Space Legs as an alternative to the SRV

In case you haven't been following, there's been numerous threads in the console forums about the bug that causes a crash to "desktop" when multiple SRVs gather together in the same instance (thankfully this has been announced as fixed). It is very clear that a large number of players see the ability to gather as a group on the surface of a planet as a huge part of the social experience in things like the upcoming DW2 expedition. I keep reading the argument that there needs to be new gameplay provided to justify giving us "space legs", but I beg to differ. The social interaction one can have in an SRV is somewhat limited, but imagine if we could all gather around the campfire in "person". While it might not be everyone's cup of tea, I'm willing to bet that a large part of the community would enjoy this. Considering some of the goofy things people do with SRVs, I can see gestures and poses (and heaven forbid, Fortnite-like dances) adding to the 'campfire' experience.

As for implementation, it would be relatively trivial. I'm not talking about walking around our ships or going on EVA while out in space (though someday that could still come), I'm just talking about having access to either an EVA suit or even just a backpack / jetpack strapped to our RemSuit instead of "wearing" an SRV. We already have avatars, so that's in the code. You may think walking is "hard to code", but look at your SRV while driving around - it has active shock absorbers, it skids when the brakes are locked, etc. I would argue that walking is easier to code than the mechanics of an SRV. And it's not like nobody has ever make a walking avatar in a game before :p

The other advantage is that explorers like myself could elect to leave the SRV behind and free that slot up for something else if we choose. In other words, the EVA would be part of the planetary landing module, with stairs / ladders as our entry point into our ship. An EVA would obviously be limited compared to an SRV (particularly when it comes to speed), but if we are given a hand tool that works similar to the blasters on the SRV, we could gather mats in our EVA, interact with Guardian ruins, etc. People who don't like walking simulators can completely forgo the EVA and use the standard SRV. The EVA just gives us another option.

iu

* emphasis on the group of players in EVA suits
 
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A fire would not stay alight at the moment, but I get your point. It would be nice for events like DW2

But in my Business 'Nice to haves' always sit at the bottom of the pile, unless it's a 'quick win'

Space legs and the work involved will not be quick :(
 
i wish i could run over people on planets with my srv..

LOL, I actually pictured GTA5 nonsense while writing the OP. That might be the hardest part of implementing EVA "space legs" - how does Frontier handle "death" in that situation? Perhaps our RemLock with jetpack automatically whisks us back to our ship when our vitals fail :D

Space legs and the work involved will not be quick :(

I beg to differ. We already have space legs - go edit your holome, and you'll see it actually has legs that you are standing on. This avatar flexes its fingers, twitches its lips, and has a variety of other already-programmed features (like a skeleton) that are just being wasted by being glued to a chair.
 
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LOL, I actually pictured GTA5 nonsense while writing the OP. That might be the hardest part of implementing EVA "space legs" - how does Frontier handle "death" in that situation? Perhaps our RemLock with jetpack automatically whisks us back to our ship when our vitals fail :D

It's a good point, space legs means dealing with perma death - Iron man - restart ?
 
what about not having space legs at all but instead holo-legs

we are not walking, we 're sitting in our ship... or even better drinking fujin tea in the starport while controlling our hologram on the planets.
death could result like when we die in our SRV or something similar

That's obvious... telepresence to drone bodies :D [big grin][squeeeee][squeeeee]

even better, controlling clones (if it fits with the lore)
 
FWIW, "dying" in our SRV is not really dealt with either. Even the dying in our ships and magically appearing back at a station is handwaivum nonsense. The only difference with being out there "in person" is it would look weird if our body exploded like an SRV or ship :eek:
 
I'd love legs but as many have pointed out, there has to be a reason for it otherwise it becomes "old" quickly.

Possible content that I'd love to see (purely as an example, of course):

You pass by a planet / moon and get some odd signal. You follow it down, landing near some broken-down land base. Smoke comes from slices in the buildings. The signal comes from inside one of those buildings. It looks intact but it has no modulation; just an emergency beacon.

Obviously you can't drive an SRV into a building through the airlock. THAT is the reason for legs. You have to get inside and see what activated the beacon. Is someone still in there? Are they alive? Dead? Un-dead? In a dark room? Guarding the Laser of a Thousand Truths? That you want? Or are there Thargoids laying in wait for you as you search for the Laser of a Thousand Truths?

Content is needed for space legs. I'm willing to wait.
Also, the Laser of a Thousand Truths would be nice to have. :p
 
Keep in mind that traveling on foot would be much slower, some of those remote installations seem small while driving around. There need to be a lot more assets for this level so it won't get boring.
The life support system needs to be balanced as well, why should it be more efficient than the one inside ships? And having a magic material storage inside a ship/SRV is different to running around with a backpack.
 
Keep in mind that traveling on foot would be much slower, some of those remote installations seem small while driving around. There need to be a lot more assets for this level so it won't get boring.
The life support system needs to be balanced as well, why should it be more efficient than the one inside ships? And having a magic material storage inside a ship/SRV is different to running around with a backpack.

Yea, but the oxygen system in the ship are ridiculously under-balanced. I mean, even in a ship as small as the Sidewinder, 30 minutes of oxygen seems way too short given the volume of air not just available in the cabin but likely stored in the ship for long distances. I see 30 minutes of air more likely for an EVA suit than a spaceship. :)
 
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I'd love legs but as many have pointed out, there has to be a reason for it otherwise it becomes "old" quickly.

Well.... I think driving around in circles with other CMDRs in my SRV gets old, yet there are a surprising number of players who were going to completely drop out of DW2 if this ability hadn't recently been fixed. I'd much rather gather with players "in person" at these events, and I personally don't feel it would get old.

My other reason is "a reason" as well, that "space legs" can be used in place of an SRV, which frees up a slot that normally would be dedicated to the "garage". Ideally Frontier would add the ability to scan material resources from our ship so I can land close to an outcrop and harvest it by hand without having to walk for ages, but otherwise the EVA is just another type of SRV (without the weight and module space), and lots and lots of people have been asking for new types of SRVs. Being someone who likes exploring in smaller ships, I would very much prefer using an EVA over an SRV when out exploring. Heck, I might even go exploring in a Sidewinder if this were an option!

ps - there is gameplay already there that I would feel more "immersed" in if I were using legs instead of a vehicle, like hacking data terminals :D
 

Deleted member 110222

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It's a good point, space legs means dealing with perma death - Iron man - restart ?

Nanomedicine.

Anyone who thinks legs = permadeath, doesn't play many games.

You can even respawn in hardcore military sims'.

I suspect it will easily be handled then, in a fantasy setting such as ED.
 
Look Ma,

I already have space legs!


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I even watched myself shift my weight from one leg to another. The hard work has been done. Now let me put on my helmet and strap on a life-support / jetpack and walk around wherever my SRV can go, as described in the OP.
 
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