Elite / Frontier Randomness of Hyperspace

[Glyndo]

Hi all,

Hopefully a quick question...

I've always wondered what factors decided your distance from planets and such in star systems, after you've hyperspaced into them. For example, you hyperspace into Sol and you're always around 7-9AU away from Earth - I'm assuming that's a random figure generated when you enter the hyperspace.

Some systems, you exit the wormhole (if that's what it's called) much further from the bodies in said system. E.g. Alpha Centauri (c950AU), Alioth (c65AU), Achenar (c65AU).

Is there a reason for such a discrepancy in the numbers? When I first started playing I kept forgetting about Alpha and kept taking parcel and FedMil missions to it - caught me out many a time!

 

[DraQ]

Is there a reason for such a discrepancy in the numbers? When I first started playing I kept forgetting about Alpha and kept taking parcel and FedMil missions to it - caught me out many a time!

It depends mostly on the size of the system. If you exit certain, more or less constant, distance from the central body in the system your results will vary. For example in Sol you'd be at distance similar to orbits of Jupiter and Saturn, while Proxima Centauri in Alpha Centauri system orbits over 900AU further out.

 

[Steve]

I knew I'd seen this mentioned somewhere.
John Jordan mentioned it here in alt.fan.elite some time ago.

 

[Glyndo]

I knew I'd seen this mentioned somewhere.
John Jordan mentioned it here in alt.fan.elite some time ago.

Cheers for that link Steve, but it doesn't really answer my question. It shows there aren't really any rules as such, but it doesn't explain why in particular systems you always start so far away.

I figured it was to do with the size of the system, Alpha/Proxima Centauri is a good case in point here. Due to the massive size of the system, you exit into the "space" in the system - just a shame it can't be the space around Proxima. Think of the time saving!

 

[DraQ]

Cheers for that link Steve, but it doesn't really answer my question. It shows there aren't really any rules as such, but it doesn't explain why in particular systems you always start so far away.

Reread:

There's no mechanism within the game to hyperspace anywhere but a random
location within the system plane, 10AU from the "centre" of the system.

Here.

From my experience there is some random variation added to the default distance, so you can emerge 7AU from the system's center, as well as 11AU.
In Alpha Centauri both main stars are separated by 23.34 AU so you'll end up between them most of the time, while small, dim and barely fusing Proxima orbits 960-something AU from the center of the system. You simply have to take your lunchbox with you when jumping into Alpha Centauri.

 

[Adrena1in]

When I first started playing I kept forgetting about Alpha and kept taking parcel and FedMil missions to it - caught me out many a time!

Yeah, caught me out the other day as well.

"I was only a couple of weeks late Sir, and it was only a few letters or something!"

 

[Steve O B Have]

Yeah, caught me out the other day as well.

"I was only a couple of weeks late Sir, and it was only a few letters or something!"

Used to be prime territory for the ol' max velocity approach followed by activating autopilot and stardream.

 

[Steve]

You can still take passengers in your cabins though, 'cos you get a month before they start to complain.

 

[The Space Pirate]

Don't you think systems where you start 900AU odd out from the nearest starport shouldn't be in Elite IV? It makes doing military missions to places like Alpha Centauri damn near impossible! I don't mean to leave Alpha and other multi-star systems out altogether, just make it so there has been a wonderful invention that enables your ship to automatically choose the correct area of the system to jump into, so you'd actually appear in the area of Proxima and you'd only be around 10-20AU out from Eden. I think the maximum distance should be around 50AU (Achenar).

 

[DraQ]

I'd rather have this sweet little device available as a (costly) upgrade to standard hyperspace targeting system.

People on BBS being more aware when it comes to their system of destination, would also help. The program could easily get the expected in-system distance and use it when determining the deadlines.

Also, more awareness when it comes to your ship would also help:
*proud owner of a Panther accesses the BBS terminal*
*click*
-What part of "on a fast ship" did you not understand? -under his breath- moron.

 

[Steve]

there has been a wonderful invention that enables your ship to automatically choose the correct area of the system to jump into

I think it's best to leave it as it is. If someone invents a device to put you within 10AU of your destination, some bright spark will improve that so you arrive 10km from the spaceport.
Better to invoke some mysterious property of hyperspace and hyperdrives that prevents precise destinations from being achieved.

 

[Sir.Tj]

I think it's best to leave it as it is. If someone invents a device to put you within 10AU of your destination, some bright spark will improve that so you arrive 10km from the spaceport.
Better to invoke some mysterious property of hyperspace and hyperdrives that prevents precise destinations from being achieved.

And it takes the unpredictability factor out.

 

[Steve O B Have]

And it takes the unpredictability factor out.

Yeah fully - there has to be some challenge to the game otherwise you may as well just sit in port the whole time and trade shares.

 

[Sir.Tj]

There's nothing quite like the feeling of entering a system knowing your low on fuel, clikcing the autopilot and seeing your 100's of AU's from the station.

 

[DraQ]

There's nothing quite like the feeling of entering a system knowing your low on fuel, clikcing the autopilot and seeing your 100's of AU's from the station.

You mean: "I should have checked the system before jumping, I suck so much..."?
I love the feel too.
I imagine that it would be quite possible to save yourself in such situtation (and without earlier saves), but it'd require taking your calculator out, finding low propulsion intercept trajectory and spending several in-game weeks (or months) economizing activating the autopilot only at the very end to match velocities and make final approach.

 

[Sir.Tj]

You mean: "I should have checked the system before jumping, I suck so much..."?

I could have meant that..... maybe not quite put like that but...

I love the feel too.
I imagine that it would be quite possible to save yourself in such situtation (and without earlier saves), but it'd require taking your calculator out, finding low propulsion intercept trajectory and spending several in-game weeks (or months) economizing activating the autopilot only at the very end to match velocities and make final approach.

Much easier to swear, make a cup of tea, swear again then reload the last save game.

 

[The Space Pirate]

Yeah fully - there has to be some challenge to the game otherwise you may as well just sit in port the whole time and trade shares.

But putting you so far out from the nearest starport isn't challenging, it's boring!

 

[DraQ]

Much easier to swear, make a cup of tea, swear again then reload the last save game.

If you have one. If you don't you'd better quickly find out which herbs should you add to the tea for calming effect.

 

[Sir.Tj]

If you have one. If you don't you'd better quickly find out which herbs should you add to the tea for calming effect.

Herbs eh??? prefer a single malt to top my cuppa up with myself!

Iv'e learnt from bitter experiance that regular saving is a very useful habit to get into. (along with swearing of course)

 

[Steve O B Have]

Herbs eh??? prefer a single malt to top my cuppa up with myself!

Iv'e learnt from bitter experiance that regular saving is a very useful habit to get into. (along with swearing of course)

LOL indeed swearing seems to be a very fruitful counterpoint to loosing oneself a nice ship and a cargo.