What incentive do new players have to stop using supercruise assist?

[Ian Doncaster]

Well, its pretty clear now frontier don't like supercruise and are building into the game ways out of it.

Was just thinking for the new supercruise assist function, say a new player follows along and gets used to playing elite in the new world. I suspect its going to be common that because there's actually no or very minimal incentive in turning off supercruise assist... people will get used to having it on permanently. If you "grew up" with it, then compared it to turning it off, why would you?

Because compared with manual flight it's a lot slower, takes a module slot, and makes you more at risk of interdiction (even by the NPC sloths) - while not doing anything you couldn't do yourself.

That's not me saying it shouldn't exist, because being shown how supercruise works by the autopilot is probably a pretty good way to pick up the basics for yourself - but the beginners who have some curiosity about game mechanics are likely to figure out faster approaches are possible without it.
(Same as in FE2/FFE - the autopilot was pretty effective, but you could get to your destination a lot faster by turning it off, flipping 180 at midway, and using your main engines to slow down instead)

Think of it like turrets - they're nowhere near as powerful as gimballed or fixed weapons, and a fair bit more expensive, so there's a big incentive to learn to aim, and people do ... but people don't have to and even for experienced players there are some uses for it in specific circumstances.

 

[Factabulous]

That's not me saying it shouldn't exist, because being shown how supercruise works by the autopilot is probably a pretty good way to pick up the basics for yourself - but the beginners who have some curiosity about game mechanics are likely to figure out faster approaches are possible without it.

Sadly I think it's going to mainly mean the forums being flooded with 'why is SC so slow?', 'I always get interdicted!' type threads (plus the inevitable 'Autopilot killed my shieldless trader').

At the moment I'm hoping the Pilot's Manual gives tips about more efficient travel, because the autopilot is just teaching people 'throttle to blue to engage autopilot', rather than 'throttle to blue to not overshoot' - I didn't think overloading affordances like that was a good idea, but then again I am not a UI designer

 

[XanderVekk]

The incentive is to not get stuck in the mail slot with another ship and die.

FDEV improved docking computers but not the phenomenally stupid AI of other NPCs at a busy station.

 

[Vandaahl]

Why should there even be an incentive? It's almost like it matters how someone else plays a video game.

 

[thistle]

Well, its pretty clear now frontier don't like supercruise and are building into the game ways out of it.

And the rest becomes invalidated.

 

[thistle]

Well, its pretty clear now frontier don't like supercruise and are building into the game ways out of it.

The real answer, rather than making up fdev's intent, is to HELP new players. Training wheels.

 

[Deleted member 182079]

The real answer, rather than making up fdev's intent, is to HELP new players. Training wheels.

And in addition simply just convenience, for new and veteran players alike.

Might even do the Hutton run for the first time in 4 years of playing the game (and the Voyagers in Sol).

 

[Vasious]

Aside from the additional optional internal(s) that will open up ad hoc game play

This could be a great all around beginner mission ship

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous

coriolis.edcd.io

Run any basic mission, and with the persistent scenarios swap out the limpet controller for the task at hand

Super Cruise Assist will never do this for you if you are in a hurry

I mean it is options isn't it.

There are incentives to utilize the internal and to fly hands on 100%, but if someone is happy Space trucking etc with the ADC and SCA, let them enjoy it as they will.

it is just the same as FAON and FAOFF as options

 

[metatheurgist]

Should come with a large "L" black on yellow decal that is automatically applied if either module is equipped.

 

[Jaggid Edje]

At the moment I'm hoping the Pilot's Manual gives tips about more efficient travel, because the autopilot is just teaching people 'throttle to blue to engage autopilot', rather than 'throttle to blue to not overshoot' - I didn't think overloading affordances like that was a good idea, but then again I am not a UI designer

Tutorial on flight and tutorial video already exist that explain it....I think you're not giving people enough credit.

 

[VR CMDR Novindus]

There doesn’t need to be an incentive. It’s not as though supercruise unassisted is an engaging mechanic. You point, you wait for the 6 second mark, and you press a button to slow to 75%, then another button when you’re told to disengage. Rinse and repeat.... a lot.

The only sort of finessing is when you manoeuvre to make sure you’re facing the station’s slot.

As I’ve said before, this partial automation looks like preparation for onboard activities when EVA is implemented, which could be as early as 3rd quarter 2020.

 

[Old Duck]

If a player wishes to use supercruise autopilot for the rest of their lives, what's the big deal?

 

[Rat Catcher]

Should come with a large "L" black on yellow decal that is automatically applied if either module is equipped.

Usual tongue-in-cheek bigotry

Means I'll have to have 2 of your plates, mate! (and certainly NOT a beginner!)

 

[SteveLaw]

I see two answers here, both, however, mostly answering a question with a question:

1) What incentive is there to fly a Keelback, an Asp Scout or a <insert ship here>? What incentive is there to trade when you can mine, or to mine when you can trade? Etc.. Because you want to try it.

2) What if there isn't one? What if players never fly without Supercruise Assist again? So what?

 

[ethelred]

The incentive will come when there's PvP CMDRs opposing my Interstellar Initiatives cargo runs.

I hope the new players don't stop using it so I can get a clear run in!

 

[Schmack]

What incentive do new players have to [insert option here]?

Experience, preference and choices.

Technically those aren't incentives.

 

[cmdr milesred]

the only incentive to stop using may not apply to the experienced players but for the new cmdrs... beware the current DC can't dock cutters or belugas
and using the dc on planet bases is always entertaining.......
I would not expect the new version to be any smarter, just now capable of launch too, and likely to be a very interesting experience for many.
I would place a large bet on the SCC to be just as clever.

 

[Jaggid Edje]

the only incentive to stop using may not apply to the experienced players but for the new cmdrs... beware the current DC can't dock cutters or belugas
and using the dc on planet bases is always entertaining.......
I would not expect the new version to be any smarter, just now capable of launch too, and likely to be a very interesting experience for many.
I would place a large bet on the SCC to be just as clever.

When was the last time you used the current DC?

I have one on my Beluga and it docks just fine, including planet bases. Just have to make sure not to engage it when your ship is too near that really tall tower that some planetary bases have. The thing has done literally 100's of docks for me and has yet to actually do any damage, the worst thing was the one time it hit one of those towers, but even that was just a shield bump. Over a hundred dockings and only 1 problem is better than 99% efficiency....seems fine in my book.

 

[Daniel Cloudsifter]

What incentives? Let's see:

1. Faster travel with manual piloting in super-cruise.
2. More fun travel (and possibly faster) by approaching a planet/station at full speed and use gravity breaking to loop around and get in close quickly.
3. Taking round about courses to target in SC to avoid pirates

And if they never stop using it, how does this harm anyone else? In Open, they will be easy targets for interdiction. In other modes, you probably won't see them (definitely not in solo), so this won't affect you at all.

I truly do not understand why so many commanders are objecting to these extra "training wheels" be made available to new players to keep them playing instead of quitting in frustration. At least Frontier added these as add-ons for the newbies instead of dumbing down the supercruise flight model for everyone and/or forcing us all to use SC assist all the time.

Besides, these optional modules offer benefits to veteran players, like myself, who infrequently fall asleep while piloting. I probably won't have SCA installed on most of my ships, but I will install/use it if I'm feeling fatigued and prone to nodding off.

 

[NeilF]

Couple of thoughts?

1) If it's slower than doing it manually, which is most likely is, isn't that an incentive?
2) If it makes no difference at all to other CMDRs, the problem is?

God forbid everyone just has easy access to it so once in a while they can enjoy a QoL feature in the game, so they can enjoy the game.