Directional scanners – Seriously now, why not?

[Nutter]

I’ve spent about 18 hours mining in a [High] risk zone so that I can increase my combat rank along with my trade rank.
All great and dandy, I make about 4 – 5 Million in rocks and 1 – 1.5 million in bounty per hour, not too shabby.
That said I am growing more and more frustrated at the ridiculous idea that I have to keep the nose of my Conda pointed at a ship for 10 seconds for a warrant scan. Fast fighters are a royal pain.
Now, just over 1,300 years ago a bloke invented a ‘directional scanner’ example Image below, which could be pointed at a target. Often mounted on a tripod, the military would mount them on turrets of tanks, planes and helicopters.

I’m sorry, but this is the most stupid game mechanic in its current form.
Now what is more frustrating is that all of my turrets scan and track the target, but the ‘harmless scanner can’t?

Poppycock!!

 

[CMDR Mansoul]

I've been saying this for a while now, but the fact that I have to face the ship in SC to see its data is not only unrealistic but unfun gameplay. There are a few times now when I've circled around a hollow rectangle because I don't want to interact until I know what and who is trying to interdict me.

And yes, even in normal space the scan should be all-round and way way faster.

 

[Eli Jack]

Every scanner in game should be directional.

In the case of the KWS/Cargo Scanner maybe that would also stop the scan 'n' ram idiocy of NPC ships that's still happening since forever and has been the subject of plenty of, 'Please stop this', threads.

 

[Infidel Deity]

@OP
We agree.
And why actually a KWS at all?

Why do we have to put a WW2 size computer on the outside of the hull of our ships, to find out if who ever is also wanted somewhere else?
That is pretty crazy.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

While keeping the gameplay elements of having to do things. I also like the idea of directional scanners.

Maybe each Rating increases its field of view to all scanners? Would give a reason to take A rated sensors if they can scan 360° sphere, while E rated can only manage 85° cone....?

 

[Ian Skippy]

In the same vein, why do ships a thousand years in the future need clumsy human pilots at all? Why are there hundreds of billions of people still alive? Wouldnt it make way more sense to have a landed aristocracy with just enough genetic variation to create long-term survival and automate the rest?

 

[John Ring]

In the same vein, why do ships a thousand years in the future need clumsy human pilots at all? Why are there hundreds of billions of people still alive? Wouldnt it make way more sense to have a landed aristocracy with just enough genetic variation to create long-term survival and automate the rest?

Well, humans have to do something, right?
I'm sure when auto drive automobiles is a thing there will always still be manual drive cars, just because of people still wanting to drive. I for instance will always drive a manual car and will never as long as I live buy an auto-drive. (I cannot say the same thing for the newer generations...)

 

[TartanDragon]

Well, humans have to do something, right?
I'm sure when auto drive automobiles is a thing there will always still be manual drive cars, just because of people still wanting to drive. I for instance will always drive a manual car and will never as long as I live buy an auto-drive. (I cannot say the same thing for the newer generations...)

With you all the way mate, I won't even buy a car with an automatic gearbox.

Back on topic. All round sensors make way more sense, but you know game play. [blah]

 

[Nutter]

Every scanner in game should be directional.

In the case of the KWS/Cargo Scanner maybe that would also stop the scan 'n' ram idiocy of NPC ships that's still happening since forever and has been the subject of plenty of, 'Please stop this', threads.

Is that why Police Vipers keep ramming me? Nearly every trip out I get 'scan detected' shortly followed by the police ramming the side of my ship, I now throttle off to below 100 if I get scanned and rammed by the police.

 

[xondk]

I’ve spent about 18 hours mining in a [High] risk zone so that I can increase my combat rank along with my trade rank.
All great and dandy, I make about 4 – 5 Million in rocks and 1 – 1.5 million in bounty per hour, not too shabby.
That said I am growing more and more frustrated at the ridiculous idea that I have to keep the nose of my Conda pointed at a ship for 10 seconds for a warrant scan. Fast fighters are a royal pain.
Now, just over 1,300 years ago a bloke invented a ‘directional scanner’ example Image below, which could be pointed at a target. Often mounted on a tripod, the military would mount them on turrets of tanks, planes and helicopters.

http://www.wildlife-sound.org/images/roger_open_parabol.jpg

I’m sorry, but this is the most stupid game mechanic in its current form.
Now what is more frustrating is that all of my turrets scan and track the target, but the ‘harmless scanner can’t?

Poppycock!!

I want to point out that 10 seconds to scan an asteroid to see its content is....very fast, do you have any idea how big they are? composition analysis remotely? for all directional 'scanners' or such, or antenna as you have a picture off last I checked, works VASTLY different, capturing emissions already there, and focusing them.
However asteroids don't really do that, you can glance some stuff of them sure, but what they contain below surface and such?
Currently we can do a spectrum analysis or similar, but these are not more then surface deep....

So yeah...think up a way you would find out what something contains that exists currently below surface? that isn't a guess? heck even on earth, our planet we know so well, drilling is only a general guided thing because once you get below a certain depth we can't really scan in detail. You know it being solid rock, maybe sometime something will be invented but I really don't see it just yet other then 'magic'

 

[Ian Skippy]

Well, humans have to do something, right?
I'm sure when auto drive automobiles is a thing there will always still be manual drive cars, just because of people still wanting to drive. I for instance will always drive a manual car and will never as long as I live buy an auto-drive. (I cannot say the same thing for the newer generations...)

Depending on how long you'll live you will. Not because you want to but because you have to. You cant bring a horse to the highway now either, even if you prefer it, and the same will happen with cars. There'll be some studies that show automated cars are safer, after which insurance premiums will continue to rise for manual cars until slowly more and more roads will be designated 'automatic only.'

As for people needing something to do: as soon as production is (almost) fully automated and crowd control technology is automated and efficient (pretty interesting research being done right now!) there is really little reason for keeping the majority of us alive anyway.

 

[Kingtutuk]

It was said a long time ago in another thread that:-
Todays fighter jets and bombers can track and target multiple contacts and fire on any one or more regardless of which direction the fighter that is scanning is going, whereas in Elite Dangerous, We have a scanner that picks up multiple contacts within a 5 to 7 km range (according to outfitting) and can target one at a time. :S

 

[Ian Skippy]

It was said a long time ago in another thread that:-
Todays fighter jets and bombers can track and target multiple contacts and fire on any one or more regardless of which direction the fighter that is scanning is going, whereas in Elite Dangerous, We have a scanner that picks up multiple contacts within a 5 to 7 km range (according to outfitting) and can target one at a time. :S

In the lore ED scanners can be switched from passive to active, being either omni or one directional and with verying levels of radar signature being emitted. Pretty sure eventually thatll be added.

 

[Weps]

What I desire is a new module which would occupy an utility mount and allow targets to be scanned in supercruise without having to veer off course. It's silly that I have to do an 180 just to know if that ship tailing me is wanted or not.

PS: wouldn't mind forward facing scanners getting a variant where they consume more power or something but have their targeting arc increased (possibly to a semisphere). Engineers, are you reading this?

 

[Nutter]

I want to point out that 10 seconds to scan an asteroid to see its content is....very fast, do you have any idea how big they are? composition analysis remotely? for all directional 'scanners' or such, or antenna as you have a picture off last I checked, works VASTLY different, capturing emissions already there, and focusing them.
However asteroids don't really do that, you can glance some stuff of them sure, but what they contain below surface and such?
Currently we can do a spectrum analysis or similar, but these are not more then surface deep....

So yeah...think up a way you would find out what something contains that exists currently below surface? that isn't a guess? heck even on earth, our planet we know so well, drilling is only a general guided thing because once you get below a certain depth we can't really scan in detail. You know it being solid rock, maybe sometime something will be invented but I really don't see it just yet other then 'magic'

Umm.. Not sure if your read the OP, anyway my prospector drones scan and send back the composition in less than a blink of an eye. But that's kinda off topic

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What I desire is a new module which would occupy an utility mount and allow targets to be scanned in supercruise without having to veer off course. It's silly that I have to do an 180 just to know if that ship tailing me is wanted or not.

I miss the 1984 Left, Right and Rear view

 

[FiddenUK]

Is that why Police Vipers keep ramming me? Nearly every trip out I get 'scan detected' shortly followed by the police ramming the side of my ship, I now throttle off to below 100 if I get scanned and rammed by the police.

Hopefully this will be fixed soon, as I've seen it nodded at as an issue FDEV are looking at (scramming I think it was referred to as).

In terms of scanners, yes, it could be implemented that everything was immediately scanned, but where's the fun in that? I think the scanning element as a directional was added so that there are opportunities to 'sneak past' without being scanned.

 

[Muetdhiver]

What could be interesting would be :

• Scan range is greater that the from of the ship.
• Ships can scan in any direction, but to a lesser range than in the front area and the scan takes longer to complete.

 

[Jex =TE=]

Depending on how long you'll live you will. Not because you want to but because you have to. You cant bring a horse to the highway now either, even if you prefer it, and the same will happen with cars. There'll be some studies that show automated cars are safer, after which insurance premiums will continue to rise for manual cars until slowly more and more roads will be designated 'automatic only.'

As for people needing something to do: as soon as production is (almost) fully automated and crowd control technology is automated and efficient (pretty interesting research being done right now!) there is really little reason for keeping the majority of us alive anyway.

Not some, all studies show auto-cars are safer by far and I can't wait for them to be here. No more driving among idiots who can't drive. Traffic jams will become a thing of the past as well if they can also control car speeds and I can get things done whilst on the way to and from work or wherever. The old diehards who can't stand the idea of being driven will die off, thankfully leaving progress to make it's way forward.

Onto Scanners - ED does nothing that makes a lot of sense unless you start saying it's because of magic or something.

 

[KG_Jedi]

Heh. Did you also know that Size 1 Sensors provide about 5.6 km cover, and weigh 1 ton. While Size 8D provide ~6km and weigh 80 tons? Lol.

 

[Flimley]

I made a little post about this a while back. Does this chime in with your thoughts ??
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=217644