External View [A definitive discussion]

[NeilF]

Posted this once already but didn't seem to appear, so apologies if it turns up twice.
How about having camera "weapons/accessories" that could attach to your hardpoints, allowing you to get external views. possibly even a camera drone hardpoint, which would allow you to fire off a camera drone(s) which you could control remotely from your cockpit, allowing you for instance to view a battle from a "safe" distance or even search the outside of your ship to see if you have any damage etc.


Edit: I posted this as a separate thread as I had not seen this one, was moved to this thread, idea already planned by devs, awesome! :-D

Would be a shame to compromise people's payload just to get that alternative viewpoint?

If this goes ahead I suspect it will be a standard feature on all craft all the time. Guess we'll see

 

[trekman]

Hello Folk!

To add a little developer clarification:

We are looking at external camera views, with the following caveats:

* They are contextualised as camera/drone systems
* They are not designed to be used as alternate flight views
* Their primary function is to allow "beauty shots"
* They may have occasional tertiary game play functions (such as seeing how close you are to something)

No ETA at the moment though.

Hope this helps.

Sounds good to me

 

[Javert]

Apologies if I've missed it somewhere among the thousands of posts, but did the developers ever comment on whether a rear view camera of some kind might be available?

I can follow the realism arguments against external views, but I'm not really clear what the arguments are against a rear view camera, given that even current day vehicles have this, and if I remember correctly, the original Elite BBC Model B had rear and side view buttons. It would seem odd that in this far flung future, nobody thought of installing a rear view mirror or a camera on the back, especially as they have introduced stealth options.

Come to that, I suppose it would also seem odd that nobody thought of installing a full autopilot rather than only the possibility to have a docking computer, given that current day aircraft have full autopilot functionality. I suppose that would not be any fun.

I also noticed that unless I'm missing something, the ability to move your head around in pilot's eye view seems to be blocked when I am docked, which to me seems to reduce the immersion factor more than having an external view, which I could choose not to use anyway. Maybe this will be fixed or changed later I guess.

I'm also a bit unclear on how the "pilot's eye view" argument works with the current Galactic map. The galactic map flashes up and fills the whole screen. Does this mean that the galactic map will later on be modified so it is part of the cockpit? Fundamentally if you have an HUD that can have a galactic map projected on it, it could also have a rear camera view.

On the external view argument, I guess I can live without it, but it seems a bit cheeky to try to charge people real world money to paint their ships, and then not provide a good way to view them. Again, I guess this may be provided later.

 

[NeilF]

Apologies if I've missed it somewhere among the thousands of posts, but did the developers ever comment on whether a rear view camera of some kind might be available?

I can follow the realism arguments against external views, but I'm not really clear what the arguments are against a rear view camera, given that even current day vehicles have this, and if I remember correctly, the original Elite BBC Model B had rear and side view buttons. It would seem odd that in this far flung future, nobody thought of installing a rear view mirror or a camera on the back, especially as they have introduced stealth options.

Come to that, I suppose it would also seem odd that nobody thought of installing a full autopilot rather than only the possibility to have a docking computer, given that current day aircraft have full autopilot functionality. I suppose that would not be any fun.

I also noticed that unless I'm missing something, the ability to move your head around in pilot's eye view seems to be blocked when I am docked, which to me seems to reduce the immersion factor more than having an external view, which I could choose not to use anyway. Maybe this will be fixed or changed later I guess.

I'm also a bit unclear on how the "pilot's eye view" argument works with the current Galactic map. The galactic map flashes up and fills the whole screen. Does this mean that the galactic map will later on be modified so it is part of the cockpit? Fundamentally if you have an HUD that can have a galactic map projected on it, it could also have a rear camera view.

On the external view argument, I guess I can live without it, but it seems a bit cheeky to try to charge people real world money to paint their ships, and then not provide a good way to view them. Again, I guess this may be provided later.

Long story short. An external view is looking likely (but not definite). Exact details are unknown but most likely will be some form of external drone providing an external view of your ship.

So for the moment, basically.... watch this space

 

[Javert]

Long story short. An external view is looking likely (but not definite). Exact details are unknown but most likely will be some form of external drone providing an external view of your ship.

So for the moment, basically.... watch this space

Got that, but I was more asking about a rearward looking view from within my ship.

 

[NeilF]

Got that, but I was more asking about a rearward looking view from within my ship.

My guess is we won't get the rear view you're after. I think a poor rear view is in there as a game balance feature. Besides, the scanner is pretty good at showing you what's back there (at least to some degree).

 

[jabokai]

Got that, but I was more asking about a rearward looking view from within my ship.

Various quotes from Sandro (lead designer) -

"Rear camera: We're still looking at ways of doing different cockpit views."

--

"To implement some sort of rear view screen we need to think very carefully about where it will live in terms of cockpit placement and interface integration."

To which Tacheel says "Does the rear view/extended visibility actually need to be a moved cockpit with more glass? e.g. a rear view camera could be presented somewhere easy to read in the hud."

"Hello Commander Tacheel!

No, a rear view does not need to be physically represented, it could be some sort of cockpit interface. Unfortunately, doing this way is still a significant challenge!

But don't worry, we are definitely looking at it. "

--

 

[Sieges]

Long story short. An external view is looking likely (but not definite). Exact details are unknown but most likely will be some form of external drone providing an external view of your ship.

So for the moment, basically.... watch this space

Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Mark0]

Webcam on stations will also be interesting, IMHO.
See this thread: How about "webcams" on stations?

 

[Macowsky]

I really hope that external view by something like a drone will be possible eventually.
Would love to make some nice screens of my ship with an asteroid field behind it or something. Then the skins will also have more of a purpose .

 

[Boff'in]

One solution is a flight recorder, that allows you to record, and playback the previous "local" surroundings, and from their you can set up your own camera for external viewings etc etc.

other than that. No external real-time feeds,
unless from

Drones for real-time footage, sensor probes
or cameras attached to the hull of the ship.

Gimble mounted camera and special sensor equipment suit.

 

[Valkyrie]

Hello Folk!

To add a little developer clarification:

We are looking at external camera views, with the following caveats:

* They are contextualised as camera/drone systems
* They are not designed to be used as alternate flight views
* Their primary function is to allow "beauty shots"
* They may have occasional tertiary game play functions (such as seeing how close you are to something)

No ETA at the moment though.

Hope this helps.

Thank you very much for this clarification

 

[Valkyrie]

One solution is a flight recorder, that allows you to record, and playback the previous "local" surroundings, and from their you can set up your own camera for external viewings etc etc.

other than that. No external real-time feeds,
unless from

Drones for real-time footage, sensor probes
or cameras attached to the hull of the ship.

Gimble mounted camera and special sensor equipment suit.

Surveillance missions!

 

[Sieges]

We work hard for these ships and need to be able to appreciate and enjoy their design and beauty. I bought the Sidewinder Blue Sonoran paint job and right now it is really for everyone else's benefit. The only place I can enjoy it is inside the hangar.

 

[Rog]

Hello Folk!

To add a little developer clarification:

We are looking at external camera views, with the following caveats:

* They are contextualised as camera/drone systems
* They are not designed to be used as alternate flight views
* Their primary function is to allow "beauty shots"
* They may have occasional tertiary game play functions (such as seeing how close you are to something)

No ETA at the moment though.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Sandro - it's all many of us wanted.

Would like to say though, it'd be nice if it was a 'nano' drone thing that didn't take up an equipment slot. Could also explain any limited functionality.

 

[Sieges]

Hello Folk!

To add a little developer clarification:

We are looking at external camera views, with the following caveats:

* They are contextualised as camera/drone systems
* They are not designed to be used as alternate flight views
* Their primary function is to allow "beauty shots"
* They may have occasional tertiary game play functions (such as seeing how close you are to something)

No ETA at the moment though.

Hope this helps.

Woohoo!! Thank you for the clarification I agree with Rog and hope it doesn't have to take up an equipment slots.

 

[iroker]

Yes, the drones idea (like X:Rebirth) is nice and not usable for combat purposes.

 

[CaptainSodom]

Hello Folk!

To add a little developer clarification:

We are looking at external camera views, with the following caveats:

* They are contextualised as camera/drone systems
* They are not designed to be used as alternate flight views
* Their primary function is to allow "beauty shots"
* They may have occasional tertiary game play functions (such as seeing how close you are to something)

No ETA at the moment though.

Hope this helps.

Thank you, exactly what I've been hoping for!

 

[Nomadski]

Hello Folk!

To add a little developer clarification:

We are looking at external camera views, with the following caveats:

* They are contextualised as camera/drone systems
* They are not designed to be used as alternate flight views
* Their primary function is to allow "beauty shots"
* They may have occasional tertiary game play functions (such as seeing how close you are to something)

No ETA at the moment though.

Hope this helps.

That is perfect Sandro. Will also add immersion in piloting the camera, I wonder if these will be purchasable with ingame credits - I wouldn't mind if it was, would add to the feeling that my pilot is buying a little vanity item for himself.

I hope the UI of the drone would be switchable though, for those beauty shots.

Thinking about it, could there be some gameplay element added to these drones?

* Looking for damaged components where our system fails to tell us something specific is wrong?

* Carrying out basic repairs to ships we capture in the future expansions?

This kind of thing?

 

[Mephane]

Hello Folk!

To add a little developer clarification:

We are looking at external camera views, with the following caveats:

* They are contextualised as camera/drone systems
* They are not designed to be used as alternate flight views
* Their primary function is to allow "beauty shots"
* They may have occasional tertiary game play functions (such as seeing how close you are to something)

No ETA at the moment though.

Hope this helps.

Perfect.