Chapter 4? I'm disappointed...

[Ophion]

...by the fact you still need two separate slots for the discovery scanner and the detailed surface scanner.

They said they are going to make some sort of combined internal compartments for certain modules such as limpets and I really hoped this would happen in Chapter 4 but apparently it didn't (or it did but they didn't show us this on the livestream, which I doubt is the case).

This was the perfect time to introduce such a feature because of the extended changes to exploration and mining.

The scanners (both of them) are now almost mandatory for most of the gameplay, like locating USS and POI on planets and the players flying small and medium ships do not have room for both of the scanners plus all other stuff, the number of optional modules is constantly increasing but the ships have the same number of compartments and not every player want's to have a dedicated ship for every single activity in the game.

So why not make the two scanners fit the same slot?
Or even better, one scanner does it all?
Or even better, one scanner does it all and is fitted to a ship by default like the planetary landing suite?

I think modules with that kind of importance to a game like Elite should be fitted to every ship and not be optional.

What do you think?

 

[FNLWA]

They said you can still scan the nav beacon for USS and everything. Also since exploration data is shared you'll have no troubles at all near the bubble. But yes, the ADS just became much more important. I just wish they made the nav beacon scannable from supercruise, that would save folks without a scanner so much time.

 

[Cervantes01]

They said you can still scan the nav beacon for USS and everything. Also since exploration data is shared you'll have no troubles at all near the bubble. But yes, the ADS just became much more important. I just wish they made the nav beacon scannable from supercruise, that would save folks without a scanner so much time.

The nav beacon should be transmitting it's data across the entire solar system, not just within 1km or so.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

Then perhaps it's time to start lobbying for change.

 

[krylite]

so chapter 4 is a wash just because discovery scanner and detailed surface scanner are still in their own slots like they've always been? overblown thread title I'd think, give it time trying it out. there are positives for modules requiring their own physical slot space in general gameplay.

 

[M00ka]

...by the fact you still need two separate slots for the discovery scanner and the detailed surface scanner.

They said they are going to make some sort of combined internal compartments for certain modules such as limpets and I really hoped this would happen in Chapter 4 but apparently it didn't (or it did but they didn't show us this on the livestream, which I doubt is the case).

This was the perfect time to introduce such a feature because of the extended changes to exploration and mining.

The scanners (both of them) are now almost mandatory for most of the gameplay, like locating USS and POI on planets and the players flying small and medium ships do not have room for both of the scanners plus all other stuff, the number of optional modules is constantly increasing but the ships have the same number of compartments and not every player want's to have a dedicated ship for every single activity in the game.

So why not make the two scanners fit the same slot?
Or even better, one scanner does it all?
Or even better, one scanner does it all and is fitted to a ship by default like the planetary landing suite?

I think modules with that kind of importance to a game like Elite should be fitted to every ship and not be optional.

What do you think?

Actually FD did combine the ADS and DSS into one module. The new surface scanner launches probes to map the surface, something that won't be available until 3.3 drops. In fact you can quite easily not carry the surface scanner if you don't want to launch probes, the choice is up to you.

 

[EDanaII]

The nav beacon should be transmitting it's data across the entire solar system, not just within 1km or so.

But that wouldn't allow pirates to scan and attack you...

 

[Bondrewd The Novel]

At the moment we have too little information ... we are waiting to see the other streams before making positive or negative judgments.

We must wait and watch ... and then judge.

 

[DarthVain]

One could say the same about the Docking Computer. Why does that also take up a cargo slot. Should just be a digital chipboard slotted into the ships main frame.

 

[Ophion]

Actually FD did combine the ADS and DSS into one module. The new surface scanner launches probes to map the surface, something that won't be available until 3.3 drops. In fact you can quite easily not carry the surface scanner if you don't want to launch probes, the choice is up to you.

I don't quite understand what you are saying.. So in 3.3 there will be only ONE module needed for honking and finding planets and launching probes for scanning their surface? If not, you have a contradiction in your comment. You said I can choose not to carry surface scanner if I don't want to launch probes (and I want to) which means I can carry only the disco scanner which mean there are two modules.

 

[Ophion]

so chapter 4 is a wash just because discovery scanner and detailed surface scanner are still in their own slots like they've always been? overblown thread title I'd think, give it time trying it out. there are positives for modules requiring their own physical slot space in general gameplay.

Re-read the OP. I clearly stated the one thing I'm disappointed about, not the whole update.

 

[Archvillain]

We've been asking for combined scanners almost since day one, and there have been plenty of opportunities already to make that change.

My read on this is that combined scanners Will Not Happen; likely because requiring two slots for two scanners was done by design, and nothing has changed the principles behind that design decision.
(If anything, it feels like we had a better argument for a combo-scanner back during Horizons when a vast range of new explorer-useful modules were added to the game and explorer ships couldn't just expand to be able to carry them.)

I think that with the constant power-creep in this game (the ever-climbing jump-ranges, etc) I'm inclined to reluctantly agree with (what I perceive to be) FDev's position that existing trade-offs should be maintained wherever possible.
I would love a combo-scanner ...but would probably vote against it nonetheless. [blah]

I'm conflicted

 

[Turd Ferguson]

But that wouldn't allow pirates to scan and attack you...

even better!

most ships not equiped with an ADS are probably noobs so itll cut down on seal clubbing....and if you DO have an ADS you already don't have to use nav beacons.

 

[M00ka]

I don't quite understand what you are saying.. So in 3.3 there will be only ONE module needed for honking and finding planets and launching probes for scanning their surface? If not, you have a contradiction in your comment. You said I can choose not to carry surface scanner if I don't want to launch probes (and I want to) which means I can carry only the disco scanner which mean there are two modules.

Okay I will try again:

Currently there are two exploration modules, the ADS for discovering the bodies in a system via the honk, and the DSS for revealing the make-up of a specific body. With the new system, both those function are carried out by the one module, the Discovery Scanner. The second module is new, the Surface Module (can't remember the correct name for it) but it's only use is to fire probes at the bodies to map the surface. Basically FD merged the abilities of the current ADS and DSS into one module, exactly what you were asking for.

So in effect, if you don't want to, or not interested in mapping a planet or moon, you only need to carry ONE module, the Discovery Scanner which will identify all the bodies in a system and their contents.

Hope that helps

 

[StuartGT]

Re-read the OP. I clearly stated the one thing I'm disappointed about, not the whole update.

"Chapter 4? I'm disappointed"

You picked the title.

 

[Braandlin]

I don't quite understand what you are saying.. So in 3.3 there will be only ONE module needed for honking and finding planets and launching probes for scanning their surface? If not, you have a contradiction in your comment. You said I can choose not to carry surface scanner if I don't want to launch probes (and I want to) which means I can carry only the disco scanner which mean there are two modules.

So, you want to carry and launch probes? Well you can, and in effect you get all that lovely EXTRA functionality, and it doesnt even take up any more slots that your current scanners already do!


Now
-----
ADS to honk - 1 slot.
DSS to scan bodies - 1 slot


Future
-------
ADS to honk (energy pulse, run the FSS and scan bodies) - 1 slot
Surface Scanner to MAP bodies - 1 slot


So in the future you get #MORE fuctionality for the same number of slots ... looks like a good deal to me.

 

[Vasious]

Well since the Discovery scanner can now give you all the information of the ADS+DSS before, it is only the mapping function that needs the Probe Launching module

So technically speaking to have the same capabilities of a ship now you need one less slot, if you are happy without the mapping probes which may not be needed depending on what one is doing

 

[Ophion]

Okay I will try again:

Currently there are two exploration modules, the ADS for discovering the bodies in a system via the honk, and the DSS for revealing the make-up of a specific body. With the new system, both those function are carried out by the one module, the Discovery Scanner. The second module is new, the Surface Module (can't remember the correct name for it) but it's only use is to fire probes at the bodies to map the surface. Basically FD merged the abilities of the current ADS and DSS into one module, exactly what you were asking for.

So in effect, if you don't want to, or not interested in mapping a planet or moon, you only need to carry ONE module, the Discovery Scanner which will identify all the bodies in a system and their contents.

Hope that helps

I thought they added the ability to launch probes using the new and upgraded version of the current Detailed Surface Scanner, but never mind that, I still stand by what I said in the OP, the two new modules that will replace the two we have now - what ever they are called - will still use two slots instead of one or none.

 

[Spacecat]

Yeah, they should combine the discovery scanners. Is there any point exploring without one? Maybe add a mining scanner to replace the silly time consuming prospector limpets would be nice too.

 

[Ophion]

So, you want to carry and launch probes? Well you can, and in effect you get all that lovely EXTRA functionality, and it doesnt even take up any more slots that your current scanners already do!


Now
-----
ADS to honk - 1 slot.
DSS to scan bodies - 1 slot


Future
-------
ADS to honk (energy pulse, run the FSS and scan bodies) - 1 slot
Surface Scanner to MAP bodies - 1 slot


So in the future you get #MORE fuctionality for the same number of slots ... looks like a good deal to me.

Well since the Discovery scanner can now give you all the information of the ADS+DSS before, it is only the mapping function that needs the Probe Launching module

So technically speaking to have the same capabilities of a ship now you need one less slot, if you are happy without the mapping probes which may not be needed depending on what one is doing

Thank you both, I get it now, that makes sense

But I must say since the planet mapping is an important part of exploration, I still feel they should have given us one module capable of doing all that because of the very limited space in small and medium ships.