I'm beginning to have some frustration with the general algorithm this game uses to generate contacts in supercruise. In case it helps understand my point, this is coming from the perspective of a bounty hunter floating around in supercruise looking for contacts to interdict that are wanted. So, it's basically what I spend hours on end doing to earn money. Also, I'm new to the game, I didn't play in Beta, so please forgive any natural ignorance.
I'll first outline the experience as I perceive it:
1.) You enter supercruise within a system, after waiting for the disguised loading screen to complete (the initiation of supercruise).
2.) Upon entering the supercruise mode, starting with none, instances are basically generated (a bit slowly) and accrued in your Contacts list in the form of Ships (USS's are also generated, but they don't apply to my point here).
3.) When you enter (load into) one of these chosen instances (by interdicting one of these ships, or vice versa), after the long awaited random generation of one you find suitable, the previously accrued pool of instances (contacts) is cleared, and you have to start ALL OVER again from 0 contacts once you enter supercruise again OUT of there. This takes quite a bit of filler time.
So, here is my suggestion: Why not generate a larger pool of contacts initially upon entering supercruise so I don't, in essence, have to sit around waiting for them to pop up randomly, starting with 0 every single time. This is immersion breaking to the extreme, because the system that was once filled with ships that I scanned and learned the pilots name, allegience, and rank of, is now devoid of them! Perhaps throw like 10 in there right off the bat. Even better, cache the previous group of contacts and reload them when I re-emerge from the encounter I chose.
Does this make sense? If I'm missing something, I would be ecstatic to have my ignorance corrected.
I'll first outline the experience as I perceive it:
1.) You enter supercruise within a system, after waiting for the disguised loading screen to complete (the initiation of supercruise).
2.) Upon entering the supercruise mode, starting with none, instances are basically generated (a bit slowly) and accrued in your Contacts list in the form of Ships (USS's are also generated, but they don't apply to my point here).
3.) When you enter (load into) one of these chosen instances (by interdicting one of these ships, or vice versa), after the long awaited random generation of one you find suitable, the previously accrued pool of instances (contacts) is cleared, and you have to start ALL OVER again from 0 contacts once you enter supercruise again OUT of there. This takes quite a bit of filler time.
So, here is my suggestion: Why not generate a larger pool of contacts initially upon entering supercruise so I don't, in essence, have to sit around waiting for them to pop up randomly, starting with 0 every single time. This is immersion breaking to the extreme, because the system that was once filled with ships that I scanned and learned the pilots name, allegience, and rank of, is now devoid of them! Perhaps throw like 10 in there right off the bat. Even better, cache the previous group of contacts and reload them when I re-emerge from the encounter I chose.
Does this make sense? If I'm missing something, I would be ecstatic to have my ignorance corrected.
Last edited: