Should I put away my tinfoil hat?

[CMDR CHIGGY VONRICTOFEN]

Ok...I debated on posting this, until just now...the 9th time in a row it has happened since leaving the bubble. When I left the bubble, and got 2 1/2-3K out, I started taking a look at the system map each time before I jumped (no need to even bother up until then, IMO) Anyways...I was in no real hurry, more of a shakedown cruise since the newest refit. I jumped into a new system, started fuel scooping as I went around the star, lining up for my next jump. Once scooping had completed and I spooled up the FSD, I went to look at the system map. 99% of the time, I have more than enough time to open the sysmap, check for ELWs, and close it out, before the jump timer begins. This time however, the sysmap stalled on loading, the countdown began, and I jumped away, without seeing the sysmap even open. Had I been racing, or even in a moderate hurry, I would have thought nothing of it, however this time, I went to the Galmap, selected visited stars only (made my last jump stand out like a sore thumb) and opened the sysmap for that system I had just left...and Lo and Behold, there sat an ELW.

Still thinking it was just a lucky one off incident..I continued along....a few hundred light years and half a dozen jumps later..it happened again....I went through the same routine...backtracked my route...sure enough, another ELW.

Ok...at this point...it was still coincidence....it happened 2 more times in the next 3000 lys and 60 odd jumps...at this point, I started leaving my marker for the next system a bit off center, so the FSD would not engage until I manually closed out the sysmap and centered on my next jump...every time I was able to initiate the jump...open the sysmap...close the sysmap..and center for my next jump, except for 5 times...all 5 of which....had an ELW in the system. This last time, when I heard "Ready to engage" and the system map still hadn't opened, I was almost positive I had an ELW before the map actually did open.

For some reason, at least with me...and at least today..on 9 separate occasions, an ELW being in the system has substantially (I'm talking 10-15 seconds) delayed the system map from opening, and had I been in my normal rush mode, would have never noticed it.

So...point of all of this...if it happens to you, it might pay to go back and look at that last system the map didn't open on...

 

[CMDR Murf]

The trick I use to make sure I see the system map is to reduce throttle to about 50-75% and back to 100% after reading the map. Never miss a map this way, not even a delayed one.

Btw, I think you have just revealed your secret. You don't find Earth-Likes, they find you .

 

[iain666]

Depending on how FDev cache these things and how often they need to go back to disc for them it is conceivable that accessing a texture that's not been needed for a while will make the sysmap open more slowly.

The ELW sysmap textures will, even for you Chiggy, be the most rarely used or close to it.

 

[CMDR CHIGGY VONRICTOFEN]

Now that I know when the delay happens, it's most likely an ELW, I'll damn sure make sure to go back and look, at least until I get in the habit of going off center or cutting throttle before attempting to open the sysmap. Up until we had the visited filter, and until I installed EDD, it wasn't worth the time to bother with. When I think back on how many times it has happened before....I'll just add it to my ELW hunting guide I still haven't written yet...lol Another one of those "learn something new every day" moments...

 

[Sapyx]

If you've put away your tinfoil hat and forgotten where you put it, just borrow Limoncello Lizard's if you need one. He's not using his at the moment.

On the subject, It's not something I've ever noticed - though I have observed that the system map loading time is proportional to the number of objects in the system and the complexity of their orbits. But then, everyone's game platform is different, so not everyone would experience the same difference in timing. For me, the system map always loads so slowly, I could never explore using your technique. I'd complete the jump without loading the screen, practically every time.

I always come to full stop in hyperspace, turn to target the star on arrival while beginning the honk, then when the star scan begins, hit the system map button if the honk has shown anything potentially of interest. Unless the system is really small and simple, the star scan will finish well and truly before the system map finishes loading. I usually switch over to the forums or something for a minute or two while I'm waiting.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

I'd be curious to know if it happens with AWs as well. But for what it's worth, I did a 3,600 LY jonk of about 150 jumps on Friday evening, and never had an issue with the map, even in systems with ELWs. Odd one.