Antenna Implications with Gameplay, with a Fligh Simm Influence on Different Ability

The antenna performs several functions in Flight Sims that I think would be very useful for players in Single Player and in Multi Player game scenarios. It also can be the block that can unify a couple different systems, for simplicity. This would be Communications, Identify Friend or Foe, and Radar Scanner.

Definitions:

Active vs Passive - An Active scanner emits a signal, either as communications or as an active radar scan. A passive scanner means it is passively listening for emitted radiation, and interprets for the player. A passive scanner is also 'invisible' to other systems. An example currently, is when players see an "unknown signal" appear on their screen. That is the antenna giving a signal that you passively pick up when in range. If the antenna was not broadcasting, you would not be able to see it unless you picked it up visually, or with an active radar scanner return.

Cooperative vs Non-Cooperative - A query for a response, called an 'Interrogation', and one that is complied with or denied. In practice, it means 'password required'. If you see an 'unknown signal', that means the antenna is broadcasting a signal. It is 'unknown', because either it has a blank information log being sent...or it is password encrypted to be able to read or access it's information.

Omni-directional vs radar scan vs directed - These are different emission patterns, or shapes, for an antenna or scanner to emit energy. Omni-Directional is typically a sphere around you, and has a shorter range. The ore scanner is an example of this. A radar scan is a sectional area being actively scanned for returns, and is typically cone shaped coming off the point of the antenna, and has a medium range. A Directed scan is a highly focused beam, essentially a laser, that has long range. Used for an active target lock, or for target ranging/communication at long distances.

Different Functions:

1. Communications

-If- Voip channels were added to SE2, this is just an idea for integrating them into the antenna, at a simple level. There are probably better ideas that will be used.

Three channels, limited to your current Sector. One general voice channel 'Guard' as used in aviation and military. It is an open Channel, unencrypted, that anyone can communicate on, Sector wide. For cross-sector communications, limited to 'chat', or txt only, as it has to travel through a faster-than-light relay. Also, cuts out on spam and message overload.

The second channel is the 'Base' channel, and it is used to communicate with NPC, Base/Vendor A.I., or PC on a Station or Base. Used for vendor services, security information, docking information, local area info, Clearances, etc.

Third are the encrypted channels, which are password protected. Essentially your 'Faction' or player chat channels.

2. Identify Friend or Foe (IFF)

When you see a ship with an 'unknown signal', you 'interrogate' it with your antenna. In a Flight Simm, this is the Mode C encoding (altitude for ATC), or Mode 4 response to a military interrogation (the password for friendly units), and it all happens automatically. You the player have the option to 'initiate' a check on an 'unknown signal', or any ship or base, and it normally is done with a joystick button, keyboard-press, or through an screen menu click. If the 'unknown signal' transponder response is already set to 'cooperative', it will automatically respond with it's pre-programmed information. You the player will see whatever the other player has set up to respond with, i.e. his ship name, his user name, home base, faction, trade routes, misc, etc.

Normal gameplay would have three settings for a player to setup, an 'open' signal that is broadcasted continually, an 'open' interrogation response that gives more information to the usual flow of people that you decided to allow to see, and then different 'encrypted' responses to different passwords. The player has the option to edit whatever you want to be shown, as is normal antenna operation, with the ability to have more information that is 'interrogated', and more that is password protected and only accessible to players/bases with it.

...or, for example, if you are in an combat engagement with two different factions, and the other grid is completely password protected, it will just continue to respond with 'unknown signal'. You see the signal, interrogate it, but don't get anything. If they are a friendly, and a part of your faction, and both of your have the faction password, then it will display some pre-aggreed upon information for you. So an 'unknown signal' response to an interrogation could be a couple different things. The information on the transponder is just -blank-, or it is 'non-cooperative' and password protected.

Should some information from the player be automatically broadcasted, as set by the server admin? That depends on the rules. Maybe certain 'licenses' for police type enforcement can bypass encryption, or can reveal a players 'true' username, etc. Opens up Spy or Smuggler ideas. An in-game solution would be, say when a player approaches a station for entry, is to send a brief to the player from the station with the transponder information requirements for entry. I.E., a player built base has a random player outside approaching. The base want's their: ship name, username, faction, player identified home base. The reason being, that if Station/Base shields are no longer indestructible, then a random player has to give another faction a 'reason' to trust them to come inside. That reason, is their identity. If they troll, then there are player or A.I. assigned repercussions against them and their base. There would have to be different 'check-boxes' next to this kind of information in a players antenna settings, as set by the game coding, that is un-changeable,, that list what they wish to respond with. I.E., a checkbox for their username, etc. You could also add the option for players to edit a 'spoof' response, with the 'real' information being sent with a proper password. Or police/military antenna interrogation. Again, allows spy, smugglers, or anonymity. Or run with a full ability to edit your transponders information, not sure how to ensure law. Maybe different sector/antenna/menu setting/server settings to change this all as desired/needed. High security sectors vs low security sectors.

3. Scanner

This idea really should be as another block and another gameplay system, but just for sake of ease I will include it with normal antenna operation, as the underlying principles remain the same. The idea being to combine an omni-directional scan, an cone-shaped active scan, and a directional laser scan, into one system. The difference between the shapes would be short, medium and long range, respectively.

Currently, there are a couple scanner that we already have. Ore scanner (omni directional), cameras (visual cone), transponders(omni-directional). If you added a method for an active radar scanning, for targets, bases, or terrain, you could scan that to give additional information. Estimated tonnage, energy levels, telemetry, targeting solution cues, etc. Why is this good? In multiplayer gameplay, if you are painting a target, and it shows high tonnage, large shape, and low energy levels...it is probably a freighter. If you paint a small target, low tonnage, ...high energy levels...it could be a fighter. It gives an ability to estimate a class and type of a grid, in a game without pre-defined classifications (fighter, frigate, cruiser...). It could also paint their weapons and outside stores, to see their weapons and equipment. If a grid suddenly powers up it's reactors, and energy levels spike, you have some warning of impending possible attack.

And if you combined the different scanning shapes and ranges with an ore scanner, it also opens up a lot of usefulness for players prospecting.

Conclusion

These are just the basic ideas that could be useful, lots of things could be added or expanded. Not sure what is planned for future releases, though.