Change: SRV repair/refuel should be done in the ship

Current state
it's possible to repair/rearm/refuel SRV in the field while moving (!)
Problem statement
One of many small "fridge-logic" questions: how is SRV, being a small vehicle, able to repair itself?

In principle, it should not be possible to repair/refuel/reload SRV "on the run", since player is not even it it (and I doubt it can host facilities to do it). If self-repair is possible in such a small and cheap vehicle without external "limpets" - why not use same technology on ships?

Suggestion
SRV should only be reloadable on the ship. This will:
  • enhance perception of the ship as a complex "mothership", rather than just another vehicle
  • add consistency between SRVs and fighters
 
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SRV’s should be 3d printable on our ships like fighters already are. Let’s start there and work our way up to bigger non-issues.
That, too, though I like OP suggestion as well. SRV shouldn't be a mobile constructor. Even a ship can't repair itself without specialized modules.
 
SRV’s should be 3d printable on our ships like fighters already are. Let’s start there and work our way up to bigger non-issues.
Or remove 3D printing and have SLF/SRV replacement packages as cargo. And half removal of the 3D printing would be to allow synthesizing of these replacements. All depending on the licenses you bought for your bay, of course.
 
Current state
it's possible to repair/rearm/refuel SRV in the field while moving (!)
Problem statement
One of many small "fridge-logic" questions: how is SRV, being a small vehicle, able to repair itself?

In principle, it should not be possible to repair/refuel/reload SRV "on the run", since player is not even it it (and I doubt it can host facilities to do it). If self-repair is possible in such a small and cheap vehicle without external "limpets" - why not use same technology on ships?

Suggestion
SRV should only be reloadable on the ship. This will:
  • enhance perception of the ship as a complex "mothership", rather than just another vehicle
  • add consistency between SRVs and fighters

You say "player is not even in it".
As far as I know tele-presence is only used for SLF's.

Having said that...

I also feel somewhat uncomfortable about the SRV's impressive self repair, refuel and rearm capabilities.
Nevertheless this is a game and the SRV is quite fragile and can only use kinetic weapons, which means you might run out of bullets quite easily in certain situations..
This also means that exploring in such a fragile vehicle might become quite a chore if it gets damaged during rough rides, or if you have to return to your ship for refueling all the time during exploration runs.

If on the other hand the ship would be able to automatically pick the SRV up by hoovering over it without landing, this might alleviate some of the problems. This would also come in handy if the terrain is rough and the ship can't land.
FDev might also make the SRV sturdier than it is now.
Another possibility would be that we might find/buy ammo and fuel at bases on planets too.

I think that FDev could come up with more interesting gameplay for the SRV if they were so inclined.
Biggest problem will be that people have gotten used to the easy mode gameplay for the SRV. Many, if not most, will not want change. You will see the same kind of protest as we got with the gameplay changes for exploration.
 
You say "player is not even in it".
As far as I know tele-presence is only used for SLF's.

Having said that...

I also feel somewhat uncomfortable about the SRV's impressive self repair, refuel and rearm capabilities.
Nevertheless this is a game and the SRV is quite fragile and can only use kinetic weapons, which means you might run out of bullets quite easily in certain situations..
This also means that exploring in such a fragile vehicle might become quite a chore if it gets damaged during rough rides, or if you have to return to your ship for refueling all the time during exploration runs.

If on the other hand the ship would be able to automatically pick the SRV up by hoovering over it without landing, this might alleviate some of the problems. This would also come in handy if the terrain is rough and the ship can't land.
FDev might also make the SRV sturdier than it is now.
Another possibility would be that we might find/buy ammo and fuel at bases on planets too.

I think that FDev could come up with more interesting gameplay for the SRV if they were so inclined.
Biggest problem will be that people have gotten used to the easy mode gameplay for the SRV. Many, if not most, will not want change. You will see the same kind of protest as we got with the gameplay changes for exploration.
Some cool thoughts here, I like the pickup while mothership is in the air idea a lot. I wish you could order the mothership to follow you and provide overwatch as well.
 
Current state
it's possible to repair/rearm/refuel SRV in the field while moving (!)
Problem statement
One of many small "fridge-logic" questions: how is SRV, being a small vehicle, able to repair itself?

In principle, it should not be possible to repair/refuel/reload SRV "on the run", since player is not even it it (and I doubt it can host facilities to do it). If self-repair is possible in such a small and cheap vehicle without external "limpets" - why not use same technology on ships?

Suggestion
SRV should only be reloadable on the ship. This will:
  • enhance perception of the ship as a complex "mothership", rather than just another vehicle
  • add consistency between SRVs and fighters

Agree. The SRV refuel and repair seems like placeholder gameplay at the moment. Seems like the instant repair (while being shot at no less) is placeholding for us not having actual combat SRVs that could survive more damage.

No idea why the SRV cannot refuel from the ship either. If I'm willing to waste a bit of time recalling my ship, so I can save materials for other things, I think that's a fair trade off.
 
I'm surprise space legs proponents haven't jumped into this thread yet - get out of SRV and to perform repair, refuel & rearm:sneaky:
 
Let's not turn ED into another game. Let's not refuel srv when in ship. Its already unrealistic as it repairs when in ship.

Let's not make it more easy than it is already. At this rate my 7 years old would he able to complete ED on their own
 
Truth time.

What y'all want is this:


But what you've got is Elite.

No that is not what I want. In Mass Effect the vehicle drop was just a movie :).

But if FDev would make it possible for ships to drop off and pick up SRVs while hoovering, then that would certainly be awesome. It would be very practical, because there is a lot of rough terrain where ships can not land. I have proposed this mechanic as soon as we got the SRV. Perhaps some day...
 
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Current state
it's possible to repair/rearm/refuel SRV in the field while moving (!)
Problem statement
One of many small "fridge-logic" questions: how is SRV, being a small vehicle, able to repair itself?

In principle, it should not be possible to repair/refuel/reload SRV "on the run", since player is not even it it (and I doubt it can host facilities to do it). If self-repair is possible in such a small and cheap vehicle without external "limpets" - why not use same technology on ships?

Suggestion
SRV should only be reloadable on the ship. This will:
  • enhance perception of the ship as a complex "mothership", rather than just another vehicle
  • add consistency between SRVs and fighters
I disagree on ALL counts
  1. SRV is not a telepresence vehicle it is presented as being an actual vehicle as opposed to a drone - only the CMDR and permitted CMDR crew members can use them
  2. SLF was designed along the "disposable drone" lines - consistency of approach with SRVs is not appropriate nor applicable IMO
  3. SRVs are relatively simple devices when compared with ships - ships already have a self-repair mechanic, the AFMU which uses ammo that can be synthesised
  4. There is no good reason to nerf surface exploration like you seem to want
  5. Only SLFs lack consistency with other ship mechanics but ultimately I see no problem with the limitations SLFs have given their intended purpose
 
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