Simple idea to encourage more system exploration, planetary surface interaction, while also implementing a new way of long distance travel

[shreddog]

Simple idea to encourage more system exploration, planetary surface interaction, while also implementing a new way of long distance travel

*phew* quite a thread title there [blah]
(btw This is mostly exploration oriented, but I am sure it can be put to good use in the bubble to)


So it occurred to me again, long distance travel is quite monotonous. You jump, and you honk, wait for fsd cooldown, engage fsd, check system map, nothing valuable, jump. Repeat and stop every few star to sccop depending on your fuel capacity. It can become utterly mind numbing boring after a few days.

Then you start thinking(talking to yourself ), why don't I explore the systems more, check out the material composition of the icy moons, land the ship and go prospecting with your SRV, and perhaps discover some amazing terrain features? Nah, that will only slow me down considerably and you already have enough mats you don't use. There's no point. Better to spend the time jumping when you have 40k LYs remaining, or else you will never get there. Gotta keep jumping.. Only stop to scan ELWs cause of the credits and tag for bragging.


So my idea then *drumroll* Hold on to your hats.

Spoiler

Increase FSD synthesis boost range by at least 500%! (Hey I said it was a simple idea [haha]) And set a limit of stored boost materials to maximum 2-3 boosts

Think about it. This will make for a new form of travel, an alternative to the usual jumpfest. You would have to actively search the different systems for materials to continue your journey. It would involve using all the tools at your disposal, and it would break up the repetitive cycle of non stop jumping. While the increased range will make you able to keep up.


What do you guys think. Any possible game breaking downsides with this? I see only great gameplay benefits with this. And it only requires FDev to adjust a few game settings here and there.

 

[Ndarain]

Interesting in the sense of the Chinese proverb. That would be a 2 jump ceos/sothis run. Somehow I am unsure this would be well accepted by many. I wouldn't see it as game breaking but I could see how it may be by others. Look at how people lost their minds over ship transport.

 

[Sysmon]

Exploration is for the sake of the journey, so I'm not sure that suggestion will bring anything useful to the table. Granted, there could be more flesh on the exploration bones. But that might be in the form of data visualisation, as well as adding things to do and see in the systems we visit. The latter is coming, slowly, at least.

S

 

[Mr T]

I'm sure there could be some middle ground found that would be acceptable. I suppose though, it makes sense to start high when negotiating (not that this is a negotiation)... [uhh]

 

[Cablefast]

Good idea. Does have the down side of trivializing some of the work that explores have put in thus far.

 

[shreddog]

Interesting in the sense of the Chinese proverb. That would be a 2 jump ceos/sothis run. Somehow I am unsure this would be well accepted by many. I wouldn't see it as game breaking but I could see how it may be by others. Look at how people lost their minds over ship transport.

The idea is that it should take roughly the same time. It doesn't really take that long to travel conventionally to Sothis with an upgraded ASP(not that I've ever done it ). And gathering mats can take some time.
Though it would enable players to avoid allot of interdicitons..

 

[The New Number Two]

Exploration missions.

"Greetings CMDR, I'm Felicity Farseer. I need you to fly 1,700 ly to >insert remote location<. Once there, scan each body to determine most suitable target for our seismic resonance experiment probe . Once detected, proceed to the target reference point. You will need to drill(blast) into a suitable outcropping and insert the science package, which must remain in place for two hours.

Please note that Operation Hennessy operatives are looking to recode this data collection device for their own purposes once it is in place, so you'll have to post security on the package site. Due to the remoteness of the location (and because they are ladies and gentlemen of science), Op H intruders will most likely not be armed, but they will need to be repulsed. Your SRV turret should be sufficient to lower their shields and scare them off.

Return the completed package to us here for 7 million credits or a free level 5 FSD range upgrade, plus a 4% addition to your current Explorer rating.

Please note while you are on site that remote probe telemetry indicates recent metallic meteorite strikes containing >insert material you actually need< have been detected. Good luck, CMDR."

 

[Cablefast]

Exploration missions.

"Greetings CMDR, I'm Felicity Farseer. I need you to fly 700 ly to >insert remote location<. Once there, scan each body to determine most suitable target for our seismic resonance experiment probe . Once detected, proceed to the target reference point. You will need to drill(blast) into a suitable outcropping and insert the science package, which must remain in place for two hours.

Please note that Operation Hennessy operatives are looking to recode this data collection device for their own purposes once it is in place, so you'll have to post security on the package site. Due to the remoteness of the location (and because they are ladies and gentlemen of science), Op H intruders will most likely not be armed, but they will need to be repulsed. Your SRV turret should be sufficient to lower their shields and scare them off.

Return the completed package to us here for 7 million credits and a free level 5 FSD range upgrade, plus a 4% addition to your current Explorer rating.

Please note while you are on site that remote probe telemetry indicates recent metallic meteorite strikes containing >insert material you actually need< have been detected. Good luck, CMDR."

That's awesome! I would love to see missions like that in the game.

 

[Ndarain]

The idea is that it should take roughly the same time. It doesn't really take that long to travel conventionally to Sothis with an upgraded ASP(not that I've ever done it ). And gathering mats can take some time.
Though it would enable players to avoid allot of interdicitons..

I agree that it may not be a statistically significant decrease in time required. Fair warning, I suck at math.

 

[shreddog]

Exploration is for the sake of the journey, so I'm not sure that suggestion will bring anything useful to the table. Granted, there could be more flesh on the exploration bones. But that might be in the form of data visualisation, as well as adding things to do and see in the systems we visit. The latter is coming, slowly, at least.

S

That depends on personal preference I guess. The thing is most commanders, because of the saturation of endless jumping , don't bother checking a system other than a quick glanse on system map. In worst case if no shinies are seen they will simply jump to the next system on route, only spending half a minute in each system.
With my suggestion commanders will jump less, but spend more time exploring each system, thereby making for a more memorable journey

 

[kofeyh]

I am actually surprised frontier don't have missions available that have say a two week timer, and offer a payout for collecting x type of data or traveling x distance or whatever.

It's almost like it's just been over-looked. Felicity Farseer likes data so do mission X where you collect a bunch of stuff (so you might carry a few such missions) and payouts are extra credits on top of exploration data and a bunch of materials and commodites for upgrades.

Suddenly there's actually a reason to go out into the black beyond just because. People can stock up on a few missions and add a few million more to their bank balance on return. Say 4 mill for some sets of data, 5 mill for that and so on?

A way to help exploration along without really having to affect data values. Just have a few mission types commanders can elect to take with them?

Sounds like fun. Oh cripes we can't have that think of all the credits!

 

[shreddog]

Exploration missions.

"Greetings CMDR, I'm Felicity Farseer. I need you to fly 1,700 ly to >insert remote location<. Once there, scan each body to determine most suitable target for our seismic resonance experiment probe . Once detected, proceed to the target reference point. You will need to drill(blast) into a suitable outcropping and insert the science package, which must remain in place for two hours.

Please note that Operation Hennessy operatives are looking to recode this data collection device for their own purposes once it is in place, so you'll have to post security on the package site. Due to the remoteness of the location (and because they are ladies and gentlemen of science), Op H intruders will most likely not be armed, but they will need to be repulsed. Your SRV turret should be sufficient to lower their shields and scare them off.

Return the completed package to us here for 7 million credits or a free level 5 FSD range upgrade, plus a 4% addition to your current Explorer rating.

Please note while you are on site that remote probe telemetry indicates recent metallic meteorite strikes containing >insert material you actually need< have been detected. Good luck, CMDR."

Love this mission idea (as long as there are also pacifist missions ) But yeh, we all want exploration missions. It just takes allot of work to get implemented. So we'll have to wait some more for that. Let's just hope they are working on it.

 

[Vasious]

*So my idea then *drumroll* Hold on to your hats. Increase FSD synthesis boost range by at least 500%![/B] (Hey I said it was a simple idea [haha]) And set a limit of stored boost materials to maximum 2-3 boosts

.

Two questions

How would that incentivise more system exploration as you would be in less systms for the same distance travelled if you are not on economic route planning?

How would that incentivise planetary surface interaction, when jump range has no effect on planetary surface interaction?

 

[shreddog]

Two questions

How would that incentivise more system exploration as you would be in less systms for the same distance travelled if you are not on economic route planning?

How would that incentivise planetary surface interaction, when jump range has no effect on planetary surface interaction?

Yes you will visit less systems, but spend much more time in each system exploring.

You will scan more planets, see more of the system and visit more surfaces in search of resources for jump fuel. By jumping to less systems you are also less saturated by them and each new system becomes more interesting, especially since you have a goal of collecting mats for the next jump. You are awarded for surface exploration with a very nice boost to jump range and the feeling of wasting precious travelling time is not there. Suddenly snowball systems are much more interesting(well except the ones with only atmosphere planets ).

This is intended for people who would like something else than the constant jumping, but still would like to make some progress towards their destination. It's not meant to be easier/faster Just a different way of travelling and more involving. And if you get tired of material hunting you can switch back to old style of travelling.

 

[okiimatsu]

I've thought of this too. One night my thinking was what if I could combine and stack my jump elements and give myself a triple boost, or a quadruple boost etc.?
Or even one giant bomb of a boost and blow through all my jump elements in one instant.

 

[Atebits]

I can get behind this idea. After several days, no joke; days, of driving around one particular planet I had quite a few FSD Boosts saved up. So, when a friend and I decided we were done Exploring we though, "Eh, what the heck. Let's use all these?" It was a 12,000 Ly trip back so why not?

Well, then it became apparent why not. Other than to reach ONE extra star somewhere the things are kind of just pointless. The only people who really get a benefit out of them are going to be people flying an AspX or Explora-Conda. Again, I hate these two ships because if you're really serious about Exploration you're always stuck with these two ships when it comes down to Time, Jump-Range, and Maximum-Utility. The diversity of Exploration ships is about as vast and deep as a horn-bow in the Sahara.

This would at least make it worth 'considering' stopping off to use an SRV... another thing I really can't think of a practical use for.

 

[The New Number Two]

I am actually surprised frontier don't have missions available that have say a two week timer, and offer a payout for collecting x type of data or traveling x distance or whatever.

It's almost like it's just been over-looked. Felicity Farseer likes data so do mission X where you collect a bunch of stuff (so you might carry a few such missions) and payouts are extra credits on top of exploration data and a bunch of materials and commodites for upgrades.

Suddenly there's actually a reason to go out into the black beyond just because. People can stock up on a few missions and add a few million more to their bank balance on return. Say 4 mill for some sets of data, 5 mill for that and so on?

A way to help exploration along without really having to affect data values. Just have a few mission types commanders can elect to take with them?

Sounds like fun. Oh cripes we can't have that think of all the credits!

My... My wallet, it's...it's gone!

 

[Vasious]

Yes you will visit less systems, but spend much more time in each system exploring.

You will scan more planets, see more of the system and visit more surfaces in search of resources for jump fuel. By jumping to less systems you are also less saturated by them and each new system becomes more interesting, especially since you have a goal of collecting mats for the next jump. You are awarded for surface exploration with a very nice boost to jump range and the feeling of wasting precious travelling time is not there. Suddenly snowball systems are much more interesting(well except the ones with only atmosphere planets ).

This is intended for people who would like something else than the constant jumping, but still would like to make some progress towards their destination. It's not meant to be easier/faster Just a different way of travelling and more involving. And if you get tired of material hunting you can switch back to old style of travelling.

Would it make people spend much more time in each system exploring?
Either they explore it or they don't, taking less jumps to get where they are going is just as likely mean they don't stop as they are aiming to travel X,000 light years an hour.

You are already awarded for surface exploration, nothing changes there.
How do snowball systems suddenly become much more interesting just by the fact you have a jump range 500% of before.

You might even see less surface exploration as the need for materials for FSD boost synthesis is lessened as you wont need it excepted for the very edge cases.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Alternatively, if you don't want to go long distances ... don't.

 

[Karlos Ploryman]

In the Gamescom videos, I think someone mentioned FSD range boost when jumping from some special type of star... ? Anybody knows more?

I am mentioning it, because its basically the same thing as OPs proposition (FSD booooooosted MEGAJUMP)...


... and I love the mission idea! Great!


K.