezhra - the SCB slot was taken up by a fuel scoop.

Good job it's only the Beta.

Well, what would have happened if Walter had caught the 'Conda? What then?

Interesting, so is this a kind of "fight of the ever increasingly difficult waves of enemies until the rescue is completed" type of activity? I wonder if you get something if the rescue is successful, or if its just the bounties?

[blazingmaniac]

I had a different variant again on the distress call.
Dropped out of SC and it was a ship out of fuel requesting assistance so that's another type you can get as well.

[smartroad]

I had a different variant again on the distress call.
Dropped out of SC and it was a ship out of fuel requesting assistance so that's another type you can get as well.

I found one of those, didn't have any fuel transfer limpits so didn't bother and SC'd out. If I could have transfered fuel any other way I would have. Shame there is no way to chat to them. Could have asked how much longer they have, told them I had to get kitted out and then come back to help.

Doubt it allows for that level of play though

[Avago-Earo]

Donning my black mask, drawing my silver lasers and with a "Hi-yo Silver" I sprang into the fray.

You should have Winged up with Tonto. That would have changed the odds

[Roger Wilco Jr]

I must say that I'm getting pretty sick of these distress calls. They are all over the place and often multiple ones in the same area. The last few times I checked them they turned out to be ambushes. There were even several around an uninhabited moon on a distant planet with no stations within thousands of light seconds. This is just a stupid game mechanic most of the time.

I'd rather they (rarely) had an open broadcast distress call to the comms panel and a beacon that multiple commanders could respond to. I think a pirate would be a lot less likely to broadcast a fake distress call if several commanders and local cops would show up. I think that would also be more interesting & fun cooperative game play - like random temporary wings.

[Walter]

All the USSs are a little samey - it's easy to drop in and have a quick glance to see which scenario has been prepared for you. But there's probably a limit to the variations that can be built round some basic seeds and a selection of RNGs.