I just don't get it - baffled and on the verge of uninstall - Yes I said it!

[Nutter]

Wait a sec Nutter, are you just going to ignore Max Factor's post on the exciting quotes from Sandro?? My group is made up of explorers who were thrilled to see that exploration is getting some love. I know it's hard to be hopeful after so many years of neglect, but Frontier has finally pledged to address core game play this next "season" and have suggested that a focus point of that love will be on Exploration. That's pretty exciting imo, and I am cautiously optimistic

I'm not trashing Sandro's thoughts, or FD's thoughts, what I am saying is that if nothing gets delivered to exploring customers then that 50% of their ongoing revenue out the window. Without revenue it does not take a genius to understand where the future lies.

 

[CMDR Ellegon]

In fairness to the OP, I do know what he's talking about re the GalMap. A lot of the stars became unclickable overnight when 2.1 or 2.2 came out, I can't remember which. I have to do a lot more map rotation and bookmarking to select stars by clicking on them since then.

However, I've noticed that the interior of my Conda has got a lot more detailed again since 2.3 - much less 'cheap plastic' look. So hopefully the devs are listening re the visuals.

As for the rest of the OP's 'facts' (are they alternative facts?), as others have said, a lot of this stuff has been mooted as QoL improvements, and I guess we just have to be patient.

I am experiencing the same thing with the GalMap and it is quite annoying. However, I would say it started somewhere in 2.3.x.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Hi Nutter,

I remember when you posted here about exploration. You were out in the black long before I was. You were one of a select group of guys who inspired me to try for myself. Back then, exploration wasn't boring, but it became that way because exploration has been stagnant for years. And yes, it most definitely was ignored for updates for a long time. I bet you flew many hours to get to the point you are now, the end of your patience. As I have.

But I do feel FDev is beginning to be aware of the issue (Finally! Bless them ) The proof of course is in the pudding: Season/Part 3. 2.4 won't bring any major changes. Shelve the game until more becomes known on 3. As Ziljan remarked, Sandro has posted some encouraging sentiments, which we will judge coming part 3.

 

[Nutter]

Can you give some examples of the gal map degradation? It's been about 3 months since I've used it. I also think you might have rose tinted glasses when it comes to the gal map 3 years ago, I remember single jump plotting/no bookmarks/no station plotting and a whole bunch of weird bugs.

I have to admit I am slightly worried about properly getting back into ED, had planned a big exploration trip, all these complaints seem like the trip will be awful. Hopefully the issues are just typical forum over exaggeration combined with player burn out.

Back in the good olde days you could hover your mouse over a system at pretty much any distance and it would highlight and be selectable, now it's tricky to select a system when fully zoomed in! - The plotting tools are a separate issue, i'm referring to the map in general, not the tools, but don't start me on the bookmark management! - sorry I mean lack of

 

[Nutter]

Pretty sure there will be improvements in 2.4 as well, like the salvage stuff that was shown at lavecon.

What the pip has that got to do with exploring? Sorry Max but i'm talking about stuff being delivered and fixed. I'm just as excited about the thoughts and good intentions but if none of that becomes reality then.. pfft

 

[EvE4evah]

Can I has your stuffs?

 

[JesusRocks1988]

Hi Nutter,

I remember when you posted here about exploration. You were out in the black long before I was. You were one of a select group of guys who inspired me to try for myself. Back then, exploration wasn't boring, but it became that way because exploration has been stagnant for years. And yes, it most definitely was ignored for updates for a long time. I bet you flew many hours to get to the point you are now, the end of your patience. As I have.

But I do feel FDev is beginning to be aware of the issue (Finally! Bless them ) The proof of course is in the pudding: Season/Part 3. 2.4 won't bring any major changes. Shelve the game until more becomes known on 3. As Ziljan remarked, Sandro has posted some encouraging sentiments, which we will judge coming part 3.

I'll add to this that Sandro's "sentiments" generally tend to be more than that, despite wanting to appear as if he's just musing, his "sentiments" and "musings" and "idle thoughts" about a karma system appear to be something that FD are actually actively working on for the next update cycle. We're hearing more and more talk from Sandro about the Karma system, almost as if it's not just musing or idle thoughts, but something that's actually coming into the game soon.

Sandro's idle musings on Exploration, therefore, can be taken as evidence that FD is actively working on improving it. We'll have to see what that will look like, but something is definitely happening with it.

 

[EvE4evah]

PS. (nooooo Nutter!! I love you!!! )

 

[Turbosnowy]

I read the OP and all I saw was a massive whine without any view of what the OP was actually whining about - this may be a symptom of 'being too close to the problem' i.e. 'I'm so incensed I have to tell people how incensed I am' whilst forgetting to actually say what the problem was in the first place - I notice there is an edit with some vague stuff about exploration sucking which at least gives me a clue now so that's better at least.

Basically from what I can interpret from the OP's heartfelt post of vague angst, I can likely agree - Exploration needs some love and has done since the beginning - some people are happy honking and scanning and getting their names tagged on things noone else actually cares about, however for most of that same 'some people' it wears off after a while as you start to see everything beige, the same and nothing new or exotic... ever. There are no alien ruined ships or unique things to discover out there in the black that we dont know about already (ok some more thargoid bases/motherships perhaps since they recently added them), or at least if there are we have no way to find them as our ships planetary scanners are as effective as me shining a torch out the window. Perhaps Frontier included lots of easter eggs (I remember Mr.B saying that players hadn't found various things yet a while back), however it seems Frontier either point people in the right direction, outright tell people or what have you as we the player base have no reasonable way to find anything on our own. Epic Fail. There's a few fan made videos of people imagining what it would be like to have a ship computer inform you of a signal or anomally to investigate - how nice would that be?

So for years we get more space blobs, with fewer interesting features as time passes because 'realism' and nothing to find unless you blow a gasket at finding an Earth like somewhere, and even that wears off eventually... Make exploration fun - give the explo-nerds something to get nerdy about with more data to collect and compare (probes etc - plenty of great ideas about here already), different types of scans, and a ship computer that alerts you to interesting phenomena so you can go take a peak, whether that be volcanism, brain trees or edible singing psy-frogs - lets make exploration fun - you already did the hard part in making the milky way - please don't eff up the easy bit in terms of making it actually interesting.

 

[Ralph Vargr]

Back in the old days, I used to watch my screen, in the dark, tracing out all my possible jump destinations.

Now, you can see maybe fifty light-years.

Now, my "F" and "R" keys are wearing out, because the GalMap won't let you select even your bookmarks and ships.

Find the target, drag the map circle over, hit F/R over and under the target, drag the map, change the angle view, center the map on the target, use F/R to get closer....

Can I has your stuffs?

You can not have his First Discovered's.

 

[Kathryn Kando]

Not to judge what you say, but I always feel a bit uncomfortable when personal opinions are stated as being FACTS in bold letters these days...
Also I wouldn't be afraid of "big investors" dictating the game development into directions you don't like. Look at FDs shareholders and relax a bit. I am all for more love for explorers but I think you are exaggerating as FD has stated to focus on core gameplay improvement after 2.4 already.

Now I understand you have to get the Thargoids out the door (2.4) so i'm not expecting any love in 2.4.

This and your avatar makes me remind you: There is always love for Elite (and this includes explorers):

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/346049-I-love-Elite?p=5416451#post5416451

 

[Nutter]

Hi Nutter,

I remember when you posted here about exploration. You were out in the black long before I was. You were one of a select group of guys who inspired me to try for myself. Back then, exploration wasn't boring, but it became that way because exploration has been stagnant for years. And yes, it most definitely was ignored for updates for a long time. I bet you flew many hours to get to the point you are now, the end of your patience. As I have.

But I do feel FDev is beginning to be aware of the issue (Finally! Bless them ) The proof of course is in the pudding: Season/Part 3. 2.4 won't bring any major changes. Shelve the game until more becomes known on 3. As Ziljan remarked, Sandro has posted some encouraging sentiments, which we will judge coming part 3.

Yep, pretty much what you said, I've not played for a while now, I've been waiting for the beige bug to be fixed which also affects the terrain detail and extremes which took a massive nerf. I remember finding massive craters 25km deep... I thought.. holy poop this is awesome, I've truly found something here... now it just flattened and beige of course! - Distant worlds was truly amazing and such variation was an incentive to carry on... But now it's so nerfed you know that there is no chance of finding anything crazy as... well it's been nerfed. Even moons clipping through rings was nerfed. There is nothing out there anymore.... #sad

 

[Dsign]

OP missed the comments from FDev that 'post-2.4' will focus on updating/fixing/improving the core gameplay (FACT)

That will be beyond 2.4, not in the up itself.

And I agree with OP, even though I'm not an original backer... I was there in the early game, and I feel the downslide ED is going through.
I do feel however that Fdev noticed it, now I'm just waiting for the "beyond" they speak about.
Soon™

 

[Nutter]

Not to judge what you say, but I always feel a bit uncomfortable when personal opinions are stated as being FACTS in bold letters these days...

I agree, it winds me up too, my post was for the old school backers (Alpha) and I apologise for not thinking of the newer customers by dragging nearly three years of evidence to the OP - that said I did edit and give a few links to the facts.

 

[Winterwalker]

Here is the link to the poll on playstyle and added to the op for people that shout when someone walks over their bridge https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/324892-What-Profession-are-you

Hate to say this but 222, out of a poll of 468, does not constitute the vast majority, even of those polled (Not even a small majority).

I ONLY point this out - ( and I'm sorry, this seems to be driving you to distraction OP ) - because the nature of exploration is that you can only discover something, once. For this reason, good content for explorers is extremely asset heavy and, though it may suck, and though everyone loves explorers and the milky way galaxy I think it's a mistake in the long term, to kick up too much of a stink in the short. Slightly chicken and egg .. do you want improved ways to explore the same content, or the same old ways to discover new content? Can you have both come concurrently? Maybe .. but it's twice the job.

If you add Scientist/ Puzzle/ Mystery Solving to Exploration (in that occupations poll) then you do get your majority. But slated for 2.4 is the ultimate puzzlebook really, Thargs. For peace of mind OP, I'd really urge you to engage with content that IS being provided in some way. You might find it's more fun than you thought, even if you hate aliens but .. long haul .. berating what the game lacks is not in the best interests of the game .. really is, better to light that candle, than curse the dark so take it away, Rog ...

Spoiler

[video=youtube;0li4MxJGDQE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0li4MxJGDQE[/video]

 

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

There's an awful lot of exploring that ISN'T the surface HMC and MR planets.

 

[Nutter]

Hate to say this but 222, out of a poll of 468, does not constitute the vast majority, even of those polled (Not even a small majority).

I ONLY point this out - ( and I'm sorry, this seems to be driving you to distraction OP ) - because the nature of exploration is that you can only discover something, once. For this reason, good content for explorers is extremely asset heavy and, though it may suck, and though everyone loves explorers and the milky way galaxy I think it's a mistake in the long term, to kick up too much of a stink in the short. Slightly chicken and egg .. do you want improved ways to explore the same content, or the same old ways to discover new content? Can you have both come concurrently? Maybe .. but it's twice the job.

If you add Scientist/ Puzzle/ Mystery Solving to Exploration (in that occupations poll) then you do get your majority. But slated for 2.4 is the ultimate puzzlebook really, Thargs. For peace of mind OP, I'd really urge you to engage with content that IS being provided in some way. You might find it's more fun than you thought, even if you hate aliens but .. long haul .. berating what the game lacks is not in the best interests of the game .. really is, better to light that candle, than curse the dark so take it away, Rog ...

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0li4MxJGDQE

I did link the poll and if you look at the coloured bars... the long one is Exploration... My beef is not what exploration lacks.. thats a whole 'nother thread... no no no... it's about what it lost!

 

[Kathryn Kando]

I agree, it winds me up too, my post was for the old school backers (Alpha) and I apologise for not thinking of the newer customers by dragging nearly three years of evidence to the OP - that said I did edit and give a few links to the facts.

As a Beta backer I apologise for my incompetent opinion.

 

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

As a Beta backer I apologise for my incompetent opinion.

Noob

 

[Nutter]

As a Beta backer I apologise for my incompetent opinion.

Your opinion is always valid and NEVER let anyone tell you different!

Noob

Um... Harsh