Do you play with orbit lines on or off?

[znôrt]

Since orbital mechanics isn't necessary for any stage of flight

it actually is for station approach. if you're like me and enjoy planet braking, fast entries and fly-bys, knowing if a station is actually in front or behind a planet is crucial if you don't already know the system. orbit lines give those clues. also, sometimes it's interesting to look at the orbits. (*)

everything is nicer without, but i have made it a habit to turn them on as needed.

* actually, i would love they got some love, they are very raw. the plot could be way smoother, and orbit and body information could be displayed on them. think of it as a live orrery overlay, wouldn't that be cool?

edit: ok, that's not actually orbital mechanics, but the orbits themselves.

 

[Deleted member 115407]

I used to play with them off, but now on.

I like the frame of reference and sense of depth/distance they give.

 

[kofeyh]

On, mostly so I can correctly judge optimal scooping when exploring; although they tend to turn themselves off without warning though, if you happen to have a star targeted, which is a tad vexing. And it's murder on the hull when crashing out.

 

[Lightspeed]

I like to feel I am flying in a real universe, not a computer display or simulation, so for me the lines break immersion. So I leave them off.

I realise, from reading this thread, that I am missing a lot though, but for me they will remain off.

 

[Deleted member 115407]

On, mostly so I can correctly judge optimal scooping when exploring; although they tend to turn themselves off without warning though, if you happen to have a star targeted, which is a tad vexing. And it's murder on the hull when crashing out.

Yeah, it pays to err on the side of caution when going in for a scoop.

 

[znôrt]

Yeah, it pays to err on the side of caution when going in for a scoop.

you don't really need them for scooping. on most stars coronas are visible, in any case you have always your temp display.

 

[koop26]

I turn it on for ez mode star scooping when traveling distances. It's also nice to see orbit lines of a tight binary and other stuff near the star. But I always turn it off if i'm actually going to be in a system for a bit.

I find in busy systems the lines can be kind of distracting.

 

[Zambrick]

I keep them on unless I am filming something. Other than that I keep them on all the time. It gives a sense of scale and shape to the system. It also allows you to quickly see odd orbital patterns of certain planets so you can check them out and see why they are different than the rest of the planets.

 

[CMDR Josky]

Orbit lines off and I'm glad there's switch for them. I never use them at all.

 

[VonBlade]

Off. Way to distracting and utterly pointless. You can see the corona for scooping. You can see the timer for landing on planets.

 

[DNA-Decay]

They really help me get oriented.

Often I spend a few days on a task doing the same or similar things.
When I first arrive - orbit lines help me identify which way to the targets and how to avoid the bodies in the way.
But once I know the direction I will be arriving from and which way I need to turn, I can get there efficiently by watching the distant nebulae and nearby galaxies.

 

[Spacecat]

I like them on because I'm too lazy to turn them off. Also, it's nice to be able to see the 3d layout of the system, which you can't get from the map.

 

[Ca$hback]

Both. I toggle them with "O". I use them for orbital flight and for fuel scooping, rarely for navigation.

 

[Darth Ender]

I've never used them since the game launched.

Prefer a less busy view.

 

[kofeyh]

you don't really need them for scooping. on most stars coronas are visible, in any case you have always your temp display.

Temp is a terrible method, I explore with practically all modules turned off; heat isn't a useful metric if it's not actually moving beyond 65%. Not crashing into the star is useful, tho.

 

[znôrt]

Temp is a terrible method, I explore with practically all modules turned off; heat isn't a useful metric if it's not actually moving beyond 65%. Not crashing into the star is useful, tho.

i see. good point. i'm not very much an explorer and when i last did i was in a keelback ... with srv, slf and all!

 

[khaos526]

I think they can be helpful on if you don't use an Advanced Discovery Scanner, but I've pretty much used one since I could afford it so that's why I've never had them on. Was trying to find a reason they even existed. Turned them on tonight just to see while exploring and it was just a distraction and told me nothing...

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Off, unless I'm looking for something, like a black hole, then I'll flip them on to look, and back off again.
I just don't like the cluttered look.

 

[Valethar]

Off. No space dust either.

I would kill for a clean canopy.

 

[NW3]

I disabled orbit lines within a few hours of playing (as soon as I discovered the option setting). I set up a key to toggle them on/off, but I never turn them on anymore. They are too distracting.

I prefer outer space to look like outer space, not like a video game.