Automatic Identification System

[FluffyFreak]

I'll start by quoting myself from the ship-names pull request:

@lwho no I'd like to keep both like you do with ships, planes, trains in the modern world.
You can change a name easily enough but changing somethings registration and associate transponder is much more complicated and expensive.

In addition to @impaktor idea of being able to change your registration on the black market I'd like to add the idea of the ships transponder that you could disable if you paid for the appropriate black market "upgrade".

It would make it harder for ship to target, detect, follow you etc. Along with the possibility of spoofing your ID code and name so you could get missions where you meet with another ship whilst pretending to be someone else.

There are a number of scenarios where you might not want your ships position, heading, ID and name broadcast so lets list the obvious ones:

• Military / Police: Sometimes you need to sneak up on criminals or enemy ships, that's much harder if you're broadcasting who and what you are!
• You're a nefarious ne'er-do-well who is sneaking something illegal along in their cargo hold, you don't want your position broadcast in certain system/faction because the police might arrest you.
• You're trying to assassinate someone and don't want them to know you're coming.
• If you're doing something illegal you could change your AIS information, then if you get caught the fine is to your fake ID and not your own, possible risk of having the illegal/military transponder removed from your ship if caught.

Now you don't want the ability to deactivate a transponder to be available to just anyone. It should be a police/military thing only as they would argue that only they have a legal use for doing so.
Therefore a military or otherwise illegally modified AIS transponder should only be available through the black market.

Suggested practical effect(s) on the game:

• Ships with a de-activated transponder don't appear in the SystemView screen.
• Targetted ships don't show their ID/name.
• Targetted ships should lose their target lock when they get too far away.

Possible additions to missions:

• Assassination missions could be warned you're coming, if you've fitted an illegal/military transponder then you could fake your ID or just disable it changing their reaction.
• ??? suggestions welcome!

What would people think of that?

Andy

[Catty]

I like the idea. It certainly has potential.

[impaktor]

Nice!

Therefore a military or otherwise illegally modified AIS transponder should only be available through the black market.

Or when doing a military / police mission?

[FluffyFreak]

Possibly :)

Though I wonder if they give you one or expect you to be "using your own initiative" if you're taking that kind of work!

[FluffyFreak]

Now there's a screen and a way to buy these things from BBS boards where illegal activity happens n' stuff.

Tired so off to bed.