I think it would be interesting to see who is docked at a Station or Planet. I like seeing who is mining in the asteroid field other than me, only because it gives you a sense that you’re not all alone. So when you dock at a Station or Planet, it would nice to see the ships that are there as well. I admit there is no real benefit, it just give you the sense that there is other activity going on.
It would also let Rexx stalk you, so I dunno…
Seconded! Maybe I’ve just not yet got used to the idea that I’m not playing an MMORPG now, but to me, it seems very weird and kind of lonely to have a nominally multiplayer game where you can’t see any of the other players at all, except when their names appear on the little “news” ticker.
As for “no real benefit”, the aim of a computer game is to be fun, if it achieves that end then it’s a “useful” addition!
(I’ve seen some mention of player captains hiring other player captains to guard them when combat is introduced, so does that mean that it is intended that eventually there’ll be some direct interaction between players - I mean, direct as opposed to just visiting each others’ unmanned shops? Or is there, in fact, such interaction somewhere in the game already and I haven’t realised? I’m quite new.)
Oh, just tried mining for the first time and saw another miner. Hello Ms_Myoko! That does make it much less like just a single-player game with a high scores board. I still think showing who is docked wouldn’t do any harm, though. (Rexx apart 
)