"Naval"/"Aerospace"/"Space" Code Proposal

[five]

I would like to propose an idea to make finding what station a person is from and so on more easier for station personel. This "Code" should contain 4 things:
1. A 2-3 letter (A,B,C,D... u get the idea) designation for Factions (Developer factions get a 1 letter designation: K - Kingdom, E - Empire) this way you could easier find out if somebody is from a hostile faction.
2. A 3 digit number (123,456,789 or something like that [for chads numbers like 007]) this number correlates to the plane, as to make watching traffic easier. Scenario: You expect a ration of certain ores from Empire, ship number 069. An imposter shows up at your base, Code: E-096 ...., now u can easily identify that he is not what u want in your harbour. Numbers for 1 faction cannot be used twice, if two people want the number 420 make them fight for the right to have that number.
3. A "Home" designation: A 3 digit number for your home base/the location u started at. For example i would propose giving Origin the designation 001.
4. Personel things like Nicknames for the ship. the fourth part is not needed.

Now here are some exceptions that have to be clarified:
People with no faction have the faction designation NON (latin for: not)
Same goes for the number: People with no faction get the designation 000 or 999 (u decide)
So the designation for a newbie would be : NON-000-001-Timmy (Cuz his tag is Timmy)

This code designation system was proposed by RAM Industries' Forum Representative five
If you have any ideas for changes or more please leave them in the comments below

 

[Cavilier210]

Used once meaning each ships identifier is unique to the ship, or used once like every time its spawned and despaired it gets a new number?

 

[five]

Used once meaning each ships identifier is unique to the ship, or used once like every time its spawned and despaired it gets a new number?

You could make it ship specific and I would actually propose we do it that way, tho i wouldnt say, that it its once its spawned, but once purchased or traded it gets a new number. Like changing a number plate after buying from somebody else. So like u are a NF (No Faction) and change to a faction and take ur starter ship with you that ship now has a new number. The number is unique to the ship, but can change over its life span/ time of service in a military

 

[Cavilier210]

So, how do we impersonate another ship?

 

[five]

Be creative, find yourself a way

 

[XenoCow]

Once ship transponders are added, perhaps it will be possible to set them uniquely in some way. So to change the code of a ship, it may be necessary to swap the transponder. That's only if transponders can't be altered easily like normal YOLOL fields.

I suggest using HEX numbers so that each field of 3 digits can go from 000-FFF (0-4095).

 

[Cavilier210]

Once ship transponders are added, perhaps it will be possible to set them uniquely in some way. So to change the code of a ship, it may be necessary to swap the transponder. That's only if transponders can't be altered easily like normal YOLOL fields.

I suggest using HEX numbers so that each field of 3 digits can go from 000-FFF (0-4095).

I think hex should be possible, but I personally am not a fan of hex numbers.

I would kinda hate to have to steal someones transponder to do some impersonation though. Stealing the identifier or frequency would be a lot nicer.

 

[CalenLoki]

Impersonation shouldn't be easy. If it's just matter of changing some numbers, it will be used so often that nobody will ever trust transponders. Which kills impersonation.

Stealing transponder not only makes it more challenging, but also forces you to have it (store, trade, transport, ect.) physically in game, rather than storing countless of ids or frequencies somewhere externally on a notepad.
It also prevent copying it. One stolen transponder=one impersonating ship.

 

[five]

Assigning a transponder a certain code would be in my interest. I wouldnt want it to be changable by hand, but like being able to change a number plate with an official political organ (in this case more like a small shop) I would like to also have it that way. Because of this u can say: No you dont get that sign, its already taken. This would force people to get creative with their number plates, or to steal the transponders

 

[Cavilier210]

The issue I see is that its not really usable if you have to steal the transponder.

 

[CalenLoki]

Because?
Too hard to acquire?
Lauri on 12th of nov: "with towing removed a few months ago the amount of wrecks lying in space in alpha has skyrocketed, being now around 19,242"
If transponders existed at the start of CA, half of those could potentially allow you to impersonate someone. Of course if you could find them, buy from someone or "produce" new wrecks.

 

[five]

Genius, build a spy faction that seems to be a wreck salvaging faction. You get money, disguises and possibly intel. Your going to be the Starbase CIA

 

[Cavilier210]

No, the problem is the compounding of two hard things. First is obviously hard to aquire. The second is after you aquire it, you have to be able to use it. Yet factions are likely to be well aware of the status of transponders, and so being able to utilize them for infiltration is about 0. When the likelihood of being able to successfully do a thing approaches 0, its time to rethink the mechanic.

Your idea has a unique ID for every ship, not every faction/company. If it were just the company identifier hardwired into it, then yes, utilization ability goes up much higher.

 

[CalenLoki]

I never stated what an transponder should contain.
It may be just owner name+ship model+ship name/number+company name.
Or just owner+company.
While someone at company's administration may know which numbers got lost, I highly doubt every guard will compare every met ship with lost transponders table (assuming that game doesn't do it for them automatically)
Not to mention their allies or even third party players (impersonating to hurt their PR).
There is also an option to infiltrate enemy ranks and get some transponders without getting them listed on the "stolen list".

On the other hand if impersonating is as easy as editing a device field, nobody will consider them valid way to IFF. So no infiltration either.

 

[Cavilier210]

I was more responding to Five, Calen, lol.