APEX range should be increased or unlimited & VR

[Ronzer]

With APEX, I can book a shuttle up to 100 Ly away. I do that now, and it frees up a bit of time...sure it's only a few jumps with the current maximum distance, but I can go do something else, come back, and my commander is where I want to be. This limitation should be removed or at least span the bubble, maybe 1000 Ly at least.
This leads to one of the original game mechanics/time sinks. The reason we are aimed at a star when we come out of a jump, is so we always have to be present while jumping. But now with APEX, I dont have to be there all that time. In the past, folks have suggested making a minigame, so if you have a route thats 10 jumps, you enter hyperspace, but you'd have to avoid hitting the gravity well of the stars, or it'll obviously pull you out of hyperspace. But the rational not to do that, I think, was to keep commanders in their seat, jump to jump. But now with APEX, tables are turned. If I do a multiple jump route, the only thing that'd keep me at my seat is if you make a multi-jump mini game or else, Im going to just use APEX all the time, aka not being stuck in my seat.

The other thing is VR or lackthereof. So, the reason we have panels for data, etc, positioned left, right, down, up, is directly for VR. They won an award for it, actually lol, which is what lead me to ED in the first place. So now, they say they're not going to support or develop VR more, but if thats the case, can we start maybe putting more info directly in front of your face, while flying, instead of having to turn your head to the side all the time? Even if you keep developing VR, which I hope you do, can you kinda move important info so its always visible? It's like having AR technology, but you'd may as well get out of your seat, go over to another AR screen, to see what planets or POI's you're near. What? Why? The idea of AR technology is so you have more info, more functionality, where you need it, which is within your view. And if no more VR support, do you need fonts that size? The only reason those fonts were so big, was so it was legible in 2014 VR headsets. VR has progressed and finer things are discernable, anyways.

And you thought you had enough on your plate already. FDev, get to work!

 

[Commander Kheane]

Not unlimited...I can understand how that would just be a lame version of "fast travel". THAT SAID, they should be engineered such that they can make as long a jump as a player can in a fully engineered craft of the same type. I mean what the hell am I paying for in fare if not that?

I could even deal with tiers for a little immersion—a premium kiosk featuring DBX or dolphin or npc carrier or something that I pay more money for but it does muuuuuuuuuch longer jumps.

Because 21 a pop is just plain PITIFUL.

 

[Bennett]

Not sure I'd want them to increase the range of APEX until they've added some sort of abort/eject/redirect option.

Already booked enough flights where I've not realised I've forgotten something until leaving the station.

 

[Koma Pahu]

I think it’s outrageous that my local taxi service, south cost of the UK, won’t take me to Edinburgh. Yes, it’s further than a tank of fuel, will take the driver away from their home for more than a day, but I don’t want to put that kind of mileage on my own vehicle.

 

[Factabulous]

I don't mind the taxi swaps every 100 Ly - I get to check out a new station and maybe find a new suit If Apex was unlimited distance I might never use any of my ships again

 

[Erei]

Book a travel to colonia by mistake, from the bubble.
Is stuck inside Apex for the whole trip because you can't cancel mid flight.
Have to wait a few IRL days to land in colonia.

 

[Bennett]

Book a travel to colonia by mistake, from the bubble.
Is stuck inside Apex for the whole trip because you can't cancel mid flight.
Have to wait a few IRL days to land in colonia.

You'd have the journey back to look forward too as well!

 

[RikonGB]

Book a travel to colonia by mistake, from the bubble.
Is stuck inside Apex for the whole trip because you can't cancel mid flight.
Have to wait a few IRL days to land in colonia.

I actually wanted to do that.

have tried multiple times to do the trip but usually get 'bored' or make a fatal mistake part way through so turn around back to the bubble

 

[Erei]

I actually wanted to do that.

have tried multiple times to do the trip but usually get 'bored' or make a fatal mistake part way through so turn around back to the bubble

If you were bored doing it yourself, while you can use a greater range ship than Apex shuttles, and the "neutron highway", then imagine doing it slower, while doing literally nothing.
Also, I don't think Apex shuttle continue to fly if you are not actively logged in. You can't even go afk for a few days and play something else/do whatever you want with your life.


If you want to go there "afk", then go to one of the carrier discord, and pick a flight there. Google will help to find a place for that.

 

[Dagwit]

So, the reason we have panels for data, etc, positioned left, right, down, up, is directly for VR

VR player here. I'm old and my neck isn't as flexible as it used to be. I can look left and right but holding my neck turned for an extended period - well, it's doable, but it's not as comfortable as it used to be.

One of my standing wishes for ED is that they'd move the internal and external panels forward a bit. I have the auto-popup feature turned off so that they're not constantly appearing and disappearing as I glance around, so bringing them forward wouldn't get in my way, and using them for more than a couple of seconds at a time would be a lot more comfortable.

 

[Dagwit]

Slightly more on-topic, but only slightly, what would people think of a megaship shuttle to Colonia to ferry shipless Commanders out and back?

As I write this it occurs to me that I've only docked at a megaship once since Odyssey launched, and I was in a bit of a hurry then, so I don't actually know if megaships come equipped with concourses and Apex Interstellar.

 

[Erei]

Slightly more on-topic, but only slightly, what would people think of a megaship shuttle to Colonia to ferry shipless Commanders out and back?

As I write this it occurs to me that I've only docked at a megaship once since Odyssey launched, and I was in a bit of a hurry then, so I don't actually know if megaships come equipped with concourses and Apex Interstellar.

We already have player owned FC doing just that.
And I think it's MUCH better.

It might be limited, but it's still emergent gameplay and community related things. And I honestly prefer it much more than a NPC ship doing the same.

Also, it works in all modes, so it's perfectly OK for everyone.

 

[Dagwit]

We already have player owned FC doing just that.
And I think it's MUCH better.

It might be limited, but it's still emergent gameplay and community related things. And I honestly prefer it much more than a NPC ship doing the same.

Also, it works in all modes, so it's perfectly OK for everyone.

Well, I'm all for them adding concourses to FCs.

I haven't actually seen any trace of anyone playing Odyssey purely on foot - Down to Earth Astronomy talked about running an account that way before Odyssey launched but I believe he's now in two minds about it, and I haven't heard tell of anyone else even considering it; but Frontier did seem keen on the idea, so providing a means for shipless players to get to and from Colonia would be consistent with that.

Though at this point in the proceedings I doubt that Frontier are desperately searching for additional things to do.

 

[Dagwit]

As I write this it occurs to me that I've only docked at a megaship once since Odyssey launched, and I was in a bit of a hurry then, so I don't actually know if megaships come equipped with concourses and Apex Interstellar.

So I visited a few megaships this afternoon. The hangars have concourse entrances, but they're sealed by doors. No getting out of your ship.

I suppose the good news is that since the concourse entrances are there, they could add concourses to megaships quite easily.

Perhaps the same time as they add them to Fleet Carriers?

Now excuse me while I check to see if a passing pig has done its business on my roof.

 

[klusik]

Not unlimited...I can understand how that would just be a lame version of "fast travel". THAT SAID, they should be engineered such that they can make as long a jump as a player can in a fully engineered craft of the same type. I mean what the hell am I paying for in fare if not that?

I could even deal with tiers for a little immersion—a premium kiosk featuring DBX or dolphin or npc carrier or something that I pay more money for but it does muuuuuuuuuch longer jumps.

Because 21 a pop is just plain PITIFUL.

This <3 That's exactly what'd I like, if there's an option. To book "apex" or something "more expensive," like a dolphin or beluga. For a fee, ofc. I want to be "that passenger" I am always taking with me (for 5 MCr for sightseeing). Why not?

 

[Miscellaneous]

until they've added some sort of abort/eject/redirect option.

Just FYI you can redirect them. I mean, unless it's broke. But in the navigation aboard the Apex, you go one tab to the left, (that isn't usually there), for those options. You can pay to change course within the fuel range

 

[klusik]

Just FYI you can redirect them. I mean, unless it's broke. But in the navigation aboard the Apex, you go one tab to the left, (that isn't usually there), for those options. You can pay to change course within the fuel range

This always wasn't a case, it's kinda recently added feature, this redirecting

 

[stereoBear]

Just FYI you can redirect them. I mean, unless it's broke. But in the navigation aboard the Apex, you go one tab to the left, (that isn't usually there), for those options. You can pay to change course within the fuel range

This confused me too until I realized this thread had been dead for over a year until someone dug it out.

 

[Rat Catcher]

This confused me too until I realized this thread had been dead for over a year until someone dug it out.

Necro is an artform here - which is both good and bad!

 

[Kailoren]

It's going to be great in 2036 when we finally get ship interiors and the last 40 remaining players of the game can book an Apex shuttle on a Beluga and walk around the inside of it during supercruise.