EVN Idea: Dynamically Change Starting System

Searched and didn't find, so I'm posting, partly for my benefit and also in case this idea helps someone else.

I've been mulling some ideas for a plugin in my head. The player would start as the citizen of a certain govt. One of the choices the player would have during the story would be abandoning the initial govt and joining another, which might potentially anger the initial govt. If the char's initial system was part of that initial govt, this would pose a problem if the player later ejects (or is ejected) from their ship (which is why the Bible wisely suggests making the initial system neutral).

What I'm thinking, though, is this: what if each govt had its own escape pod outf, purchaseable only to its own citizens. The starting ship would set a magic bit in the Contribute field and not be purchaseable or capturable. Each escape pod outf would set a different bit when purchased (and clear all other escape pod bits), and would be impossible to buy while the player is in a starting ship. Finally, there would be a cron of duration 0 for each govt, with that govt's escape pod bit in the EnableOn field, and the starting ship magic bit in the Require field. The OnStart field would contain Mxxx, moving the player to the designated start system for that govt, and the OnEnd field would clear the escape pod bit.

The end result should be that if the player PO'ed their starting govt and later had to eject, they would get (instantly, to the player) whisked away to their new govt's designated starting system. I have to admit I haven't tested this idea yet. Anyone see any flaws? Can it be done more simply?

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I don't believe that the char resource has any effect on where you end up when you use an escape pod.
.
mcb

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"If it's not on fire, it's a software problem."

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Originally posted by mburch:
**I don't believe that the char resource has any effect on where you end up when you use an escape pod.
mcb
**

Gotcha. Instead of "the char's initial system", I should probably have written "syst 128".

Hmm. It'd be more economical, if less dramatic, to have the char starting syst be owned by the starting govt and have syst 128 be independent, instead of the scheme I initially proposed.

(Editted for clarification)

(This message has been edited by Earthling (edited 05-24-2002).)

Quote

Originally posted by Earthling:
**Gotcha. Instead of "the char's initial system", I should probably have written "syst 128".
**

When the player uses an escape pod, he may or may not end up in system ID 128.
.
mcb

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"If it's not on fire, it's a software problem."

😕 <shambles off to do some bible-spelunking and testing>

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(This message has been edited by Earthling (edited 05-24-2002).)

Quote

Originally posted by mburch:

When the player uses an escape pod, he may or may not end up in system ID 128.
.
mcb

Really! What determines where you end up then? Also if you have a mission in progress and you eject does the mission fail or abort?

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