How about a rework of Supercruise/Interdiction/Stellar Bodies Scanning for Beyond 3.4?
I think most of us players spend a large chunk of our playtime in supercruise flying in a straight line. It's usually time when I go get a drink/read the paper/walk the dog (jk I don't read the paper lol... or have a dog
), and sometimes that's fine, but sometimes you just wanna get to your destination already and waiting 5 minutes to accelerate and decelerate is kind of a drag.
We know that the Q4 update is aimed at an exploration overhaul (among other things), I also believe they have said they were looking into some kind of micro-jumps between stars in a system, and Sandro has said that they want to make exploration faster and more skill-based.
Furthermore, the current interdiction system is okay, but it could have more depth.
Obviously reworking the whole Supercruise part of the game is a pretty big undertaking, but as it could hit several birds with one stone, it might be worth thinking about. An overhaul could be a better option than bandaid-fixing the other issues individually.
FAoff in Supercruise
For the most part Supercruise can stay as it is. However FD could add an 'advanced mode' like FAoff, for supercruise.
As a result Interdictions would have to be rebalanced, but I think the option of FAoff in supercruise would add a lot of depth to the pre-minigame lineup.
A skilled pirate could use a gravity well to slingshot him closer to a distant target in a shorter timeframe. Compare this with the current system of just having to wait until your target starts slowing down and you get within range.
Stellar body scanning would be made quicker, as interplanetary travel times would be shorter for a skilled pilot using the superscruise-FAoff to his advantage, and quicker still because he could pass by one body on the way to another and rotate to scan it without disrupting his flight course.
This may all sound good but be too difficult to actually do in game as a pilot, where gravity is not visible and velocities reach dangerous heights with increasing potential for a loss of control, so perhaps some special UI guides could be implemented to highlight the best flightpaths to your target. And remember you can still fly with FAon in supercruise.
And yes I've seen this thread, I think enough time has passed for another look at the possibility.
I'd like to hear opinions/ideas if anyone has any.
I think most of us players spend a large chunk of our playtime in supercruise flying in a straight line. It's usually time when I go get a drink/read the paper/walk the dog (jk I don't read the paper lol... or have a dog
We know that the Q4 update is aimed at an exploration overhaul (among other things), I also believe they have said they were looking into some kind of micro-jumps between stars in a system, and Sandro has said that they want to make exploration faster and more skill-based.
Furthermore, the current interdiction system is okay, but it could have more depth.
Obviously reworking the whole Supercruise part of the game is a pretty big undertaking, but as it could hit several birds with one stone, it might be worth thinking about. An overhaul could be a better option than bandaid-fixing the other issues individually.
FAoff in Supercruise
For the most part Supercruise can stay as it is. However FD could add an 'advanced mode' like FAoff, for supercruise.
- Your rotation and movement vector become independent of each other.
- You have lateral thrusters.
- You have an indicator for your vector of travel that shows your direction and relative velocity (relative to distance to target/nearby stellar bodies).
- FSD Cruise safeties are set to minimum, allowing a higher tolerance of acceleration and deceleration.
- You can accelerate best with your main trusters, likewise you have to rotate away from your vector of travel to best decelerate with your main thrusters.
- Allow more effective advanced maneuvers using gravity slings to gain velocity quickly. This should enable skilled pilots to quickly zip between distant bodies, instead of adding microjumps which sounds too 'easy-mode' for my liking.
- As a counterbalance you could risk blackouts when accelerating or decelerating too hard, like in Planetary Landing's Glide mode.
As a result Interdictions would have to be rebalanced, but I think the option of FAoff in supercruise would add a lot of depth to the pre-minigame lineup.
A skilled pirate could use a gravity well to slingshot him closer to a distant target in a shorter timeframe. Compare this with the current system of just having to wait until your target starts slowing down and you get within range.
Stellar body scanning would be made quicker, as interplanetary travel times would be shorter for a skilled pilot using the superscruise-FAoff to his advantage, and quicker still because he could pass by one body on the way to another and rotate to scan it without disrupting his flight course.
This may all sound good but be too difficult to actually do in game as a pilot, where gravity is not visible and velocities reach dangerous heights with increasing potential for a loss of control, so perhaps some special UI guides could be implemented to highlight the best flightpaths to your target. And remember you can still fly with FAon in supercruise.
And yes I've seen this thread, I think enough time has passed for another look at the possibility.
I'd like to hear opinions/ideas if anyone has any.