Ship damages and repairs - long range exploration issues

[Peuwi]

First, there is a pointless aspect of the gameplay with the canopy breach:
why does it generate a timer due to air loss ?
If the life support is able to recycle the air for a whole ship, it should be able to recycle the air for a small suit, indefinitely.
Of course, it can come with some issues to make it relevant: no more HUD, maybe penalties on some modules (scans and repair are slower ?), even maybe the need of a button to refresh manually the air in the suit, but the need of docking within the next 10min is neither realistic, nor adequate.

On a second part, the whole ship (including hull and canopy) should be repairable, without the need of a station. But it not necessarily easy either:
I would find it reasonable for both hull and canopy (and whatever else is intended to be outside of the ship, thrusters for example) to be impossible to be fully repaired from the inside of the ship, and needing a landing and a repair from scv.
For example, hull cannot be repaired over 10% inside ship, canopy cannot be repaired at all, weapons cannot be repaired at all once they are below 25% (hatch does not close correctly), thruster cannot be repaired over 75%, and cannot be repaired over 25% if below (only 1 thruster functional).
This would be a nice addition to gameplay.
The repair principles should be twitched a bit also, especially for taking account of the crafting and future multi-crew feature (if we can have a multi crew, it maybe imply we already have a crew of basic and stupid NPC/robots):
Firstly, if we activate the repair of a module, maybe it should be turned on if it was on before repair activation.
Secondly, the cost of repair is too high. Let’s say it is fine if we are asking for a quick repair, but it that case, it should be faster. But a second option of “slow repair” should be provided. (Detailed right after)
Thirdly, once a module is disabled (0% or turned off), maybe it would not be necessary to ask permission for repairing it? So a simple slow regeneration for every turned down modules should be provided should be provided once a repair module is onboard.
And maybe, vital modules (thrusters, shield) should be repairable while in use.
In order to make it viable for long fights (RES/conflict zone), and avoid turning them into a race for repair, maybe damages over modules should be seriously decreased when they aren’t specifically targeted, and increased for some of them (weapons, utilities, internal compartments different from shield and repair) when they are.

Lastly, but it’s more about a wish list, once we have many way of repairing the ship, more incidents could occur:
- the module can break by himself, especially when we need it the more (boost, hyperjump, overheating fire …), and if it’s already partially broken.
- “broken” status could be different from 0%.. for example, weapons stop firing below 50%, thruster power loss begin below 75%, fsd does not jump below 50%, life support display a timer of several hours below 50%, and self damage itself during it... Etc.
- since module have an internal resistance, it could be displayed, and it should decrease over the repairs/manual modifications, making it easier to repair, and easier to break either. Not sure if it’s already part of the ship integrity mechanic.

Up to you to discuss it if it's excessive or not.

 

[The_Quasar]

First, there is a pointless aspect of the gameplay with the canopy breach:
why does it generate a timer due to air loss ?

It doesn't, that is generated by your life support

If the life support is able to recycle the air for a whole ship, it should be able to recycle the air for a small suit, indefinitely.

not if most of it is being pumped straight out into space

Of course, it can come with some issues to make it relevant: no more HUD, maybe penalties on some modules (scans and repair are slower ?), even maybe the need of a button to refresh manually the air in the suit, but the need of docking within the next 10min is neither realistic, nor adequate.

Get a higher grade life support to last longer (iirc A is 30 mins)

 

[G in the Fl]

With the canopy, imagine that you are in the cold wind, with a portable space heater. The heater has enough power for a tent, but not to heat the outside.

With oxygen, the air has to be recycled, mostly scrubbing out co2, since oxygen levels aren't hard to manage. These systems take a lot of space, especially o2 refill tanks, and the filters.

So most of your air is ripped out when the canopy is lost, and the connected filters only have the air sealed within your suit, so the time you have is how long it takes for co2 levels to reach 10% and kill you.

 

[Peuwi]

With the canopy, imagine that you are in the cold wind, with a portable space heater. The heater has enough power for a tent, but not to heat the outside.

With oxygen, the air has to be recycled, mostly scrubbing out co2, since oxygen levels aren't hard to manage. These systems take a lot of space, especially o2 refill tanks, and the filters.

So most of your air is ripped out when the canopy is lost, and the connected filters only have the air sealed within your suit, so the time you have is how long it takes for co2 levels to reach 10% and kill you.

Thank you for your pseudo scientific knowledge !
Hopefully, you were not in charge of Apollo, or you would be still explaining why planes cannot fly, since they are heavier than air.

My point is still valid, if the spaceship life support system can renew air of the whole ship indefinitely, it can probably sustain the air on a small suit. (with pipe, rebreather cartridge, whatever, but we simply do not go to Sagittarius alpha with a 10min survival timer)

 

[EDbubba]

First, there is a pointless aspect of the gameplay with the canopy breach:
why does it generate a timer due to air loss ?

None if this is really relevant... Unless you are extraordinarily careless, the chance of having any significant damage during exploration is near-zero.

Been to Sag. A and back and had about 10% overall hull damage, mostly due to forgetting that an FSD charge can be cancelled! (engaged too close to a sun after a three-month break from the game...)

Simple exploration rules:

- Zero-throttle when jumping into a system (throttle-up after the 1 second it takes to get SA)

- If you're impatient, charge FSD when fuel-scoop rate is dropping past 1/2 of maximum, non-scoopable star: wait until you hear the notable "acceleration" sound as you break free of the gravitational influence.

- Take a few heatsinks as insurance against a bone-headed "crash-out" at a star. Let heat level stabilize, don't panic(!), fire heatsink, let temps drop, engage FSD...


Surface exploration might change things a little, but I haven't tried that outside the bubble.



Simples!


Tips for max-efficiency exploration:

- Arrive at star, zero throttle

- Fire ASD immediately, and while scanning, rotate to center the star then select it to start the discovery scan (automatic)

- After the "honk", flick to the System Map to look for good stuff...

There should be substantial overlap in all the actions above, you'll notice that the star data will get updated as you look at the map.