^^ This.
I want to press F2 to go to an external view, pan it around with my mouse to get the view I want, hit Alt-F10 to take the nice 4k screen shot, and then press F1 again to go back to my cockpit.
Ten seconds, tops, done and carry on.
External View [A definitive discussion]
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^^ This.
I want to press F2 to go to an external view, pan it around with my mouse to get the view I want, hit Alt-F10 to take the nice 4k screen shot, and then press F1 again to go back to my cockpit.
Ten seconds, tops, done and carry on.
Personally, I don't care about taking screenshots and all that. I want an external camera that is useful and realistic. Something that could and would really be made to assist a pilot in the tasks he/she's trying to carry out.
Cameras that work on specific wavelengths of light or that are equipped with sensor suites specific to the job for which they were designed makes sense in a world like the Elite universe and it's something I would really like to see... even if it's not the primary screenshot camera.
Imagine the uses for exploration, especially planetary exploration. You find a planet that is not habitable, so maybe you cannot exit your vehicle, but maybe a drone can be used that could survive the environment and would do the exploration for you.
Cameras that work on specific wavelengths of light or that are equipped with sensor suites specific to the job for which they were designed makes sense in a world like the Elite universe and it's something I would really like to see... even if it's not the primary screenshot camera.
Imagine the uses for exploration, especially planetary exploration. You find a planet that is not habitable, so maybe you cannot exit your vehicle, but maybe a drone can be used that could survive the environment and would do the exploration for you.
Well it'd be a start, if bit cold and clinical..
How about if we all have to stand in a teachest and sing Parry's Jerusalem while holding Alt-F10?
If it's as easy as this then you could perhaps use it as an advantage to see what's behind you and such. I think that's why it has to be a bit clunky, hence the drone suggestion. So it's a hassle and takes time, making you more vulnerable rather than being a potential aid in battle.
Agreed. Plus, spy missions would be good.
Yeah, or it could be like drunk cam in GTA, all wobbly and psychedelic, so you can't make out anything.
Or there could be a docket system, whereby anyone wanting to use external view has to book the time and location by tatooing it on a kipper and sending it to FD. Then they could send back a docket, provided it didn't conflict with anyone else's choices, with the allotted time and place encoded via smoke signal courtesy of a red injun on the back of a flatbed truck.
It could be coupled with BacchusZA's suggestion about standing in a barrel and singing My Country Tis of Thee while pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete and foaming at the mouth. Simple, functional & doesn't confer any combat advantage, and not-at-all neurotic, at all, ftanga. Arooga? Ung.
Indeed. Wise words, there. :S
To those who think an external view will confer combat advantage, it's not an unreasonable fear, and I'm not going to immdeiately dismiss it out of hand, even though I don't share your fear.
I fly a lot of combat flight sims, things like DCS & BMS, where an external view can be an advantage in that it can give you a quick glimpse of where your opponnent is in relation to you.
It's of very very limited benifit though, as you then still need to get your nose on the bad guy, still need to lock them up with the radar, still need to target them with weapons, and still need to be able to fire accurately - especially with the gun - to turn that quick glimpse at the external camera into any kind of advantage at all.
Trust me, it's not the instant "I WIN!!!" feature you think it is, especially not when the other guy can do exactly the same thing, and is enjoying exactly the same "advantage".
In Elite, you don't need to do this, for one very simple reason.
You have a scanner with 360' coverage that shows you exactly where your opponent is at all times.
And if you *really* want to make sure nobody can "cheat", just make it non-functional in combat. You'll lose out on the possibility to take some really cool screenshots on the rare occasion it occurs to you to do that instead of shoot the bad guy, but whatever, nobody has an "unfair advantage" this way.
Or incorporate that "second or two delay where you can't control the ship while the view pans out as the 'drone' deploys" that was mentioned. Or disable control input while in external view, whatever. There are *many* ways to make sure nobody gets some percieved, but actually extremely brief and limited, advantage.
Sorted, and everyone is happy.
I fly a lot of combat flight sims, things like DCS & BMS, where an external view can be an advantage in that it can give you a quick glimpse of where your opponnent is in relation to you.
It's of very very limited benifit though, as you then still need to get your nose on the bad guy, still need to lock them up with the radar, still need to target them with weapons, and still need to be able to fire accurately - especially with the gun - to turn that quick glimpse at the external camera into any kind of advantage at all.
Trust me, it's not the instant "I WIN!!!" feature you think it is, especially not when the other guy can do exactly the same thing, and is enjoying exactly the same "advantage".
In Elite, you don't need to do this, for one very simple reason.
You have a scanner with 360' coverage that shows you exactly where your opponent is at all times.
And if you *really* want to make sure nobody can "cheat", just make it non-functional in combat. You'll lose out on the possibility to take some really cool screenshots on the rare occasion it occurs to you to do that instead of shoot the bad guy, but whatever, nobody has an "unfair advantage" this way.
Or incorporate that "second or two delay where you can't control the ship while the view pans out as the 'drone' deploys" that was mentioned. Or disable control input while in external view, whatever. There are *many* ways to make sure nobody gets some percieved, but actually extremely brief and limited, advantage.
Sorted, and everyone is happy.
Silent running and heat management techniques beg to differ. A drone could remove the advantage of learning how to apply such skills.
Your argument focuses on an aspect of external views that is valid, but of secondary importance to my main objection. I just don't think that our Commanders all have astral projection abilities. I'm sure we would have read a lot more about it if so.
A drone mechanic would be consistent, but there are things to consider. The drone should generate heat and thus be targetable. There should probably be the ability to snoop/hijack/block the broadcast signal if it's real-time, and there should be the ability to hijack/block the drone's movement if it's operated by remote-control.
It should have limited fuel (this would be a good reason to limit file sizes if the drone is not real-time but is autonomously recording data instead). Drones should be limited to scanner range anyway.
Such drones should also generally be a lot more vulnerable than a ship to debris/dust and radiation, as I expect they would have no shields to keep costs down.
If all those things are included then I have no objections personally, even if it offers an advantage in combat.
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I think it is a great idea.
IRL our frggin cars have a reversing camera, so why can't we have a camera that would assist us with the cargo scoop ( for example). I would like an external view because I like to see what I am flying.
IRL our frggin cars have a reversing camera, so why can't we have a camera that would assist us with the cargo scoop ( for example). I would like an external view because I like to see what I am flying.
I've certainly nothing against camera drones provided they're not an alternative to a normal healthy external view.
As for replay file size, ideally this should only be limited by HD space and patience...
Nah, don't want externals, which would be of definite advantage if dogfight - lose sight, lose the fight ect.
Externals = arcade. I don't want ED turned into Afterbuner in space, thanks very much.
Yeah, a normal external view, just like you get when you're flying a plane, for example - I'm sure many pilots think "I wonder what this looks like, I'll just pop out the window and have a look for a minute". That's what normal pilots do, of course.
I prefer the idea of the fuel/battery of the drone determining the recording length, but it seems like those on Team MagicFloatyCam hold no truck with simulation or a consistent sense of "reality".
Frontier may as well make it just like Gran Turismo, with shiny replays and the like, so that such people can happily manipulate their Anacondas in the privacy of their own homes...
I disagree for the very sound reasons he's just listed..
And yet it's a tragically apt analogy, what with the current planes-in-space handling, complete with 'afterburners' to boot...
Right, just like they hit pause to go and put the kids to bed, or save their position and reload it after work the next day..
It's a game - but even if it were a hardcore sim (sigh, if only); their whole appeal lies in the fact that they're not RL.
I've flown several full simulators down at Gatwick and much of the fun for me was in slamming the hydraulics around (much to the engineer's concern). Unless you're actually training professionally, even the most hard-nosed sim is still a game. It's make-believe. Imaginative play. External views are a key benefit of playing sims.
Like i said i've nothing against such drones - sounds like fun. But i'd also like to be able to watch them launch, fly or re-dock using the external cams...
Remember we're talking about additions to 1st person view, not 3rd person-only. And yes, shiny replays - in fact full editing facilities - would be a cool asset both for the community and consequently the Elite marque..
So having a record facility like in X-plane would solve all these problems. You could have your fight and/or flight, then after it was all over you can replay your recorded video and use the fly around camera to help make a permanent recorded video for You Tubes and so on.
No advantages' during gameplay just a reviewable video that you can adjust the views on after your gameplay has ended.
I cannot see why any could object to that TBH, as it doesn't spoil immersion of the player who doesn't wish to use it, and it doesn't confer any advantage to other players as you only have cockpit view during gameplay. The recording is only available after your flight is over when you switch off the recorder. Or you can switch the record mode off in flight if you have no desire to record some parts.
No advantages' during gameplay just a reviewable video that you can adjust the views on after your gameplay has ended.
I cannot see why any could object to that TBH, as it doesn't spoil immersion of the player who doesn't wish to use it, and it doesn't confer any advantage to other players as you only have cockpit view during gameplay. The recording is only available after your flight is over when you switch off the recorder. Or you can switch the record mode off in flight if you have no desire to record some parts.
Nah, don't want externals, which would be of definite advantage if dogfight - lose sight, lose the fight ect.
Externals = arcade. I don't want ED turned into Afterbuner in space, thanks very much.
I agree with this ^^
To be fair, the vast majority of those who *want* an external view are in complete agreement with you, as are the devs.
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