∞ probes?

[TankMaster]

In which case they may as well remove material gathering from the game. Why should i gather materials to increase my jump range when they can just be infinite, why skim for fuel when the ship can make infinite probes, I'll just fire loads out of the back all at the same time and use them for thrust. If probes are infinite then all other materials must be infinite to make the game fair and consistent, without which it has no integrity as a game world or even a game.

I fail to see how fsd boost and fuel scooping are comparable activities to the probe system for mapping, for one I don't think players regularly use fsd boosts to the point they need to gather materials for it every 3 or 4 jumps.

Fuel scooping can be done in less than a minute in an appropriately built ship.

Also, probes are not equal to materials and are tied to completely different game mechanics so I fail to see why making one infinite means the other must be also.

But of course everyone in the forums are game making experts and FD has a bunch of people that know nothing of games whatsoever so of course the forum knows best and FD should just do what it says.

 

[Julio Montega]

To me it seems like 'immersion' has been cranked up considerably with the upcoming release! I'm seriously amazed that anyone is upset. Oh well...at least I'm happy, lol.

Will it change the game however?
Or will it be the same mindless task just in a new wrapping paper?

 

[wrmiller]

To me it seems like 'immersion' has been cranked up considerably with the upcoming release! I'm seriously amazed that anyone is upset. Oh well...at least I'm happy, lol.

Good for you. Same here. Repped.

This thread has gone from funny to just stupid. So I guess I should stop reading it.

 

[Exeider]

If I can have unlimited probes why can't I have unlimited bullets?

You can, it's called Synthesis

 

[Roybe]

I see why unlimited probes are necessary with how they work.
Sadly i imagined they would be reusable by having them orbit a body and map it
from low orbit, then return to the ship to refuel and get decontaminated.

I cannot get in touch with bombarding planets with probes, crashing them for scan results.
The same rule applies here, as did to prospecting limpets:
The rule of efficiency.
Loosing assets to gain a small insight is not efficient.

I'd welcome probes to be pre-packed in a larger number in the DSS scanner, with different DSS sizes
yielding a bigger "probe capacity", allowing multiple active probes across the board.
Upon destruction, like the SLF bay, a prepacked probe is made ready, and lost parts can be replaced
by synthesis, or you can salvage crashed probes via SRV.
Also probes consume your ship's fuel and refuel upon completing planetary circumnavigation on the set orbit.

That would be fitting gameplay imo.
Additionally allow players to replenish other players' probe supplies via a transfer option.
That opens up playstyles and a new role for fuelrats.

As much good as apparently comes with the explo update, as much potential is left out.

Seems to me the argument is back to game vs simulation. You desire more simulation...the infinite probes turns this part of the exploration equation into more of a casual game experience...


The ship shipping timer is an example of this...and how the simulation people 'won'. For many, myself included, the timer is just a waste of time and subtracts from my enjoyment...in a very large way. I can see that the simulation people proposals are going to be problematic for people also....but, in the end, I will concede..that they will also win this discussion...meaning that there will be more time wasted doing 'something other' rather than doing 'things' that people want to do.

 

[Roybe]

You can, it's called Synthesis

With time spent collecting mats to make those bullets....

 

[Julio Montega]

Seems to me the argument is back to game vs simulation. You desire more simulation...the infinite probes turns this part of the exploration equation into more of a casual game experience...


The ship shipping timer is an example of this...and how the simulation people 'won'. For many, myself included, the timer is just a waste of time and subtracts from my enjoyment...in a very large way. I can see that the simulation people proposals are going to be problematic for people also....but, in the end, I will concede..that they will also win this discussion...meaning that there will be more time wasted doing 'something other' rather than doing 'things' that people want to do.

It isn't necessarily this way "of simulation" that wins.
But if probes will be unlimited, why do other modules have to use ammunition/charges
that need to be restocked?
The question is valid IMO.
Why break the "wall" in one aspect, and keep the line clean on the other ones?

With time spent collecting mats to make those bullets....

Yup, an aspect i always hated, mostly because of revolving around SRV use
and rock hugging to generate some homebrew ammo, that is better than
what you can get in the market.
Weird game design.

 

[NeilF]

I wonder how FD mini-game-esque this new mechanic is?

So scanning a new planet with a bonus for six probes. So you shoot six probes and only get 89%... So exit to menu, return and retry from a new fresh start again?

 

[Julio Montega]

I wonder how FD mini-game-esque this new mechanic is?

So scanning a new planet with a bonus for six probes. So you shoot six probes and only get 89%... So exit to menu, return and retry from a new fresh start again?

LOOOOOL!
Scan flipping?
Now explorers will do that too?

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

It isn't necessarily this way "of simulation" that wins.
But if probes will be unlimited, why do other modules have to use ammunition/charges
that need to be restocked?
The question is valid IMO.
Why break the "wall" in one aspect, and keep the line clean on the other ones?

It's far easier to think that planet probes are easier to make via passive material collection than it is for bullets, railgun ammo etc. are. Maybe the planet probes are very simple things to make - simpler than an explosive bullet. Maybe the material required for a planet probe can simply be passively collected from the interstellar medium, the sparse dust and gas in the not-quite-total-vacuum of space.

I'm more inclined and more willing to take that explanation - seems a handful of others are unwilling to do so.

 

[Julio Montega]

It's far easier to think that planet probes are easier to make via passive material collection than it is for bullets, railgun ammo etc. are. Maybe the planet probes are very simple things to make - simpler than an explosive bullet. Maybe the material required for a planet probe can simply be passively collected from the interstellar medium, the sparse dust and gas in the not-quite-total-vacuum of space.

I'm more inclined and more willing to take that explanation - seems a handful of others are unwilling to do so.

You know that railguns here in ED reflect electro-magnetical coil guns,
not chemical guns to my knowledge?
You just needs some form of metal or shrapnell to propel.
A probe requires multiple parts including sensor arrays,
a communication device, FSD propulsion and the hull.

 

[Frank Craft]

That thing that Picard uses to make his Earl Grey. That's what make the probes. If Jean-Luc can drink an infinite supply of hot tea, then we can have an infinite supply of probes.

 

[Tsunamicom]

Just imagine that they're being synthesized with extraordinary efficiency via your fuel (similar to slugs mod), and you can retain your immersion.

 

[Genar-Hofoen]

You know that railguns here in ED reflect electro-magnetical coil guns,
not chemical guns to my knowledge?
You just needs some form of metal or shrapnell to propel.
A probe requires multiple parts including sensor arrays,
a communication device, FSD propulsion and the hull.

What if people could just for once get their sense of disbelief under reasonable control.

 

[Drazkul]

It isn't necessarily this way "of simulation" that wins.
But if probes will be unlimited, why do other modules have to use ammunition/charges
that need to be restocked?
The question is valid IMO.
Why break the "wall" in one aspect, and keep the line clean on the other ones?



Yup, an aspect i always hated, mostly because of revolving around SRV use
and rock hugging to generate some homebrew ammo, that is better than
what you can get in the market.
Weird game design.

Because synthesising requires Horizons, and while most people have it as long as ED supports just the base game then none horizons players wont be able to get the mats.

Everything else that is a consumable is able to be replaced at a station

 

[Julio Montega]

Because synthesising requires Horizons, and while most people have it as long as ED supports just the base game then none horizons players wont be able to get the mats.

Everything else that is a consumable is able to be replaced at a station

That is why i suggested, to have probes instead of crash to surface,
try to establish low orbit and leave it to refuel at the ship and be retrieved
and be reuseable.
Along with copying the function of the SLF bay, having 3 probes ready
and prepacked materials to rebuild probes x times.

 

[Ian Skippy]

I wonder how FD mini-game-esque this new mechanic is?

So scanning a new planet with a bonus for six probes. So you shoot six probes and only get 89%... So exit to menu, return and retry from a new fresh start again?

1) What makes you think that progress resets? If you have explored 60% of a system it doesnt reset to 0% when you log either...
2) If people are desperate to find new reasons to menu log, let them. If they then come here and complain, point and laugh.

 

[CMDR Redcrest]

I see the 'i' word crowd have rocked up with their buckets of cold water to try and dampen enthusiasm again...

 

[Frank Craft]

I see the 'i' word crowd have rocked up with their buckets of cold water to try and dampen enthusiasm again...

Yep. Thankfully these are insignificant voices that FDev can safely ignore.

 

[Drazkul]

That is why i suggested, to have probes instead of crash to surface,
try to establish low orbit and leave it to refuel at the ship and be retrieved
and be reuseable.
Along with copying the function of the SLF bay, having 3 probes ready
and prepacked materials to rebuild probes x times.

Would you have it return automatically or do you have to collect it?

If its manually that seems like an awful waste of a players time having to fly and pick them up all the time. Also what happens if you drop connection do they automatically return or do you lose them? If its auto returned then it would probably be quicker to relog to collect them.

If its automatically why not just have the DSS essentially work like it does now instead of developing probes? As the player would just be sat around waiting for a probe to return.

Even if they worked like a mini SLF and you had to fly around the body scanning it it seems like it would take a long time and get boring really quickly.

The system now seems like a decent'ish compromise - fairly fast with little time sat doing nothing with