What do you want from space legs?

[AbsinthSvK]

Ability to walk inside your ship, pressing buttons and looking throught windows. Of course compatible with multicrew because is multiplayer game.

 

[Glock_N_Load]

I would like to be "paid" when I complete a mission instead of having to return to a station (unless it's a source and return).
I would like to accept some missions while out in space.

 

[Stealthie]

I am starting this thread since the other one focuses too much on FPS style gameplay, which results in too many pointless discussions in my opinion.

Well here is what I want from space legs and I realise that it's probably too much...

• Walking around ships / stations / outposts / surfaces
• Meet and interact with NPCs (both generic and handcrafted, Tier 2 NPCs anyone?)
• Survival elements (although I hate most current survival games I would absolutely love to fix things inside and outside of my ship)
• Gathering surface / biological samples for science
• Infiltrating outposts and NPC ships Deus Ex / Mass Effect style. It doesn't need to be as sophisticated with tons of RPG elements and character specialisation but it would be awesome to have non-lethal ways.
• Using weapons should be possible but I don't want to see hordes of enemies like you would expect them in Doom or CoD. Firing a weapon should be a carefully made decision which does involve consequences.
• Most importantly, petting my cockpit cat and watering the plants

What do I want from space-legs?

At the risk of sounding a little obtuse, I want a good reason to use them.

A lot of that list either sounds like stuff you'd do a couple of times for the spectacle and then skip (if possible) or it's stuff that's just being made more complicated in order to provide a reason to use space-legs.

Honestly, I'm kind of torn over this because I'd like space-legs to add to the "immersion" by making the different parts of the game more integrated but that would probably mean space-legs becomes a long-winded way of doing things that we currently use menus or keyboard shortcuts for.

Main thing, though, is just that I'd hope space-legs becomes an "organic" part of the game, so I don't feel like I'm being forced to use space-legs to do stuff just for the sake of useing them... like, for example, shooting rocks with the SRV and then having to leave the SRV and collect mat's on foot.

 

[BDelacroix]

A good reason to use them should sum it up nicely.

 

[LanceLord]

Fundamentally, there needs to be a reason for an FPS element to exist.
Wandering around stations will be fun for a while but if all I'm doing is accomplishing the same stuff I can currently do via the station menu (hand in bounties, buy ships/modules, sell data etc) then I won't be impressed.

Agreed. Here are some valid reasons why Space legs are vital to rebooting ED. Especially since other space themed games the likes of Space Engineers & NMS are trending a greater player base based on stats on sites like Steam. All of these offer emergent game play for the Exploration, Mining/trading, combat/privateer, PvP and sandbox PvE modes:

First we'd need an upgraded space suit that could be bought at any space station. Would consist of an additional "back pack" unit which adds a limited, personal inventory in form of storage and associated module types. These functional modules could be purchased with credits only when docked at space stations/planetary bases. For realism, this personal inventory is limited in capacity (i.e is smaller than SRV capacity) and NOT connected to your SRV or ship.

You could customize your "back pack" with specific modules depending on what you planned to do while on EVA. So for example, you'd be able to optimize your "back pack" modules for career based or sand box opportunities like:

• deep trek exploration (so perhaps plan to carry more O2 tank modules)
• shorter combat trek focused missions (so carry more weapon/ammo and med kit slots in event of hostile PvP or Thargoid encounters).
• sandbox EVA activity from the SRV. Might need to go on foot to complete things like:
  • sand box/PP missions of sabotage, data espionage at planetary facilities. Or for a challenge
  • executing skimmer missions doing FPS on foot. Which would have the added challenge if these were being done in Open with hostile intent PvP Cmndrs. Or
• manually perform deep space ship repair when your ship is dead in the black as suggested below (pics are from Space Engineers):

^^
This is a VERY useful alternative feature v. having to self destruct your ship. Especially if:

• your ship's power plant is busted so your AFMU can't function. This is the most important reason for an EVA repair feature. Because it's the ONLY and very dangerous way to repair your power supply to a minimum working level i.e. restore it to a minimally working state that could get the AFMU to function.
• Your AFMU is inefficient (like low grade E vs A level) or damaged. So doing EVA ship repair would aid and support this process
• being a typically broke n00b Cmdr and/or playing in Solo
• failing to plan ahead to add an AFMU module, lack mats to synth and/or lack repair limpets
• being able to emergency evac your main ship on the fly for your fighter ship if NPC pilot crew is killed and vice versa etc.
• performing dangerous, dare devil exploration excursions inside gas planetary atmospheres for an extremely limited period of time (due to hostile environment, radiation etc). With the significant possibility to even have your main ship destroyed as an added risk. Reward is a notable entry in the Codex and recognition for Pilot's Federation
• doing mat collection/mining activities on foot on planets with extreme low G, steep slopes, rocky surfaces that make SRV navigation and/or landing your ship difficult. Or
• performing mission/sand box based SAR missions. Space legs provide the ability to gain better access to SAR sites to collect escape pods etc.
• exploring crash sites to collect/harvest mats for synth, mining, exploration Codex entry rewards etc.
• investigate biological life/guardian tech up close (and possibly get credit for fully exploring a Guardian tech or dangerous Thargoid structure/site by default of being up close on foot). Works similar to how first explorers get recognition and credit in Codex for discovering new systems/collecting complete planetary data with the FSS etc.
• Search and Rescue missions for NPC escape pods and/or stranded Cmndr
• Fuel Rat support. FRs would be able to follow player beacons and SAR for players. Land on planets and possibly carry an incapacitated player to their SRV or ship (assuming player ship not destroyed). If Cmdr is still alive by the time they reach their ship, this would buy a distressed Cmdr time and an alternative to NOT having to auto destruct their ship. i.e. the suit adds time to the ship's existing life support count down timer. If the ship is too damaged to fly, then player could exit/EVA from ship to their SRV or wait around on the planet.
• exploiting potential trading opportunities with other players. Like during
  • CG meet ups or pre-designated Cmndr meet ups in Open/PG instances.
  • Friendly player to player planet encounters with normal/black market commodities exchange trading (for credits).
  • Friendly player to player planet encounters with normal market commodities transfer (for free). i.e. giving another player/Wing member free vital needed supplies like water, O2, health med packs etc. Could be in context of a random SAR encounter, FR encounter etc.
  • CG or PG meet ups at RNG POIs. To do social things like forming hunting expeditions to hunting potentially dangerous animals (e.g. Ceti Rabbits for their meat or Bast Snakes for their potential narcotic sources that can be traded on the market). Or just hunt the alien fauna for personal consumption/use instead of market profit. Harvesting flora (for health aid/food consumption or sale), mining parties that do archaeological dig sites/collective mining for precious surface materials, group EVA exploration of Guardian ruins, Gen ships. Especially if these are in systems of known Thargoid activity etc etc.