∞ probes?

[Ziljan]

Someone posted a solution in the suggestion forum. Please post there to let Frontier know what you think, since Frontier actually reads the posts there :

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/451501-Detailed-Discovery-Scanner-Ammo-Issue-Proposal

 

[M00ka]

On the flipside, we have to carry these obnoxious unreprogrammable unreusable limpets just to map a single asteroid... yet these probes can do so much more? Just saying, maybe it's time limpets should also get revisited, especially now with the mining update coming up.

Consistency, FDEV, consistency.

Maybe we will find out that the surface mapping probes can be used on asteroids when the mining upgrades are finally revealed? After all FD have already dropped a few surprises on us so far with 3.3

 

[Bryan K]

Maybe they should hear our views before saying it a done deal. infinite is lame. Kinda reminds me of Minecraft on creative mode It would be like having an Elite Dangerous ship that can hold infinite amount cargo and you can do 20 mission with the 6,000 tons of cargo mission in one run.

Note they are reading our reactions. I think a good idea would be Surface scanner have a total of 20,000 probes. That gives us around 4,000 planets scanned.

Now I looking at Module space. A surface scanner in a module 5 slot. That could give a player 100,000 probes. That gives us around 20,000 planets scanned.

They could add Mining asteroids for Materials or collecting mats on the surface. So we are not exploring each system and ignoring the surface of the planet. When I went exploring after Horizon. Explored 6,000 systems. I might have been on the surface 50 times and it was boring. I want a reason to go down to the surface. Collecting Probe materials would break the annoyance of just scanning systems.

And Bryan K I believe you are siding with the Devs. Because you don't want to lose your eggshell explorer.

No idea what you mean by “eggshell explorer”. Lost in translation? I explore in a space battleship (like a boss).

And yes, I’m siding with the devs (possibly for the first time ever), because their argument is sound and the decision was made for the right reason (fun in a videogame). Based on the overall response here on the forums, support for infinite probes vastly outnumbers the handful of complainers, so there’s a fair bit of evidence that the devs made the right call.

It’s their game and if their call, not ours.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

If you expect unpopular opinions to go un-criticized, you’ve come to the wrong internet.

Disagreeing with a suggested mechanic is not the same as belittling those who disagree WITH the mechanic. Neither is gloating over those who wanted something different and are dissapointed. Is it just games you do this on or do you do it in general life? There is about 50% of UK population v disappointed with Brexit you can have a real good laugh at them!.

 

[Winterwalker]

I like the idea of probes using up fuel actually.

- adds a fuel dump ability (?)
- available at (almost) any star

I'm just a little bit uncomfortable with anything being infinite on the ship basically, though I do understand the retrofitting difficulty with using materials.

 

[Bryan K]

Disagreeing with a suggested mechanic is not the same as belittling those who disagree WITH the mechanic. Neither is gloating over those who wanted something different and are dissapointed. Is it just games you do this on or do you do it in general life? There is about 50% of UK population v disappointed with Brexit you can have a real good laugh at them!.

I’m not British, so honestly I don’t care about Brexit (or anything that goes on in other countries, frankly). If you can’t handle that, you can use that handy-dandy Ignore button and only hear people that agree with you.

 

[Stigbob]

The same would apply to running low on probes, Choices & Consequences etc.

No it wouldn't they are entirely different.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

I’m not British, so honestly I don’t care about Brexit (or anything that goes on in other countries, frankly). If you can’t handle that, you can use that handy-dandy Ignore button and only hear people that agree with you.

See that point? It's going right over your head
It's nothing to do with whether you agree or not with the mechanic. But hey ho I am done. Enjoy the dissapoinent of the players like myself.
Btw back on topic

I did like the rest of the exploration stuff

 

[VR SenseiMatty]

An alternate idea to make everyone happy?

Original DSS can stock 1000 probes synthesizable with common materials.

Not happy with that? Go to Felicity Farseer to engineer your DSS and she (he?) will modify your DSS to add an automatic probes synthesizer so you always have infinite probes.

 

[Bigmaec]

My opinion is that unlimited probes are a bit out of line with the other things like fuel and ammunition etc.
And it hurts immersion a bit.

It would've been better if you use an arbitrary high number (lets say a probe is 10*10 cm so you get 1000 probes in a ton of cargo space for example),
and then let the ton be synthesised for some common raw mats.

But the final result would be the same, infinite probes. From a gameplay perspective I can live with the solution.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

So long as the mats are common my preference would be to collect them. Maybe 200 was a bit low but imo up to 500 would be better compromise to unlimited. Imo sample collecting is part of exploring but after seeing other thread I realise I am in minority .

Edit DOH! Pre coffee I thought I was in suggestion post. Oops

 

[Roybe]

I agree OP...now can we have instantaneous ship shipping?

 

[Stigbob]

I like the idea of probes using up fuel actually.

- adds a fuel dump ability (?)
- available at (almost) any star

I'm just a little bit uncomfortable with anything being infinite on the ship basically, though I do understand the retrofitting difficulty with using materials.

I think it may be a concession to the ships that lack enough internals for gathering equipment and an exploration loadout. Space is already at a premium (lol), the DBX is a good example of a ship that's excellent at it but has no wiggle room at all for extras even after being buffed with a bonus slot. Which also begs the question if probes were not limited where would you store them, again no spare internals for that.

It's a sensible and fun solution.

 

[Cosmo]

My suggestion if is let people mine asteroids for materials to make probes. The probe count should be high so that it doesn't get annoying to grind for materials.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

I think it may be a concession to the ships that lack enough internals for gathering equipment and an exploration loadout. Space is already at a premium (lol), the DBX is a good example of a ship that's excellent at it but has no wiggle room at all for extras even after being buffed with a bonus slot. Which also begs the question if probes were not limited where would you store them, again no spare internals for that.

It's a sensible and fun solution.

This is a good point however that could be a bonus of exploration class ships. They have slots for probes built into the hull design of the ship... None exploration ships use class 2 slot for the probes and launcher

 

[Lestat]

No idea what you mean by “eggshell explorer”. Lost in translation? I explore in a space battleship (like a boss).

And yes, I’m siding with the devs (possibly for the first time ever), because their argument is sound and the decision was made for the right reason (fun in a videogame). Based on the overall response here on the forums, support for infinite probes vastly outnumbers the handful of complainers, so there’s a fair bit of evidence that the devs made the right call.

It’s their game and if their call, not ours.

maybe you should re-read this topic Infinite Probes. Note you also posted on that topic.

 

[Taimaru]

Personally, I don't have a problem with infinite probes and it's a nice solution to making probing planets fun and allow people without horizons to join in. But I do think the infinity symbol should go. Without the infinity symbol one can easily roleplay the "immersion" back into the game.

 

[Stigbob]

This is a good point however that could be a bonus of exploration class ships. They have slots for probes built into the hull design of the ship... None exploration ships use class 2 slot for the probes and launcher

That would restrict player choice as to what an exploration ship is though, the anaconda with its lots of slots and jump range would just become the go to exploration ship.

 

[Bryan K]

maybe you should re-read this topic Infinite Probes. Note you also posted on that topic.

Still not applicable to me. I have Horizons, I explore in a Battleconda with full defenses and two SRVs, and make regular landings to collect mats and generally drive around and have fun and take VR selfies. I’m sticking up for those who don’t.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Without a drive to improve, whats the point of having more than one probe per planet then? Without the risk probe spam becomes another time wasting gimmick rather than meaning something. Just as learning what a planet sounds like, you should learn to launch probes efficiently as it then rewards you later with less refills. If you take the slightly less gamey 'plasma slug' fuel approach you satisfy both aspects.