[Suggestion] Navigation UI, avoid having to use galaxy map (which works poorly in VR)

[Arkku]

Hi,

I've suggested this before (way back in beta) but with VR I think this has become even more important:

• Show basic system info in Navigation tab
• Allow plotting routes directly from Transactions tab

Rationale: lessen the need to go to galaxy map. In VR the galaxy map is almost unusable at the moment, since mouse control doesn't seem to work correctly and the search/filter area is so far off to the left that one needs to stand up and walk around to view it with any clarity in the current VR headsets.
Implementation: There could be a couple of extra icons in the navigation tab for destination systems to show allegiance and primary star type, and selecting (or "hovering" over) a destination should show a bit more detail.

(Alternatively, fix galaxy map for VR, including mouse support and curving the screen to be viewable from basic sitting position. But even if this is done, I still think these would be helpful improvements.)

 

[StiTch]

Mouse control doesn't work "correctly" because the map literally becomes 3D, but the mouse operates on a 2D basis, and no clever soul has tried to find a way of making the 2D mesh with the 3D galaxy map, or ever finding a way to make it easier to use.

Frankly this shocks me because there's a LOT of detail in the ED VR world. The galaxy map feels like it was forgotten about, but I wish they'd take the two seconds of effort needed to find a solution.

I appreciate the motive here but frankly plotting from the nav tab is a couple of seconds longer than going to galaxy map, searching destination and plotting route. No-one needs the galaxy map itself to input a destination and start travelling. We need it to browse systems, filter them, search for something etc. etc. etc. This is what you lose in VR - or at least need to spend half a minute doing what a mouse could have done in half a second, quite literally.

TL;DR this is one of them "don't put a plaster over it" situations.

 

[Arkku]

TL;DR this is one of them "don't put a plaster over it" situations.

I agree fixing the galaxy map for VR should be done first, and it shouldn't be an impossible puzzle (given that the galaxy map is 3D anyway, and mapping 2D coordinates to 3D is needed for the non-VR 2D projection of the map anyway).

However, I think these improvements would nice to have even if VR (or the problems with galaxy map) didn't exist, and I did suggest them back during beta in 2014 years before I had any VR headset. I didn't (and still don't) like going to galaxy map as it takes me "out of the ship", and the more information is available in context, the better IMO. The recent addition of destination info to be shown during FSD charge is nice, but even better would be to not have to activate the destination and FSD to see it. For example, during exploration when you want to jump to some scoopable star nearby, or quickly check if there are more unexplored neutron stars nearby. Or for missions/trading if you could see the economy and allegiance of a system. etc.

 

[StiTch]

I agree fixing the galaxy map for VR should be done first, and it shouldn't be an impossible puzzle (given that the galaxy map is 3D anyway, and mapping 2D coordinates to 3D is needed for the non-VR 2D projection of the map anyway).

However, I think these improvements would nice to have even if VR (or the problems with galaxy map) didn't exist, and I did suggest them back during beta in 2014 years before I had any VR headset. I didn't (and still don't) like going to galaxy map as it takes me "out of the ship", and the more information is available in context, the better IMO. The recent addition of destination info to be shown during FSD charge is nice, but even better would be to not have to activate the destination and FSD to see it. For example, during exploration when you want to jump to some scoopable star nearby, or quickly check if there are more unexplored neutron stars nearby. Or for missions/trading if you could see the economy and allegiance of a system. etc.

I'd go with that. Add an option in the nav tab for "enter destination and autoplot" for those who know where they need to go fast, but not as a solution to the VR issue - just because it's positive for anyone, which ties in with my earlier statement "No-one needs the galaxy map itself to input a destination and start travelling".

 

[NW3]

I'd like to see some of the suggestions above implemented for avoiding the galaxy map, as well as a way to select a bookmarked destination from the Navigation panel.

Mouse control doesn't work "correctly" because the map literally becomes 3D, but the mouse operates on a 2D basis, and no clever soul has tried to find a way of making the 2D mesh with the 3D galaxy map, or ever finding a way to make it easier to use.

Here's a suggestion to fix the mouse cursor in 3D: Change the cursor to an xyz crosshair in 3 dimensions. The xy should form a plus sign (+) but the z (depth) should be a very long semi-transparent line, which acts like a laser pointer. The front-most system intersected by z should be highlighted.

...quickly check if there are more unexplored neutron stars nearby. Or for missions/trading if you could see the economy and allegiance of a system. etc.

A reasonable fix would be to display more info on the nearby stars listed in the Nav panel: Star type, allegiance, state (war, famine, etc.), and wanted status. If the info is too long, only show it for the selected system.

 

[Arkku]

A reasonable fix would be to display more info on the nearby stars listed in the Nav panel: Star type, allegiance, state (war, famine, etc.), and wanted status. If the info is too long, only show it for the selected system.

Yes, exactly what I'd like to see. =)