Let's see what we have:
Shields:
I could simply switch modules or ships, but it breaks the gameplay flow and that's a pretty bad thing. It's just annoying and doesn't add anything to the game. When I encounter someone who needs help I'd rather help him than jumping 150ly to my stored modules. This design actually stops me from engaging with the design, which is probably the worst thing you can do.
Now I don't want to take choice away because it can indeed be beneficial to the game. But it should only exist where it makes sense! Some modules could simply be standard ship functionality as long as they aren't required for the various professions.
Another (but related problem) is defensive module stacking. It's simply nuts. You can increase hull resistance by 2000% just by stacking HRPs. And then you can go on and engineer them even more. Imagine the same would be possible with shields, everyone would say that's just crazy but we accept the current situation because that's how it is and we are used to it. Now I understand that not everyone sees it as an issue. As a pure PvE/Solo player or as a pure PvPer it might not be a problem or even beneficial. But as someone who tries to engage in the different activities of the game while playing in Open it's simply unbalanced (and that happens to be the original design philosophy of the game).
Proposals / Potential solutions:
So the first thing that needs to be done is to limit reinforcement modules to one per ship, which just makes sense because it gets rid of the problem and is in line with the implementation of shields.
Next I would merge all limpet controllers into one module that controls all limpets context sensitive. If I target cargo it collects cargo, if I target the cargo hatch it breaks the cargo hatch and if I target the fuel tank it refuels the ship. We just have one limpet type anyway and even the smallest controller already weights 2 tons (what kind of controller is that and why is it limited to just one operation?!).
Docking Computer and SC assist should simply be part of our core ship functionality. These things exist today and I see no reason why they shouldn't be implemented in our ships. There is no flight assist module either. This would allow me to read Galnet or the Codex during those boring SC transitions. Just let us disable them in the right hand panel. There should also be benefits doing it manually, it should always be the fastest / most efficient way to handle your ship but I guess that's already the case.
I don't have any hard feelings on this one but there could even be a 1 person passenger cabin and a 2 tons cargo rack in every ship. I don't really care about it but to me it just makes sense that there is a bed and a storage room, even the smallest ships are quite big after all and even a Porsche has a trunk. The same is true for a basic fuel scoop (which could be upgraded similar to the core modules) but I don't want to see the fuel rats vanishing from the game, so that's probably a no-go.
In my opinion this would dramatically reduce the limitations of the current design while still allowing choice and ship specialisation.
Shields:
- Shield Generator
- Bi-Weave Shield Generator
- Prismatic Shield Generator
- Shield Cell Bank
- Hull Reinforcement Package
- Module Reinforcement Package
- Meta Alloy Hull Reinforcement Package
- Guardian Shield Reinforcement Package
- Guardian Hull Reinforcement Package
- Guardian Module Reinforcement Package
- Standard Docking Computer
- Advanced Docking Computer
- Supercruise Assist
- Cargo Rack
- Corrosion Resistant Cargo Rack
- Economy Class Passenger Cabin
- Business Class Passenger Cabin
- First Class Passenger Cabin
- Fighter Hangar
- Planetary Vehicle Hangar
- Collector Limpet Controller
- Fuel Transfer Limpet Controller
- Hatch Breaker Limpet Controller
- Prospector Limpet Controller
- Repair Limpet Controller
- Recon Limpet Controller
- Decontamination Limpet Controller
- Research Limpet Controller
- Detailed Surface Scanner
- Automated Field-Maintenance Unit
- Refinery
- FSD Interdictor
- Fuel Tank
- Fuel Scoop
- Guardian Frame Shift Drive Booster
I could simply switch modules or ships, but it breaks the gameplay flow and that's a pretty bad thing. It's just annoying and doesn't add anything to the game. When I encounter someone who needs help I'd rather help him than jumping 150ly to my stored modules. This design actually stops me from engaging with the design, which is probably the worst thing you can do.
Now I don't want to take choice away because it can indeed be beneficial to the game. But it should only exist where it makes sense! Some modules could simply be standard ship functionality as long as they aren't required for the various professions.
Another (but related problem) is defensive module stacking. It's simply nuts. You can increase hull resistance by 2000% just by stacking HRPs. And then you can go on and engineer them even more. Imagine the same would be possible with shields, everyone would say that's just crazy but we accept the current situation because that's how it is and we are used to it. Now I understand that not everyone sees it as an issue. As a pure PvE/Solo player or as a pure PvPer it might not be a problem or even beneficial. But as someone who tries to engage in the different activities of the game while playing in Open it's simply unbalanced (and that happens to be the original design philosophy of the game).
Proposals / Potential solutions:
So the first thing that needs to be done is to limit reinforcement modules to one per ship, which just makes sense because it gets rid of the problem and is in line with the implementation of shields.
Next I would merge all limpet controllers into one module that controls all limpets context sensitive. If I target cargo it collects cargo, if I target the cargo hatch it breaks the cargo hatch and if I target the fuel tank it refuels the ship. We just have one limpet type anyway and even the smallest controller already weights 2 tons (what kind of controller is that and why is it limited to just one operation?!).
Docking Computer and SC assist should simply be part of our core ship functionality. These things exist today and I see no reason why they shouldn't be implemented in our ships. There is no flight assist module either. This would allow me to read Galnet or the Codex during those boring SC transitions. Just let us disable them in the right hand panel. There should also be benefits doing it manually, it should always be the fastest / most efficient way to handle your ship but I guess that's already the case.
I don't have any hard feelings on this one but there could even be a 1 person passenger cabin and a 2 tons cargo rack in every ship. I don't really care about it but to me it just makes sense that there is a bed and a storage room, even the smallest ships are quite big after all and even a Porsche has a trunk. The same is true for a basic fuel scoop (which could be upgraded similar to the core modules) but I don't want to see the fuel rats vanishing from the game, so that's probably a no-go.
In my opinion this would dramatically reduce the limitations of the current design while still allowing choice and ship specialisation.
Last edited:
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