Ta-ra

[-VR- Max Factor]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/better

So which of these applies from your link?

1 : greater than half
for the better part of an hour
2 : improved in health or mental attitude
feeling better
3 : more attractive, favorable, or commendable
in better circumstances
4 : more advantageous or effective
a better solution
5 : improved in accuracy or performance
building a better engine

Not making any sense. Surely you want the new scanning system to be better then the easy and vapid last version, which thankfully it is.

Why would it being better then the last version be a bad thing. Or would you prefer them to make it worse?

 

[Scytale]

If you don't want anyone else to talk to you send a PM to him.

Right.
But there is a simpler way.

 

[Kenneth McGrew]

I’m glad to read that Jackie is re-considering. Her initial post was saddening.

I felt like Jackie too when I first started playing with the new FSS mechanics in the beta, I didn’t really care much for it, and I feared that a lot of old school explorers would truly hate it. However, I’ve now used it to scan hundreds of systems and my opinions have changed drastically. I now strongly prefer the FSS to the old God Honk. There is a learning curve, and you truly need to take the time to set up the keybinds in a comfortable manner, but once you get proficient with it then the new system is very nice. The new tools allow us to find things we’d never have been able to find before.

Yes it is slower if you just want to uncover the system map, but it’s much faster at full scanning a system, so in some ways it’s quicker but in other ways its slower. And Jackie is right it does obfuscate information after the honk, too much in my opinion, and I’ve made many suggestions in the beta forums to improve that situation. Hopefully Frontier implements a few of them.

I would humbly suggest that any explorers who think they will hate the new system to please give it an honest chance when it goes live. Make the effort to set it up and spend some real time using it before you write it off completely. I’m very glad I did, and now I’m more excited for exploration in Elite than I’ve been in over four years.

i found myself travelling and not bothering to uncover the system map, its quicker to full scan systems yes but rather repetitive and after some 500 systems in Beta i dont bother with it unless its an area of space im actually interested in (which usually produces golf balls which makes it more unsatisfactory)

it probably wont stop me going out there, its just more frustrating and i dont really see it as an "improvement" on my Quality of Life in the game.

as much as i would like to see a change its clear (on the forums anyway) im in a minority, so it is what it is, some will hate it some will love it, will it be long term... who knows, beta is always "new" fresh and exciting but the ADS of old kept me busy for 4 years, i'd like to think the FSS does the same but i've shelved beta for some last minute exploration the way i like it, and finding a rock with a mountain larger than neverest last night reminded me why i like the ADS as i would have bypassed that system otherwise.

horses for courses but if im still exploring in 2022 then the FSS has lived up to its job.

 

[m0rl0ck]

Following the recent obfuscation of the exploration side of the game, I'm off.

Im waiting to see what the actual release brings, but after checking out beta 1, i havent played since, so i sympathize.

 

[Mengy]

Well, if you enjoy this new way of "Exploration" at a standstill... FSS the 1MLs wide system in a minute and discover and tag almost all what it contains. Enjoy !
The thing, for me, is that this FSS-thing minigame is just an ugly concept art and mechanic for a 2018 major space game. Moving a slider in a dull UI and zooming in, and instantantly getting all the data of a body, no matter what far it is ? And tagging it as "discovered" ? Without even moving ? Come on... Space game or "telescope simulator" ?
I just can't have the feeling of being "Exploring". Just playing a silly blueish minigame. Even after having tried it for many hours and dozens of systems.
Exploration is dead for me in ED if FDevs keep this heresy as it is.

I guess the difference for me is that the FSS minigame isn’t the entirety of the exploration process, but rather the beginning of it.

Full scanning a system with the FSS gives me lots of information which allows me to decide how to proceed next. If the system is boring I move on. If it has colorful landable planets with surface features I can fly up to them for a closer look, even send probes and investigate the surface for scenic locations. If a planet has unusual ground locations, something way out of the ordinary, then I’ll definitely fly down to them to explore further. If the Orrery map shows a binary pair of landables orbiting super close to a star or a ringed gas giant then I’m certainly flying over to see them. If the system has signal sources far out in deep space then that’s something which really demands a closer look.

Doing the FSS minigame isn’t the end of exploration in 3.3, it’s only the door into the meat of the real exploration. I’ve explored hundreds of systems in the beta now and I know from experience I’ll still be doing a great amount of flying the ship after 3.3. The FSS screen will not be where I spend the majority of my exploration time.

That’s my two cents on the new stuff from my time with it, and it’s why I like the new 3.3 mechanics so much.

 

[EUS]

So, you're back?

 

[Cliff Dobbs]

That’s my two cents on the new stuff from my time with it, and it’s why I like the new 3.3 mechanics so much.

I, too, am enjoying the new mechanics, but I do have one enhancement I like to see. When you jump into a new system, the DS picks up anything that is in "passive range". This is evident from the journal log. Also in the journal log is the number of bodies found after the honk, and the percentage of the system that has been "discovered";

e.g.
--- FSSDiscoveryScan ---
Body Count .............................. 17
Progress ................................ 33.403

I'd like this info to be displayed in the info panel (top right), so that I can make something of a value judgement as to if it is worth opening the FSS. For this example I would, but if it said 4 bodies and 75% discovered, I probably wouldn't.

Currently, I have a bit of Python tailing the journal log and displaying it in human readable form. It does the trick, but would be nicer in-game.

C

 

[Straha Yeagar]

I, too, am enjoying the new mechanics, but I do have one enhancement I like to see. When you jump into a new system, the DS picks up anything that is in "passive range". This is evident from the journal log. Also in the journal log is the number of bodies found after the honk, and the percentage of the system that has been "discovered";

e.g.
--- FSSDiscoveryScan ---
Body Count .............................. 17
Progress ................................ 33.403

I'd like this info to be displayed in the info panel (top right), so that I can make something of a value judgement as to if it is worth opening the FSS. For this example I would, but if it said 4 bodies and 75% discovered, I probably wouldn't.

Currently, I have a bit of Python tailing the journal log and displaying it in human readable form. It does the trick, but would be nicer in-game.

C

And the new beta notes indicate that they have indeed listened to us and include the body count on the main HUD. While not the percentage discovered, nor the wave form, just the body count alone is huge.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

I guess the difference for me is that the FSS minigame isn’t the entirety of the exploration process, but rather the beginning of it.

Full scanning a system with the FSS gives me lots of information which allows me to decide how to proceed next. If the system is boring I move on. If it has colorful landable planets with surface features I can fly up to them for a closer look, even send probes and investigate the surface for scenic locations. If a planet has unusual ground locations, something way out of the ordinary, then I’ll definitely fly down to them to explore further. If the Orrery map shows a binary pair of landables orbiting super close to a star or a ringed gas giant then I’m certainly flying over to see them. If the system has signal sources far out in deep space then that’s something which really demands a closer look.

Doing the FSS minigame isn’t the end of exploration in 3.3, it’s only the door into the meat of the real exploration. I’ve explored hundreds of systems in the beta now and I know from experience I’ll still be doing a great amount of flying the ship after 3.3. The FSS screen will not be where I spend the majority of my exploration time.

That’s my two cents on the new stuff from my time with it, and it’s why I like the new 3.3 mechanics so much.

Pretty much my experience too.

 

[Han Zulu]

I guess the difference for me is that the FSS minigame isn’t the entirety of the exploration process, but rather the beginning of it.

Exactly.

It's to give the tools needed for more expansions moving forward. More things to find.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

Exactly.

It's to give the tools needed for more expansions moving forward. More things to find.

I have a feeling that the new 'era' for ED will be atmospheric planets and these mechanics will be great for them as there should be plenty of POI on them too. I could see myself spending days in certain systems as I explore it fully. Thats the hope anyway.

 

[Han Zulu]

I have a feeling that the new 'era' for ED will be atmospheric planets and these mechanics will be great for them as there should be plenty of POI on them too. I could see myself spending days in certain systems as I explore it fully. Thats the hope anyway.

Same.

Hopefully, there will be new types of alien structures and lifeforms that we can find in the future. Perhaps even meteors or alien derelict space stations.

It's been bothering me for a while that the only lifeforms we have in ED are all gathered in a very small section of the galaxy. What's so special about that place? Why isn't there an even distribution over the galaxy? Or are we related somehow, guardians, humans, and thargoids, because we all rose from the same starting point? Or is it that we just haven't been able to find the other species out there in space?

 

[SpacialKatana]

Moving a slider in a dull UI and zooming in, and instantantly getting all the data of a body, no matter what far it is ? And tagging it as "discovered" ? Without even moving ? Come on... Space game or "telescope simulator" ?
I just can't have the feeling of being "Exploring". Just playing a silly blueish minigame. Even after having tried it for many hours and dozens of systems.
Exploration is dead for me in ED if FDevs keep this heresy as it is.

And better not to say anything about the PewpewThePlanet with infinite "probes" minigame-thing.... "Probes.".. [haha]

This pretty much sums it up after a few hours in beta 2. Can't think of a dev studio with as much obvious modelling and art talent being let down by such an un-imaginative and dull, tedium loving design team. I had a feeling this'd happen when the patch for exploring was announced. More grind and busy work to do exactly the same thing. Nice.

Here's the thing, up till now I'd NEVER found geysers on a planet/moon for all the flying and driving I'd done. 10 minutes probe pew-pew later I've seen so many they're now 'commonplace'.

That's the difference, from the sublime to the ridiculous! But hey-ho, we got 2 new ships to play with....

On Topic : Welcome back Jackie! Who never left...riiiiight [rolleyes]

 

[Strangepork]

U

This pretty much sums it up after a few hours in beta 2. Can't think of a dev studio with as much obvious modelling and art talent being let down by such an un-imaginative and dull, tedium loving design team. I had a feeling this'd happen when the patch for exploring was announced. More grind and busy work to do exactly the same thing. Nice.

Here's the thing, up till now I'd NEVER found geysers on a planet/moon for all the flying and driving I'd done. 10 minutes probe pew-pew later I've seen so many they're now 'commonplace'.

That's the difference, from the sublime to the ridiculous! But hey-ho, we got 2 new ships to play with....

On Topic : Welcome back Jackie! Who never left...riiiiight [rolleyes]

Providing the new discovery mechanics without a considerable amount more to discover, was always on the cards, and more of the usual from Frontier Disappointment.

 

[Cliff Dobbs]

And the new beta notes indicate that they have indeed listened to us and include the body count on the main HUD. While not the percentage discovered, nor the wave form, just the body count alone is huge.

Yay! I just downloaded the new beta and there it was

C

 

[Saool]

Some of you will have seen me conspicuously present in-game this last week or so. I've been taking things on board and I've managed to get some motivation back.

Thanks to everyone who has commented here, you've made me think for long enough to get over my initial knee-jerk reaction.

This is very pleasing.

For whilst I have very little tolerance for 'I'm leaving' posts, I also don't actually like people leaving.


In other news, I've only played with the system for a few hours, probably having done less than 10 systems. But I find if fun and oddly compelling. I also like that it now makes a clear distiction between exploring and travelling. If you want to find things, you need to make a little more effort than honk. If you want to travel, you no-longer feel compelled to stop and honk every system just in case.

 

[disorganise]

Glad you're back/didnt leave

After travelling out a few Kylie's in beta 1 and having to reinstall windows due to weird lockup issues, I couldn't find the will to fire up the beta until today. So skipped beta 2 entirely.

Aand....im worried. That I can't get excited by the FSS is one thing. I'm finding I'm more and more jonking which is a bit dire to be honest. But there's an element of "it's beta so don't really care too much about discovery" (already have geyser overload)
But..... Aside from the obvious performance issues this morning, there were 2 or 3 systems I *tried* to play FSS and came across a body that would not zoom. In one case there was only one squiggly line so tuning was hardly the problem, but the circle would not change and zoom would not work.
I *hope* this is a bug.

 

[varonica]

hardly the problem, but the circle would not change and zoom would not work.
I *hope* this is a bug.

There are two here issue really.

1) Step zoom, that's often useful for seperating out these objects, but it doesn't work on the first level for some reason, you have to be zoomed in at least once already for it to work so objects that are to close to the star in the first level FSS screen can't be seperated using step zoom.

2) Objects behind other objects can't be zoomed in on. Now space is big and planets are small, so it's not often it happens, but if they are perfectly lined up it's a problem. This is usually a proble with the primary star, I just exit out of FSS and fly away a bit so the stars a lot small then you can usually do it, otherwise the other option is to fly up out of the orbital plane where these hidden objects can be easily resolved.

It's an extra step in scanning a system and takes a bit more time but it does work, I haven't had an object I can't eventually resolve.

 

[disorganise]

There are two here issue really.

1) Step zoom, that's often useful for seperating out these objects, but it doesn't work on the first level for some reason, you have to be zoomed in at least once already for it to work so objects that are to close to the star in the first level FSS screen can't be seperated using step zoom.

2) Objects behind other objects can't be zoomed in on. Now space is big and planets are small, so it's not often it happens, but if they are perfectly lined up it's a problem. This is usually a proble with the primary star, I just exit out of FSS and fly away a bit so the stars a lot small then you can usually do it, otherwise the other option is to fly up out of the orbital plane where these hidden objects can be easily resolved.

It's an extra step in scanning a system and takes a bit more time but it does work, I haven't had an object I can't eventually resolve.

Thanks, but for the first system there was only one body that wasn't a star. After looking at the beta part of the forum, seems it is a bug:

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/458828-Problem-with-finding-planets-in-FSS

 

[varonica]

Thanks, but for the first system there was only one body that wasn't a star. After looking at the beta part of the forum, seems it is a bug:

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/458828-Problem-with-finding-planets-in-FSS

Ah yes the mysterious blue blobs, false alarms, always check the numbers before running round checking more blue blobs

I was hoping they might have a quick fix for that during maintenance but I see it's still there, oh well expect a minor patch in a day or so I guess.