That would be the Discovery Scanner.
FSS vs. ADS – and Alternative or Additional Options for Compelling Gameplay
- Thread starter WR3ND
- Start date
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Out of curiosity, what do you think the 'DS' in 'ADS' stands for?
I kind of like the FSS - but I would very much like it if you didn't need to drop your throttle to zero to use it. This would allow for proper multicrew functionality - one guy flys the ship, another is detecting planets/sources etc.
It'd also be cool if you could overlay it onto your in ship HUD - this would require a pretty big re-design and I see the problems with it, but it would be nice. Same with the probes (and this would require way less of a re-design to do)
I'd like it if the probes worked a bit differently:
For instance - you fire a probe, it maps 25% of the planet - That area is now mapped, and shows any POI's on it. You can then just leave the rest unmapped, and go find those POI's if you want.
I'd also personally like it if t wasn't infinite ammo, but synthesising new ammo was a very very simple recipe - I know, this seems kind of pointless, and you could just pretend if it bothers you, it's just a very minor immersion thing for me.
It'd also be cool if you could overlay it onto your in ship HUD - this would require a pretty big re-design and I see the problems with it, but it would be nice. Same with the probes (and this would require way less of a re-design to do)
I'd like it if the probes worked a bit differently:
For instance - you fire a probe, it maps 25% of the planet - That area is now mapped, and shows any POI's on it. You can then just leave the rest unmapped, and go find those POI's if you want.
I'd also personally like it if t wasn't infinite ammo, but synthesising new ammo was a very very simple recipe - I know, this seems kind of pointless, and you could just pretend if it bothers you, it's just a very minor immersion thing for me.
It's bugged.
It used to populate the Sys Map in unexplored systems, but it's been broken since 3.3.
It wouldn't stop me. It would just make the game worse for me. There are a number of things which I find wrong with the game and which do not make sense, which effect the level of immersion into the game, which is needed for every game you play. Everytime you get an in-game logic fail it effects that a bit more. Galactic wide telepresence is one, which is easy to ignore. Knowing that the things I want to discover myself have already been discovered helps kill that gameplay and the immersion in the game world. It's not just about the mechanics.
What makes it compelling is finding it, seeing the system slowly laid out as I use the FSS, but as that would have already been done, that would have gone.
The mechanics are not what makes it compelling.
It's not bugged. It was deliberately removed.
Agreed. I would prefer that too. I would also like to see the signatures in analysis mode after a honk without having to enter the FSS.
Some people just don't cope well with change.
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It's a patchwork. Not integrated with the rest, and out of place. Specially in VR.
Honk should have stayed. Surface scan was bad and it still is. I dont understand why you need to be knee deep in the well and loose all momentum to launch probes.
Zoom layers is satisfying because I always liked wide shots of planets. Too bad you cant rotate them like in the system map. I know it doesnt make sense to be able to rotate them, but it's a totally unused feature of the system map, so it could have found its place here. Zoom and planets icons should have been added to supercruise with analysis mode.
Having planet poles and meridians displayed in analysis is useful to fly to a set of coordinates, but POIs are directly mapped now so it's a bit late.
Anyway, FSS is broken and glitches all over the place, and I'm back to the bubble. I dont plan on exploring soon.
Honk should have stayed. Surface scan was bad and it still is. I dont understand why you need to be knee deep in the well and loose all momentum to launch probes.
Zoom layers is satisfying because I always liked wide shots of planets. Too bad you cant rotate them like in the system map. I know it doesnt make sense to be able to rotate them, but it's a totally unused feature of the system map, so it could have found its place here. Zoom and planets icons should have been added to supercruise with analysis mode.
Having planet poles and meridians displayed in analysis is useful to fly to a set of coordinates, but POIs are directly mapped now so it's a bit late.
Anyway, FSS is broken and glitches all over the place, and I'm back to the bubble. I dont plan on exploring soon.
Honks still there.
The throttle thing is to keep you in probe range and stop you overtaking them, you keep moving all the time just more slowly. I scanned a pair of small moons in very close orbit by passing in between them in probe mode whilst launching probes at one then the other. Probe overtaking is really obvious when you throttle down but your speed hasn't dropped to match as you launch the first few.
Also disproves the "GAH ITS 2D" moan.
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OK, whether it's broken or not is a matter of opinion.
If this advice had been taken, the FSS would not exist.
I've argued that the ADS should have remained unchanged at the very least. Then you could decide quickly if the system is worth some effort.
My suggested mechanics are :
1. ADS to determine picture of system. You can see what types of planets exist. This saves time trying to explore 10 identical mud balls of no real interest.
2. You may use the FSS to scan the planets further, or you could fly to them and scan them when you get closer.
3. The missile system for surface probe could be replaced by flying an orbit of the planet with an appropriate scanner installed.
4. The above orbital scan, should provide a number of search areas which you could, for a few bonus, search with your SRV. The geyser, fumeral or crashed ship etc. would still require the SRV to locate precisely. This would reduce SRV driving being little more than a sideshow.
This I think would be more engaging.
Allowing you to avoid the dross and concentrate on the good stuff.
Oh yes, and loose the duel HUD mode! What an utter mess that is.
Also, why do you have to be in SC for FSS & surface probes?
Cheers
The FSS has stopped me. It has made the game worse for me. There are a number of things which I find wrong with the game and which do not make sense, which affect the level of enjoyment of the game, which is needed for every game you play. Everytime you get an in-game enjoyment fail it effects that a lot more. Stopping your ship to pan a camera to find already detected objects is one, which is impossible to ignore. Knowing that the things I want to explore that have already been partly discovered are hidden behind a banal pan and zoom mechanism kills that gameplay and the enjoyment in the game world. It's just about the mechanics.
What makes exploring the galaxy compelling is discovering it, seeing the layout of the system laid out and choosing to use the FSS or not to discover more, but as that has not been done, my compelling exploration gameplay has gone.
The FSS mechanics are not compelling.
You want it to function and be designed completely differently from the ground up, that ships already sailed. Better to adapt to the game as it is. Realistic expectations.
Lucky its all optional really.
Good luck exploring undiscovered systems without using the FSS - give it a try and then come back and tell me it's optional.
I like exploring undiscovered systems with the FSS why on earth would I choose not to use it ?.
You wouldn't. Others would like the choice.
You have the choice. Your stance is like saying bounty hunting is broken because you refuse to launch from the station, scan targets, deploy weapons or pull the trigger.