Suggestion: player heat maps on the galaxy map (nuanced, though)

[Katkon]

I'll caveat the below with: this concept is not new, though I am proposing some tweaks to features available in other games.

The (tweaked) idea came to me today whilst bounty hunting at a nav beacon. I thought: this'd be a lot more fun if there were some players around, other than the occasional fellow bounty hunter. I thought about setting off to find player pirates, but then realized I'd either be searching for a long, long time, or run into organized player bank squads in the "usual" systems - and quickly be outnumbered. Even then, I might not run into anyone for a quite a while.

BASE IDEA: include a filter on the galaxy map that allows everyone to quickly determine the amount of PvP taking place around the galaxy - either through color-coding or by using bigger diameter circles for the busiest areas. The time period should be selectable - e.g. last 1 hour, last 24 hours, last week - for example.

TWEAK 1: include a filter setting that allow us to view the number of illegal kills/murder (which would be driven off innocent players being destroyed whilst having "report crimes against me" turned "on"). The illegal kill would register everywhere except anarchy space, which doesn't rely on kill reporting/wanted status. This means anarchy space essentially stays off the heat map, and remains suitably dangerous. This mechanic would allow bounty hunters to more easily identify/chase down murderers.

TWEAK 2: include a filter setting that allows us to view the number of bounty vouchers awarded/sourced in a given system (not where they're redeemed; where they're earned). This would allow pirates or murderers to seek out bounty hunters.

Now, this would make life a little harder for pirates in that they'd need to move around a bit to ensure they don't get taken out by bounty hunters, and vice versa. It'll make life a lot more interesting though, and allow players to quickly find PvP. It should improve life for traders who can quickly/easily identify PvP hotspots (esp. of the pirate variety) and plot another course.

TWEAK 3: Now, if the consensus is that this would make life "too safe" for traders, we could include a 3rd filter on the galaxy map that simply shows the number of (non-unique ships flying in and out of the system, which would allow pirates to identify key trade routes - and also force traders to stay on the move. I suspect this nuance won't get a lot of support on the forum, though.

Basically, I'm trying to insert a bit more "danger" into Elite: Dangerous, and to encourage more human interaction whilst still giving those that abhor interaction some tools to avoid it (besides Solo). Thoughts?

 

[Montanejos]

Please show player activity/population like that. Inb4 go play that other game.

 

[Katkon]

I'm well aware of the EVE player heat maps - that's what I was referring to above. I'd like to see the tweaks, though. It'll make the game a lot more engaging, and more of a multiplayer experience. Those that want to avoid interaction can play solo or avoid the heat; those that want it will know where to find it. That's what I call a win/win!

P.S. EVE does allow you to filter by ships destroyed, but it does not differentiate between legit BH kills and murder, as an example.

 

[JosiahD]

I'm not averse to a heat map so long as the next step is not to then be able identify individual players within that map. But I caveat that with the observation that this is couched as an aid to PvP in a game not focused on PvP. What I mean by that is that NPCs are just as legitimate as targets for piracy and bounty hunting. Perhaps they don't provide the same challenge, but in a game like Elite shouldn't the heat map also include NPCs? As in being a heatmap of ALL CMDR/pilot activity, not simply that of players only? Even NPC activity should be concentrated in the same core systems and fade towards the frontier.


And how would you capture CMDRs/NPCs that are out beyond the frontier and not visiting stations as regularly - such characters should only register when they dock, but as they may go some time without docking they should not appear on the heatmap when they're 'out in the black'. I would also argue therefore that said heatmap should not be accesible unless docked (ie you can only 'see' activity based on data that's being communicated between stations re the traffic in each system, not something you can get on the fly - similar to the way buying exploration and market data is handled now).