Changes to the System map's loading

If you're an explorer like me, you were probably delighted at the little quality of life changes brought by 1.4 to the system map.
However, if like me you have a less than stellar computer there is still one thing that hasn't changed (for some it seems to have become worse): the time it takes to open the system map, which depending on your current FPS and I assume the complexity of the system, can take 10 seconds and sometimes significantly more.

Now I'm not asking Frontier for optimization, that's something I expect they are doing constantly, but it would be really great if:


  • loading the system map could be cancelled when needed (you just noticed a player showing up on your scanner right after you pressed the system map key but now you're stuck for 10+ seconds loading the map and can't take the basic safety measures)
  • or the system map was acually loaded in the background when you enter the system and cached for quick access when you want it
 
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i7 6700k here, and I still find it annoyingly slow. But procedural texture generation is probably very GPU bound anyway. GTX 780 in that regard.
What would also work for me is, if it loaded instantly but without planet textures. Loading those after it has opened.
Not pretty, but that would work too. And not even an unfamiliar sight. Think Google Maps and the like.
 
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I would love to see this speed up as well. I would say loading the system map can easily take the most percentage of an exploration time (in not doing planet landings).

Having it first load up with no textures is an idea I like (as 3941 posted), if it speeds it up. Just give all bodies a cool wireframe default look, until they have loaded or even a more drastic text and/or icon only option.
 
  • loading the system map could be cancelled when needed (you just noticed a player showing up on your scanner right after you pressed the system map key but now you're stuck for 10+ seconds loading the map and can't take the basic safety measures)
  • or the system map was acually loaded in the background when you enter the system and cached for quick access when you want it

+1 for both!!
 
Giving it another thought, the problem might just be the server back end...

I mean, it has to load exploration data, right? And considering how painfully slow the server interactions can be (opening the bulletin board, accepting missions, changing instances, turning in exploration data), it might just be that...
If that is the case, I wouldn't mind if exploration data could load dynamically after the map has opened. With an obvious indicator, that it hasn't been loaded yet.
 
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or the system map was acually loaded in the background when you enter the system and cached for quick access when you want it

I think it should be an option we could enable to avoid longer loading times in between jumps if we don't need or want to access the system map (when in the bubble for example).
Also the current systems system map should be cached for the time you're inside of that system so it doesn't need to do the whole process over and over again, maybe cache a couple of systems depending on how big the data for that is. This would not just help with the performance for that matter but also reduce the server load on Frontiers end a bit.
 
If you're an explorer like me, you were probably delighted at the little quality of life changes brought by 1.4 to the system map.
However, if you're like me and have a less than stellar computer there is still one thing that hasn't changed (for some it seems to have become worse): the time it takes to open the system map, which depending on your current FPS and I assume the complexity of the system, can take 10 seconds and sometimes significantly more.

Now I'm not asking Frontier for optimization, that's something I expect they are doing constantly, but it would be really great if:


  • loading the system map could be cancelled when needed (you just noticed a player showing up on your scanner right after you pressed the system map key but now you're stuck for 10+ seconds loading the map and can't take the basic safety measures)
  • or the system map was acually loaded in the background when you enter the system and cached for quick access when you want it
+1
yes & yes to booth. canceling the map call would be great.
 
I have to agree, being able to cancel the loading of the system map would be great if I accidentally hit the button while needing to see where I'm going.
 
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