Bonus payment for completing system scan.

[evoelise]

I think it would be a good idea if we got paid a bonus payment for completing the scan of all the bodies in a system.

I would be some kind of incentive to bother scanning those few remaining icy planets or asteroids when exploring - or a incentive for someone to coming along afterwards & finding a partly scanned system.

I would suggest something bonus of say 20% of the total scanning value of the system might be a good reward.

It also make sense lore-wise as Universal Cartographics would prefer complete maps of each of the systems rather than partial information.

 

[XaraDeVir]

How would they know the brand-new system nobody else has seen before's system scan was complete?

 

[travis575757]

Seems like a good idea, when planetary landings happen in the (probably) far future the should also add the ability to do surface discovers of landforms and other things.

 

[Renegade Roach]

I'd rather they gave us an interesting reason to scan more of the systems. Something along the lines of, I don't know... an interesting and engaging scanning mechanic would be a starter. More stuff to find would also help. It's all been said before many, many times but exploring isn't a priority for FD. Odd for a company which builds a 1:1 'simulation' of a galaxy.

 

[Kzak]

I suggested a similar completition bonus for scanning in the Suggestions forums earlier this spring. Haven't heard anything more about it.

 

[kpmop]

It also make sense lore-wise as Universal Cartographics would prefer complete maps of each of the systems rather than partial information.

Maybe it could be a new BB mission - finish scanning half scanned systems. Payment dependent on distance etc.
e.g.:"Greetings Commander, we'd be grateful if you could finish scanning [system name] that that lazy a*** CMDR k**** only half scanned. Obviously you'll be well paid for your time."

 

[evoelise]

How would they know the brand-new system nobody else has seen before's system scan was complete?

If by "they" you mean FD then I assume that they have the Star Forge records that detail this.
If by "they" you mean the pilot then this would a challenge without a advanced discovery scanner but it is usually possible to spot all planets and know if you've missed any. Not asteroids however.
If by "they" you mean Universal Cartographics then I assume that they check that you have scanned all the planets when you hand in the data and before they pay you, they can check for any un-scanned planets from the discovery scanner records. For stories reasons you could assume that they already prepared the star maps and so they have some idea of the number of planets in each system just not details.

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Maybe it could be a new BB mission - finish scanning half scanned systems. Payment dependent on distance etc.
e.g.:"Greetings Commander, we'd be grateful if you could finish scanning [system name] that that lazy a*** CMDR k**** only half scanned. Obviously you'll be well paid for your time."

Great idea!

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I suggested a similar completition bonus for scanning in the Suggestions forums earlier this spring. Haven't heard anything more about it.

Cool - glad to know someone else had the same idea and it's not just me being my completionist-self

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Seems like a good idea, when planetary landings happen in the (probably) far future the should also add the ability to do surface discovers of landforms and other things.

Something like what they are doing in "No Man's Sky" then. Let's hope so.

 

[metatheurgist]

Maybe it could be a new BB mission - finish scanning half scanned systems. Payment dependent on distance etc.
e.g.:"Greetings Commander, we'd be grateful if you could finish scanning [system name] that that lazy a*** CMDR k**** only half scanned. Obviously you'll be well paid for your time."

Or maybe they could just pay the lazy a*** CMDR k**** properly to start with. The way the game works now, it's more profitable to drop in a system scan and jump than it is to waste time actually exploring the system. Exploration punishes explorers for actually exploring.

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

It's all been said before many, many times but exploring isn't a priority for FD. Odd for a company which builds a 1:1 'simulation' of a galaxy.

And we all know why: exploration isn't pewpew and thus does not attract their new audience. The interesting question is whether the old audience has been permanently ignored, or whether they are going back to fill in all those gaps later on. And for that, we will have to wait and see.

 

[Renegade Roach]

Or maybe they could just pay the lazy a*** CMDR k**** properly to start with. The way the game works now, it's more profitable to drop in a system scan and jump than it is to waste time actually exploring the system. Exploration punishes explorers for actually exploring.

C'mon. It's barely able to be called exploration. You click a planet, point your ship at it and SC until the little wheel spins. You wait until it stops spinning and move onto the next click and point routine. If all we had was the basic scanner and people had to actually use parallax I might agree. If the system map didn't tell you exactly what was out there anyway, I might agree. But not with how the mechanics stand currently.

Exploration doesn't need a meaningless bonus (in a game where it is laughably easy to earn money) which simply pushes us to do more grindy, same same crap. It needs a rework of how we explore and what we can actually discover. If I decide I want to go and look at an icy rock 500k ls out because I'm in the mood I will. A bonus is a joke though.

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And we all know why: exploration isn't pewpew and thus does not attract their new audience. The interesting question is whether the old audience has been permanently ignored, or whether they are going back to fill in all those gaps later on. And for that, we will have to wait and see.

Most polls seem to indicate that most commanders do at least some exploration. Of course you've always got the 'polls represent nothing' argument. I think they're being very short sighted and misjudging the player base (both 'new' and 'old) if they are ignoring it for those reasons.

 

[h347h]

I'd rather they gave us an interesting reason to scan more of the systems. Something along the lines of, I don't know... an interesting and engaging scanning mechanic would be a starter. More stuff to find would also help. It's all been said before many, many times but exploring isn't a priority for FD. Odd for a company which builds a 1:1 'simulation' of a galaxy.

Its not a priority right now. Not that its not a priority. They said they are going to flesh it out more after planetary landing. It is plenty engaging if you are into it. Some people stay out there for months do interesting blogs and make videos series about it. To each their own.

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C'mon. It's barely able to be called exploration. You click a planet, point your ship at it and SC until the little wheel spins. You wait until it stops spinning and move onto the next click and point routine. If all we had was the basic scanner and people had to actually use parallax I might agree. If the system map didn't tell you exactly what was out there anyway, I might agree. But not with how the mechanics stand currently.

Exploration doesn't need a meaningless bonus (in a game where it is laughably easy to earn money) which simply pushes us to do more grindy, same same crap. It needs a rework of how we explore and what we can actually discover. If I decide I want to go and look at an icy rock 500k ls out because I'm in the mood I will. A bonus is a joke though.

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Most polls seem to indicate that most commanders do at least some exploration. Of course you've always got the 'polls represent nothing' argument. I think they're being very short sighted and misjudging the player base (both 'new' and 'old) if they are ignoring it for those reasons.

Most polls are not participated in buy *most* of the population of the game. Same with forums as well. The majority of players don't come to the forums or very often. As with every other game. So you have to take polls with a grain of salt because its mostly a vocal minority. You will also here more from people who have slight issues with the game than people who do not have issues with the game. Why come and say anything about the game when you are having a blast playing it?

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

I can only see the rage against the almighty "Belt Clusters" inevitably breaking the forums.

 

[Renegade Roach]

Its not a priority right now. Not that its not a priority. They said they are going to flesh it out more after planetary landing. It is plenty engaging if you are into it. Some people stay out there for months do interesting blogs and make videos series about it. To each their own.

I'm not sure that your definition of 'priority' matches mine, but cba to argue semantics. My longest exploration trip lasted just over a month, so I'm not exactly unaware of what it involves or what appeals to some of us. Regardless, the mechanics of it are simplistic and boring and there is a lack of variety in what you come across. Sure, every once in a while you hit a system with a combination of bodies which makes you think 'hey, cool!', or one with some particularly pleasant views, but you will never be surprised by anything. You will never need to think creatively or adapt to the unexpected, and the click/point mechanics are mind numbing.

Anyway, I've said it before and I'm starting to bore myself, but heavily touting the size of the galaxy and the fact that we can explore it and then leaving exploration in such a shabby state for so long is lame, in the extreme.

 

[h347h]

I'm not sure that your definition of 'priority' matches mine, but cba to argue semantics. My longest exploration trip lasted just over a month, so I'm not exactly unaware of what it involves or what appeals to some of us. Regardless, the mechanics of it are simplistic and boring and there is a lack of variety in what you come across. Sure, every once in a while you hit a system with a combination of bodies which makes you think 'hey, cool!', or one with some particularly pleasant views, but you will never be surprised by anything. You will never need to think creatively or adapt to the unexpected, and the click/point mechanics are mind numbing.

Anyway, I've said it before and I'm starting to bore myself, but heavily touting the size of the galaxy and the fact that we can explore it and then leaving exploration in such a shabby state for so long is lame, in the extreme.

Same can be said about every thing in the game currently. Combat once you've experienced it enough(well into the billion and a half mark in profit for it) becomes just like exploring and trading. Dull, even when pvping. People will gravitate to a predictable system of acting after a while. Similar load outs, combat tactics, and behavior. And currently the pve AI is down right pitiful, once a player engages a Vulture in an Anaconda it just stops shooting and maneuvers around you doing pretty much only that. And it was just side lined. I know down the road it will be addressed though. So instead of just banging my head against the wall, doing the same thing I get bored with I do other stuff to break it up. I RP, pvp, trade, explore, bounty hunt, privateer, smuggle, and flip systems on occasion. The only thing I don't really do is mine. My advice to you is to pace yourself.

Adding the stuff every one talks about for exploring will require a lot of work. FD has plans for it, but its going to be in due time. So you can either accept that and play how you want or move on until that is brought into the game. Giving some feed back is fine, but down right slamming FD because they are not focusing on your specific slice of the pie at any given point in time is silly.

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

Anyway, I've said it before and I'm starting to bore myself, but heavily touting the size of the galaxy and the fact that we can explore it and then leaving exploration in such a shabby state for so long is lame, in the extreme.

This, of course.

What makes it worse, is that the design FD came up with in the DDA, where skill and work is needed for exploration is virtually impossible to add onto the current placeholder without some sort of wipe - which many explorers are up for. FD painted themselves into a corner, and knew they were doing so, but still did it.

Michael's comment that planetary landings will add lots to exploration will hardly be taken as good news by players who just want the base game to work, and not to have to buy expansions. Exploration was always a core part of the vision being peddled. An expansion, no matter how good, does not meet that promise.

 

[Renegade Roach]

Most polls are not participated in buy *most* of the population of the game. Same with forums as well. The majority of players don't come to the forums or very often. As with every other game. So you have to take polls with a grain of salt because its mostly a vocal minority. You will also here more from people who have slight issues with the game than people who do not have issues with the game. Why come and say anything about the game when you are having a blast playing it?

If you read my post again you will see that I actually made the point that one can argue that polls are not truly representative.

Same can be said about every thing in the game currently. Combat once you've experienced it enough(well into the billion and a half mark in profit for it) becomes just like exploring and trading. Dull, even when pvping. People will gravitate to a predictable system of acting after a while. Similar load outs, combat tactics, and behavior. And currently the pve AI is down right pitiful, once a player engages a Vulture in an Anaconda it just stops shooting and maneuvers around you doing pretty much only that. And it was just side lined. I know down the road it will be addressed though. So instead of just banging my head against the wall, doing the same thing I get bored with I do other stuff to break it up. I RP, pvp, trade, explore, bounty hunt, privateer, smuggle, and flip systems on occasion. The only thing I don't really do is mine. My advice to you is to pace yourself.

Adding the stuff every one talks about for exploring will require a lot of work. FD has plans for it, but its going to be in due time. So you can either accept that and play how you want or move on until that is brought into the game. Giving some feed back is fine, but down right slamming FD because they are not focusing on your specific slice of the pie at any given point in time is silly.

Thanks for the advice, but it's misplaced and you are making an awful lot of assumptions about how I play the game and the motivation behind my posts. I also do most things except mining. That is not relevant to my opinion on the state of exploration. I am not 'slamming' FD for not focusing on my 'specific slice of the pie', I am slamming them for the woeful way in which they have neglected exploration since pre-release. We have heard Braben go on and on about how wonderful it is to have this vast galaxy to explore. One might think that this would indicate a desire to make exploration a major game focus, but no. Yes, everything becomes repetitive with time, that was not my point. Compared to all other 'careers' in Elite, the mechanics of exploration are pathetically simplistic.

 

[Allitnil]

C'mon. It's barely able to be called exploration. You click a planet, point your ship at it and SC until the little wheel spins. You wait until it stops spinning and move onto the next click and point routine. If all we had was the basic scanner and people had to actually use parallax I might agree. If the system map didn't tell you exactly what was out there anyway, I might agree. But not with how the mechanics stand currently.

I don't really see how that would make it any more of an "exploration" than it currently is. What we've got now is space tourism with some surveying thrown in. Making it harder to discover bodies isn't going to alter anything.

 

[Renegade Roach]

I don't really see how that would make it any more of an "exploration" than it currently is. What we've got now is space tourism with some surveying thrown in. Making it harder to discover bodies isn't going to alter anything.

I'm not saying we should go back to that, but it was certainly more like exploring than looking at the map (oh, we have a map of an unexplored system) and clicking the body we wish to 'explore' before pointing our ships directly at it. At least using parallax you had to spot bodies, work out where they might be in the system, think about distances and orbits etc.