Agreed. "Time Wall" is one of the dumbest conceits I've ever heard expressed in these forums. I think a lot of people just want space engine but have the interface somehow tell them that they're playing a videogame while they do it. But they really really really don't want to actually *play* a videogame.
News Chapter Four - Exploration Reveal
Agreed. "Time Wall" is one of the dumbest conceits I've ever heard expressed in these forums. I think a lot of people just want space engine but have the interface somehow tell them that they're playing a videogame while they do it. But they really really really don't want to actually *play* a videogame.
As i currently log in and play the game and like exploring I would say I count. And personally no I don't think anyone of us should have the final say. It isn't their game or my game, it is FDevs game.
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Agreed. It isn't going to be easy for FDev though.
Has anyone seen anything regarding whether or not this will just be introduced like the previous few updates, which arguably were of little real impact to gameplay, (matter of opinion, it didn't affect my game pay much 
) or whether there will be a beta period? I know they don't normally do beta tests for minor updates, but they did once before with an update that made major changes to gameplay even though it was a minor not a major game update.
It seems that this is such a controversial update maybe a beta test is justified.
) or whether there will be a beta period? I know they don't normally do beta tests for minor updates, but they did once before with an update that made major changes to gameplay even though it was a minor not a major game update.It seems that this is such a controversial update maybe a beta test is justified.
Has anyone seen anything regarding whether or not this will just be introduced like the previous few updates, which arguably were of little real impact to gameplay, (matter of opinion, it didn't affect my game pay much
It seems that this is such a controversial update maybe a beta test is justified.
I am pretty sure they indicated there would be a Beta for this update. Not sure if open or closed. I'd vote for Open, as all these changes require very robust testing IMHO.
Really? So what would you call a feature that adds nothing, has no extra benefits, that is completely separate from the regular game, and only serves to increase the time it takes to yield the same result as before it was added and injects a sharp and sudden pause in the actual playing of the game?
I love it. Sounds really awesome. Can't wait to jump back into the game when the update goes live.
One thing though. If I understand correctly, in the new system the ADS alone will provide all the discovery data that we're currently getting from ADS and DSS combined. And the DSS will provide totally new kind of information, namely the precise locations of recources and POIs. If that's how it will be, then I have a question. Will mapping a planet and/or rings provide just information per se or will it also be a new type of exploration data to sell? Because if it's the former, then I'm not sure what use will I have for DSS at all.
One thing though. If I understand correctly, in the new system the ADS alone will provide all the discovery data that we're currently getting from ADS and DSS combined. And the DSS will provide totally new kind of information, namely the precise locations of recources and POIs. If that's how it will be, then I have a question. Will mapping a planet and/or rings provide just information per se or will it also be a new type of exploration data to sell? Because if it's the former, then I'm not sure what use will I have for DSS at all.
CQC?
I jest, sorry. But I do like the look of the little I know of the new exploration update.
We so need a Beta as soon as possible for it.
o7
Why... why I'd call that even dumber. It's a pretty egregious downgrade of the player experience all right.
![[VR] Merkir](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/141/141091.jpg?1553527154){kind=avatar}
Finally get to start giving some feedback...
FDev, I think your ideas in the OP are a reasonable start, but I suggest they need modification and considerable expansion to bring meaningful gameplay. The main issue I see is lack of strategy options. I hope some of the ideas in this and other threads are adopted and what we see in the OP is not a fait accompli.
My initial (admittedly very crude) feedback is that while the discovery "tune and focus scanner" seems to be a nice new mechanic, I agree with some posters who say it could easily become a tedious time-wall. Sure it might be cool for the first dozen systems, but 100? 1000? Uh, probably not.
Also, people are calling the new mechanic a mini-game, but really it's just a process or procedure. Once that process or procedure is learnt, it's hardly gameplay. Having said that, every system will give different frequency spectra / patterns, so there is some gameplay. But that mini-game / procedure also becomes a core gameplay mechanic. Every player will be doing it as part of their day to day travels, even if only to interpret the initial honk signals. And explorers will become permanent human signal analysers, very strange given that computers are so much more suited to this task (more about that later).
Ofc I've been around long enough to know that this new mechanic will be part of the game, in some form, so it's our job to try to make suggestions to make it rewarding, fun, even exciting? To that end I'll post later with my thoughts on giving players far more options alongside the manual frequency analyser approach given in the OP. These will revolve around a discovery computer (for signal analysis) being an inherent part of the ADS. Players should be given the option of using the OP manual approach or a configurable (but ironically slower, for game balance only) signal analysis computer. Such a signal analyser could introduce a very nice strategy element, where the player assigns CPU % (or QPU % - quantum processing?) to the various frequency bands and or range bands of interest, thus hastening analysis to the explorer's specific interests - a bit like an equaliser is used in hifi playback - but in more dimensions. This probably makes no sense yet, but my intention is to write this up in coherent form later.
In short, the aim should be to give players options. The manual (OP) approach which will actually give more info in a shorter time for those who wish to make the effort, or a slower configurable discover analyser approach. The ADS hardware / software needs to cater for every explorer type, as it would IRL - the hard core explorer, the casuals, the cherry pickers, and ofc the non-explorers who just need a no nonsense system map. More later!
FDev, I think your ideas in the OP are a reasonable start, but I suggest they need modification and considerable expansion to bring meaningful gameplay. The main issue I see is lack of strategy options. I hope some of the ideas in this and other threads are adopted and what we see in the OP is not a fait accompli.
My initial (admittedly very crude) feedback is that while the discovery "tune and focus scanner" seems to be a nice new mechanic, I agree with some posters who say it could easily become a tedious time-wall. Sure it might be cool for the first dozen systems, but 100? 1000? Uh, probably not.
Also, people are calling the new mechanic a mini-game, but really it's just a process or procedure. Once that process or procedure is learnt, it's hardly gameplay. Having said that, every system will give different frequency spectra / patterns, so there is some gameplay. But that mini-game / procedure also becomes a core gameplay mechanic. Every player will be doing it as part of their day to day travels, even if only to interpret the initial honk signals. And explorers will become permanent human signal analysers, very strange given that computers are so much more suited to this task (more about that later).
Ofc I've been around long enough to know that this new mechanic will be part of the game, in some form, so it's our job to try to make suggestions to make it rewarding, fun, even exciting? To that end I'll post later with my thoughts on giving players far more options alongside the manual frequency analyser approach given in the OP. These will revolve around a discovery computer (for signal analysis) being an inherent part of the ADS. Players should be given the option of using the OP manual approach or a configurable (but ironically slower, for game balance only) signal analysis computer. Such a signal analyser could introduce a very nice strategy element, where the player assigns CPU % (or QPU % - quantum processing?) to the various frequency bands and or range bands of interest, thus hastening analysis to the explorer's specific interests - a bit like an equaliser is used in hifi playback - but in more dimensions. This probably makes no sense yet, but my intention is to write this up in coherent form later.
In short, the aim should be to give players options. The manual (OP) approach which will actually give more info in a shorter time for those who wish to make the effort, or a slower configurable discover analyser approach. The ADS hardware / software needs to cater for every explorer type, as it would IRL - the hard core explorer, the casuals, the cherry pickers, and ofc the non-explorers who just need a no nonsense system map. More later!
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I think that this might be the sort of thing intended, I hope so anyway. I usually scan ones relativley close as 2 of my best bookmarks are ice worlds for their Selenium content at 4.9%.
Denis.
They already said they won't do it, though.
I don't think they said that, I believe they said that it wasn't high on the list of priorities.
Well maybe they'll re-prioritize it, they did with other stuff,........oh wait.
This is the latest posting from the devs I could find on this subject => https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...rhaul-needed?p=6096720&viewfull=1#post6096720
I never thought something like that would come soon, it would be an enormous task.
Personaly I'd rather see some different changes though.
These peeps have done a fantastic job of producing Orerries: http://www.elitegalaxyonline.com/available-orreries/.
All the information needed for their creation is in the system data already, and the only reason EGO can't create them automatically is that there is no hierarchy info. stored in the log xml, though this is clearly available in the game itself. The utility and effectiveness of the EGO Orerry just transplanted into the game would be great; since someone else has done it, I can't see why it is so difficult or huge a task for dedicated devs to plug in at that level. It doesn't need to be some graphical whizz-bang to be of use
And since "Frontier" had a perfectly useful Orerry, I'm not sure what prevents us having one now....