Answers from the Devs #3

[Ziljan]

I suggest you reread the thread since there are many cries for more intricate mechanisms to exploring.

Indeed!!! Most of the fun in exploration stems from surviving the very rare close binaries and reading about atmospheric content of a young Terraformable Water World that is "far from equilibrium." Hardly a "solid core" gameplay experience.

 

[Space Fan]

An unnecessary sarcasm, Sir.

Sarcasm is never necessary. It represents a small facet of the numerous ways people communicate. I write 'Powerpants' because that is the way I always write it, and to write it otherwise in this discussion would be inconsistent.

 

[babelfisch]

I suggest you reread the thread since there are many cries for more intricate mechanisms to exploring.

By the way: you're a quick reader if you got through all that in 3 minutes.

I am no explorer and I don't want to read 10 pages right now, so I don't know nothing. Could you explain in essence how the basic exploration system could be improved/revamped? Everything that comes to my mind are silly mini games like Skyrim lock picking. I can't see how that would improve exploration in general. Bare in mind that I am talking about the basic scanning of planets.

 

[Ulysses_W]

I am no explorer and I don't want to read 10 pages right now, so I don't know nothing. Could you explain in essence how the basic exploration system could be improved/revamped? Everything that comes to my mind are silly mini games like Skyrim lock picking. I can't see how that would improve exploration in general. Bare in mind that I am talking about the basic scanning of planets.

An injection of some science fiction might help.

 

[Pomerlaw]

Will CQC outposts and general areas be added into the general game world?
We intend to use the technology developed for CQC arenas to add interesting locations around the galaxy.

That's great! I have been asking for some interesting locations that would make players meet together for a long time!

Are there any plans to revamp exploration in general?
Not a revamp as the core system is solid, however we do intend to provide more things for explorers to encounter.

Let me add my voice to people who think Frontier should really put a lot of effort in exploration. That's what will make or break your game in the long term. Please consider giving it a lot of love.

 

[ozrix84]

Right, now read the remark in the OP

edit: You do realise adding new things to see, doesn't add anything to the game mechanism of exploring, right?

It seems this is where we're talking past each other.

I think you have difficulty understanding what a revamp is, which is the thing you originally replied to.

 

[Ekar]

No exploration revamp is a downer. The biggest problem imo is that right now- you honk, and all is pretty much revealed. You can go straight to the system map and see everything in super HD detail (which is pretty impressive for a honk if you think about it). That takes away dramatically from the joy of discovery because you're not going to be surprised by seeing things up close and personal for the first time. Let's hope that drilling down to planets can give the explorers that sense of gradually revealing layers of detail, because that's not really part of the experience at the moment.

 

[bliss]

Will CQC outposts and general areas be added into the general game world?
We intend to use the technology developed for CQC arenas to add interesting locations around the galaxy.

That sounds great.

Do you have any changes you would like to see the economy take in the future? For example making it more supply and demand based rather a delayed update?
Yes there are some long term changes we'd like to make for the economy. One of my favourites is to be able to affect the production of specific goods in a targeted market. It's not planned anytime soon, but it’s on my wish list.

Interesting. That could tie in nicely with Planetary Landings. You could force up prices / reduce supply of a good by destroying / damaging the corresponding facility on the planet.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I am no explorer and I don't want to read 10 pages right now, so I don't know nothing. Could you explain in essence how the basic exploration system could be improved/revamped? Everything that comes to my mind are silly mini games like Skyrim lock picking. I can't see how that would improve exploration in general. Bare in mind that I am talking about the basic scanning of planets.

The OP has a list of suggestions, so you don't have to read the entire thread.

I also wouldn't want mini games, I would want flying the ship itself to be the mechanism. A mechanism which I think would help engage explorers with the object they are exploring is a surface scan which scans the surface of the side of the planet you're on. Maybe mapping data to map the layout of the planet. Where is dry land, how do the poles differ from the equatorial stuff. Where are the pockets with water. If you use that scanner the way you would use it now, you could only ever get 50% of the data, since you're only scanning one side. Make it time consuming but rewarding.

And if you go as far as to go so close to the object you're dropping out of hyperspace, make that the detailed scanner. Your distance to the planet will be a factor in determining the detail.

This just to give an idea on what kind of evolved mechanism I would like. I'm sure the above idea has more holes in it than a golf course.

 

[rootsrat]

Sarcasm is never necessary. It represents a small facet of the numerous ways people communicate. I write 'Powerpants' because that is the way I always write it, and to write it otherwise in this discussion would be inconsistent.

I meant the whole post of yours, but I won't discuss it further, this isn't the place for it and I think it's pointless really.

Move along, nothing to see here...

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I think you have difficulty understanding what a revamp is, which is the thing you originally replied to.

How's this:
re·vamp

1. To patch up or restore; renovate.
2. To revise or reconstruct (a manuscript, for example).
3. To vamp (a shoe) anew.



But actually, I responded to the answer. Which clearly states: however we do intend to provide more things for explorers to encounter. Not: we will be adding more mechanisms to make it interesting.

 

[Ekar]

If you use that scanner the way you would use it now, you could only ever get 50% of the data, since you're only scanning one side. Make it time consuming but rewarding.

Yep. It's all a bit too magical right now.

 

[ROSS-128]

Will we eventually be able to access more detailed stats for our gear, or will our equipment continue to be graded like a pop quiz for the forseeable future?

 

[ozrix84]

But actually, I responded to the answer. Which clearly states: however we do intend to provide more things for explorers to encounter. Not: we will be adding more mechanisms to make it interesting.

And where does it say they won't add mechanisms? They ruled out the possibility of rewriting the core system only.

 

[Leo Sagan]

Thanks for this post, very happy to see how much more communication from the devs we have now, this is really a giant leap in the right direction !

 

[duanedibly]

As someone who has done everything in this game, I speak for myself and everyone else who has had an anaconda for 6 months...

When is the corvette coming out?

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

With regards to Exploration and/or planetary landings;

I'll just leave this right here...

[video=youtube;vxFJ0EI0WPk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxFJ0EI0WPk[/video]

Note: Although the graphics are kind of last decade, this is basically all being done by one guy.

 

[ozrix84]

As someone who has done everything in this game, I speak for myself and everyone else who has had an anaconda for 6 months...

When is the corvette coming out?

I think you know the answer already...

 

[Tinman]

No exploration revamp is a downer. The biggest problem imo is that right now- you honk, and all is pretty much revealed. You can go straight to the system map and see everything in super HD detail (which is pretty impressive for a honk if you think about it). That takes away dramatically from the joy of discovery because you're not going to be surprised by seeing things up close and personal for the first time. Let's hope that drilling down to planets can give the explorers that sense of gradually revealing layers of detail, because that's not really part of the experience at the moment.

From another thread:

Solid as in the core system is working fine, that doesn't mean that we won't be expanding it with new things to find and new ways of finding them.

Michael

 

[babelfisch]

The OP has a list of suggestions, so you don't have to read the entire thread.

I also wouldn't want mini games, I would want flying the ship itself to be the mechanism. A mechanism which I think would help engage explorers with the object they are exploring is a surface scan which scans the surface of the side of the planet you're on. Maybe mapping data to map the layout of the planet. Where is dry land, how do the poles differ from the equatorial stuff. Where are the pockets with water. If you use that scanner the way you would use it now, you could only ever get 50% of the data, since you're only scanning one side. Make it time consuming but rewarding.

And if you go as far as to go so close to the object you're dropping out of hyperspace, make that the detailed scanner. Your distance to the planet will be a factor in determining the detail.

This just to give an idea on what kind of evolved mechanism I would like. I'm sure the above idea has more holes in it than a golf course.

Those are good ideas, but I can't see how this wouldn't be possible with the current system. It sounds like this could be an additional instead of a replacing mechanic so I think its not something which FDEV is ruling out.