2.2's Instant Ship and Module Transport - Yay or Nay?

[Shocken-Orr]

I'm a bit confused as to how ship transfer works. Can you instantly transfer any ship, including the one your currently flying, to anywhere, or is it simply a case of you reach your destination (Jacques Station for example) and then can bring another ship you own to you?

If it's the former, then FD have basically added the equivalent of Transwarp beaming to the game and basically negated the need to actually travel.

If it's the latter, then I have no issue with it, because you've had to fly at least one ship to your current destination.

What I don't want to see, and what I think will totally spoil the game and make the galaxy feel too small, is being able to effectively teleport to anywhere in the game whenever you like.

I don't believe you can transport yourself anywhere, that would be a whole new game. What you can do is get to Jacques in your explorerconda and then call your fighty tank out to do some bounty hunting if you want to. The complaint that is the loudest seems to be that this negates jump distance and the whole point of it. Now you do not need to worry that your Python 'Armageddon' only has a jump range of 35 feet as, who cares. You can use the Anaconda with its Engineer buffed 50ly range to get where you want to get and then call all the, no jump range, guns to bear when you want to.

If a fighty CG at Jacques was called, then there would be a much quicker and much larger take up than there would currently be. All the miners and explorers would just DHL over their gun ships and off they go.

Whilst I am not entirely fixed in my opinion either way, the one time we will all be grateful for the ability to instantly call up our armour when we need it, is if the little green men (White Walkers) with an attitude turn up at Jaques. I am not sure how many I can take on with my 2 mining lasers and an A4 refinery.

 

[stephen_usher]

You cant, because there are no stations all over the galaxy. Anyway, it's a game. If someone was to want a dozen ships at Jacques, that currently would take 150-200 HOURS of staring at a loading screen. To some, that is not 'engaging' or 'tactical' gameplay. For an 'average' player able to play 5 hours a week or so, it would take the better part of a year just looking at loading screens.

Firstly, why would you be staring at the loading screen? You'd send a request and continue to do whatever you like with your current ship and then be notified when your ship transfer has been completed. You then go back to the station and swap ships.

Secondly, even in my T7 it only took me 22 (flight) hours to Jaques, so your "150-200 hours" is silly. If you assume that the phantom transfer ships are as good as the best Anaconda then it's 6 hours.

 

[Lobstris]

Confirmed: Upper limit on ship transfer cost, so you can transfer to Jaques.

 

[Ian Skippy]

Firstly, why would you be staring at the loading screen? You'd send a request and continue to do whatever you like with your current ship and then be notified when your ship transfer has been completed. You then go back to the station and swap ships.

Secondly, even in my T7 it only took me 22 (flight) hours to Jaques, so your "150-200 hours" is silly. If you assume that the phantom transfer ships are as good as the best Anaconda then it's 6 hours.

I am talking of flying there manually. Raging against instant transfer but being cool with delayed transfer is silly: you just transfer them before you log off and next time you log in its their. It doesnt add any planning or gameplay, just a pointless timer and some extra load on the server.

 

[Drelthar]

Hm... I was initially for instant ship transfer because I couldn't see the gameplay benefit from having it take (insert time here) instead.

But having read a bunch of this, it actually does crush a bunch of stuff I took for granted in the game relating to travel, and the ships involved.

I guess... once this is implemented, the only ships we'll see travelling will be asps, anacondas, and teh occasional hauler.

 

[GeneralIdea1964]

<snip>
I am not sure how many I can take on with my 2 mining lasers and an A4 refinery.

Shouting "I refine thee to death!!!" ?

 

[Ian Skippy]

Confirmed: Upper limit on ship transfer cost, so you can transfer to Jaques.

Ofcourse, what would be the point of having transfer cost exceed total ship value? You will be able to buy ships at Jacques anyway!

 

[Bomba Luigi]

Anyway, it's a game

That I guess is the dissapointing truth many of us really have to start to come terms with it, that it is just a game. I once tought I wants to be more but I guess I was very naive, its nothing more then some gamey mmo stuff without any hoots given to create a belivable galaxy or lore or anything.

 

[stephen_usher]

Ofcourse, what would be the point of having transfer cost exceed total ship value? You will be able to buy ships at Jacques anyway!

But not all ships and not all modules.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I don't mind it is instant.

But I think leaving some limited time delay would allow FD to consider to make more detailed gameplay around it. It will be hard to take back 'instant' transfer later on (though it still would be possible).

 

[Winterwalker]

Don't worry that will be the next "feature".

Over reacting much??

It's pretty obviously a barebones feature .. a new feature with space to expand. (( Not trivial to code either. What if you own 100 ships and recall them all, one after another while the others still are en route? Each ship transefer would each need it's own different timer, it's not trivial. ))

Really should be glad we have the option at all (because the current state of play is a pain) .. sure, put the case that there should be a delay (which I agree with) but, to assume the feature is designed to look like magic is just a bit unfair imo. It's just designed to work for now, right on?

 

[CMDR_Havok]

Elite Dangerous seems to make less sense with every update...

They are now either saying that pan-Galactic instant poin-to-point teleportation is a technology that exists

-OR-

They are saying that every station is capable of replicating any type of space ship ?

Neither of which seems to fit the game as I understand it.

 

[Lobstris]

Ofcourse, what would be the point of having transfer cost exceed total ship value? You will be able to buy ships at Jacques anyway!

You really just have to defend FDev with every decision they come up with don't you? So what if you can buy ships? Is the transfer cost going to equal the ship and module cost? Based on what has just been said about lowering the bar, it won't be.

 

[Ian Skippy]

But not all ships and not all modules.

Huh? Since when is that announced?

 

[GeneralIdea1964]

<snip>
I guess... once this is implemented, the only ships we'll see travelling will be asps, anacondas, and the occasional hauler.

So no change there really

I'm still against it being instant.
As others have said, all you need to do is order transfer as an overnight request and log off then start again the next day. That would be useful. Makes things appear a bit more realistic (in a universe wher FTL drives exist)

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

That I guess is the dissapointing truth many of us really have to start to come terms with it, that it is just a game. I once tought I wants to be more but I guess I was very naive, its nothing more then some gamey mmo stuff without any hoots given to create a belivable galaxy or lore or anything.

It's not black and white.

It's a game, but FD wants to do a lot to make it alive. That's why they add all these PvE things this year. Sometimes they look for realistic/believable explanation about things (see SIN trader), but sometimes they weight pros and cos and go full 'game' direction.

Still, being bitter about it is a bit pointless. Provide feedback why you feel they should do otherwise - it's better than any rant.

 

[Canasta]

Hey, I just though of a good semi-exploit with insta transfer.
So If I have an assymetric profit trade run, T9, 5 jumps either way, only really profitable in one direction.

I will be able to cut the 5 jumps down to 1 jump for the non profitable leg of the run in an Asp, then just call up my t9 and take the 5 jumps back, with the big payout cargo. Than call up my Asp again.

It's exactly this kind of snide meta gaming where it will see the most use.

 

[Tuub t Tute]

It took me 2 weeks including a 10 hour Saturday to get to Jaques in a 20 LYR Cutter with a 6A poop scoop. I don't believe all players can put their life on hold and hook into the Matrix for 24hrs solid to pull a 3 shift and fly a ship out there for next day.
Npc could though. Especially a bigger ship with passenger cabins for multiple watches of crew.

 

[Ian Skippy]

You really just have to defend FDev with every decision they come up with don't you? So what if you can buy ships? Is the transfer cost going to equal the ship and module cost? Based on what has just been said about lowering the bar, it won't be.

Ha, every time the same silly thing. "You're using arguments, so you must be white0knight/fanboi/secretly payed by FD". Your reasoning is just deeply inconsistent: You cant claim ship transfer cant be balanced by credits "because people have tens of billions so it doesnt matter" and at the same time make a deal out of a possible price difference between buying new and transporting it. I'm not even saying I like the idea of instant transport myself, but I'd like to see proper arguments and logic being used when discussing things, espescially when we dont know the details yet.

1) What is the gameplay value of having your ships move there when you sleep/work/whatever? What is the practical difference to you if someone at jaqcues has instant or delayed transfer? Either he transfers before he logs off and has them next time he logs in, or he does it when he logs in. The result is identical, just some added time-wasting if you want to have a quick session with some friends somewhere and simply cannot wait an hour or whatever.
2) At what pricepoint do you consider it to be balanced?

But I guess blind rage is the only acceptable viewpoint here...

 

[PavelKCZ]

Hey, I just though of a good semi-exploit with insta transfer.
So If I have an assymetric profit trade run, T9, 5 jumps either way, only really profitable in one direction.

I will be able to cut the 5 jumps down to 1 jump for the non profitable leg of the run in an Asp, then just call up my t9 and take the 5 jumps back, with the big payout cargo. Than call up my Asp again.

It's exactly this kind of snide meta gaming where it will see the most use.

Except that the transporting costs will be most probably higher than the profit from the whole trade. Price differences are not so big.