Exploration suggestions thread - Visuals,encounters,mechanics,missions. In short some mystery!

[NeilF]

ED has a great framework set up now, but IMHO exploration needs an element of risk and the unknown added. ie: At the moment I believe we could spend weeks exploring new systems and we'll simply find variations on common themes.

So I believe it needs to be built upon to bring a bit of mystery and interest to visiting/exploring systems. Here's a few suggestions for eye-candy and game mechanics. Please feel free to suggest your own:-

• Civilisation lights on the dark sides of planets/moons. [Added in V1.1]
• Aurora borealis: http://www.sott.net/article/293782-Underground-ocean-confirmed-on-Jupiters-largest-moon (Aurora on Ganymede)
• Huge electrical storms on planets: http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/01/18/photos-lightning-shines-in-the-eye-of-a-cyclone/
• Comets: Be nice to not only see them in SC, but also from the surface of a moon/planet (in Horizons)? Offer simple exploration missions to locate and scan them in Supercruise? Could even exit SC at them (akin to a station) and do scans.. or even land on them to do surface based operations (Horizons)?
• More visual wonders. eg: Moons with huge geysers leaving ice partical trails behind them: http://usercontent1.hubimg.com/6801374_f520.jpg, or close binaries distorting each others plasma/atmospheres (common envelopes) in wonderful ways: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/25/article-0-143684F3000005DC-654_634x469.jpg [Small geysers in V2.2]
  Just to make exploration that little bit more varied and thus rewarding! That or we could have bobble heads I guess!
• Space elevators: Maybe these could have a new station type at their top? Note: Depends upon if an elevator ends far enough from surface for the current game mechanics?
• Generation Ships (from the original Elite) to at least see/encounter. If you're stupid enough to shoot one they're protected by the military you know! (Talk of them in Horizons - click)
• Super remote exploration platforms in systems well away from colonised space (think truckers stops). Maybe they even have some localised missions? Some offer some rare commodities to bring back? Community goals to get supplies to one of these platforms due to an emergency? [Sort of being added in V1.4 via a CG]
• Military bases you're not allowed to get too close to (you get warned and then attacked). Maybe sometimes they do huge weapons tests!
• Distress signals maybe go and help another ship (even just to give them some fuel?). Fetch them an item to repair them for a reward.
• Wrecks to at least look around (possibly some even have abandoned cargo you can pick up). [Sort of added in V1.4]
• Maybe even wrecked platforms/stations? Surely some have come a cropper? Imagine flying around a (pitch black) "dead station"! Some abandoned cargo/items could maybe spawn in such places periodically? Groups could try and take these over?
• Oddities. eg: Odd huge asteroids with tunnels into their interiors (maybe even markings/glowing crystals inside): Could contain periodic rare items? People turning up and fighting over them?
• Missions based on exploration (eg: find a military base on a moon in remote system X and scan it. Or monitor/watch a weapons test taking place there: Maybe this could require Silent Running? Find a wreck in system X and return an object.)
• Please fix gravitational lensing so it affects in system objects too. I recall visting a black hole and tried lining it up infront of a nearby star in the same system expecting a beautiful light show/effect. Instead there was none, because the engine does not care about in system objects as regards this effect.
• Lots and lots more special rare such things/events/missions!

 

[Growle]

I agree with all that you've mentioned in your list.

Small things that I would like and that I think could be easily introduced:

1. Bonus credits for discovering asteroids / rings
2. Bonus credits for discovering an ENTIRE system (maybe multiply the payout x2 or something)
2. Actual asteroid belts / clusters we can see from supercruise
3. CMDR's name on discovered systems (i.e. explored by CMDR Growle on so and so date)
4. A way to filter out dicovered / undiscovered systems as well as systems that have or havent been detail scanned.
5. A log of systems you have visited with the ability to pull up their system maps from wherever
6. GALNET updates for particularty special / rare discoveries with CMDR credit
7. More flavor text for stellar objects (such as captain's logs that show some story behind an otherwise desolate planet when discovered) and allow user submitted flavor text that must be filtered through the devs for content
8. More / new exploration tools such as an advanced detail scanner that scans twice as quickly (but no range difference to promote people getting close to objects)

 

[NeilF]

Can you imagine how the suggested wrecks/asteroids which spawn items/cargo periodically might become interesting places in themselves? CMDRs turning up and hanging around... So who takes it? I suspect weapons may decide And if said places are treated like an anarchy/conflict zone so anything goes?

And imagine a dead Coriolis station (wreck), flying into it with only your lights to illuminate it... Is a ship already in their sitting in silent mode? And again, what if a group decide to take ownership of it?

Then simple eye-candy to make exploration more interesting. Huge electrical storms on some planets! etc.




In short exploration needs to be better rewarded, and there needs to be far far more things to encounter, find and get involved in. We need depth and variety to bring the Universe alive. At the moment, to a certain degree, it is just coloured balls.

I agree with all that you've mentioned in your list.

Small things that I would like and that I think could be easily introduced:

1. Bonus credits for discovering asteroids / rings
2. Bonus credits for discovering an ENTIRE system (maybe multiply the payout x2 or something)
2. Actual asteroid belts / clusters we can see from supercruise
3. CMDR's name on discovered systems (i.e. explored by CMDR Growle on so and so date)
4. A way to filter out dicovered / undiscovered systems as well as systems that have or havent been detail scanned.
5. A log of systems you have visited with the ability to pull up their system maps from wherever
6. GALNET updates for particularty special / rare discoveries with CMDR credit
7. More flavor text for stellar objects (such as captain's logs that show some story behind an otherwise desolate planet when discovered) and allow user submitted flavor text that must be filtered through the devs for content
8. More / new exploration tools such as an advanced detail scanner that scans twice as quickly (but no range difference to promote people getting close to objects)

Not sure why the initial discovering CMDR isn't put on a system's data. I wonder if FD are worried about people simply zooming around to do nothing more than plant a flag in as many places as possible (mine!mine!mine!mine!mine!).

 

[AMcA]

I second all of that. Exploration is a bit dull at the moment.
Jump to a system, scan it, jump to the next one. The only thing to look forward to is the view of a nebula once you've reached it.

 

[Growle]

Not sure why the initial discovering CMDR isn't put on a system's data. I wonder if FD are worried about people simply zooming around to do nothing more than plant a flag in as many places as possible (mine!mine!mine!mine!mine!).

They could make it necessary that you explore the whole system AND sell the data to get your name on the system. That seems balanced enough for me at least.

And yeah exploring wrecks like you said would be amazing. Salvage operations and such, and the extra planetary effects. There's a game that must not be named coming out within a year give or take that will have that stuff though... Hopefully ED beats them to the punch!

 

[Scrumpox]

In far out unexplored regions... a rare USS pops up and investigation reveals a partial wreckage of a totally alien craft floating in space... when you are 10,000 LY from home and you see that... heebee jeebee time.

I'm guessing FD will write in alien encounters at some point but it would be a cool surprise for that to be a % chance in "outter rim" territories already. Even if it were only a glimpse of a ship that was entering a jump and you'd be like "we're not alone out here". Continue with mission or abort... you decide.

Worst case, your ship is hit with a strange energy beam, screen goes blank, opens again with you looking down at your body strapped to a table with aliens looking down at you, then fades to black again and a pop up "Create new Commander Y/N" appears... lol, just kidding... probably.

 

[Ghostwind40]

Aside from the basic profitability standpoint (which need to be increased), exploration mechanics need a lot of attention and possible re-work. It is very unfinished (only 3 scanner types and 1 detailed surface scanner?), and appears was hacked on at the end. Some of the current methods to explore are a bit contrary to the spirit of exploration as well, which is disappointing.


Discovery:
The whole "I push a scanner button to instantly discover everything with X range" thing is pretty lacking in my opinion. Right now there are 3 options, 500ly, 1000ly, or "I WIN". Which means everyone that wants to really explore saves up for the "I WIN" advanced discovery scanner since there's not much point to the first two. Instead of this, discovery should be more organic and based on how much time you spend in a system and how sensitive your scanners are. Basically when you enter a system, instead of using a pulse\insta scan button, you should "turn on" your discovery scanner (similar to how you toggle a cargo scoop or hard points) and it starts trying to discover objects around you. Discovery time and chance varies based on scanner sensitivity and proximity of objects. Things closest to you will likely be discovered quickly, since your discovery chance starts higher. Your chance to find distant objects starts off low, but increases the longer you hang around in the system. Hang out long enough, and you will eventually discover everything, as your percentage chance will keep increasing until everything is discovered. This mechanic will allow for more equipment choices in discovery scanners, with better scanners having a faster discovery percentage increase and less time required hanging out in a system. Better scanners will also be more helpful and telling you if you have discovered everything in a system, so if a system only has 1 star, a very good discovery scanner will let you know you don't need to waste any more time.

Detailed Scans:
There is currently very little reward for actually taking the time to get up close to objects and view them (other than personal reward of course). If a planet\object is in scanning range, you can scan it and move on without even getting into visual range. Why not reward the person who is willing to take the extra time to get up close and take a screenshot or simply admire the view? Change the surface scanner to provide a bonus based on proximity and time spent next to objects. The closer you get, and the more time you spend, the more the bonus goes up (up to a maximum of course). If you are willing to get into the raging halo of a star and endure the heat damage, you should get a better bonus for that star then if you stayed at a safe distance. If you get within visual range of a planet, and stay a while to watch it eclipse the sun, you should get a better reward than the guy that scanned it at 46ly when it was nothing but a bright dot. All this may of course be obsolete once the planet landings\ship boardings mechanic comes into play, since then they will likely implement the "level 2 and level 3" scans. But until then, a short term solution would be to see explorers properly rewarded for taking time to smell the roses.

Missions:
Exploration needs missions. This has already been mentioned by others, but it definitely shows how little time was spent fleshing out exploration. Exploration is one of the 3 elite professions in the game, and yet the game was released without ANY mission types created for it. That's a pretty significant oversite in my view. I don't think it would be all that difficult some basic templates for these. "We've heard rumors of a new anarchy space station in system XYZ. Get over there and discover what's happening". Or "The Federation is looking for some high metal planets to mine. Find X number of these in the systems nearby and receive X credits". Stuff like that.

More stuff to scan:
Comets, Derelicts, Micro Worm Holes, Alien Signals, etc.

There is so much more that could be done with exploration. I really hope it will get more attention soon, and not just simply tacking on to what's there, which definitely needs improvment.

 

[Ghostwind40]

And another feature, which might be more global in nature, might be Achievements. Every other modern game has them now, why not Elite?

Exploration Achievements could be stuff like:

Halo Effect: Entered the Halo of the following stars (Red, White, Blue, etc).
Iron Man: Discovered 20 High-Metal planets.
Iron Man II: Discovered 100 High-Metal planets.
Aqueous Minoris: Discovered 20 Water planets.
Aqueous Majoris: Discovered 100 Water planets.
Black Hole Sun: Discovered a black hole.
Roid Rage: Discovered 50 asteroid belts.
etc...

Have some rewards system for some of the most difficult ones as well. Maybe custom livery or decals or something.

 

[CdrTwisted]

All these would be great - also

- space stations under construction. Perhaps a new space station could be triggered by enough players trading enough of the right sort of resources to the system, or if a faction which doesn't have its own space station becomes powerful enough.
- other satellites like communications satellites, or a Reagan-esque Star Wars anti-nuclear shield
- stray planets
- Dyson's spheres or Ringworlds

 

[Marshall...]

Very awesome post OP + 100!

 

[Serpentstar]

And another feature, which might be more global in nature, might be Achievements. Every other modern game has them now, why not Elite?

Exploration Achievements could be stuff like:

Halo Effect: Entered the Halo of the following stars (Red, White, Blue, etc).
Iron Man: Discovered 20 High-Metal planets.
Iron Man II: Discovered 100 High-Metal planets.
Aqueous Minoris: Discovered 20 Water planets.
Aqueous Majoris: Discovered 100 Water planets.
Black Hole Sun: Discovered a black hole.
Roid Rage: Discovered 50 asteroid belts.
etc...

Have some rewards system for some of the most difficult ones as well. Maybe custom livery or decals or something.

Ehhh... NO.

The next thing that will be asked for is "I killed x players" "I traded x goods" "I snuggled x credits worth of cargo" "I learned to dock without a docking computer" etc

We already have Badges. We earn them when we achieve Elite status. Anything less, just isn't...

 

[DaggerSnake]

I Love all these visuals ideas.
I would like to be able to lock into an orbit, turn off flight assist, turn over and fill my canopy with a planet and let myself drift watching the sights until the sun crests while I sip on a space ale.

 

[CMDR Revon Tuli]

My adds to the nice ideas i have read here in this thread:
- Wormholes to far away places.
- Isolated civilisations, doesn't needs to be big. couple systems only(very vell designed rich in visuals and content) with permits, missions, reputation and good rewards: Ships, modules, rare commodities faction paintjobs( reputation based) etc.
- exploration must be rewarding.
- hidden pirate and/or faction starbases in dense planet rings.
- Raidable and soloable stations with good loot and/or bounty rewards. after cleaning it up despawns and poping up somewhere else, requires exploring oc.
- visually rich wrecks, abandoned stations with loot and / or exploration data.
- All above fited in good lore and missions.

Edit:
- Cargo hanging around the space, coming from exploration shouldn't be all of them stolen. Corporation caravan wrecks with cargo: Stolen if not collected by a recovery mission to the owners. Other exploration related cargo around abandoned stations, wrecks or other objects can have legal or illegal status (illegals needs smugling). Black market: Those always been cheap, that is one point on it, but not that much.. require some attention.

 

[rolek]

Pirate only faction and star bases with pirate only missions would be awesome

 

[Akkya]

+ 1000 to th e OP

Please add -

3x the amount at least for Exploration
more data on scanning - elements break down
manual scanning - let us have an augmented scan of the planet - overlay of the planet and manually scan for extra credits of high metal - more time - more money - for detailed scanning (skill involved also)
Naming systems
Relics
Some kind of Ancient Archeology narrative - for exploration missions - epic rare
More data - more graphs - more stats
sell screenshots to cartography

 

[Noobskull]

Improvements to routeplanner:

- remember the setting fastest/economical
- misc functions to route planner (for example, preferred unexplored systems only)
- be able to plan longer routes
- remember the route when going to sleep

And furthermore
What I Love to see, a new module "Near Galaxy Scanner", this will highlight all nearby galaxies we can jump to. we can select it then and hit hyperspace

Why?
Currently I have an interesting astronomical object in my background which I roughly know how to get there, but it's frigging confusing how my ship is aligned and how my galaxy-map is aligned. which makes it pretty damn hard (for me) to go into the right direction

 

[NeilF]

Improvements to routeplanner:

I think you've misunderstood the thread. The idea is explorating and flying around in the ED Universe needs more depth added to it. If you have a suggestion for improving thing like the route panner or the like, that's not really what this thread is about.

Imagine you've spent a day or two exploring off in a direction, and you haven't see a station or another ship for ages now... You see a USS and investigate. There's a huge ancient ship cruising along. It's one of the ancient Generation Ships mention in the original Elite.

Or imagine in another remote system a huge asteroid with tunnels into it. In these tunnels are odd marking and right in the depths of the tunnels some rare items spawn. You can pop back there every now and then to collect these items to sell. But what if other CMDRs are also there to collect them? Do you fght over it?

The same scenario could exist with derelict/dead stations too. Would a group of CMDRs try and take such a location over?​

In short, the ED universe needs loads more depth IMHO to add interest and intrigue to it. At the moment it's simply too shallow and as such isn't as interesting as it could/should be.

 

[Noobskull]

I think you've misunderstood the thread. The idea is explorating and flying around in the ED Universe needs more depth added to it. If you have a suggestion for improving thing like the route panner or the like, that's not really what this thread is about.

Assumptions galore. Eye of the beholder perhaps?
Imho, my suggestion will help me (and perhaps others) to have more fun/depth in exploring the universe (besides the already suggestion made)
Perhaps it's not the way *you* want it, but after all it's a suggestion thread?

 

[NeilF]

Assumptions galore. Eye of the beholder perhaps?
Imho, my suggestion will help me (and perhaps others) to have more fun/depth in exploring the universe (besides the already suggestion made)
Perhaps it's not the way *you* want it, but after all it's a suggestion thread?

Fair enough

 

[Conehead]

Very nice ideas over all. I like them all!
Would be a great immersion boost for exploring.

(and that includes the ideas for the route planner, as this would make exploration trip more easier )