The arcadiness of unidentified signal sources

[KrispyDuckOld]

A few questions/observations on the disappointingly random/arcadey nature of USSs in Beta 1...

It seems the only way to find a USS is to just spot it by chance. Only rarely do they seem to appear in the nav menu (only when locked?) and I've never managed to deliberately fly to a specific one. Fair enough I suppose (but kind of annoying).

On first entering SC there usually seems to be a time delay before any show up at all ... then, like busses, three come along at once (as though, "it's now time to spawn a few USSs").

On dropping out of SC all USS's that were visible have disappeared. Why can they only be detected in SC? Something to do with distance? But then why are they still gone when you go back to SC (e.g. after an interdiction)?

If hunting for USSs it is often hard to know if you're finding the same one again (if they are even persistent).

I've no idea if they are at persistent fixed points in space or if they are randomly spawned (I'd hope the former). I think it would be nice if your ship would 'remember' USSs it has seen (at least until exit the particular star system). Ideally with a variety of names ... even if just appended with a sequence digit as they are spotted. This would be local to your ship's nav computer and so remains logical/immersive.

For me the current implementation of USSs makes Elite feel like ... ummm ... a game!

 

[Viajero]

Yeah I agree there is something not quite right with the proliferation of those signals and how they show up in SC and not in normal flight.

The deployment of in-game dynamic systems maps (including USS) would be great to alleviate some of that feeling I d guess.

 

[Exo]

Why would an unidentified signal remain in the same place?

If it turns out to be a ship being attacked by others, with the exception of debris afterward, there'd be no reason for it to remain.

I would suggest that having the same USS's in the same place is more arcadey, than coming upon each one randomly.

The reason it takes a few seconds for things to load up on entering SC, on entering an instance generally, is because it takes a short while for the server to decide what's in it, and where you are in relation to those things in the instance. Unfortunately it's limited by the fact that it is a game!

I like that signals can vary from being able to be picked up at 2.5ly to you having to be almost on top to receive them, and that they should be in random places and produce random results. That, it seems to me, is one of the reasons they exist at all. They aren't farming sites!

 

[Frobitz]

The signals actually seem to appear according to how fast you're going, so if you're steaming along at 100's of times the speed of light they appear 1000's of light seconds away.

Basically they're positioned to ensure you have enough time to decelerate to drop out of FSD I think.

Noticed yesterday when I was faced with a 200,000+ light second trip :-S

 

[Paul_Debrion]

I think it would be nice if some of them they stayed around longer where applicable, but for a some of them it does makes sense for them to be very temporary.

A lot of USSs are ships and those ships tend to be moving. For those it sort of makes sense that those wouldn't stick around for very long, after a while the ship has moved on in whatever direction it was going and the signal is more or less invalid/useless.

On the other hand, other USSs are clusters of containers which aren't all that mobile on their own. Those could probably stand to stick around a bit longer since they're probably not going anywhere unless someone picks them up.

 

[xyphic]

They're currently placeholder to give us a feel for what they might be like when the game is finished, and to give us something to do that isn't just trading.

Don't be surprised if they look completely different in a month or two.

 

[GunnyHighway]

Here is what I've discovered about USS.

USS are random instances generated just for you. They appear to you depending on how fast you are going. And they could appear anywhere between a few seconds and a minute or two, and are reset every time you enter Supercruise.

For example, if you are cruising at 30km/s (minimum cruise speed) they will appear to you between 300 and 500km away allowing you to lock on and disengage immediately.

If you are travelling fast, like 10c they could appear 1000ls away, which could be near another planet which might show up in a different part of the NAV list.

 

[Viajero]

Here is what I've discovered about USS.

USS are random instances generated just for you. They appear to you depending on how fast you are going. And they could appear anywhere between a few seconds and a minute or two, and are reset every time you enter Supercruise.

Just for one pilot?

I presume not all of them no? I.e. the USS at the old Fed Distress Call etc.

 

[Daffan]

The signals actually seem to appear according to how fast you're going, so if you're steaming along at 100's of times the speed of light they appear 1000's of light seconds away.

Basically they're positioned to ensure you have enough time to decelerate to drop out of FSD I think.

Noticed yesterday when I was faced with a 200,000+ light second trip :-S

Yep, and when going slow otuside of a station like 5 appear withink 20k kms

 

[Erimus Kamzel]

I don't like them at all. They remind me of certain features in WoW in so far as everything is scripted and re-runs like clockwork every time you recreate or re-enter the instance.

They don't seem random or even unique.

I think if they appeared within some space anomaly or different environment, like a pirate base inside an asteroid field, or a debris field orbiting a distant moon, or high above the contact binary in I-Bootes - something that gives it a context and a backdrop, something that gives you environments to use tactically in a fight, then they would at least have a semblence of interest to them.

Hopefully they're just place holders for something far more elaborate to come. At the moment they seem very shallow and totally out of context of the game as a whole. Can't quite put my finger on it but they just don't "fit". (personal opinion of course, I'm sure there are plenty of others who love them!).

 

[Tiggo]

i kinda agree.

of course uss should have a limited lifespan, but right now, they just ALWAYS vanished when you reenter sc. it looks like they are randomly generated whenever you enter sc, and thats kind of billow and should be done better.

alas i know all this is still in development, still wanted to raise my opinion.

 

[xyphic]

of course uss should have a limited lifespan, but right now, they just ALWAYS vanished when you reenter sc. it looks like they are randomly generated whenever you enter sc, and thats kind of billow and should be done better.

They *are* randomly generated, and they *will* be done better.

 

[Tiggo]

They *are* randomly generated, and they *will* be done better.

i will make you personally accountable for that!

please pm me your personal adress. thank you.



^^

 

[MarcusReed]

I actually like the USS's a lot. It makes sense to me that you have to be within a certain range in order to see it giving the fact that it can move.

It's random and brings some wonder gameplay to systems.

Just don't loose a cobra to one in a anarchy system like I did this morning
I didn't get insurance buy back option

 

[TheOohChild]

I only go to USS to hunt lakons and get them to drop their cargo. You can get some pretty good fights if you get an instance with a Type 9, as they usually have escorts. I think the current system is effective in giving us random NPC activity, but I would agree it is a bit underwhelming.

 

[GunnyHighway]

Just for one pilot?

I presume not all of them no? I.e. the USS at the old Fed Distress Call etc.

USS randomly generated just for the player. The other POIs (Beacons, Distress Calls, Conflict Zones, etc) are for everyone to see and are static (in location).