In-game Ability to Find Modules and Ships

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Most people (including me) have become fairly reliant on external tools to find ships and modules (and commodities).
So I don't know if this idea will go down well or not.
Personally, constantly picking up my phone (I don't alt tab) to use EDDB.io to find a module is a bit annoying, but it's either that, or guess and fly around all the high tech systems (or gain access to founders world. Lol).

So my solution is basically, when in the shipyard, or outfitting, display every single module (bar PowerPlay) and ship in the game.

When selecting a module or ship that is sold at the current station, everything works as normal.
However, if you select a module or ship that is not sold at the current station, instead of the "buy" option appearing, you get a "check local stock" option.
Now I assume this would mean querying the FD servers to find it, so it'll probably be like the mission board with a short wait while it loads. (Or doesn't. Lol)
Once it's loaded, it'll tell you to the nearest so places within 20~ly or so to buy the ship or module.
You then simply select it, with the option "open in galaxy map" to plot a route.

The information will tell you the station, system, and distance in LY (and distance in Ls to the port?).

Done!

Thoughts?

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead

 

[kingbankai]

Completely agree. But I would throw it in contacts and label it Market Tracking. And I believe that we should have a remote modules store. Pay the transfer price + the module.

Also I believe that Naval/Fleet personnel ships should have the re-buy reduced (First 2 deaths %100 covered, then the next 3 %98, then normal %95) along with a parts coverage bonus based on rank. Why join and rank up when you end up paying for everything yourself.

 

[DocLooshkin]

Once it's loaded, it'll tell you to the nearest so places within 20~ly or so to buy the ship or module.

Hmm... that's not a bad thought at all. I think FD isn't going to want to just throw us the answer, though. Even though the no-FTL-comms rule is beyond dead and buried and into realms more normally occupied by extinct species listed by the epoch, the suggestion looks a bit too easy in gameplay terms.

Possibly, they might be more inclined to go for it if ED doesn't say where the desired goods are available, only the fact that it is (or not, as the case may be), within that 20-LY volume. We'd still be hunting, but with a "warmer... colder..." kind of clue to make it a little less frustrating.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Hmm... that's not a bad thought at all. I think FD isn't going to want to just throw us the answer, though. Even though the no-FTL-comms rule is beyond dead and buried and into realms more normally occupied by extinct species listed by the epoch, the suggestion looks a bit too easy in gameplay terms.

Possibly, they might be more inclined to go for it if ED doesn't say where the desired goods are available, only the fact that it is (or not, as the case may be), within that 20-LY volume. We'd still be hunting, but with a "warmer... colder..." kind of clue to make it a little less frustrating.

What if, instead of the 20ly bubble, it is made infinite range, but will only display information from other stations that faction owns (with 100% accuracy), or has presence (accuracy based on influence?)...?

It could then be expanded to PowerPlay. You can use your powers affiliation to find ships, and modules easier within the entire powers bubble, which would be a nice bonus to joining. Requires Rank 2 or higher, so you can't join and quit each time you're looking for a ship/module.

I love your feedback by the way, Doc, it always helps me refine my ideas further.

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead

 

[coca_fr]

What about an option to let you order the modules / ships with an added cost for transfer and a margin.

It could work 20LY in surrounding area for example.

 

[DocLooshkin]

What if, instead of the 20ly bubble, it is made infinite range, but will only display information from other stations that faction owns (with 100% accuracy), or has presence (accuracy based on influence?)...?

It could then be expanded to PowerPlay. You can use your powers affiliation to find ships, and modules easier within the entire powers bubble, which would be a nice bonus to joining. Requires Rank 2 or higher, so you can't join and quit each time you're looking for a ship/module.

It's definitely an idea, albeit one that might sit best as part of a larger revision of local factions. Given how incredibly miserly the 34th century is with information, I would suggest that you would need to be at least Friendly with the locals. How it might dance best with PP is something I leave to those who have more knowledge of the topic.

I love your feedback by the way, Doc, it always helps me refine my ideas further.

Why, thank you, sir! I aim to please, as they say - and I'm most gratified to think I succeed, at least some of the time.

What about an option to let you order the modules / ships with an added cost for transfer and a margin.

It could work 20LY in surrounding area for example.

Hello, Coca.

That's a very good - and with hindsight, disturbingly obvious - idea. I wish I'd thought of it, given how incredibly nail-on-the-head it is. Have some rep, old horse!

If implemented with a similar time-delay as ship transfers, it would unarguably be more consistent with what we have now. As with the main suggestion, however, it might be deemed a bit too easy for FD's liking, even with a maximum distance. Perhaps it might be limited to certain stations, as with the Interstellar Factors remote payment broker.

 

[Captain Willard]

So systems modules , commodities and what not change at anytime, a database that watched the entire bubble and beyond to keep track and you could have instant knowledge would slow the game to a standstill. And just no to buy and sell from anywhere for your convenience.

 

[DocLooshkin]

[...] would slow the game to a standstill.

Hello, Captain Willard.

Forgive me, but I've read numerous comparable claims in this forum over the last few years: either something can't be done, or it would wreck the game completely, or it would slow ED to a dead stop.

The most recent was the assertion by some that giving a destination's distance from it's parent star in mission briefings would cripple the servers. The feature was implemented in the 2.4 beta, with no sign of any such issues - and we should shortly have it in the main game.

It's not the first time the forum's been flat-out wrong about such things, either. I hope I've learned not to trust any such similar claims.

As far as I can see, the only considerations worth caring about are whether it's a good idea and if it's worth the perceivable effort of it's development. FD are the only people who know what's actually impossible in practise - and I suspect it isn't much.


[Edited for clarity]