Actual distress beacon location

[KingKire]

Summary:
Creation of a random distress beacon object in the colony

Benefits:
-more early game objective focus for marines
-Vessel to deliver some juicy lore/RP
-Interesting survivor possibilities

Details:
While watching some good films and stories, it brought me to the thought that, when the marines arrive to the planet, they never actually go and investigate the distress location throughly. They are always drawn to random parts of the colony without ryme or reason, which usually devolves into "arrive, fortify engineering/nexus, wait for contact". Giving the distress beacon a defined location would actually be a wonderful addition.
Having it be set to an actual location in the colony allows the marines to have a "direct" yet passive mission goal, find that beacon, turn it off. In aliens, we had the location of the colonists, essentially a giant heat spike, that helped force the 2 squads into actual conflict with the xenos. Im not sure if we have to go that far(although possibly, you can have a "bread-crumb" approach, where the trail slowly leads from the LZ to one of the cave nests, where the marines get ambushed).

This also tightens up the survivor gameplay, they can choose to either find that beacon and stay around it/nearby, knowing that they have a very high chance of rescue, or they can take their chances somewhere else.
I know, survivors can just sit by the LZ's and wait for rescue, but i think it would help get the marine story pushing along.

Its a slightly cliche thing, but it does work, and it does work well.

Randomization of the beacon location makes it a little interesting for marines to hone-in to the target area. Possibly randomize whether its starts on or off.

Implementation
-Beacon spawns in one of several areas of the colony
-Beacon has 50% chance of being on or off
-Beacon can possibly be a laptop, gear, computer, or button?
-Beacon can have a message or RP component attached to it?

I need to look through and see if this has a sister suggestion hidden.

[sicktrigger]

there'd need to be some kind of tangible reward for marines locating it. otherwise sure they'll search it out for a few rounds, read all the lovely fluff, and then promptly never do it again

[OatzAndHoes]

+1
As for the reward maybe have a dead colonist spawn with a good weapon or ammo?

[sicktrigger]

ideally it'd be something that benefits the entire team effort, otherwise you'll end up with marines fighting over it

[KingKire]

Honestly, reward wise... mmm thats an interesting one. okay... reward wise:

Possible Distress beacon reward options:
-1) keys to the armory/IA office/Secure storage/Ripley unlocked/ something that was locked that now is unlocked in the colony.
-2) Extra access to colony features. Emergency door control/ security camera grid scan/ some useful equipment for the colony can now be used to assist marines somehow
-3) Rewards for the SULACO. Bringing this back up to the ship gives cargo points or possible research upgrades/ long term reward for due diligence.

and always present is the reward of lore/RP, and possibly a way to lead marines closer to the hive faster.

[Anticept]

Here's a simple way to handle: The beacon also has recordings from some of the colonists. The log entries are given to command for review, and contain info about the xenomorphs. Combined with survivors, it is a helpful way for marines to get the info they need without meta'ing the shit out of the xenos, and even gives the CL another thing to RP about.

[Kerek]

+1 if it makes a constant pinging noise until turned off by marines.

[Karmac]

b-but CM isn't an RP seber!

asides from that glaring fact, +1

[Wubs4Scrubs]

+1

I like that idea a lot, in terms of a reward for locating it maybe it gives a random research unlock or you can give it to requisitions and they can redeem it for points or a loot crate.

[Wubs4Scrubs]

bumperino