Give pilot more boost control

[Purafire]

I have to say that the control and flight characteristics of the different ships in ED is fantastic. I really applaud the devs/design team on this. It is one of the big reasons that keeps me hooked on the game. I love the implementation of flight assist on/off! It allows for the pilot to choose and very the flight modes both for skill level and situations. I love that the pilot has options and it is put in the pilots hands to make use of as they best see fit. However, there is one thing about the control scheme that mars the flight experience for me.

The only current control we have over the boost function currently is the timing of when we activate it. It consumes a set amount of ENG capacitor and last for a fixed duration. This has its drawbacks and, IMHO, takes control away from the pilot.

What if boost was changed to a push and hold button press, or better yet, add it as an option in the control mapping? Let it use capacitor as long as you are holding the boost button down?

To balance the new flexibility that it would add in combat(using short burst of boost to aid maneuverability) possibly have it consume a slightly larger amount of capacitor on activation and then drain a lower rate as it is held on. This way several short burst would drain your capacitor energy very quickly, or a long boost would give you more duration overall.

TL;DR : Thoughts about changing boost from a set duration to active as long (or as short) as you hold the button down.

 

[sohara]

TL;DR : Thoughts about changing boost from a set duration to active as long (or as short) as you hold the button down.

Ooooh, I like this suggestion a lot!

Thinking about it, I would take it a step further and enable directional boosting - currently, boost assumes that you want to boost forward. Granted, the main engines are back there and would provide the biggest boost overall, but you do get enough of a positive effect from the manouvering thrusters to warrant the ability to boost laterally/backwards.

It would lead to some interesting landing manouvers - fly hell-for-leather through the slot, followed by an eye-popping full reverse + boost dead stop

 

[Alex Brentnall]

It would certainly stop those brown pants moments in the station when you aim for the landing gear key

 

[Purafire]

It would certainly stop those brown pants moments in the station when you aim for the landing gear key

That is one of the drawbacks that was on my mind when I was writing that.

 

[Brownshortz]

Great idea....can't see why anyone would object to this mechanic. And as you said making it optional would be the way to go. Make it happen ED.

 

[Valethar]

It would certainly stop those brown pants moments in the station when you aim for the landing gear key

I dunno.. I'd be willing to bet a good bottle of your favorite poison that within 5 minutes of that update someone will have posted a thread about how they ended up back in a Sidewinder because they accidentally boosted into a station wall, had no insurance, and want their ship replaced.

 

[Severian]

I like this idea.

I also like this idea being tied to a module, possibly Power Distro.

Better quality, more control.

 

[UOcUKAkira]

I thought the boost boosted the thrusters anyway? I know in my Viper I would boost while pulling up and the screen would fade red and alarms go off because of the G-load. Wouldn't do that if I just boosted straight. Anyway, I like the hold-to-boost idea. Better than the all/nothing way it is now.

 

[nighthawk71]

This is definitely a great idea! The current system makes flying the Cobra Mark III a pain. 3 times I've been put into a bad situation cause of the boost (crashed into an asteroid cause of the Cobra Mark III's remarkable tendency to drift at high speeds, tried boosting towards the station to cut my approach short, but almost crashed into the station too hard, and last but not least, I almost crashed into a System Authority Vessel head-on cause it was attempting to scan my ship).

 

[Steve72]

Normally I would read this type of post and think why people cannot not play this game and accept it like it is. Rather than id like the game to do this.

But hats off to you. Sounds like a great idea and not sure why its not this way already After all our lasers fire as long as the trigger is held and there is power in the capacitor so why not hold boost for the desired effect.

 

[Oveja-Negra]

I like this idea a lot too, and it would feel like the original elite as well.....wow I had forgotten about that feature.
+1 rep to you.

 

[avow555]

Great idea, would love to see this.

 

[DrakeAurum]

I thought the boost boosted the thrusters anyway? I know in my Viper I would boost while pulling up and the screen would fade red and alarms go off because of the G-load. Wouldn't do that if I just boosted straight. Anyway, I like the hold-to-boost idea. Better than the all/nothing way it is now.

Boost gives you improved thruster maneuverability during the initial acceleration, but during the 'cooldown' period as you drop from boosted speed down to normal cruising speed your ship is at its least maneuverable.

I like the basic idea, but for most ships this won't give you more than a second or two of extra boost time before you drain the capacitors, depending on pips.

 

[DirkLarien]

this should have been here from the start.
People were against current model even in beta.
But for some reason nobody cared.
Current afterburner/boost implementation is just arcadish..... (for some that may be good thing, for me it isn't.)

 

[barneby]

Ooooh, I like this suggestion a lot!

Thinking about it, I would take it a step further and enable directional boosting - currently, boost assumes that you want to boost forward. Granted, the main engines are back there and would provide the biggest boost overall, but you do get enough of a positive effect from the manouvering thrusters to warrant the ability to boost laterally/backwards.

It would lead to some interesting landing manouvers - fly hell-for-leather through the slot, followed by an eye-popping full reverse + boost dead stop

that would stress the systems BIG times... you wouldnt get through this without heavy dmg if your not blown to bits right away^^

 

[DrakeAurum]

that would stress the systems BIG times... you wouldnt get through this without heavy dmg if your not blown to bits right away^^

Yep. Try not to break the ship.

[video=youtube;_zSpueUqvcs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zSpueUqvcs[/video]

 

[Deleted member 38366]

--- Deleted ---

 

[lysan]

Afterburner cells, what about having afterburner cells that can be ejected when they are used. They will work as the cooling cells and eject after we used them. They take up space and you need to attach them to a weapon slot. This way we can keep the current mechanics and just add a new feature. The activation should be more like a slow burn until you release the button or when the cell is used, thereafter it will eject automatically.