Improved collector limpets

[Calendra]

At the moment, the collector limpet system its very annoying and it only frustrate people instead of improving the game play. Also, in a time with so much technology its silly to not have a good system to collect things from space (tractor beams anyone?)

So my suggestion is to make limpets to never expire, and the possibility to be called back in cargo hold after use. Its like the fighter system, but without using any npc or player to control it.

You can still loose a limpet by any kind of damage( hit by ship, rocks, enemy/friendly fire etc.)

The price for a limpet could be increased, and the life of a limpet could be replaced with speed of the limpet (on differences between modules)
The other type of limpets could be changed in same way.

 

[Lestat]

I think it fine the way it is. If the Limpets never expire. The problem would be is how many Limpets would you bring while mining or combat.

 

[Daynen]

Limpets suck. Period. They should never have been cargo in the first place. They're suicidal, idiotic, heavy as hell and require absurd amounts of extra menu acrobatics to manage. Limpet controllers should include their own rebuildable limpets, which are factored into the class and size and thus become a much better reason to pick one precise controller over another. Fighter bays already use PRECISELY this system, so why don't limpets use the same method? All the space limpet controllers take up should still reasonably leave room for a small rebuilding bay and little clamps for the limpets themselves. Limpets don't NEED to expire, though they should obviously remain destructible by other means. If a limpet pops, your controller can only rebuild so many before you have to resupply it. It would be simple, elegant, practical and above all NOT NEARLY AS CUMBERSOME AS THE CURRENT SYSTEM. Adjust the costs of controllers to account for this improved functionality or HELL! MAKE IT AN ENGINEERING BLUEPRINT IF YOU MUST! Absolutely NO ONE would miss the current limpet system if limpet restocking equated to "press restock, done."

 

[Calendra]

I think it fine the way it is. If the Limpets never expire. The problem would be is how many Limpets would you bring while mining or combat.

It's not fine at it is, right now if you go mining you need to get full cargo with limpets because they expire, and you need to jettison some limpets, then take them back, then jettison again at some point etc. I don't see any joy in doing this, just because. Its a way to frustrate people and make things "harder" with no specific reason.
If limpets never expire you still need to take with you more than one because they get destroyed by flaws in pathfinding the way behind some asteroids etc.
Same thing in combat, you need to take more because they get destroyed, but not full cargo with limpets.
So it will be a matter of planning how many limpets you will bring, but without getting full cargo and get frustrated because they expire (with no specific reason)
Also can be easy to take only the desired cargo or take them in a specific order if you select the target and the limpet will not expire after that.
And this change could be made without too much effort (no need to rethink all the way limpets can behave)

 

[Stabby_Dave]

Depending on the ship you're using for mining, you don't need full cargo limpets. You don't need to prospect every rock. I use a Python and never take more than 50. Never run out yet, but if I did, I'd synthesise more.

 

[Lestat]

It's not fine at it is, right now if you go mining you need to get full cargo with limpets because they expire, and you need to jettison some limpets, then take them back, then jettison again at some point etc. I don't see any joy in doing this, just because. Its a way to frustrate people and make things "harder" with no specific reason.
If limpets never expire you still need to take with you more than one because they get destroyed by flaws in pathfinding the way behind some asteroids etc.
Same thing in combat, you need to take more because they get destroyed, but not full cargo with limpets.
So it will be a matter of planning how many limpets you will bring, but without getting full cargo and get frustrated because they expire (with no specific reason)
Also can be easy to take only the desired cargo or take them in a specific order if you select the target and the limpet will not expire after that.
And this change could be made without too much effort (no need to rethink all the way limpets can behave)

What I would like to ask what are you mining and what your mining ship setup. If you are complaining that you are Brining too many Limpets. Why not take 3/4 of Limpets or 1/2 Limpets? This issue would not be an issue.

 

[Helvellyn]

What gameplay does expiring limpets provide?

Cargo management and what you devote your cargo space to.

As for mining I've sometimes ended up having to dump limpets.

I suppose I wouldn't mind being able to order them to return when still active, or pick them up for refuelling if expired (but not destroyed). What I'd mostly like them to do is not fly into rocks trying to get at fragments that have clipped inside an asteroid.

 

[nanite2000]

Cargo management and what you devote your cargo space to.

How would non-expiring limpets change that? Especially considering you can synthesise limpets on the go using basic materials?

As for mining I've sometimes ended up having to dump limpets.

How would non-expiring limpets change that?

What I'd mostly like them to do is not fly into rocks trying to get at fragments that have clipped inside an asteroid.

That is an issue already explicitly called out by the OP as being out of scope for this topic.

 

[Helvellyn]

How would non-expiring limpets change that? Especially considering you can synthesise limpets on the go using basic materials?

How would non-expiring limpets change that?

That is an issue already explicitly called out by the OP as being out of scope for this topic.

Doesn't really change it much, the point is that I don't see why expiring limits are something to get fussed about. But in general I'd prefer resource management to be improved rather than ditched. Finite lifespan but recollectable and reusable (but you may prefer to just take a hold-full rather than bothering to pick them up) may work fine.

The last point was more a grumble about a bug (surely fragments should end up inside a rock?)

 

[Velixar]

I would rather Frontier work bugs of a Limpet than Infinite life Limpet. If they did add Infinit The one issue I would see is having to put them up every time you are done collecting mats while in combat. If they are out NPC and Players should be able to destroy them.

 

[nanite2000]

If they did add Infinit The one issue I would see is having to put them up every time you are done collecting mats while in combat.

You wouldn't have to pick them up.

If they are out NPC and Players should be able to destroy them.

Why? You can't do that now, and would render limpet gameplay useless.

Do players and NPC's really wait for limpets to expire before doing something now?

 

[Velixar]

You wouldn't have to pick them up.

Why? You can't do that now, and would render limpet gameplay useless.

Do players and NPC's really wait for limpets to expire before doing something now?

I think there should be a reason to pick them up. If it going to be infinite run time. Because see not needing synthesize Limpets anymore. So we have a feature you want and a feature that not needed. That why combat should come into play. Maybe make it attract NPC and they destroy them. Otherwise Infinite Limpet is a bad idea and the current Limpets is fine.

 

[nanite2000]

I think there should be a reason to pick them up. If it going to be infinite run time. Because see not needing synthesize Limpets anymore. So we have a feature you want and a feature that not needed. That why combat should come into play. Maybe make it attract NPC and they destroy them. Otherwise Infinite Limpet is a bad idea and the current Limpets is fine.

I'm sorry, I don't think I understand what you're saying.

You say there should be a reason to pick them up - wouldn't the fact that you can be reason enough? Also, saving cargo space and saving materials.
You say we wouldn't need to synthesize limpets any more - why? Limpets can still be destroyed by running into asteroids, or discarded after one-time use (prospector limpets, collector limpets that have a specific target, etc...).
If NPC's and other players could destroy limpets, no one would use limpets. They're fine being indestructible right now, and they would still be fine to remain indestructible even without a time limit.

The point the OP is making is that giving limpets an arbitrary time limit doesn't contribute to gameplay or strategy other than simply forcing you to carry more limpets than you need. The fact that you can synthesise limpets now makes the time limit even more pointless.

Think about it another way - how would removing limpet time-limits negatively impact your game? Please provide a specific example.

 

[Captain Willard]

The limpets are a fine addition, I see no reason to waste dev time on tractor beams.
I'm sure they thought about it and said NO for various and sundry reasons.
Go back to scooping only while mining.

 

[Calendra]

What I would like to ask what are you mining and what your mining ship setup. If you are complaining that you are Brining too many Limpets. Why not take 3/4 of Limpets or 1/2 Limpets? This issue would not be an issue.

I never said the expiring limpets are game breaking, and it's impossible to mine or anything like that. The reason i suggested for never expired limpets its only to improve gameplay. Right now, the fact that limpets expire doesn't make things interesting or make game better, it only bring frustration especially for begginers. I used a Cobra to mine void opals at some point, and was't too fun to end by scoping manually the fragments just because my limpets expired. Off course you can use bigger ship, better setup etc, but not when you start the game.

The limpets are a fine addition, I see no reason to waste dev time on tractor beams.
I'm sure they thought about it and said NO for various and sundry reasons.
Go back to scooping only while mining.

The example with tractor beams was only to point out there are easier ways to take cargo from space in sci fi games/movies that could fit in a time with so much technology. I never suggested to remove limpets, only to improve the gameplay by removing the expiring time. Maybe next time try to read the post before answer? thanks

 

[Lestat]

I never said the expiring limpets are game breaking, and it's impossible to mine or anything like that. The reason i suggested for never expired limpets its only to improve gameplay. Right now, the fact that limpets expire doesn't make things interesting or make game better, it only bring frustration especially for begginers. I used a Cobra to mine void opals at some point, and was't too fun to end by scoping manually the fragments just because my limpets expired. Off course you can use bigger ship, better setup etc, but not when you start the game.

How many Limpets are you running at the same time also how long did your limpet last? I rebooted one of my Accounts. I started on a sidewinder and did combat and went to a Cobra but at the end of the day, I had Elite Trader in a python.

My Cobra Build Before the last update was One Collector and One prospector. 32 Cargo. Which netted me over 52 Million each run of Void Opal. The only change On the new Build would be 2 collectors. Knowing which Astroid to locate.

The old Trade setup. With Mining lasers. Running on a large ship 8 to 10 Limpets was the idea of the old. Today is less is more.

 

[Bigmaec]

I'd love the idea of tractor beams because
1) I like ships with "infinite" endurance in the field
2) limpets are mind-boggling stupid
3) you always need a cargo rack (so two modules)
4) you always need limpets in said cargo rack

 

[Lestat]

I'd love the idea of tractor beams because
1) I like ships with "infinite" endurance in the field
2) limpets are mind-boggling stupid
3) you always need a cargo rack (so two modules)
4) you always need limpets in said cargo rack

LOL you should have tried the game when it first came out. The only valuable ships were small or medium ships for mining. Us old folks would say. We had no stinking Collectors or Limpets. We had to collect it by scooping them up. It was hard. It did get easier. But the ship size and location of the hatch made it harder.

 

[Daynen]

Seriously. Use the way fighter bays work and apply it to limpets. Limited number based on module size, destructible but no timer, included with the module, finite rebuilds before needing restock. No more cargo meddling, no more "advanced maintenance" for supplying, immeasurable reduction in headaches. simple, elegant, intuitive and fluid. People would love it and complaints about limpets would nearly vanish overnight.

 

[davinator791]

What I find annoying about limpets is that they self-destruct after they bring back something that you selected (mostly by mistake while looking at Contacts) or that when you launch them they just hit the ship and die even though was moving straight.
Also, I'm surprised limpets are not more general purpose, instead of having separate collector/prospector/repair/fuel since they are "programmable". At least, would be useful if repair limpets would also allow fuel delivery, as there's lots of distress call that need one or the other and feel sorry for the poor NPCs that I didn't bring the right controller for them