I would *SO* love to have this in the game, for every scanner, mind you.
Do you like the blue POI system?
- Thread starter babelfisch
- Start date
I would *SO* love to have this in the game, for every scanner, mind you.
A ship based wave scanner (like the SRVs) which requires some interpretational skills to be able to find different types of surface contacts would be awesome. Much better than fly to edge of blue circle, point roughly at the middle and descend at an angle of 30 degrees or so until you can see what's in the middle.
I really like the idea of having a wave scanner on our ships, but how does it work? Haven't seen a good concept yet. It works well on the SRV because we just move on a flat surface with very limited speeds.
I think you should have to fly over a planet and having different scanners equipped for different purposes. Depending on the kind of scanner, your height above the surface and the type of scanner you should get different accurate results and the heatmap should vary in it's resolution depending on that. More accurate map data should payout better than less accurate data.
Another idea would be to eject a satellite that will do the job for you in X amount of time. You could launch it from your cargo / fighter bay into an orbit and collect it when its job is done.
I'm totally against the dull "press button, get results" mechanics that are currently all over in the exploration part of the game. For example to actually finding scanners I would prefer if we would have to drop probes and then triangulate the planets, similar to finding anomalies like in EVE. Actually if ED would have a 3D star system map, the way the scanning in EVE works would be ideal for ED as well to discover new planets and other stuff. See the screenshot below.
I might be wrong, but AFAIR the original design proposal talked about heatmaps for scanning, for planets and as well for mining. I'm not surprised it hasn't made it in the so called "finished" game. But hey, there are 8 years left to complete it...
How a 3D surface scan looks and works today and how it works.
Semi-Realistic Surface Scanning from Kerbal Space (see https://github.com/S-C-A-N/SCANsat):
Heat Map from EVE Online:
Finding Signal Sources in Eve:
Another idea would be to eject a satellite that will do the job for you in X amount of time. You could launch it from your cargo / fighter bay into an orbit and collect it when its job is done.
I'm totally against the dull "press button, get results" mechanics that are currently all over in the exploration part of the game. For example to actually finding scanners I would prefer if we would have to drop probes and then triangulate the planets, similar to finding anomalies like in EVE. Actually if ED would have a 3D star system map, the way the scanning in EVE works would be ideal for ED as well to discover new planets and other stuff. See the screenshot below.
I might be wrong, but AFAIR the original design proposal talked about heatmaps for scanning, for planets and as well for mining. I'm not surprised it hasn't made it in the so called "finished" game. But hey, there are 8 years left to complete it...
How a 3D surface scan looks and works today and how it works.
Semi-Realistic Surface Scanning from Kerbal Space (see https://github.com/S-C-A-N/SCANsat):
Heat Map from EVE Online:
Finding Signal Sources in Eve:
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POI system needs to go. Seriously. Stop working on it and rewrite it.
Also make things visible much further away. In reality anything with lights like surface installations should be seen many many miles away. Every flown in a plane at 40k at night? Hell even the space station can see groupings of light from orbit WITH an atmosphere.
Also make things visible much further away. In reality anything with lights like surface installations should be seen many many miles away. Every flown in a plane at 40k at night? Hell even the space station can see groupings of light from orbit WITH an atmosphere.
Nice pictures, but I still don't understand how it would work in game. Do you think scanning should be done in the system map rather than direct flight? That's what I imagine when looking at your concepts, not sure if this would be an ideal implementation.
I would presume in much the same way, with a requirement to be flying straight and level over the surface in order for the scan to work. Greater speed wouldn't be a problem until you were getting close to a signal, when presumably you would want to slow down in order to fine tune your search.
I've never liked the blue POI system, or the fact that you have to be above 1.7km to detect them, because it makes no sense in regard to the in-game technology of Elite Dangerous. We have an in-game system scanner that can detect worlds from millions of KM away with one scan, yet we have to be virtually right on top of planetary POI's to detect a large blue area where one might be, then you have to either use the SRV or the good old MKI eyeball to actually pinpoint it.
Taking the logical assumption that the technology in Elite, which is set in the 32nd century, is more advanced than present day technology, and we have satellites that orbit Earth that can pinpoint small objects from orbit, then why is object location on planets so primitive in ED? It just seems a bit backwards.
What I reckon we should be able to do is pulse the discovery scanner while in planetary flight mode to display the locations of outcroppings, crashed ships, debris, rocks, meteors, and so on, that are close by, and then the ship should display them on the scanner in different coloured icons.
Taking the logical assumption that the technology in Elite, which is set in the 32nd century, is more advanced than present day technology, and we have satellites that orbit Earth that can pinpoint small objects from orbit, then why is object location on planets so primitive in ED? It just seems a bit backwards.
What I reckon we should be able to do is pulse the discovery scanner while in planetary flight mode to display the locations of outcroppings, crashed ships, debris, rocks, meteors, and so on, that are close by, and then the ship should display them on the scanner in different coloured icons.
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Why would ppl in the 34th century reverted back some of their technology to something that would be considered obsolete in the 21th century, is beyond my comprehension... Maybe its their way to have fun or something...
Its just like their justice system! Are we going to be even more fools 1300 years from now?
I hate the geiger counter thingy scanner and the blue POI stuff. Voted to change!
Its just like their justice system! Are we going to be even more fools 1300 years from now?
I hate the geiger counter thingy scanner and the blue POI stuff. Voted to change!
I support this change.
PS. Unnerf the python!
PS. Unnerf the python!
How about a planet version of the Nav beacon scan introduced in 2.1 which revealed a complete System map for those who do not want to fly about scanning individual bodies but have to forfeit exploration credits.
It could work in a number of ways, planet settlements sell planet POI data either directly from the facilities screen or in smaller settlements you have to scan a terminal via the SRV. The data could be encrypted to interact at highest resolution directly with the SRV system (think of a closed system for military/commercial considerations) but for ships it can only or be willing to provide low resolution data.
Flying under x metres over an area of interest indicated by the low res data will also provide the SRV with higher res data or more up-to-date data (possibility of surveys being out-of-date). This would promote SRV use as well as low-flying fun, the story line being the idea that planet settlements will closely guard planet data rather than allowing it to become open source and downloadable from space ports etc. The up-dated or higher resolution data could be sold back to the system or "leaked" on the black market.
For planets without settlements that include tourist missions, there could be planet data scan points scattered on the surface (think of probes fired en-masse to survey planets) scan-able via SRVs, sort of a planet nav beacon with a limited range that could indicate areas of geological minerals or information about geology (could be difficult to tie it in with the actual geology though) etc.
Data from either source could appear in the form of very precise detail such as co-ordinates as well as more mysterious clue based "200 km from x base or x geological feature or somewhere in this valley" to promote a low level pass in the ship. The more mysterious clues could come from a previous unfinished exploration and any new events such as rescue missions would obviously be vague as well.
A planet Co-Ordinate system would enable areas of interest revealed by such clues to be mapped out on the HUD, but unlike the blue circles they would be fixed and could be irregular in shape, a low level pass could scan for further detail if you extracted planet data from the settlement or data point beforehand, ie the ship then has an idea of whats it looking for, without that you are left with visual clues from the ship or solely rely on the SRV scanner.
It could work in a number of ways, planet settlements sell planet POI data either directly from the facilities screen or in smaller settlements you have to scan a terminal via the SRV. The data could be encrypted to interact at highest resolution directly with the SRV system (think of a closed system for military/commercial considerations) but for ships it can only or be willing to provide low resolution data.
Flying under x metres over an area of interest indicated by the low res data will also provide the SRV with higher res data or more up-to-date data (possibility of surveys being out-of-date). This would promote SRV use as well as low-flying fun, the story line being the idea that planet settlements will closely guard planet data rather than allowing it to become open source and downloadable from space ports etc. The up-dated or higher resolution data could be sold back to the system or "leaked" on the black market.
For planets without settlements that include tourist missions, there could be planet data scan points scattered on the surface (think of probes fired en-masse to survey planets) scan-able via SRVs, sort of a planet nav beacon with a limited range that could indicate areas of geological minerals or information about geology (could be difficult to tie it in with the actual geology though) etc.
Data from either source could appear in the form of very precise detail such as co-ordinates as well as more mysterious clue based "200 km from x base or x geological feature or somewhere in this valley" to promote a low level pass in the ship. The more mysterious clues could come from a previous unfinished exploration and any new events such as rescue missions would obviously be vague as well.
A planet Co-Ordinate system would enable areas of interest revealed by such clues to be mapped out on the HUD, but unlike the blue circles they would be fixed and could be irregular in shape, a low level pass could scan for further detail if you extracted planet data from the settlement or data point beforehand, ie the ship then has an idea of whats it looking for, without that you are left with visual clues from the ship or solely rely on the SRV scanner.
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cool, a poll I haven't voted in.
Done, that's my fix for the day.
Voted - "I dont care"
Done, that's my fix for the day.
Voted - "I dont care"
Yep, like Spock waving his tricorder around looking for some faint clue. The SRV scanner is one of the best aspects of the game imo, the blue POI circles one of the worst.
To keep it brief, the POI system and the blue circles work for me.
The blue circles... OK. They work. They could be improved.
Very simply: Put a dot in the center of my ship radar, and from it, extend a line in the direction of a POI. Have the length of the line vary with the POI distance, and make the "waveform" of the line give hints as to the POI type. At higher altitudes, the range becomes more accurate, while the waveform hints become less. At lower altitudes, the range becomes less accurate, and the waveform more accurate.
So fly moderately high, zero on the direction and range with some fuzzy hint of the POI type. Then drop in lower, and watch the waveform clean up to better determine the type of POI.
I will try to draw a screen mock up later. Might be worth posting in the suggestions forum.
The POI system itself I do like. I feel it provides a decent variety of sites, both in and out of my interests, while I am scouting on a planet. Since 2.1 they make better sense, and in 2.2 the variety and quality is increasing even more.
Regarding the scan screenshot in the original post, I'd hate to think that there might be so few POI on a planet as that shows. Further, IMO it would be worse if the POI were all persistent.
Already it feels like I am the last guy to see or find out about a great many interesting sites in Elite. Even when I keep up with threads on such things (never mind any sense of spoilers, as I'd probably have zero chance of ever decoding the locations myself), it's just me tagging along to see where some other players have found something by decoding or connecting some elements. It would be far worse if every POI within LY were already picked over or destroyed by other players before I ever found them.
The blue circles... OK. They work. They could be improved.
Very simply: Put a dot in the center of my ship radar, and from it, extend a line in the direction of a POI. Have the length of the line vary with the POI distance, and make the "waveform" of the line give hints as to the POI type. At higher altitudes, the range becomes more accurate, while the waveform hints become less. At lower altitudes, the range becomes less accurate, and the waveform more accurate.
So fly moderately high, zero on the direction and range with some fuzzy hint of the POI type. Then drop in lower, and watch the waveform clean up to better determine the type of POI.
I will try to draw a screen mock up later. Might be worth posting in the suggestions forum.
The POI system itself I do like. I feel it provides a decent variety of sites, both in and out of my interests, while I am scouting on a planet. Since 2.1 they make better sense, and in 2.2 the variety and quality is increasing even more.
Regarding the scan screenshot in the original post, I'd hate to think that there might be so few POI on a planet as that shows. Further, IMO it would be worse if the POI were all persistent.
Already it feels like I am the last guy to see or find out about a great many interesting sites in Elite. Even when I keep up with threads on such things (never mind any sense of spoilers, as I'd probably have zero chance of ever decoding the locations myself), it's just me tagging along to see where some other players have found something by decoding or connecting some elements. It would be far worse if every POI within LY were already picked over or destroyed by other players before I ever found them.
It would be nice if they could colour code it.
- Blue: Mineral find
- Green: Settlement (mining operation, signal tower etc)
- Red: Crash Site
- White: Anomaly/Unknown (Alien site, abandoned base)
Here's a thought as well.
From the air, why not allow us to use the Surface Scanner to pinpoint the location of said anomaly?
Using the SS could allow us to make the large area circle smaller and most important - MEMORIZE IT ON THE PLANET MAP.
If it is a point of interest let us LOG it on the planetary map. A bookmark if nothing else.
- Blue: Mineral find
- Green: Settlement (mining operation, signal tower etc)
- Red: Crash Site
- White: Anomaly/Unknown (Alien site, abandoned base)
Here's a thought as well.
From the air, why not allow us to use the Surface Scanner to pinpoint the location of said anomaly?
Using the SS could allow us to make the large area circle smaller and most important - MEMORIZE IT ON THE PLANET MAP.
If it is a point of interest let us LOG it on the planetary map. A bookmark if nothing else.
Yup. Since our detailed surface scanner can see percentages of a planets mineral composition I would think it could see the difference between a rock and a radio tower.
First off, my POI indicators are not blue, they're red, because I've altered my HUD colors.
Secondly, I think they could be improved considerably. I like the idea of having them continue to display regardless of altitude, since these essentially represent a "search radius", and it can be pretty easy to exceed this radius either by "air" or by land. It would also be extremely nice to be able to differential these based on what manner of POI they are - mineral POI, Power Signature (buildings), Transmission (wrecked ships), or Unusual Signal (alien stuff, other odd things - you know, "unusual").
Secondly, I think they could be improved considerably. I like the idea of having them continue to display regardless of altitude, since these essentially represent a "search radius", and it can be pretty easy to exceed this radius either by "air" or by land. It would also be extremely nice to be able to differential these based on what manner of POI they are - mineral POI, Power Signature (buildings), Transmission (wrecked ships), or Unusual Signal (alien stuff, other odd things - you know, "unusual").