As the 7.2 mechanics thread has myself and a couple people talking of concepts for a multiplayer aurora being somewhat possible. I feel we should instead have a single thread dedicated to the concept.
TBH I was actually contemplating building something like this from scratch for android as a project. Instead of trying to ram some archaic spaghetti code half assed system that sends commands to a computer chugging along trying to play aurora with 100+ memory hacking processes running trying to make tweaks.
Instead something new.
My thought would be. Earth (UN) in general would have just gotten into TN tech. First long range lasers and TN missiles. First nuclear pulsed engines and such.
The players themselves would be agents of various spacegoing earth nations (with some backstory). Having access to some slightly better techs here and there based slightly in the nations backstory.
From there players can head out to mine and trade among-st earth and humanity's member colonies (and other race's who aren't at war), Explore new systems, and wage war against enemy forces.
As players earn money and resources, they can spend that buying new "pre-made" ships (UN premades are generally decent average designs with all the tech all nations have, but are cheaper. Factional premades require the player to play a bit and get some standing with them. They are more focused to rely on the bonuses of their own national advantages and more expensive) Or build their own.
Building your own takes you to have high enough standing with various nations to get access to their techs.
And also real time.
Though since you are using "premade" modules. It wouldn't take quite as logn as constructing a brand new ship. I mean, an average 6kt destroyer in aurora, being made from scratch vs having everything premade is quite noticeable. Also, one could technically design their own off the bat, as they have access to all UN techs... But the real reason for it comes in when you can start getting higher tech stuff from multiple groups to make outright better ships.
As players do stuff be it war or trading, they can affect the world. Move a lot of infrastructure to a colony? Now they have a demand for colonists. Move enough colonists, oh look the planet has more people and their demand for other trade goods jumps up, while the supply of the ones they produce becomes cheaper.
I dunno. I have a lot more thoughts, and some might be out there, but some I don't really see as too unfeasible. But I've gotta go to work so I'll fill in more later.
After I'm done with the android shpeal I also have another concept for how a regular multiplayer PC aurora could be handled in part.
