There a lot of things in life we don't enjoy doing but if you want to get from A-B we have to, so if you want to travel in ED you have to use the hyperjump system or else play some other less taxing game. These are the mechanics of the universe, travel and scale are prime amongst them. So NO, people like ED for the realism and challenge it provides, dumbing down for those that can't be bothered will not be accepted by the majority as has previously been seen. Keep pressing the J and you'll be fine it's the only way you are going to be travelling anywhere, maybe in future when space legs arrives there will be more things to occupy a Cmdr while he travels but the scale of the Galaxy is paramount and nothing should be left impinge on that.
Navigation Computer needed ?
- Thread starter Hanz Sorensen
- Start date
There a lot of things in life we don't enjoy doing but if you want to get from A-B we have to, so if you want to travel in ED you have to use the hyperjump system or else play some other less taxing game. These are the mechanics of the universe, travel and scale are prime amongst them. So NO, people like ED for the realism and challenge it provides, dumbing down for those that can't be bothered will not be accepted by the majority as has previously been seen. Keep pressing the J and you'll be fine it's the only way you are going to be travelling anywhere, maybe in future when space legs arrives there will be more things to occupy a Cmdr while he travels but the scale of the Galaxy is paramount and nothing should be left impinge on that.
hmmm guys, I am on board for autopilot and I don't mean to add fuel to fire but for the "pressing 'J' 30 times in succession" argument to hold water, and for the autopilot to be effective, shouldn't it be able to auto-scoop as well? My Asp Explorer can do 32LY per jump but since I only have a 32T fuel tank, I can only do perhaps 5-6 jumps before I need to refuel (post upcoming 2.2). If the autopilot's reason to exist is to help with exploration, don't explorers have and advantage when their ships are lighter (longer jumps)? Therefore, since the fuel tank is one of the things they tend to skimp over first (because with a big fuel scoop you don't really need a big fuel tank) wouldn't they find themselves using an autopilot that frequently disconnects due to low fuel? Maybe ships bigger than the Asp Exp wouldn't have this problem, dunno because I haven't flown one yet (soon).
In short, you object to autopilots because you like the grind and staring at loading screens, simply because you want to endure and suffer. Jumping from system to system is such a dumb task that I've managed to get my cat to do it (with the aid of a laser pointer), twice. It is not a task that requires intellect. It is also not realistic and it is not the mechanics of the universe since the previous elites had navigation computers.
The only reason to object to a navigation computer is purely one of masochism and self delusion.
You admit to finding jumping from system to system mentally and physically challenging but I do not and I doubt most players don't either. Challenging? Figuring out what's a good place to trade. Winning a fight with an equal opponent. Not challenging? Tasks that can be entirely automated with a couple lines of code or performed by house pets.
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The navigation computer of elite 2 and first encounters did not so an ED navigation computer would not need to; simply shuts off if it can't make the next jump, ship gets attacked, or player pressed the F7 key.
So you want to pick a star 30 or 40 jumps away, point and click then go away and flute around the house or run to the shop and come back and you're there. You might as well do something else entirely or maybe just become a full time passenger and go first class in a Beluga and let some other Cmdr chauffeur you around because flying your own ship is too much hassle. Yeah, cry me a river.
I'm sorry that this topic is too complicated for you to understand, it's been pointed out many, many times in this thread that this wouldn't happen.
Autopilot is Autopilot or do you only want it for 2 or 3 jumps, do you have a clue what you want or are you just waffling.
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Correct. It's unfortunate that you are getting so emotional about this, just because you keep getting confused and frightened by things that were in the previous Elite games. I'll remind you that this issue does not concern you in any way so there's no reason to throw one of your tantrums. Just stare at a wall for a few hours to calm down, ok?
You are joking right, confused and frightening, thats right. Forget the crap a second, from what you and others have said this is the gist of it.
You hate looking at the hyper jump screen and wish to bypass same by designating a system be it 10,30,100,1000 or more lys away and let the autopilot execute the flight w/o human input. Correct me if I`m wrong.
I think in this case autopilot would gain a huge number of followers. It's only a matter of time before we get it, everything else would be silly.
Sorry but the nay's got no argument at all.
So you are in agreement with the OP that the autopilot would take over and fly the whole route you just plotted w/o human input.
There's nothing "instant" about the the idea presented by this thread. Did you just read the thread title and respond to that?
Autopilot would be a welcome Qol.
Yeah, defintely only a matter of time before some form of complex automation appears in game, hopefully it will be more of an in depth flight management system (I won't hold my breath) . Frankly a lack of A/P is one of the things that has annoyed me the most about ED, it just feels completely wrong that these ships are not even capable of the kind of automated navigation available in the 1950's.
I love hand flying these ships, flight assist is a basic autopilot. What I would like to see is a more indepth system, similar to an FMGS coupled to an autopilot, the system would still need managing, pre-planning and have a learning curve. If done correctly, an autopilot and guidance system would add a great deal of depth to these ships.
I read recent comments about people complaining about having to press J 30 times and having to look at the hyper jump screen over and over etc. AI control of jumping is autopilot for route travel. Flying your ship is part of the game and people are constantly crying about long SC times and having to jump X amount of times and its repetitive. I am against autopilot for the purpose of avoiding same.
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![BigBANGtheory [VR]](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/71/71385.jpg?1644873788){kind=avatar}
You are wrong.
You would plot the route using the galaxy map (and omg the OP route planner that insta-route plots for you)
Engage the autopilot / Nav computer which would steer you towards your destination star and engage the FSD drive.
You then arrive at the destination, autopilot slows you down, traverses or points to the next system on route and engages the FSD again with plenty of clearance around the star.
This continues until you run low on fuel, you choose to disengage the autopilot or something unexpected happens like an interdiction. At which point you have to take manual control/correction or risk destruction.
Simple as that, no OP flight mechanics or insta-gratification you simply chillout as the pilot and choose to watch the scenes go by maybe go into 3rd person cam view or focus your attention elsewhere like planning what you intend to do when you arrive, doing some learning on the game, reading the forums or something completely different the choice is yours to make because the risk is yours.
So if you run low on fuel or something happens along the way, yeah you do need to take back manual control. Its not about h8 on the jump screen either its about being tied to the menial task of basic flight AFTER you've done it 500+ times manually yourself. So you are wrong, so very very wrong. You seem to have concocted this awful scenario whereby an autopilot is somehow robbing pilots of gameplay and its the complete opposite it's an aid a QoL improvement that is all.
This isnt decreasing the scale of the galaxy in anyway. Also the travel mechanics in the game are pretty mind numbing as it is. This wouldn't be dumbing anything down, i dont think thats even possible. There's no trick or skill needed other than point your ship and push "j"
I hope you drive and old school stick shift car with no power anything. Roll those windows down manually, power windows are dumbing it down too much.
Practically all forms of modern day transportation have automated systems in them to either make them safer or less tedious for the operato.
Boats of all sizes can and do have a form of heading hold or even autopilot, even modern sailboats have it.
Planes of all sizes also have an various levels of autopilot control available. Some of the first autopilot systems were developed back in the 1950's. Modern day autopilot systems can even land themselves. The pilots are there to monitor and take control when something unexpected happens
Cars have had cruise control for quite awhile now. Modern versions can maintain distance from cars in front of you and even stay in lanes. Fully automated cars are on the horizon and even in that case drivers have to pay attention and intervene in case something happens.
Trains, alot of modern trains have automated systems that monitor and control speed and slow the train down if necessary. Many modern subway systems don't even have operator's on them, they just do their thing through an automated system.
Even todays spacecraft have some form of autopilot system.
https://books.google.com/books?id=k...nepage&q=do spacecraft have autopilot&f=false
But in a fictional game set 1300yrs in the future where faster than light travel is possible we are stuck with the equivalent navigation controls of a ford model t car or ancient sailboat. Consider my "immersion"broken then.
Also did you just use the excuse of "sometimes in life we have to do things we don't like" as a reason why ED can't have an autopilot feature? Now I've heard everything.
In my previous post I took this into consideration and did not say it was instant but that the motivation was similar. I gave the example of plotting your route and letting the autopilot take over and follow same w/o human intervention, so as I suggested you could flute around the house or run to the shop. This could be done for any length of trip, the only caveat you put is interdiction or low fuel where the player would have to intervene. Yes I am still not in favour of same as you described or I previously understood and outlined. This is more for less effort and hassle, yeah just sit back and watch it unfold like a youtube vid.
You are the pilot of your ship and that mechanic is fundamental to the game. If you want to travel to the core or Jacques it should require effort and some commitment otherwise its meaningless. If you think that it's boring then just shrink the Galaxy altogether and be done with it and get rid of the pretence.
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No, only the star jumps, and maybe a hold course function if you are on a 20.000 Ls trip in a system. When I traveled in my airplane I also used a AP, simply because long travels are better used for something else, like studying maps, checking the news and so on.
[video=youtube;2BvpgRNYGvg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BvpgRNYGvg&feature=share[/video]
It's not a lot of effort to get to far places.... thats kinda the point... its tedious, insanely repetitive, and boring. The effort level is more in the maintaining interest in getting there.
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For the record i was against instant ship transfers and voted as such. But i am completely for some kind of Navigation Computer. I'm willing to bet that if the concept of a navigation computer / autopilot was to be put up for a vote that it would be more one sided than even the ship transfer vote was.
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Yeah tell me any long journey that isn't like that in real life, you will have periods as you described but you have to put up with it to get to your destination. ED should be the same, maybe as the game develops with space legs you can do more constructive things while you travel, break up you journey with activities and maintenance duties. The journey may even take longer but could be a richer experience.[/QUOTE]
Which is exactly why modern cars have cruise control and planes have autopilot
Which is exactly why modern cars have cruise control and planes have autopilot
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