Good day CMDRs,
I've had an idea floating around in my head for a while that never seems to resolve into anything substantial in my mind so I've given up and decided to throw it at you all so I can use your feedback to crystallize it into something useful.
One of the issues with E:D is how the SLF 'system' is kind of underwhelming. You mount a hangar bay on your ship, you pay (shocking amounts) for an AI crew member to fly it/to helm your ship while you fly it and it works okay. Now what happens when you want to mount two hangars and have two SLFs out at once? You can't without another player- and that other player is probably going to be a friend you know already and so will likely be using their own ship, so they'd have to be pretty dedicated to fly an SLF for you instead.
Now, how would you find a hot-shot fighter pilot to fly your (first or second) SLF for you currently? Ask on a Discord server? Sit in Deciat yelling in local chat? Write to your MP? No, I think there could be a better way.
My idea is to have one place where people who want to fly SLFs for other people can make themselves known when they're available. Then, if you want a human SLF pilot, you go there and you can immediately know they're around and ready to fly. You contact them, tell them what you need them for, they accept (or not), and you're off. The only issue is the infrastructure. Currently I'm thinking a Steam group might be simplest for this- it could be assumed that if you're in the group and online and playing E:D then you're available for SLF work, for instance. There are also group chat functions and such on Steam that could assist- if you've joined the chat, you're available, etc.
However I am very much looking for other workable solutions from you CMDRs if you have better ideas- and cooperation once that idea gets off the ground would be much appreciated too. A purpose-built website would be the best-case scenario outside of some actual in-game implementation but would require upkeep and maintenance; not to mention designing it to begin with which is way beyond my ken. So, I leave it to you; hit me.
No, not with that Plasma Accelerator.
Okay, think that's everything. Looking forward to hearing from you all.
-CMDR Deathwatch050
