MATERIAL TRADERS FILTER in Galaxy map IS COMPLETE USELESS

[Aashenfox]

I reported on this feature's complete dysfunctional status back in 3.0 Beta 1. I couldn't even see the three traders that were hand placed by FDEV for testing purposes even though I knew where all three of them were.

Of course, nothing was done, and the same messed up system made it all the way through Beta and into the release. Amazingly, it continues to exist in the identical state in 3.03.

I guess FDEV wants everyone to use INARA instead.

If only it were usable.

 

[Ralph Vargr]

If you value convenience you've got Inara, FDEV don't seem to have any issues with external sites probably due to the belief the internet will still be around in 3303. I found mat traders of every flavor near my home system without bothering to check Inara so it's no biggie for me.

As to being something that has to be addressed, why bother when Inara already provides it.

Why sell new cars with tires and mufflers, when they can go to Car X?

 

[Ralph Vargr]

I suspect the 40ly radius is more to do with network performance than anything else. There's no other logical reason for such an arbitrary limit.

What I don't understand how there are "manufactured" commodities that you cannot buy, but can only be obtained as mission rewards. Currently mission rewards are broken (since 3.0.3), so most of these items necessary for Tech Broker unlocks and Engineering are unobtainable. Even USS hunting is preferable to hours of board-flipping to find a mission with the "right" reward.

I've said for some time that space missions should be triggered by pinned blueprints and offer the required materials and commodities as rewards. That at least would be logical and operate easily within the game's existing framework.

But, that would not contribute to your personal narrative/journey.

 

[Toxic]

The worst thing about this is, while i like the addition of Mat traders and tech brokers, we still have to use outside resources and 3rd party apps.

It would be nice to play the game without a laptop open.

Mat traders are the worse for finding - I tried filtering by economy type and went to a refinery / extraction system only to find the mat trader was for data , not raw materials. At that point I gave up and used Inara.

Same for not having mat traders in engineer systems. If you have not pinned the blueprints or written it down you end up back at Inara reading what the mat requirements are.

 

[Mengy]

that can't be true.

im currently more then 40Ly away from "Shinrarta Dezhra".
even if i highlight that system, focus on it, and have my cursor there - it neither will show me any of the material traders, nor tech brokers in or around that system, that i already have visited

and there should be 15 tech brokers alone in a 40ly radius around SD...

That’s strange, it works that way for me. Just a few days ago I was out around Maia yet I could find mat traders around Shinrarta by moving my galaxy map selector over to that area. It’s always worked like this for me since 3.0.

Are you on PC or a console? I’m wondering if the search area performs differently for different platforms?

 

[Ralph Vargr]

The worst thing about this is, while i like the addition of Mat traders and tech brokers, we still have to use outside resources and 3rd party apps.

It would be nice to play the game without a laptop open.

Mat traders are the worse for finding - I tried filtering by economy type and went to a refinery / extraction system only to find the mat trader was for data , not raw materials. At that point I gave up and used Inara.

Same for not having mat traders in engineer systems. If you have not pinned the blueprints or written it down you end up back at Inara reading what the mat requirements are.

I have a tablet, for just such reasons.

Agree, the 40LY range is just super bizzaro.

Fits in with everything else, then.

 

[Stigbob]

Are you actually serious?

Someone makes a thread saying it's not easy to find the material brokers and it should be. You vehemently argue they are wrong, and cite that Inara has the information they need. When I prove that Inara only has ambiguous information, you say "that should be enough for you"...?

Welcome to my blocklist. I have far more important things in my life to deal with than forumites like you. lol. Have a lovely day! Now who is actually laughing at someone else?

You've confused "accurate" with "has all the detail I demand right now to facilitate grinding until burnout".

Lol, forum combat logging always makes me laugh.

 

[Bunkerkind Anni]

That’s strange, it works that way for me. Just a few days ago I was out around Maia yet I could find mat traders around Shinrarta by moving my galaxy map selector over to that area. It’s always worked like this for me since 3.0.

Are you on PC or a console? I’m wondering if the search area performs differently for different platforms?

PC only

 

[Stigbob]

So screw VR, one monitor and console users is what you're saying, yea?

Realistically people already on the VR bandwagon should expect to experience teething and compatibility problems with their shiny new thing, they are after all paying to test tech that will benefit everyone about a decade from now when it's better cheaper and more reliable/user friendly. Right now it's like a 1980's mobile phone you wear on your head.

The newer ones (I believe) already have a flip up screen which would allow you to operate a pencil and paper or even Inara. Tech evolution in action.

That’s true to an extent, but the fact that so many of us feel the need to utilise external resources highlights the shortcomings of those provided by the game itself. As I suggested, for those of us playing in VR it’s much more disruptive to have to resort to such things.

My main criticism is the lack of flexible, multiple condition filters on the Galaxy map. This is quite easily rectified by providing AND filters in addition to OR. Hardly an immersion breaking suggestion. As for the Mat Traders, they’re too widespread to make finding one feel like a meaningful achievement, so their absence from the Galaxy map just feels like an unnecessary irritation to me (and an illogical one at that).

It's possible the gal-map is already stretching what it can actually do (billions of stars after all), adding an integrated mini-Inara might push it past breaking point. The gal-map is already far far better than it was.

Thank you very much mate, you've just won me a beer bet. I knew you weren't going to answer any of the direct questions posed in the post you were replying to. ☺

He got personal straight away, why on earth would I consider what he wanted ?.

Cheers.

 

[Deleted member 38366]

How the "Services" Filter should work IMHO :

- no Range limitation
- no limitation "has visited"
- Filter automatically removes clutter (Systems having no Trader or uninhabited, which currently can easily clutter & hide an existing dot)
- Filter automatically highlights (visually emphasized) all Traders, so they remain visible even when somewhat zoomed further out
- Filter permits toggling all different types on/off (working like existing Filters, i.e. Allegiance, Economy or Faction State)

Anything else is just inconsistent with existing Filters, thus makes no sense other than causing completely unneeded complications and frustration.
After all, these Traders aren't secret. They provide a public service (at rip-off conditions - but it's a service nonetheless) and there's virtually no sane reason to hide them.

 

[B1rdy]

You've confused "accurate" with "has all the detail I demand right now to facilitate grinding until burnout".

Having all the details isn't ideal either, but how do you play the game with the information available in-game? How much fun is searching for ships, modules, brokers and traders? Do you feel it is challenging and rewarding?

 

[Bunkerkind Anni]

How the "Services" Filter should work IMHO :

- no Range limitation
- no limitation "has visited"
- Filter automatically removes clutter (Systems having no Trader or uninhabited, which currently can easily clutter & hide an existing dot)
- Filter automatically highlights (visually emphasized) all Traders, so they remain visible even when somewhat zoomed further out
- Filter permits toggling all different types on/off (working like existing Filters, i.e. Allegiance, Economy or Faction State)

Anything else is just inconsistent with existing Filters, thus makes no sense other than causing completely unneeded complications and frustration.
After all, these Traders aren't secret. They provide a public service (at rip-off conditions - but it's a service nonetheless) and there's virtually no sane reason to hide them.

right
there is no point in having different colored dots, when we cant activate them all at the same time.
also, a dot with a broker should have at least twice the size then one with nothing...

 

[Stigbob]

Having all the details isn't ideal either, but how do you play the game with the information available in-game? How much fun is searching for ships, modules, brokers and traders? Do you feel it is challenging and rewarding?

I'll happily use Inara for anything I specifically want.

However I don't grind so I very rarely want anything specific, and if I do it can wait. I just pootle about taking missions I like the look of (or want mats/data from), flying builds I think are fun and I have a pad and pencil with some interesting/useful/fun stuff written on it along with a list of mats I'm collecting and the upgrade they relate to. Any location that I think is worth copying to a new page gets an in game bookmark.

 

[galahad2069]

It's possible the gal-map is already stretching what it can actually do (billions of stars after all), adding an integrated mini-Inara might push it past breaking point. The gal-map is already far far better than it was.

You cannot seriously think that the galaxy map (which is indeed better now than it used to be), which has absolutely no problem displaying any system colored according to its star class (allegiance, security, economy, etc.) would crush under the weight of the problem of coloring them based on the presence of a material trader?

He got personal straight away, why on earth would I consider what he wanted?

I think he made his point perfectly clear multiple times, using convincing arguments. I myself share his opinion BTW.
I get that you don't.

But I don't really care if you two have some troubled forum history. I'm just genuinely curious about your reasoning, too.
Why exactly do you think that it would be bad for the game if the galaxy map could show material traders without any restrictions?

 

[Stigbob]

You cannot seriously think that the galaxy map (which is indeed better now than it used to be), which has absolutely no problem displaying any system colored according to its star class (allegiance, security, economy, etc.) would crush under the weight of the problem of coloring them based on the presence of a material trader?

No and I didn't say that, you just made it up. I said it could break if mini-Inara was added.

I think he made his point perfectly clear multiple times, using convincing arguments. I myself share his opinion BTW.
I get that you don't.

But I don't really care if you two have some troubled forum history. I'm just genuinely curious about your reasoning, too.
Why exactly do you think that it would be bad for the game if the galaxy map could show material traders without any restrictions?

No history that I'm aware of, he tried to be thread bouncer due to my blasphemous lack of complaining and I found him funny. Then after repeatedly saying he was done, yet coming back he claimed to have put me on ignore (he probably hasn't the people who say that never do).

I've already explained my stance more than once, you should know that since you've been reading the posts you are currently talking about.

 

[dognosh]

Though INARA is the best thing since sliced bread, it has a bug regarding Raw Mats trader, it doesn't work!!!

So can someone enlighten me what I am doing wrong,here is an example :
Go to https://inara.cz/galaxy-nearest/25/367/ and put Shinrarta Dezhra and press SEARCH.
Now I know that the dealer at FONG(Stupid forum keeps removing the 2nd part of the system name,in reverse it is GNAW) does RAW Mats,but on INARA it is showing up as Manufactured.

Is this a bug or am I doing it wrong ?

 

[rhiz]

Realistically people already on the VR bandwagon should expect to experience teething and compatibility problems with their shiny new thing, they are after all paying to test tech that will benefit everyone about a decade from now when it's better cheaper and more reliable/user friendly. Right now it's like a 1980's mobile phone you wear on your head.

The newer ones (I believe) already have a flip up screen which would allow you to operate a pencil and paper or even Inara. Tech evolution in action.

I’m afraid that you’re straining the limits of credibility here my friend. “I’ve settled into the cul-de-sac of my stated opinion, and I’m staying here!”

It's possible the gal-map is already stretching what it can actually do (billions of stars after all), adding an integrated mini-Inara might push it past breaking point. The gal-map is already far far better than it was.

It’s possible I suppose, but I doubt it. The data wouldn’t be recalled simultaneously and if it were that demanding, the Inara website itself would face the same issue. Even if it required the creation a new section where users could access a more comprehensive database, select a system that meets the desired conditions and then pass that back to the Galaxy map, this would be preferable to having to launch the browser every ten minutes. Keep it optional by all means, just for those who feel the need to defend their right to potter around aimlessly.

 

[galahad2069]

No and I didn't say that, you just made it up. I said it could break if mini-Inara was added.

Oh, but nobody seems to have been suggesting a mini-Inara here, you just made it up. None of the suggestions in this thread (including "show all mat traders without restrictions" and even "a more flexible system") could possibly be computationally demanding or unheard-of in other games, or anything like that.

I've already explained my stance more than once.

Yeah I get that you like to do it with a pencil and a piece of paper, and of course I recognize your right to do it your way, I just failed to find a detailed reasoning behind that, as to why should such a stone age method be the norm in a game about spaceships in the distant future.

 

[Stigbob]

I’m afraid that you’re straining the limits of credibility here my friend. “I’ve settled into the cul-de-sac of my stated opinion, and I’m staying here!”

I'm serious. In a decade people will laugh at how expensive bulky and user unfriendly VR currently is, and photo's of the current gen of headsets will be for comedy meme's only. Watch videodrome for an example of this process in reverse.

It’s possible I suppose, but I doubt it. The data wouldn’t be recalled simultaneously and if it were that demanding, the Inara website itself would face the same issue. Even if it required the creation a new section where users could access a more comprehensive database, select a system that meets the desired conditions and then pass that back to the Galaxy map, this would be preferable to having to launch the browser every ten minutes. Keep it optional by all means, just for those who feel the need to defend their right to potter around aimlessly.

It's like the mission arrow in Skyrim some can't stand it some can't cope without it.

I think you are asking a lot, for a minor unimportant tweak that already has an alternative available. And you are asking it at ED's busiest time thanks to the huge free patch plus hotfixes (3.04 out now). Perspective, it's just not a genuine issue.

 

[Stigbob]

Oh, but nobody seems to have been suggesting a mini-Inara here, you just made it up. None of the suggestions in this thread (including "show all mat traders without restrictions" and even "a more flexible system") could possibly be computationally demanding or unheard-of in other games, or anything like that.

I did, I suggested mini-Inara and that it could break the gal-map. That's how this conversation started you are just contradicting yourself now.

Yeah I get that you like to do it with a pencil and a piece of paper, and of course I recognize your right to do it your way, I just failed to find a detailed reasoning behind that, as to why should such a stone age method be the norm in a game about spaceships in the distant future.

Nobody said it's the norm, you made that up. I said I use it, and I'm happy to admit I'm one of the few who isn't constantly experiencing butt-pain from the grind so maybe my way is better.

As to being stone age tech, they are EMP and power loss proof and have the NASA seal of approval. You can also improvise one easily with very basic things. Some inventions are eternal.