News Chapter Four - Exploration Reveal

[Rubbernuke]

Let's be frank, the current "information gathering" involves hitting a single button to explode a lootbox and then running around and picking up the coins.


I jest, but I am kinda serious too. This ^^^ is what we have been calling "exploration" for the past ~4 years. What you call "twiddling knobs" is actually a significant gameplay upgrade to lootbox smashing and coin grabbing.

You know what I'd like?

I'd like a visual scan, some sort of gravity reading and IR scan.

Each is a separate module and you use all 3 to find stuff. So a dark, cold planet that you can't easily see would take some work to find requiring all 3 overlays, while bright stuff you can see instantly.

 

[Ziljan]

You know what I'd like?

I'd like a visual scan, some sort of gravity reading and IR scan.

Each is a separate module and you use all 3 to find stuff. So a dark, cold planet that you can't easily see would take some work to find requiring all 3 overlays, while bright stuff you can see instantly.

We do get a gravity reading on top of the EM signal and a distance filter. That is basically 3 overlayed sensors that you can use to zero in on and resolve an object. It's pretty clever actually. There is also a zoom feature, but they didn't mention if it was manual, or how it helped.

Spoiler

 

[Rubbernuke]

Nice! I don't explore beyond collecting superficial data for BGS work, but its that smart application for in depth exploring that should be included (and certainly looks like it has).

 

[mossfoot]

We do get a gravity reading on top of the EM signal and a distance filter. That is basically 3 overlayed sensors that you can use to zero in on and resolve an object. It's pretty clever actually. There is also a zoom feature, but they didn't mention if it was manual, or how it helped.

Neat! I really want to see this in action. It sounds better than I expected.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

We do get a gravity reading on top of the EM signal and a distance filter. That is basically 3 overlayed sensors that you can use to zero in on and resolve an object. It's pretty clever actually. There is also a zoom feature, but they didn't mention if it was manual, or how it helped.

But it is just a busy work between me and my candy planets

Thanks for some insight there Ziljan.

 

[askavir]

I never suggested that the information is lost, just that the mechanism for discovering it becomes twiddling knobs and sliders on a map, rather than flying around the system.

The process of gathering information about a system becomes more long-winded and then when it's done, I have no reason to actually FLY anywhere.

My gameplay becomes nothing more than loading screen followed by playing a minigame, over and over again.

Indeed, it's like Columbus exploring the new world... sitting on his behind in a port in europe peeking into some extremely long range binoculars.

 

[Ziljan]

Indeed, it's like Columbus exploring the new world...

Yes you are correct, it's just like the Columbus Laboratory parked in orbit around some random ELW:

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I never suggested that the information is lost, just that the mechanism for discovering it becomes twiddling knobs and sliders on a map, rather than flying around the system.

The process of gathering information about a system becomes more long-winded and then when it's done, I have no reason to actually FLY anywhere.

My gameplay becomes nothing more than loading screen followed by playing a minigame, over and over again.

Not really. New mechanism replaces auto discovery / god mode of ADS, and that's it. As for selecting planets and flying closer....you still will be able to do that if you desire so! New scanner mechanism is there to provide faster and deeper way to do it.

Seriously, can people make up their minds about it?

 

[iain666]

Seriously, can people make up their minds about it?

I'm pretty sure most people have, even though we've not really seen it properly yet.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I'm pretty sure most people have, even though we've not really seen it properly yet.

They seem can't figure out do they want to keep their marble collection gameplay intact or having something meaningful added.

As usual, conflicting messages galore.

 

[operant]

They seem can't figure out do they want to keep their marble collection gameplay intact or having something meaningful added.

As usual, conflicting messages galore.

Meaningful.
FD are going to add something meaningful to the game. Wow.
Would you outline what this is?

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Meaningful.
FD are going to add something meaningful to the game. Wow.
Would you outline what this is?

Would you outline what "meaningful" means to you?

Or it is just fancy way to say "I do like it". Then we might be getting somewhere.

In this case, it means it involves player in discovering this, as previous mechanisms just let player push one button and be done with.

 

[operant]

Ok.. you just mean different and you like it.
(And probably think others should too.).

BTW I care not either way.

 

[Marc_Hicks]

Indeed, it's like Columbus exploring the new world... sitting on his behind in a port in europe peeking into some extremely long range binoculars.

LOL. Maybe if he had he'd not have mistaken the islands of the Caribbean for the East Coast of India. The man was a dimwit with a very poor grasp of geography or mathematics. Not an example I'd be quoting.

 

[Marc_Hicks]

Meaningful.
FD are going to add something meaningful to the game. Wow.
Would you outline what this is?

Meaningful means not passively traveling via Super-cruise until your scanner automatically kicks in.

 

[operant]

Interesting perspective.
Personal of course.

 

[Tippis]

Meaningful means not passively traveling via Super-cruise until your scanner automatically kicks in.

You're confusing method and meaning. Just because the activity is passive does not automatically make it meaningless; just because the activity demands interaction does not automatically make it meaningful.

This UI update for the ADS does not alter or affect the meaninglessness of exploration because all underlying mechanics remain untouched.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I realize most of complains about not being able quickly to do judgment call if system is interesting because most of times it isn't particularly interesting due of ED realism. This subjectivity is also that causes biggest issues. Would be such gameplay from start, players would have different expectations and understanding what interesting means. It is hard to take back without inflicting some pain to players got to "marble collection" gameplay.

This issue might go away when more interesting features and improvements comes to planets - atmospherics, etc.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

You're confusing method and meaning. Just because the activity is passive does not automatically make it meaningless; just because the activity demands interaction does not automatically make it meaningful.

This UI update for the ADS does not alter or affect the meaninglessness of exploration because all underlying mechanics remain untouched.

As far as I understand meaning of exploration is really down to motivation of player. What is added here is involvement from player POV. Meaning however should be provided by BGS changes and improvements, CODEX and so on and so forth.

ADS should change and we all know it. Whatever rest of stack needs improvements are matter of discussion and we really don't know full picture of Q4 changes and FD future plans for it.

 

[Tippis]

As far as I understand meaning of exploration is really down to motivation of player.

…and that is the entire problem: there is no other meaning than marble collection, as you call it, and as motivators go, it's an immensely narrow and precarious one.

Nothing in this UI update alters that motivator because exploration itself is not touched in any way.

ADS should change and we all know it.

We don't, actually, and especially not in the case of the ADS since it's such a minute part of the collection process. It's an initial decision-making tool, and that's it. The collection itself is also being changed, and very few seem particularly upset about how that will happen. The extra collection they're planning on adding seems like has received almost no criticism at all aside from some worry about reintroducing the much-despised travel times and a materials grind to keep going. The bulk of the criticism is against how altering the decision-making cuts deep into the motivation for the (still not very) interesting collection part of the equation, especially since it's fairly trivial to see that the former can be left intact without affecting the latter.

So what really should change isn't any of that, but rather the meaning-bearing hooks and mechanics you mention — a new UI in and of itself will not do that. Change them enough, and maybe the reduced decision-making ability would become palatable because there might suddenly be some added weight to that decision.