Simple but radical redesign of exploration

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

I like the turreted DSS for multicrew idea, but I think that would work best as an add-on to the existing functionality rather than a replacement.
That way multicrew still gives the benefit of high-speed fly-bys, without actively penalizing single players.

 

[Mengy]

I like the turreted DSS for multicrew idea, but I think that would work best as an add-on to the existing functionality rather than a replacement.
That way multicrew still gives the benefit of high-speed fly-bys, without actively penalizing single players.

True, it could simply be an "external turret mode" like turrets in multicrew currenlty function, but I'd like to see it available for solo play too. Allow the single pilot to enter "DSS turret" mode and visuall scan objects in the system around their ship, either while they sit still or cruise around in any direction.


And it really doesn't need to be in a utility slot, the DSS module could stay like it is now, I was just spitballing there!

 

[clinton]

The only people that seem to be championing the changes are those who already have Elite rank in exploration. I can understand why they might object to any increases in rank progression as a result of some of the new passenger missions but I feel they need to get over themselves.

That's garbage.

Do you have any evidence of that?

I've haven't played the game all that much despite being a lifetime backer, as I don't think they've got the gameplay balance right yet but hopefully 2.4 will fix that (at which point I'll reset my commander).

Usually they've improved the balance in other areas, but the changes in 2.3 to exploration were a regression. They should be reverted, and a first discovery increase put in their place.

 

[NeilF]

I quite like the idea that while we might know where everything is in space and can see it, that hyperspace is a different medium and we need to learn to plot routes through it.
Initially, there would have been a fairly limited network of hyperspace routes between systems (anchored by nav beacons) in the bubble that would require expanding.

The exploration mechanism would have involved a way to probe and examine hyperspace in an effort to plot new routes alongside a better version of the system mapping that we have now.
This could have been used to plot new, more direct routes in the bubble, and also to expand the frontier into unknown space.

Yes... That could have worked. So to get to a new system would have taken some effort, but once done, other CMDRs could then get there more easily.

That would have made exploring to Beagle Point a lot more tricky to say the least!

 

[lenna]

That's garbage.

Do you have any evidence of that?

At least some of the people pushing for "time sink" changes seem to be those with Elite exploration according to their signatures. Given the general attitudes I have noted in these forums, it is a fair assumption that the rest already have Elite in exploration (or perhaps have achieved it and reset).

Usually they've improved the balance in other areas, but the changes in 2.3 to exploration were a regression. They should be reverted, and a first discovery increase put in their place.

What changes are you referring to precisely?

Exploration

• Rebalanced the amount of exploration career rank awarded when completing Passenger missions
• Stopped awarding First Discovery bonuses of zero credits
• Fixed transaction server error when purchasing exploration data for certain systems
• Increased the credit values of exploration data for scans after this release. Unsold data from previous scans is unaffected by this change.

If you are referring to Passenger mission Exploration rank rewards and increased rewards for normal scans, they seem to be reasonable changes.

I presume the zero credit first discovery bonus is referring to asteroid belts which always seemed a bit off to me. I rarely bother with Asteroid belts myself unless I am considering using the target area as a mining zone since they have been a zero reward item for as long as I can remember.

I do not believe that reward focus should be centred on First Discovery since that penalises newer commanders too much....

As for the Passenger Mission effect on exploration rank - I am ambivalent about it. I see no valid reason to object to it though.

I think it has been a long standing complaint that progression in the Exploration rank has been too slow. If increased rewards for scans in general and increased progression via appropriate passenger missions achieves the rate of progression that some would like to see then I am not going to object. It took me a long time to get to my current Exploration rank and I see nothing wrong with newer players being able to achieve similar or greater rank faster.

Overall though, the kinds of "major overhaul" level changes being proposed are inappropriate IMO - too much water has passed under the bridge for the scale of changes some people seem to desire.

 

[znôrt]

What do other players (and FDev for that matter) think about this approach?

it's fine, but i don't think the main problem with exploration is rewards but lack (and beigeness) of content. your suggestion would simply make the grind more complicated (expect whining avalanche) and ... oops, would leave all non horizons customers out.