I've played ED since PB and have been writing down various things along the way that I think would improve the game whenever they came to mind, so I thought I'd share some of them here and see what the response is like. Please bear in mind when commenting, that I'm just giving one player's opinion on a few things I think would increase the polish and fluidity of the UI and make the game world a bit nicer for us to play in. Feel free to disagree, but try not to flame or drag up old arguments that have been done to death on the forums. 
IMO FD have done an amazing job with the game so far, however they now seem to be concentrating more on adding content (mainly due to the forums, I think) and fixing bugs (good) instead of tidying up or adding some simple things that I'm sure many of us would agree with.
Suggestions
UI - Date and time display in cockpit - on the bottom left of the right menu status page underneath "Local Rep," perhaps?
UI - Add an indicator for whether the headlights are on or off. Put it on the bottom right of the centre cockpit screen in the list with landing gear and cargo scoop.
UI - Condensed station interface. Smaller font size and/or option to customise. Easier for browsing through long commodities and fittings lists.
UI - Station interface separate colour from the cockpit orange. Maybe different colour for each major faction?
UI - Module fitting screen as a single line wide list with mouse-over showing the details of each module.
UI - Module fitting screen filterable as well as sortable.
UI - Shipyard 3D preview shows ships as their full colour, in game models, rather than orange wireframes so you can get a good look at them before buying. Preview needs to be bigger and zoomable.
UI - Need a menu to list all factions so you can see your standings with each without having to visit a system that they are present in.
Navigation - Favourite systems, planets, stations, and contacts lists. Sortable and filterable. Favourites would show up in a different colour on the navigation and contacts tabs.
Navigation - Ability to order navigation points on the left cockpit menu by location or distance. Location would pin them in the same order as the system map and stop locations moving about! Distance order moves them around relative to you as normal.
Navigation - Ability to target a specific star when jumping to a multi-star system. Jumping to another system using the navigation menu takes you to the nearest star. There could be a sub menu (like the station docking/one in contacts) that allows you to select partner stars in that system to jump to.
Navigation - Intra-system micro-jumps. Only to other stars, not planets or other stellar bodies.
Maps - Ability to target stellar objects as destinations from the system map. Mouse-over on objects would give you info, set destination, etc. like the galaxy map.
Maps - Galaxy map needs to remember all previous navigation jump data (routes, cargo, range) settings after closing and reopening the game.
Maps - Ability to set custom waypoints on the galaxy map.
Maps - Orrere system view with all stellar objects directly targetable. Usual zoom in/out/pan controls with info/actions on mouse over each object like the galaxy and system maps. Shows your location and all other ships in scanner range.
Maps - When exiting the system map back to the galaxy map it needs to centre on the system you were viewing and not go directly back to your targeted system. This is really annoying when scoping new systems from trade.
Ship - Be able to change power distribution levels whilst in super cruise.
Ship - Option to change LS/Mm distance readout to AU/Km.
Fuel Scoop - Make it a deployable module, not just always active when fitted and within scooping range of a star. Add it to the list under Cargo Scoop on the bottom right of the cockpit centre screen.
Fuel Scoop - Move filling/rate animation when active so it's not in the centre of the screen blocking the view. Maybe make it discreet (just numbers) and put it on the bottom right of the HUD next to "Fuel" replacing consumption figures?
There are loads more suggestions I could make (my full list is huge,) these are just the ones I would prioritise for now
IMO FD have done an amazing job with the game so far, however they now seem to be concentrating more on adding content (mainly due to the forums, I think) and fixing bugs (good) instead of tidying up or adding some simple things that I'm sure many of us would agree with.
Suggestions
UI - Date and time display in cockpit - on the bottom left of the right menu status page underneath "Local Rep," perhaps?
UI - Add an indicator for whether the headlights are on or off. Put it on the bottom right of the centre cockpit screen in the list with landing gear and cargo scoop.
UI - Condensed station interface. Smaller font size and/or option to customise. Easier for browsing through long commodities and fittings lists.
UI - Station interface separate colour from the cockpit orange. Maybe different colour for each major faction?
UI - Module fitting screen as a single line wide list with mouse-over showing the details of each module.
UI - Module fitting screen filterable as well as sortable.
UI - Shipyard 3D preview shows ships as their full colour, in game models, rather than orange wireframes so you can get a good look at them before buying. Preview needs to be bigger and zoomable.
UI - Need a menu to list all factions so you can see your standings with each without having to visit a system that they are present in.
Navigation - Favourite systems, planets, stations, and contacts lists. Sortable and filterable. Favourites would show up in a different colour on the navigation and contacts tabs.
Navigation - Ability to order navigation points on the left cockpit menu by location or distance. Location would pin them in the same order as the system map and stop locations moving about! Distance order moves them around relative to you as normal.
Navigation - Ability to target a specific star when jumping to a multi-star system. Jumping to another system using the navigation menu takes you to the nearest star. There could be a sub menu (like the station docking/one in contacts) that allows you to select partner stars in that system to jump to.
Navigation - Intra-system micro-jumps. Only to other stars, not planets or other stellar bodies.
Maps - Ability to target stellar objects as destinations from the system map. Mouse-over on objects would give you info, set destination, etc. like the galaxy map.
Maps - Galaxy map needs to remember all previous navigation jump data (routes, cargo, range) settings after closing and reopening the game.
Maps - Ability to set custom waypoints on the galaxy map.
Maps - Orrere system view with all stellar objects directly targetable. Usual zoom in/out/pan controls with info/actions on mouse over each object like the galaxy and system maps. Shows your location and all other ships in scanner range.
Maps - When exiting the system map back to the galaxy map it needs to centre on the system you were viewing and not go directly back to your targeted system. This is really annoying when scoping new systems from trade.
Ship - Be able to change power distribution levels whilst in super cruise.
Ship - Option to change LS/Mm distance readout to AU/Km.
Fuel Scoop - Make it a deployable module, not just always active when fitted and within scooping range of a star. Add it to the list under Cargo Scoop on the bottom right of the cockpit centre screen.
Fuel Scoop - Move filling/rate animation when active so it's not in the centre of the screen blocking the view. Maybe make it discreet (just numbers) and put it on the bottom right of the HUD next to "Fuel" replacing consumption figures?
There are loads more suggestions I could make (my full list is huge,) these are just the ones I would prioritise for now
Last edited: