Pirates and schematics

[Gerth]

If pirates are going to autospawn our latest ship designs, let's at least make it interesting. Maybe they only grab the design after

1) capturing a vessel in battle

2) capturing a scientist/engineer (pirates should be able to spy just as other empires do)

3) the black market (dunno what the mechanic would be)

Then there would be a certain roll-out period as the new ships come on line. This would be less annoying and immersion bursting than the current Oblivion equivalent of bandits popping up with daedric armor and shivs.

[Erik Rutins]

Some good suggestions for the future, can you please make sure you post these in the wish list if you have not?

[Fishman]

The main problem is that the way pirates simply pop into being using your best ships, without having to do any of the work or building, destroys the values of those classes of ships completely, so that you can never build one that is any good without shooting yourself in the foot, as using those classes of ship immediately touches off an unwinnable arms race.

Conversely, AI *EMPIRES* should be more interested in emulating your designs, especially if they lose to them, and create designs similar to yours, with either better or worse tech, depending on what they have, because firstly, this is realistic, and secondly, they actually have to pay for those, so it's not a free ride.

[Krippakrull]

I have another suggestion. Instead let the pirates mostly copy your merchant vessels, remove the trady bits and stock them with (more) weapons, an extra engine or two, shields and armor instead. Let the pirates spawn dedicated military ships seldom, and maybe a retrofitted colonyship or constructor filled with guns once in a blue moon. This makes more sense and also grants the player a small decision if done right. Do you keep your merchant navy somewhat technologically retarded on purpose, and thus a bit less efficient to keep the technology out of the hands of the pirates?