[Suggestion] Character rescue missions for prospectors who get left behind

39 votes

In my opinion failure should add content, not reset it or take it away.

So my suggestion is that when you are unable to get back to your drop pod by the end of the mission your other characters get a new mission to go back down to the planet and rescue that character.

You can put a bunch of fun parameters on it. Like:
Make the requirements higher for higher level characters and so on.
Needing to go and find them.
Build a stretcher.
Make medicines and things like that.

You could even have these open for other people to do.
So someone could make a "Rescue medic" spec character who goes in and rescues peoples characters that were left behind.

Under consideration Missions Suggested by: Kyojin (05 Oct, '21) • Upvoted: 27 Oct, '23 • Comments: 5

Comments: 5

05 Oct, '21
Agent Orange
Personally, I prefer the idea of the hardcore option of you miss your drop, you're dead/gone/departed/no longer on this mortal coil/at one with the parrot.

I do like the concept of a medic/rescue mission though (NPC), perhaps a recover their data/gear/whatever.
29 Oct, '21
Plisskin010
I really like this idea. I am okay with the concept of hard deadlines for prospects, but I feel like there is going to be the occasional "life event", such as getting sick or getting called into a work shift, that can kind of suck if that also means losing a high level character. Even within the lore, if you are dropping into a prospect, you know how to survive (chop wood, build shelters, find food), so really it should be less about dying and more about getting back to the station. Maybe you could have a limited amount of time to "rescue" a lost character and give XP for those people who join the prospect to help you out. I am just imagining the frustration of losing a high level character because my day off was cancelled by my job (the whole dealing with life thing). Overall, I agree with the OP that this is an opportunity to add content, add a new experience, add challenge.
06 Dec, '21
JJ
+1

RL can be the literal death of many an online character, a 'Rescue mission' to recover 'Lost' characters warrants serious consideration, particularly if you want to appeal to the working class/parent gamers.
21 Mar, '22
FractusNine
Rescue missions are a great idea! This is a great opportunity to re-engage players too -- ask a friend for help with a rescue! Maybe add in a "tracking" mechanic similar to the radar (but smaller). The more players in the mission, the more tracking they can do, and the faster the location homes in. Gives an incentive to do a co op mission, which can be fun!

Losing a character because of unexpected real life events can fully disengage players -- and casual players are pretty much always the biggest % of the player base. For example, I've had my motherboard die suddenly, and had to wait for replacement parts . . . easily taking longer than the typical 7 day timer. Likely would not return to the game after a loss like that. For hardcore players perhaps hardcore missions are still unrecoverable, since players are deliberately accepting the risk.
23 Jun, '22
Jason
I have been hoping for this for a while. Would be a nice addition to the game to have the prospect be accessible for a period of time after it has ended with buildings and such still available. I would also think you'd be able to make it so certain drop items aren't available for a 2nd prospector to drop with (exotic mining rig or the fuel for it) so that you are only dropping in to rescue and send back another prospector of yours. Would be an ideal "forced solo" mission with a limited amount of time to complete as well. I personally havent lost any prospectors yet but having the option would be great, in my opinion. I would also be fine with the mission being only to recover drop items. Maybe make it cost Ren to recover items and Ren + Exotics to recover a prospector.