Should life support timer be reworked? (not unlike temperature/heat damage was)

[Helo]

Given the choice, I'd rather redirect the escape pods oxygen reserve to my life support system and risk permadeath instead unless I'm thousands of LY away.

The current system doesn't make any sense in the slightest. Does the escape pod put us into cryostasis? Probably, but then it should be months/years to be recovered before we can play that character again if we get ejected on a long exploration trip.

I am all too aware the game is taylored towards casual arcade players preferring lack of consequence and it's evident that it gravitates towards that demographic at an increasing rate.

I'm not blaming FD - they're a business and I have to agree that e.g. making the RES space invaders minigame (without the increasing speed and defense bunkers - that would be too complex) entirely idiot-proof will mitigate future customer support cost more efficiently than addressing complaints about the lack of a proper ironman mode, AI and lack of the slightest bit of risk would do.

It's just something I personally don't like, but I'm a minority, so that's fine .

Yeah, that's about the only thing I've been disappointed about since I joined the beta, I REALLY wanted iron man mode. But I agree, we're not likely to see it any time soon. Maybe it'll get built in with EVA expansion?

 

[mossfoot]

Given the choice, I'd rather redirect the escape pods oxygen reserve to my life support system and risk permadeath instead unless I'm thousands of LY away.

The current system doesn't make any sense in the slightest. Does the escape pod put us into cryostasis? Probably, but then it should be months/years to be recovered before we can play that character again if we die on a long exploration trip.

I am all too aware the game is taylored towards casual arcade players preferring lack of consequence and it's evident that it gravitates towards that demographic at an increasing rate.

I'm not blaming FD - they're a business and I have to agree that e.g. making the RES space invaders minigame (without the increasing speed and defense bunkers - that would be too complex) entirely idiot-proof will mitigate future customer support cost more efficiently than addressing complaints about the lack of a proper ironman mode, AI and lack of the slightest bit of risk would do.

It's just something I personally don't like, but I'm a minority, so that's fine .

Given that it's possible to make SagA* in less than 10 hours (check the Buckyball records), and instantaneous communication across the galaxy is clearly possible given how Wings works (and also once GalNet is made part of your UI), one could imagine dedicated search and rescue ships existing, perhaps with greater ranges than the Anaconda or Asp by sacrificing internal components like scanners, shields, weapons, etc (and by sacrifice I don't just mean doesn't have, but rather no hardpoints or internal compartments for it in the first place). These are simply S&R speedboats meant to pick up ejection pods and return them, nothing else.

Anyhoo, If you can make it to SagA* in under 10 hours you can make it to the opposite side of the galaxy in a day. Therefore any ship that ejects could send out a distress signal that is picked up inside humans space and a ship could be dispatched to rescue them ASAP. Your body is kept in stasis in the meantime (as described before), and you're not revived until you reach the medical facility at your last known departure point.

Now granted, in game there is the problem that this happens instantly - but that's also unavoidable. VERY few players would stand for a message saying "You will be able to play again in 22:14:59" and be locked out until then. So you just have to let that slide - assume the time has passed even though in game it cannot possibly have.

It's better than the alternative theory - cloning - which flies into MANY more problems with the lore and in my opinion is just stupid anyway.

- - - Updated - - -

Yeah, that's about the only thing I've been disappointed about since I joined the beta, I REALLY wanted iron man mode. But I agree, we're not likely to see it any time soon. Maybe it'll get built in with EVA expansion?

In the meantime, feel free to try my Pilot's Ejection Table https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=107694

 

[Vasious]

As for surviving it - in my Pilot Ejection Table, I postulate that part of the features of the ejection seat is a stasis field. The stasis field doesn't keep you alive, per se, but does keep you in suspended animation so you can be revived when returned to the station. That's why you're not aware of it while ejecting.

I don't think you need to postulate, that is what the Remlock is is it not

In space, everyone can hear you scream . . .
As long, that is, as you're equipped with a RemLok survival mask.
An instant after Alex Ryder hit the hard vacuum, a skin of plasFibre had been shot across his body from nozzles on the face piece, keeping him warm against the cold, tightening and protecting him, securing him against the void. The oxygen flow in his body was cut off to all but his heart and brain. Needle-doses of adrenalin and somnokie were held ready, just within the skin area of his mouth, ready to alert or depress his body functions according to circumstances.
And the RemLok screamed through space for help.

It was a standard survival device, an instantly recognisable distress call indicating that it was being sent out from a small, remotely located, dying body. The alarm screeched out on forty channels, shifting wavelength within each channel four times a second. One hundred and twenty chances to catch attention . . .

 

[Thomas Jefferson Jones]

Now granted, in game there is the problem that this happens instantly - but that's also unavoidable. VERY few players would stand for a message saying "You will be able to play again in 22:14:59" and be locked out until then. So you just have to let that slide - assume the time has passed even though in game it cannot possibly have.

It's better than the alternative theory - cloning - which flies into MANY more problems with the lore and in my opinion is just stupid anyway.

- - - Updated - - -



In the meantime, feel free to try my Pilot's Ejection Table https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=107694

If a proper death/ejection system is ever implemented life support will have to be reworked. A couple of minutes supply of air is just silly, and like Innigo said, just there to create false drama when the glass gets shot out.

As for ejection, your pickup idea is a good one. IMO pick up should take time, maybe hours depending on your location, but could still occur while a pilot was logged off.

If pickup never arrives before the o2 does run out in hours or days, the pilot should die and his assets be transferred through some sort of galactic probate to an heir. Default name for your heir could just be a numeral appended to your previous CMDR name, but a list of names could be prepared and approved in advance by FD and the CMDR ....a sort of 'will'

 

[mossfoot]

I don't think you need to postulate, that is what the Remlock is is it not

Heh, and that's from 200 years ago lore-wise, isn't it? So, yeah, there's pretty much NO reason not to assume we're rescued.

 

[CATPAIN KIRK]

Given that it's possible to make SagA* in less than 10 hours (check the Buckyball records), and instantaneous communication across the galaxy is clearly possible given how Wings works (and also once GalNet is made part of your UI), one could imagine dedicated search and rescue ships existing, perhaps with greater ranges than the Anaconda or Asp by sacrificing internal components like scanners, shields, weapons, etc (and by sacrifice I don't just mean doesn't have, but rather no hardpoints or internal compartments for it in the first place). These are simply S&R speedboats meant to pick up ejection pods and return them, nothing else.

I remember lengthy discussions about FTL comms across multiple systems being impossible and can't really comment on wings as I've never tried it. I do have some issues with the way wings apparently work (beacons should only work below a couple of Mm within the same system), but that would lead way OT.

Anyhoo, If you can make it to SagA* in under 10 hours you can make it to the opposite side of the galaxy in a day. Therefore any ship that ejects could send out a distress signal that is picked up inside humans space and a ship could be dispatched to rescue them ASAP. Your body is kept in stasis in the meantime (as described before), and you're not revived until you reach the medical facility at your last known departure point.

That makes sense from an ingame mechanic POV, but it also renders the galaxy terribly small.

Now granted, in game there is the problem that this happens instantly - but that's also unavoidable. VERY few players would stand for a message saying "You will be able to play again in 22:14:59" and be locked out until then. So you just have to let that slide - assume the time has passed even though in game it cannot possibly have.

You could also ask a friend to recover your pod, or if we had multiple saves per account, we could go on a mission to recover our lost mains pod. I agree though - that wouldn't sit too well with todays insta-gratification mentality and won't happen - one can still dream though.

It's better than the alternative theory - cloning - which flies into MANY more problems with the lore and in my opinion is just stupid anyway.

...but worse than most obvious alternative theory of what could happen if your ship gets destroyed thousands of LY away from inhabited space - plain and simple permanent death. (Yeah - won't happen)

Sorry for ranting and derailing - didn't mean to. I'll take my coat.

In the meantime, feel free to try my Pilot's Ejection Table https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=107694

I know it - you even credited me in the OP

 

[Eros]

I think he's more worried about navigational hazards and shrapnel. The FSD should vaporise any particles that cross the warp field but you would be exposed to extreme levels of radiation without a canopy, unless the warp field deflects that too. But if it did we wouldn't be able to see, so I dunno.

The canopy wouldn't really do that much against radiation.


Well the storage of oxygen could be done in many ways, remember that its not just O2 its the air mix in general that has to be breathed. It could be chemical relsease or maybe a liquid air storage. this being said, im sure a small vacuum canister of liquid air would last an extremely long time. 1 litre of liquid air would be about 700 litres of breathable air.

 

[Varrag]

Sorry, but really, really not a fan of the current mechanic.

Neither am I. It's poorly explained and doesn't make much sense. Not that it has to, though, it's a game where plenty of things do not make sense, but my suspension of disbelief has limits

 

[mossfoot]

I remember lengthy discussions about FTL comms across multiple systems being impossible and can't really comment on wings as I've never tried it. I do have some issues with the way wings apparently work (beacons should only work below a couple of Mm within the same system), but that would lead way OT.

Well, beacons are one thing - but ships communicating between star systems is "functioning as intended". And given that you will be able to access Galnet from your UI no matter where you are, really FTL comms are a given. How they're explained, that's another debate - obviously it can't be using normal radio waves, but you can't just say it doesn't exist when everything in game indicates it does.

I know it - you even credited me in the OP

That's right! I'd forgotten. You had a good idea regarding life support. However, I never pass up an opportunity to plug the system (so many people still don't know about it as an option when they discuss IronMan vs Normal play).

And if you'll recall, the further out your are from the Bubble, the less likely you are to get rescued I'd call that problem solved

 

[Eros]

Well the occurance of this mechanic is fairly low, so to be fair, the need to change this is fairly low. You get what you are given, a time limit.

Same thing, in this gaming world of 1st world problems. Lets say there is some randomness to this depending say on, how much movement you do as a pilot when you are 'exposed'

can you imagine the moaning it would cause if someone was able to get a full 1 minute extra, and another was given oly 10 seconds. I mean there is immersion which i am all for, then there is perpetual first world moaning... which we see a lot of...

It would be a cool effect, but again, how long do you do it for... because then people will be saying "Why do i have to watch for 10 seconds as the ship looses control and then expode, id rather just pop so i can get back to the game"

SO its all give and take. Personally id love some randomness to it

 

[mossfoot]

Well the occurance of this mechanic is fairly low, so to be fair, the need to change this is fairly low. You get what you are given, a time limit.

Same thing, in this gaming world of 1st world problems. Lets say there is some randomness to this depending say on, how much movement you do as a pilot when you are 'exposed'

can you imagine the moaning it would cause if someone was able to get a full 1 minute extra, and another was given oly 10 seconds. I mean there is immersion which i am all for, then there is perpetual first world moaning... which we see a lot of...

It would be a cool effect, but again, how long do you do it for... because then people will be saying "Why do i have to watch for 10 seconds as the ship looses control and then expode, id rather just pop so i can get back to the game"

SO its all give and take. Personally id love some randomness to it

As would I, perhaps minimizing movement prolongs your life, stretching things out by precious seconds in some cases, but game wise that's unlikely to be implemented. A hard and fast +1:00 countdown to represent that in a broad spectrum is the kind of compromise I could imagine actually getting implemented. After all, it wouldn't actually change how much time life support has, only how it's represented. And to someone in that crunch it would feel more "real" than the way it currently is.

 

[Eros]

never know, this would be a great thing to update too - possibly stretch the mechanic a bit for recovery too - like ok while not realistic, lets say your escape is 100%, then you get to float around for a bit, which you can end instantly by paying a fee in credits... or you can slowly die or maybe get help in a different way.

Id love personaly the addition of being able to get out your ship. i know many people dont care for this... but the ability to say search a wreckage by hand would be really cool, adds lots of risks and also possible extra gameplay.

SPACE WALK - remember, in space no one can hear you cha cha cha

 

[mossfoot]

never know, this would be a great thing to update too - possibly stretch the mechanic a bit for recovery too - like ok while not realistic, lets say your escape is 100%, then you get to float around for a bit, which you can end instantly by paying a fee in credits... or you can slowly die or maybe get help in a different way.

Id love personaly the addition of being able to get out your ship. i know many people dont care for this... but the ability to say search a wreckage by hand would be really cool, adds lots of risks and also possible extra gameplay.

SPACE WALK - remember, in space no one can hear you cha cha cha

Given that Star Citizen will allow that, if we can get out of our ship and walk on stations I suspect it won't be hard to include a space walk either.