FSS - my opinion

I'm an FSS lover actually, just one who'd be very happy to see the return of the ADS too.
I don't love it, but I don't hate it either. So at least it wasn't my ignorance and begging for understanding that irked Frillop.

Which is a relief, since it seems he's irked enough at me already
 
You're right I am accusing you of that because of this:


There's no other way I can read that than you think others (ie.ADS likers) don't care about the process of exploration?
If that's not what you mean maybe you could try again?

Non-mechanic is non-mechanic: Single-button reveal-all is not really that interactive, sorry. The ADS was a lot more fun back when it had a maximum range.

:D S
 
Non-mechanic is non-mechanic: Single-button reveal-all is not really that interactive, sorry.
I agree with that ...

The ADS was a lot more fun back when it had a maximum range.

:D S
I also agree with that.

What you said, and what I don't agree with, is that ADS lovers don't care about the process of exploration.
They absolutely do care, it's just that their process and method of exploring has nothing to do with pressing the button and everything to do with what comes after.

Edit: Am I right in saying that when you talk about the process you specifically mean the mechanics FD have put into the game?
If so then you are missing the process that each individual player adds on top, and that is where the gameplay was for ADS style explorers.
 
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How could anybody be irked at you Ziggy? C'mon... :mad:
It seems living with me is the most surefire way. :(

They absolutely do care, it's just that their process and method of exploring has nothing to do with pressing the button and everything to do with what comes after.
has nothing to do with pressing the button and everything to do with what comes after.
and everything to do with what comes after.
Emphasis mine.

Obviously :p
 
It seems living with me is the most surefire way. :(




Emphasis mine.

Obviously :p

Precisely. This means not caring about the instrumental process of exploration. Others do, however. It doesn't mean we want it to be a hassle or an unnecessary time-sink. And frankly, since flying spaceships really should be taken for granted in a spaceship game like Elite, there really wasn't anything after the initial honk of the ADS and until we rocked up to a planet to have a closer look.

:D S
 
Precisely. This means not caring about the instrumental process of exploration.
Jeebus, talk about persistence. Lets try something else.

I like the SRV wavescanner. I care about the wavescanner. I want to marry it and have it's babies.

Is the SRV wavescanner an instrument of exploration?
 
Jeebus, talk about persistence. Lets try something else.

I like the SRV wavescanner. I care about the wavescanner. I want to marry it and have it's babies.

Is the SRV wavescanner an instrument of exploration?

Now we are finally getting somewhere. So you suggest a directional scanner as an ADS replacement?

:D S
 
Now we are finally getting somewhere. So you suggest a directional scanner as an ADS replacement?

:D S
No. First I want you to answer my question. Otherwise we'll be doing this again next page.

Is the SRV wavescanner an instrument of exploration?

I'll save us some trouble. Of course it is. And I think it's the best instrument in the game. Now all you have to do is tell me this means I care about the instrumental process of exploration. Then we get this red herring behind us, and we both move on as more rounded individuals.

edit: oh crap, this is next page.

See? Typical explorer awareness of his surroundings.
 
No. First I want you to answer my question. Otherwise we'll be doing this again next page.

Is the SRV wavescanner an instrument of exploration?

I'll save us some trouble. Of course it is. And I think it's the best instrument in the game. Now all you have to do is tell me this means I care about the instrumental process of exploration. Then we get this red herring behind us, and we both move on as more rounded individuals.

edit: oh crap, this is next page.

See? Typical explorer awareness of his surroundings.

Alright I'll bite. That is strawman territory, however, as the SRV wave scanner is just one tool of exploration and establishing that don't really open up for anything further on. I find it very enjoyable too though. Whenever I need to stock up on mats, I sometimes go to the volcanic/bio PoI of choice, or instead just find a planet with the right composition and hoon around looking for signals.

:D S
 
Some people said that there wasn't enough depth to exploration. That it should be more than just pressing a button and seeing everything revealed. They wanted some gameplay associated with it. Otherwise its mile wide, inch deep, yadda yadda.

FD added gameplay to the exploration mechanic, no longer just pressing a button and having everything revealed. FD did what the part of community apparently asked for.

Apparently it wasn't what the community (or at least some of the community) wanted.

Colour me surprised. Make any change, someone's going to like it, someone's going to dislike it.
 
Some people said that there wasn't enough depth to exploration. That it should be more than just pressing a button and seeing everything revealed. They wanted some gameplay associated with it. Otherwise its mile wide, inch deep, yadda yadda.

FD added gameplay to the exploration mechanic, no longer just pressing a button and having everything revealed. FD did what the part of community apparently asked for.

Apparently it wasn't what the community (or at least some of the community) wanted.

Colour me surprised. Make any change, someone's going to like it, someone's going to dislike it.

I think the issue is mainly that FD took everything out of one box and put into another box. We could do with a slightly more varied and intuitive solution (3 boxes?). The heat of the argument comes from a subsection wanting everything back in the first box.

:D S
 
Alright I'll bite. That is strawman territory, however, as the SRV wave scanner is just one tool of exploration and establishing that don't really open up for anything further on. I find it very enjoyable too though. Whenever I need to stock up on mats, I sometimes go to the volcanic/bio PoI of choice, or instead just find a planet with the right composition and hoon around looking for signals.

:D S
I'll skip over the false strawman claim.

Now we are finally getting somewhere. So you suggest a directional scanner as an ADS replacement?

:D S
I'd go a couple of lightyears further than that. A directional scanner that detect anomalies at dozens of lightyears, even in different systems. At the beginning it'd be very vague and unreliable, so you'd only have a slight idea where the system with the anomaly is. Signal getting stronger and more precise the closer you are. These anomalies though, few and far between, so when you do get that blip on the radar, you get excited.

When you get there though, I'd still like a honk, a system map and some fries on the side please. ;)

The heat of the argument comes from a subsection wanting everything back in the first box.
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I'll skip over the false strawman claim.


I'd go a couple of lightyears further than that. A directional scanner that detect anomalies at dozens of lightyears, even in different systems. At the beginning it'd be very vague and unreliable, so you'd only have a slight idea where the system with the anomaly is. Signal getting stronger and more precise the closer you are. These anomalies though, few and far between, so when you do get that blip on the radar, you get excited.

When you get there though, I'd still like a honk, a system map and some fries on the side please. ;)

Interesting idea. Can it work with the system instancing? We tried to supercruise from system to system early on, finding they don't really talk to each other. I still like the idea though - the Galaxy Map is a bit clunky.

How about better filters for the Galaxy map instead? More detail on star types (giants types etc), ability to filter for secondary star types, and so on.

Still no to honk-system map. In fact, scrap the system map entirely and built the orrery out better. Make it also into an overlay to toggle on the cockpit UI (upgrade to "Show Orbital Lines") with information that could be displayed on-screen when targeting a scanned object.

Then let that information build up based on some delightful player busywork past the initial honk. Then we can do most exploration in the cockpit view. Leave the FSS for long-range scanning.

:D S
 
Long range scanning? Psa! Devils work for idle hands.

Nothing long range my friend. (Apart from my dozens of lightyears wavescanner business). But I agree, scrap the system map. Scrap the orrery. Scrap the FSS. All tools for the lazy insta win non explorer.

You want a system map. Take a pencil and some paper and start drawing. You want an orrery, you build one out of matchsticks and ping pong balls. Orbital lines? You must be joking, you want everything handed to you on a platter? If you want orbital lines, you white board marker them on your screen yourself from raw data.

See? Now that's a strawman :)
 
Long range scanning? Psa! Devils work for idle hands.

Nothing long range my friend. (Apart from my dozens of lightyears wavescanner business). But I agree, scrap the system map. Scrap the orrery. Scrap the FSS. All tools for the lazy insta win non explorer.

You want a system map. Take a pencil and some paper and start drawing. You want an orrery, you build one out of matchsticks and ping pong balls. Orbital lines? You must be joking, you want everything handed to you on a platter? If you want orbital lines, you white board marker them on your screen yourself from raw data.

See? Now that's a strawman :)

And scrap your SRV wave-scanner and use a couple of tins connected with twine instead!

:D S
 
That would work. I'd follow the twine.

They don't call me Ziggy Crafty Stardust for nothing :)

I actually have to pay them quite a lot for that.

OK, maybe a conk or nautilus shell to hold to your ear instead. The twine contraption can be swung overhead for a lovely humming sound, though.

See? Many different solutions can present themselves if we just stick our heads together.

:D S
 
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