Signature
Description
Signatures are unique identification codes that store biometric data, political slants and the Spacenet surfing behaviour of the respective pilot. Data privacy experts are critical towards their application and warn against abuse. Spies can take advantage of this security gap to act behind enemy lines without revealing their identity. Fortunately a signature becomes unusable as soon as somone has been uncovered due to misconduct.
Note: There is a glitch that allows you to retain a signature while attacking a "friendly" if you have activated your Yin Co. Shadow Ninja cloaking device.
Terran Signature
Vossk Signature
Midorian Signature
Nivelian signature
Signatures have the ability to change your status once they are installed into your ship. You can only install one at a time, and they do not work once you have been discovered, such as shooting a friendly ship down.
How do I get Signatures?
There are two known ways to obtain a signature. One of which is to destroy ships belonging to the faction you want a Signature from. You also (most of the time) have to have a 100% reputation with the faction that you want the signature from. You can also purchase signatures for 500 000 credits, usually in the Loma system.
So, say you want a Vossk signature. You don't have to have a 100% good reputation with them. Just go to one of their stations and blast the crud out of every ship you see. As soon as you get away from the scene of battle, check your cargo hold. If you blew up a lot of ships, there's a 90% chance that you got a signature. If you only blew up a few ships, and don't have a signature, keeping blowing them up! Same goes for Terrans, Nivelians, and Midorians.
Signatures are not available for Pirates, Voids, Deep Science, or Valkyrie Factions, since they are not included in the reputation mechanic.
Signatures can be considered as quick-and-easy diplomats. When equipping a signature to your ship, the faction of the signature will become friendly and the opposing faction will become hostile until you unequip the signature from your ship, any non-opposing factions will become neutral, however, attacking a non-opposing faction while having a signature of a non-opposing faction your signature will still be invalidated.
Diplomats can no longer be brought if you have a signature equipped of the faction you are hostile to, but standing bonuses will remain the same.
Docking to a station of the opposing faction with an opposing faction's signature, you will still have to pay a bribe in order to dock.
When you enter a planet with a signature while there is an opposing faction attacking that faction's station, either faction will be marked as friendly and the opposing will be marked as enemy. Attacking the friendly faction will cause them to become hostile and the enemy faction will return to normal or friendly.
How do I use a Signature?
To use a Signature you must equip it in the hangar in much the same way you would with any other equipment. Once equipped, your ship will be treated as if it belongs to the faction who's Signature you have equipped. Only one signature can be equipped at a time.
This can be particularly useful if you are an outlaw in the eyes of that faction - equip the signature and so long as you don't harm that faction they'll think you're one of them and not attack you or charge you for entering their stations.
If you attack the faction who's Signature you're using, the Signature is immediately invalidated and destroyed. Disable any auto-turrets and avoid using weapons with AOE for this purpose.
Selling Signatures
Signatures are a black market item, though they can be sold almost anywhere for around 7500 credits. If you're in the Loma system (black market in the Valkyrie add-on) a signature is worth about 7500 credits, being worth more than the slightly lower selling price at space stations. Selling signatures is not profitable as you cant get bulk of them, though, they are very useful.
Notes
- Signatures were introduced in the 1.0.6 update, but strangely have never been listed as an addition in any update's change log.
- After purchasing the Valkyrie add-on, any signatures that you've not yet encountered will have a "new" symbol on them in the hangar, indicating that they are a new feature from the add-on you purchased (despite them actually being added in the 1.0.6 update).
- You can't combine signatures. For example, you cannot be peaceful with the Nivelians and Midorians. The game would then ask you if you want to change the signature with the other one.
- The moment your signature is invalidated, you instantly become hostile with the faction you were impersonating.
- If you had previously assaulted station security, departed, and then returned with a signature, they will attack you ignoring your new identity, even if your signature matches the faction of the station security. For example, if you attack many terrans to the point that they become hostile, go somewhere else and equip a terran signature. When you return to the station the terrans will attack you, and if you jump elsewhere in the system they will view you as friendly because of your new identity.
