Based on user poll results from this thread: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=99871; it seems that most are in agreement that the AFMU is currently useless and a kick in the face for those who want to go deep space exploring. The thread contents are below, and I was suggested to make a topic about it here.
Anyone whos' ventured a distance away from inhabited space for sake of exploration has made mistakes. Be it slamming into a planet while trying to get that last second of scanning in, crisping up near a neutron star, encounter first hand what'd it be like to be in a BBQ while refueling at a star, those mistakes cost hull integrity, thruster strength, etc. A module that is available to us explorers is the auto field maintenance unit or AFMU for short. It's wonderful for repairing things such as the the ever important cargo rack and power distributor, but it's useless for repairing the ship's hull, thrusters, and scanner; everything an avid explorer needs in the field.
I'm 2,000 light years away from the core, it's my first trip. I was doing fine at 98% hull until I flew while tired, a big mistake. In my everlasting wisdom, I decided to try refueling at a T Tauri star. Before long I fell out of SC and began overheating. 178% heat and dropping, I deploy a heat sink and get out of there. My hull is now at 23%. I'm so close to the galactic core, but I feel I should hightail it back to the nearest dock, 22,982 LY away as fast as possible. Another mistake will cost me 700 systems of data loss. Going back means my trip will not reach its destination.
If the AFMU I carry could actually be useful and repair critical components, I could use it and continue on with a calm mind.
As it stands, they are useless. You can repair all the other modules but once that hull/thrusters reaches 0%, it's all over.
Would a fully functional AFMU be overpowered? Would it make exploration too easy?
Personally I believe that they should be able to FULLY repair the ship, but have severely limited "ammo".
For example, an A2 AFMU should cover a mistake, around 20% hull/etc, while an A6 (millions of CR) should be able to fully repair the ship two or three times.
What are your thoughts?
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TL;DR by Nutter, no one can explain it better and it's the most accurate description of the exploration mechanic I've ever seen.
1. Yes, the AFMU should repair critical systems such as the hull and the thrusters.
2. It should not be able to be used in combat, we have shield cells for such matters. (See 3-4)
3. It should take a while to repair the critical modules.
4. To repair modules, hardpoints should be retracted to prevent combat usage.
5. An idea pitched by CMDR Anikaiful was that you should be able to mine "ammo" for the AFMU, making long distance deep space explorations not something limited by how long you can avoid hull damage.
Furthermore, exploration as a whole could use some upgrades.
1. A Sell All button.
2. "Discovered by" tag.
3. Increased profits, I make more trading in a Type 7 than I do actually selling my exploration data.
4. More incentives, missions, etc.
5. Better visuals of astronomical objects, such as pulsars and black holes.
6. Better statistics of objects discovered (eg. Black Holes: 13, Neutron Stars: 5).
7. Route tracer, perhaps exportable to external applications. See your grand tour in a 3D representation.
8. Better route planning that doesn't take minutes to load.
9. Easy way to acquire system coordinates.
10. More exploratory ships, perhaps some limited to advanced explorer ranks such as Ranger.
11. An AFMU that actually repairs the important things.
12. An object scanner loading bar, such as the KWS.
13. Level 2 and 3 detailed scans.
Anyone whos' ventured a distance away from inhabited space for sake of exploration has made mistakes. Be it slamming into a planet while trying to get that last second of scanning in, crisping up near a neutron star, encounter first hand what'd it be like to be in a BBQ while refueling at a star, those mistakes cost hull integrity, thruster strength, etc. A module that is available to us explorers is the auto field maintenance unit or AFMU for short. It's wonderful for repairing things such as the the ever important cargo rack and power distributor, but it's useless for repairing the ship's hull, thrusters, and scanner; everything an avid explorer needs in the field.
I'm 2,000 light years away from the core, it's my first trip. I was doing fine at 98% hull until I flew while tired, a big mistake. In my everlasting wisdom, I decided to try refueling at a T Tauri star. Before long I fell out of SC and began overheating. 178% heat and dropping, I deploy a heat sink and get out of there. My hull is now at 23%. I'm so close to the galactic core, but I feel I should hightail it back to the nearest dock, 22,982 LY away as fast as possible. Another mistake will cost me 700 systems of data loss. Going back means my trip will not reach its destination.
If the AFMU I carry could actually be useful and repair critical components, I could use it and continue on with a calm mind.
As it stands, they are useless. You can repair all the other modules but once that hull/thrusters reaches 0%, it's all over.
Would a fully functional AFMU be overpowered? Would it make exploration too easy?
Personally I believe that they should be able to FULLY repair the ship, but have severely limited "ammo".
For example, an A2 AFMU should cover a mistake, around 20% hull/etc, while an A6 (millions of CR) should be able to fully repair the ship two or three times.
What are your thoughts?
----------------
TL;DR by Nutter, no one can explain it better and it's the most accurate description of the exploration mechanic I've ever seen.
----------------
1. Yes, the AFMU should repair critical systems such as the hull and the thrusters.
2. It should not be able to be used in combat, we have shield cells for such matters. (See 3-4)
3. It should take a while to repair the critical modules.
4. To repair modules, hardpoints should be retracted to prevent combat usage.
5. An idea pitched by CMDR Anikaiful was that you should be able to mine "ammo" for the AFMU, making long distance deep space explorations not something limited by how long you can avoid hull damage.
Furthermore, exploration as a whole could use some upgrades.
1. A Sell All button.
2. "Discovered by" tag.
3. Increased profits, I make more trading in a Type 7 than I do actually selling my exploration data.
4. More incentives, missions, etc.
5. Better visuals of astronomical objects, such as pulsars and black holes.
6. Better statistics of objects discovered (eg. Black Holes: 13, Neutron Stars: 5).
7. Route tracer, perhaps exportable to external applications. See your grand tour in a 3D representation.
8. Better route planning that doesn't take minutes to load.
9. Easy way to acquire system coordinates.
10. More exploratory ships, perhaps some limited to advanced explorer ranks such as Ranger.
11. An AFMU that actually repairs the important things.
12. An object scanner loading bar, such as the KWS.
13. Level 2 and 3 detailed scans.
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