Exploration Recommendations

[Chaparral]

Just got back from a quick 5.5 k ly romp. Elite in combat, thought I'd get a taste of exploration. Just a few suggestions on what could make exploration a bit more fun for me.

1) Increased supercruise acceleration and deceleration rates.

This would make it much more realistic to get to objects for detailed surface scans. I would sacrifice thruster speed, internal compartments, utility mounts, hardpoints, ANYTHING to get to those objects faster via faster supercruise acceleration/deceleration rates and scan them. Might even be a great engineer mod for thrusters "SUPERCRUISE ACCELERATOR" . After a while, I just quit doing surface scans if the planet I was interested in was more than 500 ls away.

2) More interesting data readouts and feature marking after surface scans.

Give me POI flags, USS's, ANYTHING that would make a scanned planet have a unique feature. I'd even settle for a text pop up describing a life form, the presence of geysers, mineral formations, etc. to make a planet something other than another "high metal content" ball.

3) Previously logged flags.

So thousands of commanders, shared databases, shared cartography records, but I don't think there is a flag in the galaxy map to indicate if a previous commander has already visited the system. Might be nice...

4) Critical mission updates from recovered data caches.
Saw a few illegal data containers. Thought these were evil click bait. Pick it up, slow you down, make you a target when you get back to the bubble. Left them alone. Now if they were scannable data beacons that referenced the location of an un-mapped neutron star, black hole, earth-like world, etc. etc. My initial exploration plan could take a sudden interesting treasure hunt turn.

Thanks!

What do you guys think?

 

[Lestat]

Just got back from a quick 5.5 k ly romp. Elite in combat, thought I'd get a taste of exploration. Just a few suggestions on what could make exploration a bit more fun for me.

1) Increased supercruise acceleration and deceleration rates.

This would make it much more realistic to get to objects for detailed surface scans. I would sacrifice thruster speed, internal compartments, utility mounts, hardpoints, ANYTHING to get to those objects faster via faster supercruise acceleration/deceleration rates and scan them. Might even be a great engineer mod for thrusters "SUPERCRUISE ACCELERATOR" . After a while, I just quit doing surface scans if the planet I was interested in was more than 500 ls away.

I think the best suggestion for you is learn to live with the distance. If a planet too far look up on system map see if it a worth while system to scan. If it a rocky or something jump to a different system. If it a good planet decide if the distance worth it to you. There 400,000,000,000 systems out their you can pick your system type. In your case system with planet that are close. Also note Thruster work great for landing on planets.

2) More interesting data readouts and feature marking after surface scans.

Give me POI flags, USS's, ANYTHING that would make a scanned planet have a unique feature. I'd even settle for a text pop up describing a life form, the presence of geysers, mineral formations, etc. to make a planet something other than another "high metal content" ball.

I agree with this one.

3) Previously logged flags.

So thousands of commanders, shared databases, shared cartography records, but I don't think there is a flag in the galaxy map to indicate if a previous commander has already visited the system. Might be nice...

I been riding my ATV on trails that rarely been traveled. I found old abandon mines that are 100 year old. I don't expect flags to show up hay there a mine here. In elite I don't think we should either.

4) Critical mission updates from recovered data caches.
Saw a few illegal data containers. Thought these were evil click bait. Pick it up, slow you down, make you a target when you get back to the bubble. Left them alone. Now if they were scannable data beacons that referenced the location of an un-mapped neutron star, black hole, earth-like world, etc. etc. My initial exploration plan could take a sudden interesting treasure hunt turn.

Well the only weight should be added is from the 1 ton containers each they should not add 3 tons weight.

I been exploring for about a year. I tend to jump 15 to 20 systesm a night. I do complete scans. I wish they give 5 10 % credits on complete scans but that a hope.

 

[Benpo999]

Recommendation for developers

I think they should as runways on to planetary bases and megaships

 

[L1ONEL]

Hi , this is a msg from an Elite explorer, i tried the multi-crew and i have some little suggestions, because at this state , the multicrew for explorers is absolutly useless...
I think the minimum that a guest should be able to do is:

- can interract with System/ Galaxy map (choose destination for exemple)
- can use the scanners
- can show ON/OFF orbites
- after using scanner (why not a new kind of this) can see on a screen , informations about planets , asteroids, etc... and can choose a point to land
- add a class as free ( not only limited by smuggling/combat etc... i always playing with my bro', for us we dont need limits possibility , and i m sure we are not alone. I imagine you added this classes for safer interactions with cmdr's......and if there is a "Free class" why not "allow guest to pilot main ship? <- rebuy cost only for guest in this case and add a range limit)
- add a new module that can launch some (new kind) of probes in the goal to make detailed analysis of several planets in the same time in a system
- to facilty interaction between players , the possibility to share (SHARE not SELL) materials (arsenic, polonium, iron, etc...) my imagination shows me a faction of Universal Cartogrphics with new missions , new goals, etc...
- add possibility to craft something (mini base or mini auto miner)
- add a "puzzle system" to decrypt strange things ( Guardians civilisation / Aliens civilisation)
- and finally a new ship specialy for exploration why not with a new kind of FSD made by MetaDrive Inc.

Please, do something for us ...... please , please , please....

 

[Almondclint]

I really like all your ideas. There needs to be something to make exploring worthwhile.

 

[Chaparral]

Thanks guys - I sincerely appreciate the feedback! Hadn't considered the "lost mine" rediscovery thing. That really makes sense.

 

[Tryst]

Add to that, some way to query the database to list all systems/planets you have been the first to discover. Having your commanders name emblazoned on a system is great if someone else sees it but with over 400 billion stars, some of the more remote systems may never be visited again in the lifetime of the game, that makes your tag on it pretty meaningless.