Travel Needs to be Fun and Engaging

[NVNM]

Ok, let me try to address then one at the time.

FSD Charge up - Instant or near jumping into load screen would disrupt gameplay elements, such as piracy and interdiction and e.t.c.

No FSD for a few seconds after receiving damage. Problem solved.
The way EVERY OTHER GAME of this type handles it.

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I'll add three more to the list.
-jump gates

How about connecting gates to community events so you can hit two birds with one stone. Want a gate in an important system? Ferry the needed resources there, defend it from enemy factions... There are plenty of ways to give the community incentive to help shape the universe.

 

[xondk]

No FSD for a few seconds after receiving damage. Problem solved.
The way EVERY OTHER GAME of this type handles it.

Which would remove the ability to escape from said encounters? making only the whole situation worse?

as for "every other game" well, elite isn't every other game, and if this is how they handle it, which I don't agree, I don't think it should be.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

I'll add three more to the list.
-jump gates
-worm holes
-allow my ship to make one large jump based on the max range of the available fuel in my tank

The first two have been suggested so many times now that it isn't even funny any more. The TL;DR version: not happening.

I like the last one though, providing there's a drawback to it (like massive damage to your FSD).

 

[Flimsey]

Just in case you don't know .. Pro tip: after fuel scooping, once your Fuel scoop disengages (not stops taking on fuel but actually disengages/drops off the HUD) you're good to jump regardless of your ship temp.

When on long flights I don't like when my dashboard sparkle��
I am aware of this its just take a second or two, and those seconds feeels like ages. So take away temp on ship or give us unlimited fuel. Sorry I couldn't resist ��

 

[NVNM]

Which would remove the ability to escape from said encounters? making only the whole situation worse?

Because there is no way to tweak the system to make it fair to both the defender and the attacker. Just no way at all.
Don't act willfully ignorant.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

Just in case you don't know .. Pro tip: after fuel scooping, once your Fuel scoop disengages (not stops taking on fuel but actually disengages/drops off the HUD) you're good to jump regardless of your ship temp.

In an Asp at least you can pre-empt this by about a second by listening to the noise your drive makes. When it starts to make that 'powering down' noise then the scoop is about to disengage, and you should be good.

It's just practice and familiarity.

 

[Luniticisi]

Just FYI, this can depend on build.

You'd have to have a really crappy build

 

[xondk]

Because there is no way to tweak the system to make it fair to both the defender and the attacker. Just no way at all.
Don't act willfully ignorant.

Willfully ignorant? to me, it seems like you are simply refusing to want to see that what we have now is exactly that? because you don't like it? but what about those that won't like "that" solution? whatever it hypothetically might be?

 

[Flimsey]

I do not know if wormholes are acceptable for Frontier but just imagine how cool using it will be. It will allow unpredictable one-way journeys. You may land in totally random place of the galaxy, filled with aggressive aliens and you need to make you way back!

Deep Space locations also will be very interesting. Deep space bases. More, more more, content!

Like the wormhole idea if its random exit somewhere in the galaxy. Maby a higher rebuy to up the stake��

 

[NVNM]

Willfully ignorant? to me, it seems like you are simply refusing to want to see that what we have now is exactly that? because you don't like it? but what about those that won't like "that" solution? whatever it hypothetically might be?

I refuted your point of warping being disruptive to gameplay by pointing out that other games have established ways of handling the issue. Refusing to consider options just because other games use them, yea, that's being willfully ignorant. Playing up the "it's impossible" angle, too, which is needlessly hyperbolic.

Instant warping could just as well be hindered by adding modules that inhibit warping, like EvE does with warp scramblers.

 

[Arindor]

As much as I sympathise with you OP (I've actually nodded off while in SC exploring planets in systems 10k LY away!), I think it adds to immersion. Not ideal from a modern gaming perspective, but what are FD to do?

 

[Blackcompany]

Eye Spy? (sorry I couldn't help myself lol)

Personally, I like that these things take time, it is one of the things that make the game feel unique. Your tedium is my enjoyment it seems. Game like ED should not cater for all player types .. it will become generic as with 99% of the games on the market these days.

Loading screens do not take that much time (always room for improvement tho), and probably only count for less that 5% of actual time realistically. You must be exaggerating right, else I would contact support as there may be something wrong on your connection? I am connecting from Australia too and other than the occasional lag out where the load screen make take 30secs between systems, it is normally quick-ish.

Could there be other 'things' going on when travelling? Sure, more content would be cool outside of the mandatory interdiction each system or dropping into a USS, but should remain flexible/optional not to turn back into the chain-interdiction issues we had last year.

I'm an explorer, I've seen a reasonable amount of the galaxy, much more than some, much less than others.
Yeah the time spent in witchspace can get tedious at times, and it would be nice to have a little variety every now and again, but here's the rub.... I also really like the lack of demand that long distance travel requires.
A couple of thousand light years for me is a chance to watch a streamer, chat with friends or catch up with a series I like on Netflix. It's "me" time where I can sit and think undisturbed, unless I want to be and where the only timeframe I need to worry about is my own.
Be careful what you wish for, they say, and in this case most definitely. Exploration and long distance travel is the one place in the game where you can unwind and take your time, and however you spice it up, you need to do it in a way that doesn't decimate a gameplay style that many of us, at times, prefer to be as bland and unspicey as possible.

I'm not saying that you're wrong to want to change it. Like I said, I've had times where the number of jumps to get to someplace interesting has seemed pretty daunting...I could have done with some means of either getting back automatically, or getting somewhere more interesting more quickly. But that's only every now and again, and the rest of the time I just want to drift on between the stars without worrying when the next npc or random encounter is going to bring that peace to and abrupt, firey end.

Without wanting to insult. If you do not have enough free time to play Elite that doesn't mean the game should change, you could easily limit what you do.

Travelling is already fast now.

That said, you are basically asking for something that no other game I can come up with has done, so yeah, if no one else has done it, then how do you even do it? is it even possible.

An alternative approach would be add more of what you can find WHILE you travel, would be significantly better rather then "make travelling faster"

And lets be honest, the ONLY reason this is even being talked about is because of Colonia and people want to get there but it takes too long, that is it. Which it is supposed to be, it is a very remote outpost of humanity, not your next door neighbour?

Wrong.

Colonia has nothing to do with it. Why would I want to watch six hours of loading screens to get to a bubble with even less to do than the mediocre fare in the first one?

I want travel to be more engaging and enjoyable for the sake of the games longevity. Hours of loading screens were a technical limitation in 1984. We Dan do better now.

 

[xondk]

I refuted your point of warping being disruptive to gameplay by pointing out that other games have established ways of handling the issue. Refusing to consider options just because other games use them, yea, that's being willfully ignorant. Playing up the "it's impossible" angle, too, which is needlessly hyperbolic.

Instant warping could just as well be hindered by adding modules that inhibit warping, like EvE does with warp scramblers.

You haven't really refused anything, you have stated your opinion, just because "other games" have done one thing, does not mean they have done it right. I've played Eve, it turned out boring in the long run, I've played a good amount games over the years, and someone else having done it one way, does not mean that mechanic or gameplay would fit or even help another game, because it is an entirely another game, I think the way Elite has done it is good, and less open to abuse then Eve, which unfortunately because it could be a great game, abuse runs rampant to the point of where game time you put in, is more to avoid people that just want to annoy you then playing the game. That kind of gameplay isn't great, which is why it is doing as it is of late, they've been way too lenient in my book. And their online numbers have been artificially inflated by people multiboxing.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

Wrong.

Colonia has nothing to do with it. Why would I want to watch six hours of loading screens to get to a bubble with even less to do than the mediocre fare in the first one?

It's comments like that that make me seriously question why you continue to play a game that you are obviously so unhappy with. Take a break, it's not like you're paying a subscription.

 

[xondk]

Wrong.

Colonia has nothing to do with it. Why would I want to watch six hours of loading screens to get to a bubble with even less to do than the mediocre fare in the first one?

I want travel to be more engaging and enjoyable for the sake of the games longevity. Hours of loading screens were a technical limitation in 1984. We Dan do better now.

Getting from one extreme to another in civ space does not in any way take "hours of loading screens" as for technical limitations, sorry, but it seems to indicate you have no idea of what is going on behind the scene's most any game ever needs a loading screen, how they hide it is an entirely different manner, but I already agreed, more stuff that can happen while travelling would be great. Environmental events, whatnot, solar flares, dangers whatnot.

But to simply go "Wrong" seems concerning, and very dismissive to me. Especially on Colonia, since pre colonia, while there were some few posts on travel speeds, people really didn't mind, because only those that wanted to explore, needed do a lot of travelling, and that is still true, the main difference is, now there's the ceos and such trading routes, that people double down on so much that they ignore the rest of the game. And people that want to jump back and forth between colonia at a whim. Which is what they want to do fine.

But I don't want a clear minority to decide what a central part of the game should and shouldn't be, namely the scale of the universe, if we move too fast everything is right at our fingertips, easy and you can go everywhere, what would be the point then? part of enjoyment at least to me, is the journey.

 

[Blackcompany]

It's not a bad topic though.

{Maths}

So about 73% of the total travel time is literally NOT DOING ANYTHING WORTHWILE.

Thanks for the math. I don't know how ANYONE can be OK with this fact. About 73℅ of a gaming session spent Not playing. Imagine if this were QTE it cutscene dialogue. Gamers would throw a fit...

 

[Snarfbuckle]

FSD Charge up - Instant or near jumping into load screen would disrupt gameplay elements, such as piracy and interdiction and e.t.c.

Not really. Interdictions have all the time in the world to use said mechanic at any time when im NOT using the FSDfor jumping or when im in SC.
If anything we could increase the FSD cooldown after being interdicted to add a little more danger after being interdicted if it is merely time for an attacker to ACT that you want to raise.

So the activation and countdown does not need to be a factor for interdiction and attacks.

FSD countdown - same thing as above. Game play.

It should rather NOT be possible to block a ship with an interdictor in SC that is jumping since it should only affect the supercruise portion.
And since the ship is already locked in to jump to another system and is already literally going into witchspace the interdiction should fail because it cannot pull a ship out of a hyperspace jump

Loading screen - my loading screens are rather short depending on server 4-10 seconds, but mostly 4-6 seconds per jump, so it doesn't really bother me, I hear some people that have 30 seconds plus, and yeah, maybe the problem isn't the game there?

The game could very well be the culprit since it IS a loading screen when the game updates information from the server about system status. This could have been sampled and loaded the moment one activated the FSD.

If we spend 15 seconds just waiting for the jump drive to ACTIVATE the game might as well start to collect what it needs from said system im going to instead of doing nothing.

 

[Flimsey]

Yea, that sounds interesting.
I think the optimal solution would be some form of automated flight that is generally slower and less efficient than flying the same distance "by hand". (Essentially like in EvE)

So you want a longer travel time where you have to stop for fuel and not need to press the fsb button? And look on the screen the whole time??
If it just flies there, you can let it jump when you sleep or watch a movie. It's like ship transfer, plan it right and the time is no big issue.


What could be done is when multicrew gets online pay someone to take you there and then order your ship.
Or start some transfer routes that let you travel without your ship and same as above transfer ship.
I'm not sure its a good idea for the game but its better then autopilot.

I should go back to work I feel like a spamming troll :-0

 

[Luniticisi]

Thanks for the math. I don't know how ANYONE can be OK with this fact. About 73℅ of a gaming session spent Not playing. Imagine if this were QTE it cutscene dialogue. Gamers would throw a fit...

If all you are doing is speed jumping (honk, scoop, jump) and you are finding that doing so isn't fun, stop playing that way .. as that is the only way that it "could" be said that about 73% of the game is 'not playing the game'

 

[Blackcompany]

Eye Spy? (sorry I couldn't help myself lol)

Personally, I like that these things take time, it is one of the things that make the game feel unique. Your tedium is my enjoyment it seems. Game like ED should not cater for all player types .. it will become generic as with 99% of the games on the market these days.

Loading screens do not take that much time (always room for improvement tho), and probably only count for less that 5% of actual time realistically. You must be exaggerating right, else I would contact support as there may be something wrong on your connection? I am connecting from Australia too and other than the occasional lag out where the load screen make take 30secs between systems, it is normally quick-ish.

Could there be other 'things' going on when travelling? Sure, more content would be cool outside of the mandatory interdiction each system or dropping into a USS, but should remain flexible/optional not to turn back into the chain-interdiction issues we had last year.

I'm an explorer, I've seen a reasonable amount of the galaxy, much more than some, much less than others.
Yeah the time spent in witchspace can get tedious at times, and it would be nice to have a little variety every now and again, but here's the rub.... I also really like the lack of demand that long distance travel requires.
A couple of thousand light years for me is a chance to watch a streamer, chat with friends or catch up with a series I like on Netflix. It's "me" time where I can sit and think undisturbed, unless I want to be and where the only timeframe I need to worry about is my own.
Be careful what you wish for, they say, and in this case most definitely. Exploration and long distance travel is the one place in the game where you can unwind and take your time, and however you spice it up, you need to do it in a way that doesn't decimate a gameplay style that many of us, at times, prefer to be as bland and unspicey as possible.

I'm not saying that you're wrong to want to change it. Like I said, I've had times where the number of jumps to get to someplace interesting has seemed pretty daunting...I could have done with some means of either getting back automatically, or getting somewhere more interesting more quickly. But that's only every now and again, and the rest of the time I just want to drift on between the stars without worrying when the next npc or random encounter is going to bring that peace to and abrupt, firey end.

Ok, let me try to address then one at the time.

FSD Charge up - Instant or near jumping into load screen would disrupt gameplay elements, such as piracy and interdiction and e.t.c.
DSD countdown - same thing as above. Game play.
Loading screen - my loading screens are rather short depending on server 4-10 seconds, but mostly 4-6 seconds per jump, so it doesn't really bother me, I hear some people that have 30 seconds plus, and yeah, maybe the problem isn't the game there?

Again, it won't stop quoting everyone...

You didn't address any of those. You just dismissed them. That's not a counter argument to the Fact that 73℅ of travel involves 0℅ interactive participation.

This was supposed to be a game. But we spend MORE time waiting than playing. Believe me, when it comes to capturing the sort of audience you need to sustain years long development, that WILL be a problem. Heck, HAS BEEN a problem; search the web.

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Eye Spy? (sorry I couldn't help myself lol)

Personally, I like that these things take time, it is one of the things that make the game feel unique. Your tedium is my enjoyment it seems. Game like ED should not cater for all player types .. it will become generic as with 99% of the games on the market these days.

Loading screens do not take that much time (always room for improvement tho), and probably only count for less that 5% of actual time realistically. You must be exaggerating right, else I would contact support as there may be something wrong on your connection? I am connecting from Australia too and other than the occasional lag out where the load screen make take 30secs between systems, it is normally quick-ish.

Could there be other 'things' going on when travelling? Sure, more content would be cool outside of the mandatory interdiction each system or dropping into a USS, but should remain flexible/optional not to turn back into the chain-interdiction issues we had last year.

I'm an explorer, I've seen a reasonable amount of the galaxy, much more than some, much less than others.
Yeah the time spent in witchspace can get tedious at times, and it would be nice to have a little variety every now and again, but here's the rub.... I also really like the lack of demand that long distance travel requires.
A couple of thousand light years for me is a chance to watch a streamer, chat with friends or catch up with a series I like on Netflix. It's "me" time where I can sit and think undisturbed, unless I want to be and where the only timeframe I need to worry about is my own.
Be careful what you wish for, they say, and in this case most definitely. Exploration and long distance travel is the one place in the game where you can unwind and take your time, and however you spice it up, you need to do it in a way that doesn't decimate a gameplay style that many of us, at times, prefer to be as bland and unspicey as possible.

I'm not saying that you're wrong to want to change it. Like I said, I've had times where the number of jumps to get to someplace interesting has seemed pretty daunting...I could have done with some means of either getting back automatically, or getting somewhere more interesting more quickly. But that's only every now and again, and the rest of the time I just want to drift on between the stars without worrying when the next npc or random encounter is going to bring that peace to and abrupt, firey end.

If all you are doing is speed jumping (honk, scoop, jump) and you are finding that doing so isn't fun, stop playing that way .. as that is the only way that it "could" be said that about 73% of the game is 'not playing the game'

But what if you're hauling? Or carrying passengers? The point is to reach a destination in a reasonable time. Only honk jumping?

Again, wrong. Half the missions in the game turn it into a Load Screen Festival.