Transponders and PvE: How do you tell?

[Epsilon]

Aeryn brought up an interesting question in another thread, and it bears looking at:

<snip>

There is a thread in the DDF Archives talking about a transponder - the ability to advertise you as a human, and if you turn yours off everyone will see you as an NPC and them to you as NPCs. If In this scenario if you meet another "player" you won't necessarily know - what's the opinion of everyone here if FD implement that feature and you play with the transponder off ?

I imagine an active transponder will be required to play in the group to make it easy to identify players.

The only issue I can see is if it's an add-on module - and especially if it's an add-on that you have to buy. Hopefully it's a built-in option on ships, perhaps one that you need to be at a base to toggle.

[GlobusDiablo]

Well, if you want to play in open play, but want to stay "hidden", that's perfect. Apart from that, I don't know...


Meh...

[Brightside]

I've been flying around in the private group for some time with my transponder on, it's nice to see those green rectangles on the scanner hologram and very nice when you see two or three around the same station.

On that note I should probably apologise to the poor Cobra pilot I flew past a full speed as we were going different ways through a space station enterance... although you were using auto-pilot so if you are anything like me you weren't watching out for suicidal pilots and were checking your gal map or next FS jump or something.

[Gazzareth]

I am assuming that it will make you completely indistinguishable from a npc, probably hiding the Cmdr as well (otherwise what's the point). In which case it should be compulsory to have them on whilst playing in group so you don't become a victim of someone who thinks they are attacking a npc

G

[Aeryn]

In which case it should be compulsory to have them on whilst playing in group so you don't become a victim of someone who thinks they are attacking a npc

I don't know about it being compulsory to have it turned on (so that you advertise yourself) - I believe this to be one of those personal choice things.

If you want to immerse yourself and become one with the background then part of the "risk" is that another player might kill you by accident mistaking you for an NPC. The things is, you wouldn't know it was another player as to you they would also be seen as an NPC.

The logic is "AND" - you both need it to be turned on else you see each other as NPCs.

Being slightly unfair I expect it to be one of the many features that fail to make it into Release ... Rush job springs to mind.

[Gazzareth]

If you're playing in a PvE group you kind of need to know who are players and who are npcs so you don't target the wrong ships. Makes it pretty hard to play by the group's rules if you can't tell, unless you want to turn it into a complete pacifist group..

G

[Brightside]

I think it should come down to personal choice, but I have no idea why you might fly with your transponder off in the PvE Private Group as having it on means that group members won't target you as they will know you are an ally instead of thinking you're a juicy NPC.

[Rune]

Sounds like this could be used for abuse in a PvE group, some one could mask that they are a player and use it to attack other players who would just think it's a NPC and not report it. Personally I don't like the idea. Can see it being useful for open though.

[NoSScar]

I've been flying around in the private group for some time with my transponder on,.

you mean we already can get one. where?

[Brightside]

I've been flying around in the private group for some time with my transponder on,.

you mean we already can get one. where?

They aren't out yet?

Obviously I have no idea what I'm talking about. I assumed they were because I keep seeing allied (green) ships on my scanner.