Explorer's gear: emergency data recorder

[newman1702]

Sort of like a black box, containing all your scanning data. It could mount in a utility, or even a weapon slot. Should the worst happen, it's ejected automatically as long as you have power to the module. After this, the ejected module has a set expiration time in which it needs to be picked up (perhaps determined by the rating and price of the module), and is marked on your galaxy map, giving you a set amount of time to get to it and retrieve it. Upon successful retrieval of the module, the data is again uploaded to the ship's computer and the player can proceed to a port to sell it off.

Just an idea, it wouldn't negate the risk of long exploration voyages, but it would give players a chance not to lose (potentially) months of work provided they did some preparation and are able to return to the place in which they were destroyed.

 

[Sire]

Not so bad idea even if, in a sadistic way, I'm convinced that if a CMDR is so fool to loose his ship during exploration he deserves to loose all the data too.

 

[newman1702]

Well, I think in 99% of the cases the data loss would occur in the bubble, while returning, so it's more of a griefer insurance than anything. I just explore in solo mode, but this long exploration voyage I'm on gets me thinking in between long flights, so I just figured maybe more people would be willing to explore in open if they had a module like this mounted

 

[Sire]

Iagine pirates looking after exploring black boxes. It'd very funny if they could steal it from an explorer who's coming back after several weeks' exploring.

 

[newman1702]

No, I think only the owner of the black box should be able to even see it. It's bad enough there are people sad enough to get their kicks from attacking unarmed returning explorers so they can ruin months of work. They shouldn't be rewarded by getting the data as well. And some griefer's name on the first discovery tag would be the definition of unfair

Being able to steal data recorders would make explorer hunting a viable "profession", as it could potentially turn a huge profit. As a result, explorers would either go play in solo or not use black boxes, negating their purpose in the first place. Being able to steal someone else's data would be a very bad thing, imo.

 

[Cdr Voorheez]

Another good idea would be to incorporate a self destruct routine into the data cache if griefers/pirates take your ejected data. The ships computer initiates its own self destruct if your ejected data cache is stolen. The ejected stolen (undamaged) data cache then awaits your return and collection. Of course this level of complexity and protection would be incorporated into the class/rating of the data cache insurance module.
I think your idea is great, sadly I don't think FD give two hoots about explorers and will never implement this.

 

[Leper Messiah]

Yeah this is a good idea, many variations have been suggested over the months Ive been on the forums, as long as it's in the same system as where the player gets destroyed then it negates the fear of explorers committing suicide to get back with their data. So it'll just be an insurance policy against possibly months of playtime getting lost.

 

[Ziljan]

I LOVE this idea. I wonder if people would start using this to pirate data though? Maybe they could be encrypted and be stealthy so that only the pilot who lost it will be able to recover it.

whoops, just read Voorheez' post!! Nice solution, I was thinking something similar too

 

[newman1702]

I LOVE this idea. I wonder if people would start using this to pirate data though? Maybe they could be encrypted and be stealthy so that only the pilot who lost it will be able to recover it.

I was thinking along those lines, yea. The problem with being able to steal data is that it's a potential get rich quick scheme; kill an unarmed (or at least not equipped for combat) vessel, steal months of data, cash in 150 mil. I'm fairly sure it would make some people just go after explorers in the hopes of scoring it big, so I really think not being able to steal data is a good move. Plus, it's data, therefore, easily encripted, no reason why it shouldn't be made only usable to the owner

In short, make the module only visible to the player, or potentially go with Voorheez's idea, I like that too.. My idea revolves around having some kind of a safeguard for months of gameplay without actually making it completely safe; you still wouldn't want to self destruct 60,000 ly away from home because you'd still need to go back for the data.

 

[WR3ND]

Just make it to where you can find your previous ship's wreckage and extract the data from its black box. Since it's encrypted, piracy shouldn't be an issue. A data storage module makes sense well enough and would work too though.

I don't think there needs to be a time delay, but just have it limited to your most previous ship's wreckage.

I think the sad reality is that FD's "solution" to the issue of griefers (even game cracking griefers) is solo mode, it would seem.

Cheaters aside, I don't mind the risk of open play though. In fact I kind of enjoy it, even going so far as to have tested the skills of some pirates on purpose by being their uncooperative "victim" back when I made my first several millions trading in a Cobra.

No, the reason I support this idea isn't for its added lack of risk, but because it makes sense and would add more realistic immersion into ED.

...

An interesting idea would be if a pirate could capture the module to ransom it back, though in general it is a bad idea for people to be able to trade funds and goods directly (bots and money sellers), so I'm not sure how that would work out. It's just a side idea though.

...

On the other had, I'd like it if there was a hardcore mode that deleted your character account when you lose a ship (die) and only share instances with others in that mode.

 

[Cdr Voorheez]

Off topic slightly here so apologies in advance.
The sad thing with solo mode is lack of interaction with other players and the really sad thing is when we are 3 months out in the deep dark black we really want to bump into a friendly fellow explorer to interact with.
Of course we have Möbius and I am a fully signed up Möbius flag waver but it's optimal application is in the bubble. Fact is we spend 99% of our time outside of the bubble.
The fact that FDs solution to the haemorrhoids out there who hunt unarmed and often un shielded explorers for kicks is 'solo' play just underlines the cynical couldn't give a frog attitude they adopt towards us.."play solo if you don't like getting murdered 60KLYs out because our focus is on 15-25 yr old xbone players".
Rant over. I would love to see great ideas like this one come to fruition sadly it just underlines to me the aspects of FD I really truly dislike.

 

[newman1702]

Off topic slightly here so apologies in advance.

No need to apologize, and I do agree with the rest of your post

 

[Mike W]

This is a great idea, and it can be so simple,, as said a module that you buy and fit to a slot,, that is ejected on distruction of your ship,, that you are then able to retrieve,, that no one else has access to, or can even see,, just like your own ships on yhe galmap,, and no time limit to go get it,, there need'nt be,, you will have already been put back maybe 20 30 40 k ly or more from it,,and we have all this other stuff floating around for eons,, you shouldnt have to race back for it,, RL could make that impossible for a lot of people and no point in buying the module in the first place

 

[Glenn Ross]

I just explore in solo mode

Sorry? I don't get this. Why explore in solo when you're not likely to meet anyone anyway? I can understand going solo when you are almost back in the bubble to limit the chance of being griefed, but actually exploring solo? Is there a benefit to that that I have not been told about?

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Oh, and if you can afford the insurance, what would stop people from going out one way and getting a load of data, self destruct to leave the data there, go out again but using a different route, collect their old data and add it to what they have curenty got, SD again, rinse and repeat until they can go to Elite status in one, then travel back.
.
I mean, it still doesn't make sense to me, but can anyone think of a way that would save time or effort?

 

[b0rg9]

Sorry? I don't get this. Why explore in solo when you're not likely to meet anyone anyway? I can understand going solo when you are almost back in the bubble to limit the chance of being griefed, but actually exploring solo? Is there a benefit to that that I have not been told about?

alt-F10 hi-res screencaps -- only available in Solo and Private Group

 

[Gut Rumble]

Not sure about this idea myself.
It might make me less careful in dangerous situations knowing my data is safe.
It also means I could travel a great distance , blow my ship up to get back quickly knowing I`ll be back out there when the urge kicks in again and pick up where I left off . rinse and repeat.

 

[Leper Messiah]

Sorry? I don't get this. Why explore in solo when you're not likely to meet anyone anyway? I can understand going solo when you are almost back in the bubble to limit the chance of being griefed, but actually exploring solo? Is there a benefit to that that I have not been told about?

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Oh, and if you can afford the insurance, what would stop people from going out one way and getting a load of data, self destruct to leave the data there, go out again but using a different route, collect their old data and add it to what they have curenty got, SD again, rinse and repeat until they can go to Elite status in one, then travel back.
.
I mean, it still doesn't make sense to me, but can anyone think of a way that would save time or effort?

I explore solo too, social anxiety and possibly aspergers mean I don't do "instant" communication well at all so avoid it. Too much to lose in a possible griefer encounter too (no matter how improbable that encounter is).

Yeah someone could exploit like that, but it still wouldn't be quick would it? Although the suggestions of the box lasting a limited time would could be tweaked to ensure someone couldn't spend too long scanning (basically time to honk and jump with scoops, no time to properly scan a system).

 

[Jesters09]

I think exploration data should be redeemable on the fly.

Its 3301 and ships have to return to a station to sell scan data, REALLY?
Even today, we have online banking!

Also, we should have a way of tracking what data we have collected as we collect it.

Is there an online database we can type in our cmdr name and see what we've handed in?

 

[Leper Messiah]

Not sure about this idea myself.
It might make me less careful in dangerous situations knowing my data is safe.
It also means I could travel a great distance , blow my ship up to get back quickly knowing I`ll be back out there when the urge kicks in again and pick up where I left off . rinse and repeat.

not if the black box has a limited timespan.

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I think exploration data should be redeemable on the fly.

Its 3301 and ships have to return to a station to sell scan data, REALLY?
Even today, we have online banking!

Also, we should have a way of tracking what data we have collected as we collect it.

Is there an online database we can type in our cmdr name and see what we've handed in?

I think it's primarily to stop people exploring out then self destructing to get back quick.

 

[Jesters09]

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I think it's primarily to stop people exploring out then self destructing to get back quick.

You see, I am way to honest to have thought of that, very good point though.

Still, very unrealistic IMO.