(Question) Exploring.

[Caylo]

What's the problem with jump gates?

I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm guessing it just sounds too much like an idea "stolen" from another franchise. Elite is more less the grandfather of this genre of games, and none of its titles had jump gates. It places more importance on the ships themselves, and the engines they carry.

I'd rather see further customisation regarding the ship's equipment (which is coming), as well as the option of having a ship ferried to a different location (which is coming, for systems that already have a starbase), and possibly a way to store a smaller ship in the hangar of a larger ship (aka "pocket carriers"), allowing for multiple explorers to band together with a small flotilla of specialised vehicles.

 

[Eli Jack]

Some way of being able to get around in my ship of choice doesn't seem to unreasonable?

Elite is and always was a game of choices. What you appear to want is a short/medium range fighter able to jump great distances when such ships are not intended for that purpose. There will likely be other ships available such as the Asp Explorer whose function is to do precisely that, explore.

You may be able to get a longer range jump engine for your ship but that will always be to the detriment of some other piece of equipment or cargo space. C4 lasers and standard engine or C2s and longer range? Standard engine and 16t cargo space or longer range and 12t?

Choices, choices and decisions, some of which you might get wrong and get yourself zapped in an unforgiving corner of the Galaxy. 'Cos you know... it's dangerous out there

 

[Mooncusser]

Yeah - I don't know that assuming nobody is out in the hinterlands is a good assumption to make.

Imagine your surprise when round an innocent looking gas giant looking for a little fuel and run smack into a Thargoid welcome party...

 

[Hellhawk666]

Cobra has even shorter jump range than the Viper. Right now there is only one ship for exploration - Lakon Type 6, no cargo, no equipment. I hope this will be changed in future updates. Especially Cobra Mk III default jump range is really disappointing. It made this great ship useless for me.
I vote for doubling the default jump ranges for most ships

There has been mention by the devs of changing the jump range for the Cobra. I suspect the "long rang" Cobra offered in the kickstarter will be a stripped-down model without heavy armour or weapons but with a more powerful drive so it has much greater range.

It's reasonable that the small intercepter-type craft like the Viper should be inherently short range and the large ships capable of much longer jumps, but the yardstick should always be the Cobra IMHO. I'd like to see it balanced so that a stock Cobra MkIII with 2 x 4 ton weapons mounted and zero cargo is capable of jumping anywhere in inhabited space, even if some destinations require a circuitous route.

 

[ElectricZ]

Elite is and always was a game of choices.

Choices, choices and decisions, some of which you might get wrong and get yourself zapped in an unforgiving corner of the Galaxy. 'Cos you know... it's dangerous out there

Truth! +1 Rep. I've said it in other threads and I'll say it again. Elite is a "pure" RPG. Everything, from alignment to skill proficiencies to the path the player takes depends on what the player does and nothing else. You better think about what you're doing, because it will affect you for the duration of your virtual life.

 

[JamesBondage]

How would you have jump gates where people havnt even been yet?

 

[Ramireza]

I would think that one of the possibilities is installing an upgraded engine, such as was common in Elite II. That would reduce cargo space, but increase jump range.

Of course whill will come. I think this is the reason why the Viper have the 8 tons of cargo space. Thats realy large for an fighting vessel.