News Chapter Four - Exploration Reveal

[Dunkz17]

The Detailed Surface Scanner changes sound good - I have spent hours trying to locate Thargoid sites (forget Barnacles, that seems impossible) from low orbit with absolutely no success and it is very frustrating to have to revert to Google and Canonn websites for the co-ordinates, feels like I am cheating and losing out to the game when in reality perhaps my eyesight is not so good, or I would have had to spend many many many days in low orbit before eventually finding it, which is off-putting. So I would very much welcome game features that would enable me to locate these planet sites with more success. After all, these are great gameplay contents and to not be able to access them because you can't find them makes me feel despondent towards the game.

My only other comment would be that most of the systems we encounter in the galaxy actually have nothing of interest in them, so without additional surface content, exploration in the main would still appear to be a fairly dull affair even with the new mechanics you describe

 

[Elan]

Hi Alec,

This is today's post that we mentioned earlier.

I think his point was that you've put this thread under the conditions of a Focused Feedback thread, but not actually placed it in the focused feedback section.

 

[Old Duck]

BRAVO ZULU!

Question - The surface probes, are these only for landable planets, or can they be used on all planet types? If the latter, what kind of data will they return for ELWs, for example?

 

[encrypted]

With all these changes some kind of 3D, Orrery system map is a 'must' at this point, IMHO.

Any ability planned to add up a marker to our GPS so we can 'drive' our ships exactly to specified location? Or we would still need to follow coordinates?

 

[Andrew Gaspurr]

please either combine the scanners or put them into utility slots...

Seconded. Do we need a poll on this?

 

[Jethro49]

The initial 'honk' will just reveal the entry star. As you use the to explore, more stellar bodies will be revealed as you find them, which will then populate the system map.

At least, we will have a use of the lesser fuel scoops and make the Beluga a great exploration ship Also, there will definitely be a difference between a traveller and an explorer.

However new gameplay is always welcome and this sounds really interesting !

 

[ALEX CAOS]

Please show us a how good it works could the devs please do a system with 20-50 planets sounds fun too me

Yes do it for us please, wanna see you playing that awsame feature

 

[WorldsGreatestForumDad]

This sounds like a thought out overhaul for exploration, I like it. Though does the ADS directly opens the new UI once the system scan is complete? For those of us that just travel to MAIA and aim to get a quick-scan of every system on the way for the L2 scans, the UI would probably annoy us tremendously. Hopefully there will be a method to keep the new UI closed during travel times compared to actual exploring trips.

seconded

 

[Ian Phillips]

Adam i think this makes sense, as the current levels of scanner are a potential hindrance to core gameplay for new players, until they have made a few million and can afford the advanced scanners. Granted its far easier to earn this money when the game launched. I remember it being somewhat memorable to afford the Advanced discovery scanner.

I remember it being a disappointment, getting the ADS and finding that suddenly EVERYTHING was available after a simple HONK.

 

[Viajero]

Ummm, this blows.

A lot.

And hard.

I run around doing missions. A lot. I go here and there all over the bubble. So I'm constantly taking missions to low pop systems I've never been to.

Now: I drop into a system and whoops, never been here. 'Honk' Okay there is my target. Off I go.

After the update: Drop into a system, whoops. Never been here 'Honk' OK, find a signal... Nope, that's not it. OK, find another… Nope ...36 stellar bodies later... *ragequit

Edit to add: Just saw the 'you can still scan the nav beacon' reply. I haven't scanned more then three nav beacons since I installed the game. Will scanning a nav beacon reveal a planetary scan mission target?

Nav beacons have indeed always shown mission locations.

 

[Adam Bourke-Waite]

But if USS decay, it means others will spawn instead. Right?

USS will continue to expire and spawn at set intervals.

Also, will we be getting any new kinds of info on stellar bodies?

We aren't presenting any new information on the stellar bodies, but the new tools provide earlier and easier access to data we already presented in the system map.

For example:

Spoiler

You mentioned "gravitational anomalies". Care to share an example?

These gravitational anomalies represent the gravity produced by stellar bodies and are used to help guide players towards their possible locations.

 

[Astinius]

I agree. If not that, I would be okay with a high ammo count and the ability to recharge the ammo by looking for resources to synthisize more ammo. I just don't like the idea of planning a really long exploration trip with a limited amount of probes to deploy. Other then that, everything else is amazing!

GRIND ALLERT!!!

Also for me. Or in long exploration a lot of time wasted for take material for continue map your discovery....

No ammo on Surface Scanner.

 

[Whitmann]

I'd like to see it in action, but suspect by the time we do, it'll be set in stone (if it isn't already). It all sounds very interesting, this new method of scanning systems, but I'd be fibbing if I didn't also have some unease at the idea of having to take ten or fifteen minutes to scan a system that turns out to be uninteresting rather than the 15 seconds it takes now.

Some clarity on whether this is the case would be much appreciated tonight, please Frontier peeps

 

[foxoplasma]

Glad to see replies from the devs

Like many others in this thread overall i just want to echo the sentiment that THIS IS GOOD... but be careful to not make it too time consuming!
Many systems don't have much worth scanning, so if you spent a ton more time crossing the same distances in the galaxy that wouldn't be good... considering i already go on months-long exploration trips!

 

[askavir]

This sounds like a thought out overhaul for exploration, I like it. Though does the ADS directly opens the new UI once the system scan is complete? For those of us that just travel to MAIA and aim to get a quick-scan of every system on the way for the L2 scans, the UI would probably annoy us tremendously. Hopefully there will be a method to keep the new UI closed during travel times compared to actual exploring trips.

If I understood correctly, you won't be able to do a "quick scan" anymore. No bodies will be discovered just by honking.

 

[Remus]

It is way more than I expected to be honest. And I expected a lot.

Also there's not even CODEX yet.

Holy cow.

I am impressed.

As for changes - some will be painful for people who are used to honk in these years, but I applaud for FD having balls going all in. I was slightly worried how it will all mesh but it seems you have complete redesign of whole system. It will be a bit cold turkey for some of players, but good. It will be good for long term of the game.

As always damn if they do, damned if they don't.

Not enough depth ! Mile wide inch deep !

"Frontier ads depth"

OMG, Frontier doesn't respect my time ! What about my credit per minute ratio ! WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYY !


Jesus I'm happy not being a developer nowadays.

 

[VR SenseiMatty]

Please reply only to this I won’t ask more: I know you can’t say too much but tell me only if there is new additional gameplay planned also on the planets surface with srv... so that also the srv is involved in the discovery and scanning process and we have some good reason to land and earn additional credits

 

[Elan]

please no ammo for the surface scanner.... just give it infinite ammo or let the probes return to the ship or something...

There will be ammo, but at Lavecon FDev said it would be synthesised with a commonly occurring planetary material.

 

[T'Sanak]

Will surface scanner be a good tool to have as a miner. If I recall previous FDev talking points, will it show on the display good patches to fly and mine more Painite than other location in the ring?

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Major changes - looks very nice in general. Looks like it will make it slower to get a partial view of a system, but quicker to get a total view of it. Distinguishes "travelling" and "exploration" more, which I like the sound of but will probably be the big controversial bit.

Also looks like there'll be a role for moving about in the system to isolate signals - you could try to resolve that gas giant and its five moons from next to the primary star at a distance of 4000 Ls ... or you could fly closer to it and pick a good angle to spread out all the signals better.

A few detail questions:
- exploration discoveries are shared between multicrew: does that mean I can multicrew in to someone's ship if they find something good, help them scan it, and then exit multicrew to sell the data wherever I'm docked and ensure we get the first discovery credits? If not, what does happen?
- can the discovery scanner keep the "look, it's right there" passive mode it currently has where things which are right next to you get autodetected? I can imagine it being a bit frustrating if you drop into a close binary system with a few planets near the primary to have to exclude all the really obvious stuff that you can see with the unaided eye. Or perhaps that stuff will be so easy to lock down on the scan it won't matter.