Exploration & scavenging gameplay in Odyssey

[Wendake]

Hey all !

I just came back to EDO after a few months off flying planes in MSFS2020. Well needed brake after the underwhelming launch that was EDO...after +1500 hours in EDH I was really hoping for more than what we had but hey - we got what we got.

I don't know if I'm the only one but I've been really enjoying the scavening missions in Odyssey and I really think it's a nice addition to the game (been mainly doing scavenging missions in EDO). I really think it should expand to bigger POIs where you have to find your way in big ship wrecks with your torch light and use some kind of "fil d'Ariane" to find your way back. Also more diversity / challenge when it comes down to cut the usual red panel and perhaps add more gameplay loop around scaveging.

On the exploration side, Odyssey was quite a let down for me...I really hoped for more than a few more plants to insta-scan...I don't know if Frontier mentionned anything since they cancelled the small scan-game that was in alpha (tried to stay updated since I stop playing in june but lost the track) ? Are they planning to add more stuff to do while exploring than insta-scan ? We have the whole milky way to explore but except walking arond and enjoying the view there is not much to do (except for the boring insta-scan)...

o7

 

[Andro]

I encountered a few crashed Anaconda POIs in the alpha, but they despawned before I could really explore them. Crash sites could really use interiors, especially for the larger ships which could have a whole lot of gameplay, hazards, loot, lore, etc. inside.

 

[Dr Pillman]

My 2 Cents on exploring in Odyssey:
Pros:

• I do like the planets and planet surfaces. I like how colour reflects geology, I like how the lighting works with different trace atmospheres and how reflective properties of Regolith match what we see on Apollo images (it basically works like cat´s eyes).
• I like walking around, and having to walk around. It´s super cool, super immersive, and feels very explorer-like: You pick a nice landing spot, drive around, then climb out on foot, sample stuff, drive to the next area, etc., and finally call your ship to pick you up. Feels very much like real field work.
• I generally like that geologicals and biologicals are now scattered over the planet, and each individual one clusters in "likely places". Again: Very field-work like. You want to explore? You gotta look around, get a feel for the terrain.

-I generally like the idea of the heat map, but look below
- I really like the functionality of the genetic sampler. Plus rewards for genetic data are super awesome. And it makes sense that a corporation buys them rather than Universal cartographics.

Cons:

• The New system scanner is...I don´t know. I liked in Horizon how you had to wait for a refined scan if there was something. Biggest issue: The colour coding of stars and planets changed dramatically, and where it made somehow sense in Horizon and was kinda intuitive, it is completely nonsensical now. Red dwarves are marked blue. Ice planets are yellow. Mhm. sure.
• Surface mining has become very tedious due to scattered geologicals and biologicals. Even with keeping the distribution system (that I like), I would like the surface materials to still form clusters like in Horizon, for the sake of gameplay. Even if they are not marked and you have to scout and find them, please let me at least find some rich mineral fields once in a while. Emptying a full SRV tank to find just enough phosphorous and sulphur for one more refuel is kinda...meh...especially if exploring requires more SRV time now, which is basically ok, but....There could still be large dense fields of braintrees and geysers and vents to discover, with loads of crystals and seed pods. You´d have to scout for them, but then you´d have a field day exploiting your find.
• tons of distress beacons and wreckages in unexplored space.- Really?
• Why does the heatmap only have a range from light blue to teal? Why does it not use the whole range from blue to red to indicate abundance/likelihood? It makes scouting for good spots really tedious, especially if you have slightly impaired colour vision....

-heatmap only woks in Supercruise, functionality only from inside surface scanner. Why? You got the data, why can´t you look it up from the cockpit?

Suggestions:
- If surface minerals are raw materials for engineering, and just an additional source to vacuum mining, fine. But: They are also required for reaming and refuelling the SRV. Now for the ship, that´s ok, you don´t get into intense firefights often during exploring. But the SRV depends entirely on stations, or raw materials, so it can lose functionality quickly on long trips. Even more quickly as surface mats are more scattered now, and I don´t see myself lugging a whole space mining suite around that costs my dozens of lightyears in jump range, just to refuel the SRV in outer space. That kinda doesn´t make sense.
Suggestion No. 1: fields of dense surface materials (see above) for the chance to conduct an efficient sustenance-gathering trip: pick a planet with high percentage of what you need, use the (upgraded) heatmap to find a good spot, scout for a mineral field, go shopping
Suggestion No 2: Make the SRV independent from minerals. Why does it use ammo-dependent plasma repeaters? Why does it burn other fuel than the ship?
Suggestion No. 2.2: Give the Scarab some outfitting/engineering options! This cute little Buggy has TONS of potential. For a long time now. But instead, we got a bulky, new Scorpion-SUV,which IS outfittable. That´s fine, I like it, I´m gonna buy one, but the Scarab could grow so much in its role as a light utility vehicle.
Suggestion 2.2.2: Possible options for the Scarab, as outfitting, unlockable modules or engineering options:

• Refuelling from the ship
• Repairing in the hangar bay (possible hangar/AFM update)
• Replacing the plasma repeater with pulse lasers that don´t use ammo
• High-traction tires, high-speed tires, stronger thrusters, larger fuel tank, outside storage nets/hooks, mountable tools, .....
• multi-colour wave scanner
• terrain map utility, upgradable with custom landmark/ navigation route option.