Waiting 300 seconds to download data... so I wrote this post in the meantime

Don't get me wrong. In a tight situation the timer is crucial and really adds tot the gameplay, but when there is just looting a powered up station, there is no need to delay the 'flow', since there is a point at which the download stops when you leave the range.
 
Yes, the range is not good and if there is nothing else in that room then you just have to stare at the wall. Or a window if you are lucky.
AHH, that will be reason why none of it has downloaded. They really should have a warning come up when you go out of range, and it should be a maximum of 60 seconds in my view. Waiting around for 4 minutes just isn't good.
 
AHH, that will be reason why none of it has downloaded. They really should have a warning come up when you go out of range, and it should be a maximum of 60 seconds in my view. Waiting around for 4 minutes just isn't good.
There is - when you lose connection you get a warning telling you "Transfer paused". But it's not very visible or audible (just like the guard scanning ;) )
 
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AHH, that will be reason why none of it has downloaded. They really should have a warning come up when you go out of range, and it should be a maximum of 60 seconds in my view. Waiting around for 4 minutes just isn't good.
There's both a sound and visual warning - download paused, and a nice 21st century signal bar that goes down as you move away.

As for the timer, I get it, it's that scene from every space/action/spy movie... they're closing in on your position, just hold them off for a few more minutes, I'm not done copying/downloading/uploading the harddrive/noc list/virus... so ya, it has it's place, but 300 seconds....

Here's a suggestion for FDev. We can start the download, loot the nearby lockers, and then hide by the door to zap anyone who might interupt us... Or... bring back the Alpha Biological scanner game! Stay safe for 300 seconds, or focus on the data port and every pattern lock cuts 15 seconds off the download time with changes to speed & direction.
 
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Well, talking about downloads. I was just doing a 42 second download at an impact site when a dropship came down on top for me and I still had 12 seconds left. There was the choice: Run and forget the data or fight and risk getting killed with limited area of movement. Good thing I have a g5 Tormentor. And to top it off, after I killed the first wave, a second dropship came down.
 
Well, talking about downloads. I was just doing a 42 second download at an impact site when a dropship came down on top for me and I still had 12 seconds left. There was the choice: Run and forget the data or fight and risk getting killed with limited area of movement. Good thing I have a g5 Tormentor. And to top it off, after I killed the first wave, a second dropship came down.
Not a dropship. A Vulture.

walks away cursing and mumbling incoherently
 
There's both a sound and visual warning - download paused, and a nice 21st century signal bar that goes down as you move away.

As for the timer, I get it, it's that scene from every space/action/spy movie... they're closing in on your position, just hold them off for a few more minutes, I'm not done copying/downloading/uploading the harddrive/noc list/virus... so ya, it has it's place, but 300 seconds....

Here's a suggestion for FDev. We can start the download, loot the nearby lockers, and then hide by the door to zap anyone who might interupt us... Or... bring back the Alpha Biological scanner game! Stay safe for 300 seconds, or focus on the data port and every pattern lock cuts 15 seconds off the download time with changes to speed & direction.
For it to have the full Hollywood impact, we need to see a percentage bar filling up that actually goes slightly backwards every time we cut away and look back at it :D
 
It is with this kind of mechanism that you can tell the difference between play and grind.
This mechanic of holding an area for a certain amount of time is found in almost every shooter game. And it's one of the mechanics that works best.
On the other hand, it is one of the worst mechanics when it comes to grind.
 

Deleted member 115407

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What kind of gameplay is this?
I restored the power in an empty settlement - there are no alarms, no enemies, no danger to be had.

Why do I have to wait 300 seconds doing literally nothing while I download a bunch of data?

I would understand when trying to steal data that it gives a sense of urgency but in an empty settlement?
It's just a waste of time, nothing else.

Ah, another 140 seconds to go...


EDIT: Found another port in the same settlement... another 150 seconds added to waiting time. Fun!
EDIT2: And a third port with a 60 seconds waiting time.

That is 510 seconds, over 8 minutes thankyouverymuch.
The gameplay, I think comes in when you have to steal the data, especially without killing anyone in the process.
They could shorten the timers for dead settlements, though.
 
The gameplay, I think comes in when you have to steal the data, especially without killing anyone in the process.
They could shorten the timers for dead settlements, though.
Bear in mind that data is no longer illegal to download, hasn't been that way since launch. It was only in alpha that it was an illegal act. The only time it's tense at all is when you do it in a restricted area, or if there's a guard patrolling and you don't want to be scanned (the latter isn't a scenario I've seen much of, the former is more common).

I actually think there's no reason for there to be a timer at all unless you're "hacking" and hacking should be something we should need to do only when the port is in a restricted area and sure that should take time.

Just not 300s.
 

Deleted member 115407

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Bear in mind that data is no longer illegal to download, hasn't been that way since launch. It was only in alpha that it was an illegal act. The only time it's tense at all is when you do it in a restricted area, or if there's a guard patrolling and you don't want to be scanned (the latter isn't a scenario I've seen much of, the former is more common).

I actually think there's no reason for there to be a timer at all unless you're "hacking" and hacking should be something we should need to do only when the port is in a restricted area and sure that should take time.

Just not 300s.
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For me it would be fine that we have to find the dataport and start the download and then go on with searching an empty settlement, using the WLAN that 'should' be present in the settlement. If we are in an occupied settlement we might need to stay close, only using the short 'bluetooth' range of the device, so no one could monitor the data theft, therefor lowering the bandwith of the download, or shuting down the WLAN alltogether while security closes in and starts to interrogate and scan strangers. Not outright shoot them...
Eh, I think if you're not limited to using the "bluetooth" like connection, you'd also have faster speeds and would be able to download it quite instantly. Of course, this all can be explained that you're hacking into the dataports using this short range, slow speed signal. This would allow for another console in security buildings to disable network security so you can just connect to a data port and download instantly.

I just wish that instead of a X number of files rule, it was based on memory size. It's weird you can have 10 huge files that take a minute or 2 to download on their own, or 10 teeny tiny 5 second to download files. You should have a memory limit based on file size. So the huge files also take up more space.

Also, have you dropped a file? I removed a couple to make room and a giant canister dropped, and then a hard drive... Dropping data should just delete them...
 
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1 minute, lots of time for baddies to sneak up on you.
Yeh. I do feel I need to stress though that there's only one place downloading data isn't allowed and that's restricted areas. Otherwise, even those 60s is just standing about. NPCs don't care if you use data ports, only if you're in the restricted area.
 
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