The sensors on a ship are, unfortunately, one of the least valuable modules on it. They contribute very little to the actual ship (especially when compared to other core internals like distributors and thrusters). This irrelevance leads to a situation where sensors are picked solely based on their weight (especially since these can be quite bulky on larger ships).
Another big issue with the game is that limpets are becoming a major way for ships (and by extension, players) to interact with the world around them. However, these modules are quite unintuitive to use, require a depleting resource and come in an excessively complex variety of flavours (with the sheer number of limpet controllers being too much for any decently outfitted ship to handle).
I would like to propose a some that both make sensors far more important in a ship while also making limpets easier and more convenient to use:-
1. Create a module rack for limpet controllers. The rack itself would have spaces equal to the size of the module slot that it is installed in; each controller would occupy one space within this rack.
2. Limpet controllers would be restricted to size 1 only (see suggestion above) and only allow for the use of a particular limpet type.
3. The maximum number and range of limpets would be decided by the size and quality of the sensors on the ship. The sensor size would determine the number of limpets that may be simultaneously deployed, while the quality/rank of the sensors would determine the maximum range that the limpets could operate.
4. Make limpets either reusable (capable of being recalled once used) or capable of being used like ammo for the controllers instead of cargo. This would significantly reduce the frustration of using limpets and make them both easier and more desirable to use for all ships.
Apart from this, there are a number of ways in which sensors may be made relevant in other contexts:-
1. Determining the accuracy and sway of gimballed weapons; D rated sensors would give default (i.e. as it is right now) accuracy and sway, while increasing sizes would make the weapons ever more accurate and reduce sway, with A rated sensors giving extremely high levels of accuracy and virtually no sway on gimballed weapons (turreted weapons could be made less accurate, but still gain appreciable improvement from sensors).
2. Determining the range at which planetary sensors can work. Since there's only one possible size of planetary sensor (again, a prime candidate for the module rack treatment, with a singe size 2 rack for both sensors) and it's range is both fixed and low. This would make better sensors a good choice for explorers instead of just going for the lightest possible version.
3. Sensors may also play a part in possible electronic warfare; with better sensors allowing for things like misguiding missiles and misguiding enemy detection.
Another big issue with the game is that limpets are becoming a major way for ships (and by extension, players) to interact with the world around them. However, these modules are quite unintuitive to use, require a depleting resource and come in an excessively complex variety of flavours (with the sheer number of limpet controllers being too much for any decently outfitted ship to handle).
I would like to propose a some that both make sensors far more important in a ship while also making limpets easier and more convenient to use:-
1. Create a module rack for limpet controllers. The rack itself would have spaces equal to the size of the module slot that it is installed in; each controller would occupy one space within this rack.
2. Limpet controllers would be restricted to size 1 only (see suggestion above) and only allow for the use of a particular limpet type.
3. The maximum number and range of limpets would be decided by the size and quality of the sensors on the ship. The sensor size would determine the number of limpets that may be simultaneously deployed, while the quality/rank of the sensors would determine the maximum range that the limpets could operate.
4. Make limpets either reusable (capable of being recalled once used) or capable of being used like ammo for the controllers instead of cargo. This would significantly reduce the frustration of using limpets and make them both easier and more desirable to use for all ships.
Apart from this, there are a number of ways in which sensors may be made relevant in other contexts:-
1. Determining the accuracy and sway of gimballed weapons; D rated sensors would give default (i.e. as it is right now) accuracy and sway, while increasing sizes would make the weapons ever more accurate and reduce sway, with A rated sensors giving extremely high levels of accuracy and virtually no sway on gimballed weapons (turreted weapons could be made less accurate, but still gain appreciable improvement from sensors).
2. Determining the range at which planetary sensors can work. Since there's only one possible size of planetary sensor (again, a prime candidate for the module rack treatment, with a singe size 2 rack for both sensors) and it's range is both fixed and low. This would make better sensors a good choice for explorers instead of just going for the lightest possible version.
3. Sensors may also play a part in possible electronic warfare; with better sensors allowing for things like misguiding missiles and misguiding enemy detection.
