Common suggestions to improve Elite: Dangerous

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Lately I'm seeing many good ideas from other people that could improve overall ED experience.
It would be interesting to gather all those ideas in one place and see what people come up with.
If we get lucky, maybe FD will look into this and hopefully choose to implement some of those.

If people show interest to give and explain their ideas, I'll keep this thread updated.
Just bear in mind that ideas need to be fresh (new), interesting, not already in DDA and able to fit in current ED picture, the way FD would approve.

Also, it can happen that some ideas are already on the to-do list, so don't mind, as not everybody knows everything at all times :)

Below are the ones submitted so far (not only from this forum).
Crossed ideas are ones that were proposed by community and later incorporated by official FD patch.


General

- add a bit diversity to everything. Misjumps?
- modify instancing mechanics to incorporate larger bubble of activity
- add possibility for discovered black Markets to show up as station feature in system map
- Add landing queue
- ability to name your ship
- not all scooped goods should be marked as stolen (Salvage license, earned by high-rep mission & applies to standard commodities only?)
- ability to save ships layout (useful if you need to change your current ship, but will come back to it later)
- More button mappings
- Macros on button mappings
- add bindable docking request
- add bindable map key
- add Save control scheme option
- more toggle/hold options
- improve Outfitting to provide better understanding of how weapons deal damage, especially ones in the same category
- add Outfitting filter: Ability to filter the outfitting menus to type, class, rating, etc.
- add in-game Radio/MP3 Player
- add ability to rent ships (We can rent our spare ships to real and NPC players). You could rent a good ship for an hour per day and try it out before you buy one. You could also influence a system or faction with a wave of rented ships. New Career mode?
- add Spare Parts Garage: for stocking parts when needed
- add time sent for messages in comm panel
- auto fill names when searching in navigation
- tweak economy and progress further, explanation here
- The ambient sound of comms chatter when docked at a large station needs a few female voices
- add "Arena" mode: a holodeck experience used for testing and fighting without real in-game consequences
- add a weekly "Most Wanted" report in Galnet (about human players), showing the 10 players with the highest bounty
- add possibility to minimize launcher to tray
- differentiate jump targets from everything else, so they don't lose lock if you target another planet or ship
- add Favorites for certain Stations or Systems
- add female titles
- add better control over voice comms: ability to choose input device, volume, etc.
- add in-game User's manual, a la Elitepedia



Visual

- more different stations: pretty self explanatory
- more different sizes for asteroids: where are the huge ones?
- more station variety: different color schemes, maybe add some personality to them (use procedural generation to small extent to make them all a bit different?)
- add debris fields of long forgotten slaughter / decayed stations
- add options to further customize ships: cockpit toys, bobbleheads, custom paint schemes, maybe a companion pet, etc.
- add options to customize self: "looks" customizer, such as those seen in most MMORPGs - this could be important once FPS module comes in
- More personality: Empire should be different of Federation, and federation should be different of Alliance, etc. Also, provide skins depending on what power you belong to.
- add "Nationality" to stations
- add option to actually see pilot inside the vessel - added with 1.3 PP
- add possibility to send taunts to others
- interior tear&wear
- add ship detailing and customizable cockpits for in-game monetary cost. (even for real money could be sweet. Better then painting, because you can always see your investments)
- add separate colors for independent and alliance systems in galaxy map
- add some visual change to black holes, neutron stars and generally, other stellar stuff
- introduce NPC personalities
- introduce tabs for outfitting, as well as sorting
- add doppler-shift effects and visual time-dilation effect for FTL speed
- tweak radar and cockpit visibility
- add more NPC traffic in and around stations to present universe more lively
- add in-game advertisements about in-game items
- add navigation lights for ships
- add a simple blueish effect around the ship when in super cruise. Seriously we're traveling faster than light and nothing out of the ordinary shows up?




Gameplay


General

- increase player interaction by condensing points of interest in the Galaxy and tweak several other aspects of the game to accompany that
- add (expensive) delivery services: fuel, specific equipment, repair crew … to be ordered to your location
- add possibility to bribe authorities in independent / anarchic systems to not report your stolen cargo (bribe based on cargo value)
- add option to choose affiliation to an allied local faction outside combat zones
- add "lights on" indicator
- add outfitting modules for passenger transportation
- add civilian traffic
- make ship computer chattier
- add possibility for capital ships to attack stations when war outbreaks
- add responsiveness to player based actions to enhance the feeling of living, breathing universe
- add possibility to share contracts and bounties
- add voice commands
- add ability to move stored ships to another station: it would cost money and time
- in-game notes/memo/planner/captain's log. Captain's log would trace systems you already visited.
- the ability to set a "Home station": explanation here
- add more life around stations - lynx bulk carriers! capital ships on patrol / shore leave
- add things like naval shipyards where those npc capital ships where produced / stations where also npc capitals dock
- add role-play elements. Not as a part of the main game. Rather, these can be DLC
- add ability that extraordinary player activities get reported in Galnet, for example being instrumental in putting down a rebellion, assisting in the expansion of a faction, helping to establish a new colony, or discovering a habitable planet, etc. - now part of "community goals"
- add the possibility to dock outside of a small outpost with big ships like a docking array
- introduce NPC interactions, at least basic ones
- add possibility to drop a canister of fuel for a friend in need - solved with 1.3 PP
- add visible reputation indicator
- add asteroid based outposts: no market, only for repair/refuel
- add News update for wars, conflict zones, etc.: currently there's no indication how a war that just ended influenced the system, etc.
- add proper Pirate stations. There are a zillion amount of pirates; Where do all come from?
- introduce NPC ability to pursue players
- add "Space compass" - a small physical gadget that would point to Galactic center or something like that
- add Galactic ferries: transportation at cost


Combat Related

- friendly-fire tolerance: not every shot was intentional
- add limits to friendly fire or ramming after which they're considered hostile
- add bindable action to target your target's target
- add fixed mode option for gimbals
- Retracting Hardpoints reloads the ammo-based weapons
- add variety to different classes of the same weapon (color, sound, etc.)
- add Passive scan info: When target is scanned (passive and KWS), add the bounty value in the target window next to "wanted" status
- add possibility to tweak PIPs while in SC - solved with 1.3 PP
- add "Scanned" remaining indicator
- add more options for turrets: currently they only work as "all on" or "all off" - solved with 1.3 PP
- add Frameshift lock (A module that can lock the frameshift activation down, so ships cant escape. Only for a limited time of course)
- add Frameshift lock scrambler (A counterpart for the frameshift lock module)
- add fire group colors


Missions related

- add supply run, pickup, fuel delivery and escort missions
- add long haul trade runs that pay extremely well
- add Dedicated Bounty Hunter Bulletin Board
- add missions that can be initiated by NPCs for more interaction and immersion (e.g. traders at station looking for an escort)
- add ship-specific missions: specific missions for specific ship classes
- add possibility to have missions which give you a specific coordinate that you can enter in your ships computer
- More intricate missions (multiple step missions, missions with unique incidents: capturing "lifeboat" capsules from a vessel in peril, stealth missions, convoy ambushes together with NPCs and with possible backstabbing, battling aggressive swarms, etc)
- more missions that change/destabilize systems and a lot of dynamic border wars/skirmishes that draw players in temporary focal points
- Coop & scavenging missions: examples here
- add faces / names / logos in faction missions (currently too anonymous)
- add Long distance billboard missions: 5 or 6 jumps away, requiring a little more planning & effort - partially solved with 1.1 update, "Community goals"
- add Non-faction billboard missions: birthday present for Daughter, computer parts for a colleague, etc.
- add Smuggling missions: from one Black market to another
- add possibility to show missions for all factions in system available at time, and option to choose/filter faction(s) whose missions you prefer to do
- add a simple "Are you sure?" confirmation on abandoning missions
- add mini-missions when important events are about to happen in order to add to overall credibility of missions in general
- add some kind of statement upon mission completion, a letter or some explanation of the result and maybe a "good job commander"
- add contextual options in transactions menu that would allow for easier choice making when external contractor appears
- add paid missions to go explore specific systems
- add localized temporary mini-events in Galnet, with effects on single-system trade, for example: - partially solved with 1.1 update, "Community goals"
  • failed harvest, grain "high supply" suddenly disappears, demand goes up
  • bountiful harvest, specific food product temporarily triples in supply
  • motherlode hit in mining - sudden high supply of one mineral in that system
  • sporting event. liquor / consumer items demand increases
  • crackdown, massive increase in feds interdicting & scanning for illegal items
  • political scandal, all faction jobs worth triple influence


Balancing

- add possibility to pay off minor fines without having to visit a station
- bounty gets the one who dealt the most damage, not the one who gave the final blow
- add purchasable module that extends ammo capacity
- add purchasable module that allows players to see current market data within a small Ly range. Possibly charge player a fee per use
- make asteroid supplies non-player based. Currently, two players in the same instance mining the same asteroid can get wildly different materials from them. This is bad for Co-Op play
- introduce faction-based equipment: available in systems that need permit to access
- introduce NPC gangs that roam the space in search for victims - came with Wings 1.2 update
- tune piracy to have greater effect
- add far away stations that would offer something rare that you can't find in mundane stations (courtesy of 5by5)
- tweak penalties for loitering and unauthorized station entry


Normal space flight and Navigation related


- add "Jumps remaining" feature
- add rear view camera
- add representation of traffic density on jump lanes or trade routes in Galaxy Map (similar to population representation on systems)
- add alternative/toggle-able "physical" system map showing actual orbits and distances instead of default tree view
- add jump-range 3D sphere around targeted system in galaxy map
- add better docking mechanics: transparent "flight path" overlay and port docking lanes
- add ability to pick a destination star for hyperspace jump in multi-star systems
- add fleet "leader": other players are slaved to his jumps and interdictions - came with Wings 1.2 update
- add ability to filter navigational panel to show planets only / stations only, etc. Applicable to the right panel, too
- add ability to create and save personal notes/markers/waypoints
- add possibility to name newly discovered systems/planets, but with a monthly cap per user, so the moderation is possible - partially solved with 1.1 update
- add galaxy map options such as "search history", "bookmarks list", and a "home" button similar to a web browser
- Indications on system map whether outpost has large landing pads available, or small only
- add ability to "tag" systems on the galaxy map with custom tag-strings, for which can be searched and filtered (subsumes a few of the other ideas here)
- add possibility to select planets as destination from system map - added with 1.3 PP
- add "Micro Jump Drive" (courtesy of 5by5)
  • Costs an internal slot
  • Comes in the usual class/quality varieties
  • Uses up fuel like a jump drive (more than SC, less than a system jump)
  • Can only be used between fixed and known locations within the system
  • It could take you to any previously explored location but spends a lot of fuel and maybe has a moderate cooldown to encourage that the player combines SC and micro jumps strategically


Supercruise related

- add "gravity traps" in SC, that would pull you out into a multi-ship ambush.
- add possibility to do sling shots in supercruise
- add ability to spoof the drive signature of another class of ship in supercruise
- add USS Strength indicator: Weak (loot drops), Medium (1-2 ships), Strong (>3 ships) - came with Wings 1.2 update
- add possibility to do something while in SC:
You could even have a SC autopilot that takes care of your approach vector/throttle so you can concentrate on repairing some wear and tear or checking out Galnet on one of those screens at the back in the Cobra. Immersion goes up 10x when everything is "in-fiction" instead of a bare game mechanic. (courtesy of 5by5)


Mining

- add a mini game where it matters what parts of the asteroid you shoot. Maybe trying to cut visible ore formations on the surface off the asteroid
- add tractor beam or grappling hook - partially solved with 1.3 PP (drones)
- add mining lasers of higher class dropping larger volume chunks vs the current increased small chunk drop rate. I.E. same rate of drop but larger pieces
- add possibility to mine in icy asteroid rings
- add Highlight or repaint or some other visual effect for mined/empty asteroids
- add possibility to auto-allocate resources in the refinery
- add some feature to target chunks under ship / non-target scooping
- Move status updates up to the top left info monitor where they belong: The status updates obscures the monitor making it harder to pick up stuff in time
- add purchasable Asteroid scanner to avoid littering (could be expensive)


Trading

- add possibility to purchase Trading computer that would save station prices, or a simple "copy to clipboard" button.
- add a local commodities market list to trade within a local system
- add properties to the cargo: you might think twice before purchasing flammable cargo - solved to some degree with 1.3 PP
- add item-specific factories



Exploring

- add countdown / progress bar until scanning of body completed (in order to better time flying towards and banking)
- add more interesting locations, such as capital ship carcasses, massive asteroid mines with tunnels and buildings, abandoned/pirate stations that you could use to fight around, hidden military/pirate and independent asteroid - outposts/stations, which don't instantly show when you enter a system, etc.
- add exploration-based missions
- add more stellar objects - comets, etc.
- add more weight/difficulty to exploration aspect.
Going from system to system is also just a loading screen with no sense of voyage and there are no logistics involved in very long expeditions. You can make it near the center of the galaxy in a Cobra. No need for food, water, wear and tear considerations. Exploration needs to be like trying to see how far you can stretch your hand out of the core systems before your ship breaks down. (courtesy of 5by5)
- add Completion bonuses: for fully explored system
- tweak sensor packages
- add more levels of surface scanning



Virtual Reality related

- When VR is used switch to green text to double the effective resolution of DK2
- Add more information in the cockpit, there is plenty of space to display more data and details
- Add a player head controlled by VR in realtime for others to see
- Add an ingame keyboard overlay so we can type, galaxy map as prime example
- Add dynamic graphic changes if FPS drops below set amount, some features like shadows or AA can be turned off/on on-the-fly and doing that could remove judder
- Add a ZOOM option for VR users so we can see more. Only the outside view should be zoomed however (our cockpit screen is digital anyway, so it should also be able to zoom)
- add nVidia 3D Vision support (Not compatibility mode, just regular 3D)


Network/social

- add system wide chat for all CMDRs in SC and in normal space - came with Wings 1.2 update
- further enhance general social connectivity, to add friends more easily, see their info, location in-game, etc.


FPE/FPS - First Person Exploration/Shooter module [Announced]

- Realistic names for the different types of weapons.
- More Arma like game play for the FPS - including equipment weight and high/low G effects.
- Ground and water vehicles - and the ability to pick up vehicles with a suitably sized ship.


Planetary Landings [Announced]

- Introduce "space elevators" that would run to the surface
 
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- ability to name your ship.

And about this:
ability to save ships layout (useful if you need to change your current ship, but will come back to it later)

Maybe you could rent a "room"/space/container in a station so you don't have to sell parts of you ship to use another.
 
Maybe you could rent a "room"/space/container in a station so you don't have to sell parts of you ship to use another.

I was thinking about something similar but then slowly came to conclusion that we would need a Hangar. Now, where have I seen that already... :)
 
1. Realistic names for the different types of weapons.
2. More Arma like game play for the FPS - including equipement weight and high/low G effects.
3. Ground and water vehicles - and the ability to pick up vehicles with a suitably sized ship.

Brian :)
 
- remove shild cells from the game. (there is no justification for them to exist and just spoil the game. if not than make npc useign them too!! then ppl would cry i bet)
- change "player get's last hit and bounty" into the one that did the most damage to the target gets the bounty or distribute the bounty according to the damge each has done.
 
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- More intricate missions (multiple step missions, missions with unique incidents: capturing "lifeboat" capsules from a vessel in peril, stealth missions, convoy ambushes together with NPCs and with possible backstabbing, etc)

- Coop missions

- Better coop support (already planned by FD)

That's really it, I think. Awesome missions are what Elite needs the most right now. Replace some of the stock stuff with really unique things. Perhaps even mix and match parts of missions - i.e. you could be part of the ambushers in a mission, or trying to rescue survivor escape pods in the aftermath of the very same incident in another.
 
Initially I also felt rather bewildered by how we need to sell anything we don't currently have built in but I think ED should absolutely stick with it.

I'd like to see anything that makes me feel at home in my ship. Which also means: much, much more of them. And right now I feel like the progress path is bigger is better,
whereas we really could use some of what EVE does in terms of ships: to, for instance, let us have a really advanced (and expensive) something that looks like a Sidewinder but oh, boy, it's not :)
 
I love this game, I just want to be able to customize my ship more, all ships should be paintable, perhaps interior skins.
 
-wings, coop play, anything that improves multiplayer and brings sense to clans and squadrons.

- More personality: Empire should be different of Federation, and federation should be different of Alliance, etc, also provide skins depending of what power you belonge to.
 
Can't see anything in there that I'd disagree with, except system wide chat and as long as I can turn it off I don't really care. If I want social networking I'll use facebook not "Space Book". :cool:

Something another player came up with that I expanded on... the ability to set a "Home station"... so when you requested docking you'd get priority docking (or at least priority over NPC's?) and you'd get small discounts/better prices in your home station... and when you dock it wouldn't say "Welcome Commander", it'd say "Welcome HOME Commander". For that matter if you return to any station you've been to before it should say "Welcome BACK Commander"... unless you've got a bad reputation with that station in which case it should so "Oh it's you again? Oh alright, I suppose you can dock". OK maybe not that last bit. :)

I'd like to see the galaxy map have a "search history", "bookmarks list", and a "home" button similar to a web browser... just to save you having to search over and over for the same system if you're doing trading runs etc. (I don't mean fast travel or anything like it... just shortcuts for repeated searches in the map.)

A bit more variety in station interiors would be nice too... and where the station has a "Nationality" to it (eg: Abraham Lincoln station is very American while M Gorbachev is Russian) it'd be cool if the "announcer" had a matching accent... or maybe did the announcement in the national language first then in English, same as at international airports today.

None of this is important of course and I'd much rather they fixed existing bugs first... but if they've got spare time it'd cool to see things like this.
 
One more:

- Ability to make personal notes/markers on the galaxy map (Even when it's only a small set of different icons/colours)
 
npc use them too , whats wrong with shield cells? tey cost a slot on your ship you know , all my trader ships love them
~
Too my knowledge NPC are not useing them. In all my sveral 100 kills I have never seen even one NPC useing shield cell.
I couldn't even think of trying on an elite Anaconda with my Cobra if it even would use 1 single shield cell.
~
What's wrong you ask? It ruins the game. See I can take out the most dangerous enemy with them in a short time. Don't you think that's a bit wrong?
The game was perfectly fine without them before.
 
- Increase or get right of the "Battle Buble": NPC ship disappears into thin air (no surge no jump) when you fight with them and it happens that they hit a certain distance radius from the central point (20km for cluster as example). I lost many good bountys and hours gaeming in total because of this bad gamemeachanics.
 
General -

Exploration-based missions
Localised temporary mini-events on Galnet, with effects on single-system trade, eg:
- failed harvest, grain "high supply" suddenly disappears, demand goes up
- bountiful harvest, specific food product temporarily triples in supply
- motherlode hit in mining - sudden high supply of one mineral in that system
- sporting event. liquor / consumer items demand increases
- crackdown, massive increase in feds interdicting & scanning for illegal items
- political scandal, all faction jobs worth triple influence

More life around stations - lynx bulk carriers! capital ships on patrol / shore leave.
Faces / names / logos in faction missions (currently too anonymous)
more stellar objects - moons, comets, etc.
an allowance for friendly fire (first hit = warning, not instant WANTED)
 
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General -

discovered black Markets to show up as station feature in system map
Not all scooped goods marked as stolen (Salvage license, earnt by high-rep mission & applies to standard commodities only?)
 
- in-game notes/memo/planner

^We need an Autolog (captains log) that we can add notes/memos and plans to.


Great post.


So much of this I'm sure IS coming at some stage.
What would be most useful is if the devs could tell us what is still planned.
 
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