Do you enjoy level requirements for AI automation?

[Azhukar]

Currently, AI requires certain pilot skill levels to unlock various automation functionality. I would like to ask the community whether this is something they enjoy as a game mechanic. I'm new to this place and do not know what kind of features people prefer.

Personally, I do not like having interface features hidden behind a time/grind wall. For me it only results in fighting the interface instead of enjoying the game. The interface is already tedious to navigate. I know there are mods that disable these requirements, but I would very much like an option to completely disable the entire leveling mechanics that affect which AI behavior is unlocked.

[Mavo Pi]

I am okay with the skill level requirements but the crew should be able to gain the necessary skill in a reasonable time.

[ezra-r]

I am okay with the skill level requirements but the crew should be able to gain the necessary skill in a reasonable time.

I 100% agree on this.

[Bubonosaure]

Same as others. Give us a proper crew management HUD where we can do things quickly and efficiently and proper training mechanics (seminars ?) or smth. Right now, it's pretty stupid.

[joey86]

Especially when buying trading Ships for autotrade and they need 3 stars..... why cant we just hire a pilot with 3 stars for like 10 or 100 times the price of a normal captain. would be that way in real life.
when i want an manager in real life i dont hire a janitor and hope he someday may be able to do the job which i am hiring hiom for.

Maybe we could just simply have different variants of captains. some can trade but arent able to do mining or good combat. others are good in combat but suck in trading.
if i then buy an autotrader he would be able to autotrade from begining but maybe only certain wares and distances till he levels up.

i dont like the current state where we hire a captain for trading who isnt able to trade

[grapedog]

I should be able to visit a couple stations, hit the docks and bars, and find a basic 3 star captain....

[adeine]

I think having better pilot skill => better performance in automated roles or more options to choose from is good, but requiring a minimum to do so at all is a little frustrating right now without a good way to train pilots up. E.g. let us train pilots as a sector trader before they're good enough to be a universe trader, but don't make it so you're stuck unless the pilot is already qualified.

In general performing the activity you want to eventually be automated should increase pilot level at said task (have a ship fight to up their piloting skill, have a ship perform trades to up their trading skills).

[Falcrack]

I think when buying a captain for a ship, we should be able to choose which skill level captain we want. None of this guessing game, I want my trade ships to be able to engage in autotrading right out of the gate. Higher fees for higher skill levels of course. Maybe they could actually track the number of skilled pilots at a station. There may be only a limited number of 5 star pilots, for example, but the pool of skilled pilots generates slowly over time.

[Baddieus]

How about a jobs posting board for more skilled personnel … maybe you have to go to wherever they are & pick them up, or possibly even a mission to get them to want to work for you. Also there are NPC's in ships that dock which could have more skillsets & be able to be hired away from their current ship for an up-front signing bonus.

[RodentofDoom]

It will be less of an issue when skill books become something other than just inventory fillers.

I like the feature as it adds immersion, it makes sense that a more skilled pilot is capable of more complex behaviours.

[Shehriazad]

There should be at least two more options to choose in that poll ^^;


"Yes, but it needs work"

And

"No, but with some work I might"


Painting the world in black and white is something only a Paranid would do!

[Nafensoriel]

I both agree with it and think there should be some slight RPGesk expansion on it.

It would be nice if while levelling they could randomly develop a trait or two related to what they are doing. I wouldn't apply it to every single pilot but rather just make it a rare occurrence to encourage players to hire low skilled pilots and train them in the chance you get something even better in the long run.

[mr.WHO]

I'd enjoy it if they would actually implement experience gain and training options in the first place instead on the roadmap for 3.0+
Not even venture skill gain is implemented yet.

Why they add more skill blokers long before any semblance of working experience/training is beyond me!

[Lazerius]

I both agree with it and think there should be some slight RPGesk expansion on it.

It would be nice if while levelling they could randomly develop a trait or two related to what they are doing. I wouldn't apply it to every single pilot but rather just make it a rare occurrence to encourage players to hire low skilled pilots and train them in the chance you get something even better in the long run.

I REALLY like the idea of this, BUT how devastated will the player be when 1/2 a carrier's worth of fighters with all "Ace Fighter Pilot" traits gets blown up because they couldn't launch fast enough.

If they gain the perk over time regardless, as long as they are flying a fighter, and fighting or defending a station, then they should eventually get it regardless. But in that case, it's exactly how the system is now, just without the existance of a "Trait"

[Nafensoriel]

/snip

My other gaming love besides the X series is rimworld(mostly because I'm a cheap bastard and won't bat an eye at spending 25 grand on a specialized piece of equipment but upgrade my old travelling work laptop? NO!)

The one feature expressed in that title that has real potential is the tragedy. Yes, it would absolutely SUCK to lose your tricked out carrier with ace pilots you've personally mentored(sent on patrol) and known for "years"(10 days of seta) but it would also allow the game to fully express emotion with action. No longer would losing a ship just be "oh well I'm going to rebuild it from my literal billions of cr" but rather you get to feel legitimate loss of something you can't recover(your time) and actually get to react to gameplay by getting angry or cautious or any number of emotions that transition a game from "good" to "great".

[Tomonor]

Once Egosoft adds crew training centers/universities, I totally will. But right now it's a rather annoying chore. I mean, buy ship with full crew, send it to different systems to either explore or update trade offers. I get the idea, but since crew skill is an important part of the game, there should be options for leveling them (for money obviously).

A perfect crew leveling system would be:
1. Practice with limitations (currently in place) - Slow leveling, free
2. Digital seminars (rare) - Instant leveling, should cost a fortune
3. Training center stations - Fast(er) leveling, costs less than an instant seminar but trainees get leveled up in the desired skill + free morale boost
4. Hiring professionals - Instant, barely affordable
5. Aquiring crew for free - They could be turn-coats with low morale who flee your enemy's side for refugee, or a Captain/Pilot could offer you its services for free for saving them for xy.

6. Bonus - Your (trained) crew should be savable with escape pods.

[Buzz2005]

The one feature expressed in that title that has real potential is the tragedy. Yes, it would absolutely SUCK to lose your tricked out carrier with ace pilots you've personally mentored(sent on patrol) and known for "years"(10 days of seta) but it would also allow the game to fully express emotion with action. No longer would losing a ship just be "oh well I'm going to rebuild it from my literal billions of cr" but rather you get to feel legitimate loss of something you can't recover(your time) and actually get to react to gameplay by getting angry or cautious or any number of emotions that transition a game from "good" to "great".

that could come in mods, but after all the features and commands work properly so you can control your ships and that 5 star pilots are very rare but are functionally better

[Max Bain]

What about a recruitement center as a new building where some new captains of different skill levels would come from time to time. Lets say each hour 1-2 new captains come and stay for some days before they leave.
I think at the stage of the game where you command a big fleet, no one should waste time by hiring adequate captains. You should give that task to your managers in form of a separate building or so.

[Ezarkal]

I'll be okay with the required crew level for automation when they will fix the seminar system.

I've had some freighters working for stations for over 50h, and others I've manually ordered for longer than that... yet they could still not start autotrading. The current process needs to speed up somehow.
Seminars would be a good way to go.

But in the current state of thing, the autotrade/mine/revisit/etc. features are nearly useless because none of your ships will ever be able to gain enough experience to get to that point.


Yes, I'm aware of the various roundabout methods to fix the issues for now. I'm just saying vanilla approach needs to be tuned.

[HBK]

I'll be okay with the required crew level for automation when they will fix the seminar system.

Basically this. It's a neat concept in theory, but the "new pilot lotto" is NOT a fun game mechanic.