Why? Because now it is even easier and quicker to get lots of credits for just clicking and moving a slider?
Frontier you talked about the "traveler" style of exploration and misunderstood one key thing
- Thread starter Crusina Luachra
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Why? Because now it is even easier and quicker to get lots of credits for just clicking and moving a slider?
Thank you, Adam, for your input.
I found the livestream very informative and helpful. I really like the new system, although I was very apprehensive before. I can understand the frustration of the explorers, though, and I have a small suggestion (I suggested it in other threads before). Maybe, just maybe, after the initial honk, the whole map is revealed, but without any info for the planets, just their images, so the players can see if they look interesting (ELW, etc). Then, they can decide if they enter the discovery mode to properly resolve them.
Thanks again, I can't wait to try out the beta.
So holding your finger down for 5 seconds or so whilst the honk signal was returned was what then?
What you have described is a skill. If you have learned something you are now skilled in it. That is a skill you now posses. If someone who hasn't touched the game before opens it up they will have no idea what is going on when you will as you have leaned that skill.
With that definition of skill the old system was skill based system too.
You needed to be able to tell the difference between an earth like world and an metal rich atmospheric planet for example.
Now you need to be able to differentiate between a blimp on a scale and an other blimp on the same scale. And look around, and click. Not sure if those later things can be considered skill.
We've been told about this "snap decision" but just how snappy is it really?
I've heard mention of planetary statistics, but you have to actually move around the system map and inspect planets to get that information, which seems a little bit similar to the new system. Under the old system only an actual scan will reveal most of the interesting details about a body, so the new system wins hands down here. Then you add in the planetary locations of interest which is an absolutely massive benefit over the old system.
I've heard mention of system layout, but what does this mean exactly?
The system map isn't even to scale, which was clear when they showed the orrery view in the stream. Anything which was found to be "interesting" in the layout prior to this point was only interesting in the same way the shape of land masses are on a Mercator projection, all skewed and wrong.
And.. if the interesting thing was the arrangement of bodies i.e. that a gas giant had a metallic body or similar then the new system has you covered, the signals will layer in such a way that a trained eye will be able to spot those "at a glance" as a "snap decision".
Yep, and I am almost certain that Frontier made this change despite their protests as there is no way in hell all that protesting could have been missed.
The bottom line was, I think, that instant honk simply wasn't a viable mechanic for improvements to the system, it was getting in the way or holding back all the really cool things they showed in the stream. I think we'll find, on balance, even including such explorers as the OP, that the new system is just "better" overall. Perhaps not better for one or two specific things, but better overall.
It gave one the agency to come to a snap decision on whether one of those 400 billion star systems was worth time spending in, derp.
Have you seen all the different lines that are represented on the spectral analysis then?
First, it should have been part of the game four years ago.
Second, I've travelled much of the world, by air, sea, and ground, and the journey is the thing. Do I need to eat every item on the menu to see if I like the place?
Third, I've been a Traveller (tm) since 1978, so I might know a little something about space games....
Thanks OA - perfect example of some eye-candy that will be significantly easier to find in the new system.
Ok, let's call it "knowledge" based then. Or "The ability to read a spectral analysis".
Last time I checked knowledge and gaining knowledge is a skill.
Yes I wonder about this "snap decision" too. I don't think it was ever that snappy to be honest.
Agreed. The initial all seeing honk was a vapid mechanic which had to go.
I think this is an interesting thing that you've hit on here Max. I see both sides of the argument and will wait until significant play-testing in the Beta to make my own decision, but the more I think about it, I'm actually quite liking the idea of
a) jumping into a system
b) doing the initial scan
c) analyzing the waveform
d) making a decision (ultimately based on time spend learning the new waveforms)
e) if I decide to move on without doing some detailed analysis, then I like the thought of having a nagging doubt in my mind - "Have I misread the waveform and potentially missed something interesting!"
I genuinely sympathize for the guys and girls that are unhappy at the moment but I hope, once everyone play-tests the new system, that we'll be in a better place to make informed discussions.
My own personal opinion (I know and accept it won't be everyone's) is this is actual exploration!
On a side note - I'm not interested in making credits, but i am really interested in finding cool stuff out in the Black. If it takes me a few minutes longer, I can live with that [smile]
It seems there are 3 distinct scenarios here:
- Jump, honk, jump: This is IMO what FDev have called 'Travellers'. In the new system, you'll get the same amount of money as now.
- Jump, honk, quick look at System Map, if nothing interesting jump, else stick around and scan: this is the one scenario which MIGHT be slower. It'll take longer to see if the system holds anything interesting. HOWEVER since the spectrum view seems to be 'learnable' you should be able to identify earth-likes and such in a system almost immediately. You just won't necessarily be able to identify 'an Earth-like orbiting a gas giant' etc. straight away. On the plus side, the scanning system looks pretty quick and easy, and with the Orrery view you'll have a MUCH better view of the system layout than ever previously; all from the entry-point.
- Jump, honk, scan everything: should be massively easier and faster than now.
So 1 is unchanged, 3 is massively quicker, and 2 is a mixed bag, much better in some ways, slower in others.
- Jump, honk, jump: This is IMO what FDev have called 'Travellers'. In the new system, you'll get the same amount of money as now.
- Jump, honk, quick look at System Map, if nothing interesting jump, else stick around and scan: this is the one scenario which MIGHT be slower. It'll take longer to see if the system holds anything interesting. HOWEVER since the spectrum view seems to be 'learnable' you should be able to identify earth-likes and such in a system almost immediately. You just won't necessarily be able to identify 'an Earth-like orbiting a gas giant' etc. straight away. On the plus side, the scanning system looks pretty quick and easy, and with the Orrery view you'll have a MUCH better view of the system layout than ever previously; all from the entry-point.
- Jump, honk, scan everything: should be massively easier and faster than now.
So 1 is unchanged, 3 is massively quicker, and 2 is a mixed bag, much better in some ways, slower in others.
Well, now decision of is system interesting enough will have some actual weight.
Did you learn the times table by rote? That's memory. Memory might be considered a skill I suppose, but the way some folks on here refer to the minigame, it's as if we're all going to be Einsteins because we know to dial to Radio ELW or dial to Radio Gas Giant or Radio High Metal Content. That isn't the definition of skill I know about.
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