You can't be Pirate in X4, only Corsair

[Raptor34]

Without being able to move weapons and other modules from ships to another ship then we NEED a equipment dock or wharf/shipyard to outfit ships. Its not like in X3 where I could scavenge weapons off captured ships and kit out my ships based out of a military transport.

It's very sad that X3 didn't need shipyards, ship deconstruction or reverse engineering for pirate gameplay, but still had it.
while
X4 badly need it, but doesn't have any in freaking 5.0.

Wait. If they didn't need it, then why is everyone asking for it?
The only difference in X4 is the ability to move gear around, none of those other things actually matter.

[mr.WHO]

Wait. If they didn't need it, then why is everyone asking for it?

It wasn't needed in X3, coz you could swap captured equipment between the ship.

We are asking, because, it's not possible to swap equipment in X4 if you don't have access to friendly ED, own ED or Auxilary ship - neirther which is easily accessible if you're pirate.

[Raptor34]

Wait. If they didn't need it, then why is everyone asking for it?

It wasn't needed in X3, coz you could swap captured equipment between the ship.

We are asking, because, it's not possible to swap equipment in X4 if you don't have access to friendly ED, own ED or Auxilary ship - neirther which is easily accessible if you're pirate.

Then you should be asking for an ability to swap equipment instead. Or for SCA to have a S/M maint bay to maintain all those S/M ships they have flying around. Who knows why they have an XL bay but not a S/M bay for some reason.
Frankly you could do a lot of things you couldn't do now if you could move equipment around.

[NightmareNight91]

Without being able to move weapons and other modules from ships to another ship then we NEED a equipment dock or wharf/shipyard to outfit ships. Its not like in X3 where I could scavenge weapons off captured ships and kit out my ships based out of a military transport.

It's very sad that X3 didn't need shipyards, ship deconstruction or reverse engineering for pirate gameplay, but still had it.
while
X4 badly need it, but doesn't have any in freaking 5.0.

Wait. If they didn't need it, then why is everyone asking for it?
The only difference in X4 is the ability to move gear around, none of those other things actually matter.

Reverse engineering matters because if I want to be hostile to all the major races, I have no access to weapon blueprints or shields, etc... and since we can't move gear around (wonderful design choice..) I can't strip stuff off of captured ships. So we need access to shipbuilding modules and reverse engineering needs to be added. 5.0 would have been a great opportunity to fix these issues.

[Raptor34]

It's very sad that X3 didn't need shipyards, ship deconstruction or reverse engineering for pirate gameplay, but still had it.
while
X4 badly need it, but doesn't have any in freaking 5.0.

Wait. If they didn't need it, then why is everyone asking for it?
The only difference in X4 is the ability to move gear around, none of those other things actually matter.

Reverse engineering matters because if I want to be hostile to all the major races, I have no access to weapon blueprints or shields, etc... and since we can't move gear around (wonderful design choice..) I can't strip stuff off of captured ships. So we need access to shipbuilding modules and reverse engineering needs to be added. 5.0 would have been a great opportunity to fix these issues.

No. What you actually need, what would actually help you through the whole game and not just end game. Is the ability to move gear around. Unless the devs hard coded it so badly they literally cannot change that.
Otherwise it's like saying you're hungry, and instead of finding some place to eat you ask for a universal constructor instead.

Though speaking of stripping stuff off, I suddenly got this image of a maint bay with turrets and shield gens hanging off racks. It looks pretty good.
Also would allow maint bays to finally have a purpose.

[mr.WHO]

No. What you actually need, what would actually help you through the whole game and not just end game. Is the ability to move gear around. Unless the devs hard coded it so badly they literally cannot change that.

Actually, having only moving equipment around would be huge pain in the ass for late game - too much clicking and too much micromanagement.

That's why we need all the things mentioned in this topic to have swift pirate gameplay across all game phases.

[Slashman]

Interesting thing is that most of you would not want to be an actual pirate as you're using the word. Pirates didn't really own anything apart from the ship they were on and the weapons they used. They didn't attack other boats to steal them...they mostly just attacked other ships for the loot they were carrying and for slaves.

Most of you want to be buccaneers or privateers. Actual pirates were mostly killed out because they were NOT affiliated with anyone but themselves. They didn't build or own much of anything.

[mr.WHO]

Interesting thing is that most of you would not want to be an actual pirate as you're using the word. Pirates didn't really own anything apart from the ship they were on and the weapons they used. They didn't attack other boats to steal them...they mostly just attacked other ships for the loot they were carrying and for slaves.

Most of you want to be buccaneers or privateers. Actual pirates were mostly killed out because they were NOT affiliated with anyone but themselves. They didn't build or own much of anything.

Before you try to preach anything learn some history - Tortuga and Somalia are easy to find for now and in the past.

[TheDeliveryMan]

Interesting thing is that most of you would not want to be an actual pirate as you're using the word. Pirates didn't really own anything apart from the ship they were on and the weapons they used. They didn't attack other boats to steal them...they mostly just attacked other ships for the loot they were carrying and for slaves.

Most of you want to be buccaneers or privateers. Actual pirates were mostly killed out because they were NOT affiliated with anyone but themselves. They didn't build or own much of anything.

Before you try to preach anything learn some history - Tortuga and Somalia are easy to find for now and in the past.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortuga_(Haiti) :

By 1670, the buccaneer era was in decline, and many of the pirates turned to log cutting and wood trading as a new income source. At this time, a Welsh privateer named Henry Morgan started to promote himself and invited the pirates on the island of Tortuga to set sail under him. They were hired by the French as a striking force that allowed France to have a much stronger hold on the Caribbean region. Consequently, the pirates never really controlled the island and kept Tortuga as a neutral hideout for pirate booty.

Even they had friends among the major factions...

You are not becoming a major independent power without friends.

[NightmareNight91]

Were not talking about historical pirate's. Were talking about having a way to obtain blueprints to upgrade ships using the games current mechanics, which require a eq dock at the least. If I wanted to be a pirate faction key word "faction" I can never do that unless I'm friends with someone. In the end would it hurt anyone if VIG, RIP, SCA or YAK had the blueprints. Or a quest line to get them. Would it ruin your game if people had a alternative way to get the blueprints? There is no reason that Reverse engineering couldn't have been added to have another playstyle
Be viable.

[TheDeliveryMan]

It's already possible to start a custom game with shipyard, wharf and mainenance bay blueprints. Furthermore, you can get some (not all) ship and equipment blueprints from minor factions like HAT, ALI, SCA, YAK, ...

I actually like these kind of custom start with house rules playthroughs. They are much more fun and challenging than predefined starts.

Would it ruin your game if people had a alternative way to get the blueprints? There is no reason that Reverse engineering couldn't have been added to have another playstyle
Be viable.

As long as reverse ergineering is reasonably difficult, I am fine with it. For example disassembling an S, M, L, XL ship could give a 30%, 10%, 3%, 1% chance, respectively, to get the bueprint. If it is too easy, it becomes an exploit where players can steal blueprints from friendly faction without consequences.

[mr.WHO]

There was also Diplomacy and Espionage in X3FL, where you could steal or buy blueprints under the table.

[NightmareNight91]

It's already possible to start a custom game with shipyard, wharf and mainenance bay blueprints. Furthermore, you can get some (not all) ship and equipment blueprints from minor factions like HAT, ALI, SCA, YAK, ...

I actually like these kind of custom start with house rules playthroughs. They are much more fun and challenging than predefined starts.

Would it ruin your game if people had a alternative way to get the blueprints? There is no reason that Reverse engineering couldn't have been added to have another playstyle
Be viable.

As long as reverse ergineering is reasonably difficult, I am fine with it. For example disassembling an S, M, L, XL ship could give a 30%, 10%, 3%, 1% chance, respectively, to get the bueprint. If it is too easy, it becomes an exploit where players can steal blueprints from friendly faction without consequences.

I'm fine with that and it sounds fair. Maybe 25%,15%, 10% and 5% instead imo. Though I do have to mention you can already steal ships and station blueprints with no consequences. Just yesterday I stole a asgard in terran space without firing a shot or losing any ships. Just dump marines and leave lol...Boarding discussion is probably for another thread though.

[RodentofDoom]

Pirate stations used to have an interesting design aesthetic ...

if you could call 3 Elephants welded together a design.

[Raptor34]

Pirate stations used to have an interesting design aesthetic ...

if you could call 3 Elephants welded together a design.

I only remember the sphere ones.
And the skull head ships.

[Ehli]

I'm playing a kind of pirate play-through. The lack of eqp-dock was solved by starting with an aux ship. Basically a mobile eqp dock. I also changed reputations to "like" the pirate factions, including HAT - giving you access to some materials. It's not perfect and it'd be nice to get more options, but it's doable.

[Jakesnake5]

Was it X2 or 3 that you could capture escape pods. And if you got scanned by police, they'd go hostile on you.

[Socratatus]

I haven't read the whole thread, but can't you be a pirate by just... being a pirate?

Put a Jolly Roger pic on the side of your ship go and rob unsuspecting Freighters, Run away, rinse repeat. Avoid some factions so you can trade with them and build a little protection. Then build a base (or use the one you get for free) to build-up your nefarious enterprise. I mean a pirate doesn't need an official 'pirate' stamp to be a pirate!

Just think like a pirate, not a corporation.

[mr.WHO]

Put a Jolly Roger pic on the side of your ship go and rob unsuspecting Freighters, Run away, rinse repeat. Avoid some factions so you can trade with them and build a little protection. Then build a base (or use the one you get for free) to build-up your nefarious enterprise. I mean a pirate doesn't need an official 'pirate' stamp to be a pirate!

You can't build your base nor refit captured ships without access to blueprints.

[Socratatus]

Put a Jolly Roger pic on the side of your ship go and rob unsuspecting Freighters, Run away, rinse repeat. Avoid some factions so you can trade with them and build a little protection. Then build a base (or use the one you get for free) to build-up your nefarious enterprise. I mean a pirate doesn't need an official 'pirate' stamp to be a pirate!

You can't build your base nor refit captured ships without access to blueprints.

Well can't you be friends with one faction and get all the blueprints you want from them? If there's a particular blueprint you like , stay friends with that faction?

Pirates never had access to all blueprints, they had to take and steal the actual ships, right? So have a Faction friend, buy a big ship then hijack ships you want. Any busted ship you'll have to replace if no blueprint. Nobody said being a pirate was easy.

I'm just trying to think like a pirate who would have started with just captured ship or two.