Civilian Ships

[IanD]

That's a very good idea. The only slight problem I can see is that a player would buy up all the civilian ships and remove the civilian element of the game. Therefore, how about if the only civilian ships offered for sale are those that cannot find anything to do, like the geo survey ships you mentioned? This is on the basis that if the civilian owner cannot find any thing for his ships to do, he is much more likely to try and sell them.

Thats perfect, as there are not only the Geo survey ships but the occassional Colony ship which seems to get stuck. Personally I wouldn't buy up all the civilian shipping as it provides a way to populate my colonies without me having to programme in the journey. I can then concentrate on the more distant/marginal colonies.

Regards

[MWadwell]

I haven't coded it yet but I intend to add an option to "nationalise" civilian shipping. This will add all civilian shipping to your Empire but there will be a lower chance of civilian shipping appearing in the future. Every time you nationalise the chance will decrease further (I am thinking of halving the chance for each nationalisation).

Is it possible to have a button to buy civilian shipping, not all of it but selected task groups and at a reasonable market cost? E.g. My empire is short of geo survey ships, the civs have built two or three which just hang around doing nothing and I would like to give them something constructive to do, but I am quite happy with the colony ships and don't want to interfere in their work. This would be much better than an all or nothing nationalisation button, which would reduce the chance of more free ships.

That's a very good idea. The only slight problem I can see is that a player would buy up all the civilian ships and remove the civilian element of the game. Therefore, how about if the only civilian ships offered for sale are those that cannot find anything to do, like the geo survey ships you mentioned? This is on the basis that if the civilian owner cannot find any thing for his ships to do, he is much more likely to try and sell them.

Steve

What about a sliding scale for costs - e.g. the cost to buy the last available ship is (prohibatively) higher than buying the first ship. I mean, it follows real life - the law of supply and demand and all....

[schroeam]

What about being able to sell excess colony ships to civilian interests, or refit civilian ships to more up to date tech?

[ShadoCat]

What about being able to sell excess colony ships to civilian interests, or refit civilian ships to more up to date tech?

I don't see the point in that since one of the best things about civilian built ships is that they don't cost resources.  The wealth that you would get seems a trifle compared to the irreplaceable resources that you spent to build it.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

What about being able to sell excess colony ships to civilian interests, or refit civilian ships to more up to date tech?

I like both ideas, altough the latter is trickier to handle. I'll give it some thought.

Steve

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

What about being able to sell excess colony ships to civilian interests, or refit civilian ships to more up to date tech?

I don't see the point in that since one of the best things about civilian built ships is that they don't cost resources.  The wealth that you would get seems a trifle compared to the irreplaceable resources that you spent to build it.

You might sell it if the cost to upgrade isn't worth it and you don't want older ships. I see your point as even an old slow ship can be useful but you might also sell it to civilians to save fuel.

Steve

[schroeam]

Might be useful to have a market system for purchasing, or leasing, civilian ships to give a rapid insurge of colonists to a colony beyond the operating range of civilian ships, but then be able to transfer them back to civilian industry to avoid the overhead costs.  Just a thought...