<!--quoteo(post=315100:date=Apr 22 2009, 02:52 PM:name=Hook)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hook @ Apr 22 2009, 02:52 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=315100"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->One reason to inspect ships would be to search for contraband. If a ship is smuggling it's likely to run instead of submitting to an inspection. If it is carrying contraband and doesn't run, you find yourself in a boarding situation with a captain who may or may not surrender without a fight.
If you're sailing for Britain, there aren't many friendly nations to board. You'd have to be inspecting ships flying the British flag, mostly.
Hook<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's the reason I want to have two buttons. The AIs determination if he complies should be the same in either case <i>if</i> the player is in the Navy, since it doesn't make a difference to theother captain if that Navy dude says "Hey, let me come over for a friendly chat" or "Hey, let me come over to inspect your ship". That's all the same to him. But if he doesn't comply to the "Hail" request, nothing should happen, while not complying to the "Inspection" request should make him start to run. I need to know clearly what (how forceful) the player's intentions are.
So, if you're in the Navy it should be like this:
1) "Inspection" -> AI complies -> Board for inspection -> Inspection - whatever that actually <i>does</i> in the end <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
2) "Inspection" -> AI doesn't comply -> Set Runaway task for AI -> Player can choose to open fire without taking a relation/reputation hit (or go hostile immediately?)
3) "Hailing" -> AI doesn't comply -> Nothing happens
4) "Hailing" -> Ai complies -> Board for chat -> Chat
A further option would be to include a dialogue option for case 4: "You act suspicious, let me have a look around your ship.", which leads to:
1) AI complies -> Inspection
2) AI doesn't comply -> Start fighting on deck
Another idea (okay, I'm getting ahead of myself here): Make it dependent on your position if you have the right to inspect ships from other (non-hostile) nations. In your own waters you have the right to inspect any ship, if you're in international waters you're only allowed to inspect ships from your own nation. If you inspect other nations' ships in international waters, international relations take a small hit. If you use force after a ship didn't comply to your inspection request, international relations take a big hit. Do this too often, and your superiors may throw you out of the Navy.