Finding anomalies and having science based modules on your ship. Landing on a planet, taking a soil sample from a crater. Doing science on it. Seeing what effects a binary neutron star has on plant life in a system.
A catalog of discoveries. As it is right now, exploration in ED is simple exploration. What it needs to be exciting is discovery; we need to be able to find new and interesting things, and this would only matter if we could keep a record of our finds (preferably something we could share).
An Orrery like map to set an optimal system exploration path would be fine. The system map is fine to display informations, but near useless to plan a route.
I like akaliel and playfuldreamer suggestions. Maybe they can be combined to create a kind of explorer achievements log?
Mapping the Surface : [ * ]
- Mineral Deposits (for later Mining Exploitation)
- Materials hotspots/general distribution (for personal Exploitation or spreading the word if it's a nice find)
- Topography Data
- Geological Data
- detecting and identifying unique Planetary features
Deep-Scanning surface :
- Science Modules for Ship and SRV
- Tectonic structure of Planet Surface
- Analysis of major Craters (age, impact details etc.)
- detection of unknown Signatures (unique Materials, non-manmade remains of infrastructure or Artifacts of any type)
- soil samples
Implementation of "Galactic Record Breakers" in-game, using the available Data from the Ship's Computer.
- notification when detecting a new Record, allows personal documentation
- after selling Map Data, congratulations screen from UC for setting a new Record in any category
- visible (state : last time docked) Records with detailed statistics on all records, where CMDRs can see their personal ranking... or check what they'd have to be looking for to set a new record
Galaxy Map :
- display & highlight Systems "Map Data available" to indicate Systems visited vs. Systems not visited
- display (most plausible) Routes or Bubbles of all previous Exploration trips (based on Map Data present vs. not present)
- permit detailed Searches in own Map Data : i.e. show nearest Earth-Like, display all known Systems with Water Worlds, display Systems with 1st Discoveries etc..
- Bookmarks/Scratchpad for personal Notes of found HighLights
- custom Route Plotting, i.e. only via Star types or via manually set Waypoints
- UC acting more like a Faction, get a Home base and yield better Services with increasing Exploration Rank.
- UC having an actual scientific observatory and simulator, where ELITE ranked CMDRs get access to their entire Database to plan their next Destination
- Ship-based Observatory, allowing visual targeting/identification of anything within field of view (Zoom/Pan/ID) within a limited Range
- ability for CMDRs to share Map Data in-game (either freely offering them or for sale at any Station/Outpost)
- ability for CMDRs to purchase Map Data from other Explorers, i.e. by posting a public RFI (Request for Information) on public Bulletin Boards
- SC-capable Scanning probes to accelerate Detail-scanning of distant B/C Suns and/or Planets that look interesting from the distance
- a dedicated large Exploration vessel with ability to dock one or more smaller Ships, an expensive but capable Deep-Space Exploration platform with good Range and a degree of self-sustainability for long-term Missions
... and likely alot more.
[ * ]
Imagine this :
You're Mapping the Surface...
- Ship needs to enter and remain in Orbital Cruise
- with every rounding of the Planet you add a Level of Detail (Lvl 1-3)
Now entering the System Map and opening the Planetary Map, you don't see just a Wireframe anymore : you see the actual Surface acc. to the Detail level you scanned.
(payout accordingly, as you're bringing higher Detail Maps of the Surface structure back home)
Bonus for Lvl3 Planetary surface scan :
Much later, you sit somewhere chilling (or SuperCruising) and are bored... What to do?
Enter that Planetary Map you Detail-Scanned of course.
Now you can take a "Free-Flight" all around it, all the way to its very surface in the Simulation. You have the Data.
No worries about too high Gravity or finding a landing spot to have a nice view... Explore all those Canyons or see nice scenic spots whenever you like.
Plus, with a Lvl3 Map-Scan you can mark any spots and store Coordinates for later use, in case you found a great spot you'd actually wish to land your Ship in one day.
Some automatic Camera Modes would be nice... Flyby, random course flying at various altitudes, "follow canyon mode" etc... Just stuff to enjoy viewing and chill, or discover interesting landmarks.
Want to show other Explorers in the Forum certain highlights on the Surface despite not being there anymore? Now you can.
Your SRV broke down or your Exploration Ship couldn't even load any? At least now you have a chance to at least have a look around down there.
Make it more dangerous. Pulsar Stars, black holes, volcanism, corrosive gasses on surfaces, surface instability, stronger effects of collissions to make landings more exciting, stronger effects of damages components etc. Currently exploring is very much like the Stargate Universe series, but without the timers and risks.
Make it more dangerous. Pulsar Stars, black holes, volcanism, corrosive gasses on surfaces, surface instability, stronger effects of collissions to make landings more exciting, stronger effects of damages components etc. Currently exploring is very much like the Stargate Universe series, but without the timers and risks.
- a dedicated large Exploration vessel with ability to dock one or more smaller Ships, an expensive but capable Deep-Space Exploration platform with good Range and a degree of self-sustainability for long-term Missions
This idea is probably the best one in this thread.
As for the topic, one of the biggest things I have with exploration is how, minus all the stations and stuff it doesn't feel like your out anywhere. First time I left the bubble I found an Unknown signal. Excited to see what it was I went over to it only to find a convoy of medical ships. Kinda killed the explorer feeling. So removing stuff like that and adding stuff like lost wreckages of explorers past, mysterious alien artifacts, caves on planets, stuff like that. But again, as cool as those would be eventually after enough exploring even they'd become old.
1. Have an autopilot that you can plot the route and sit back and get on with other things while its in the background. If a problem arises you are automatically pulled out of autopilot. If fuel is getting below a quarter tank pull out of autopilot so the player can decide course of action.
2. Make the planet landscapes more interesting, include caves.
3. Put tyre tracks on rovers to make it seem a bit more realistic.. they only need to stay during the session and they can slowly fade.
4. Allow flags to be planted on a planet. Or a beacon with a message (Your choice of what to say in that message) Have an option for other players to hide player flags / beacons if they wish. Allow locking onto beacons to re-visit sites once again.
5. Enable a player to exit the rover and go on foot.. Dream come true.
There used to be a game in the 90's where you travelled to different planets and you could get out of the vehicle and walk around.. it was insanely good back in the day (cant remember what it was called) anyone? Ah wait.. Battlezone! if they could do it, I'm sure the cream of FD could do it. http://www.battlezone1.com/about/story.htm
New CMDR here so if this is already a feature I have not found it yet.
I would like to be able to use the detailed surface scanner data I sell. I want to use that data to help me find unique materials on a landable planet or moon.
I don't want "X" marks the spot go collect it but having the info that an area in this general location has a good chance to find unique material would be fun.
My random landing and searchs never seems to turn up anything very interesting mostly fuel components.
New CMDR here so if this is already a feature I have not found it yet.
I would like to be able to use the detailed surface scanner data I sell. I want to use that data to help me find unique materials on a landable planet or moon.
I don't want "X" marks the spot go collect it but having the info that an area in this general location has a good chance to find unique material would be fun.
My random landing and searchs never seems to turn up anything very interesting mostly fuel components.
The latter. One of the books (Elite: Wanted) has a very thrilling chapter taking part near a pulsar, with the damage the environment can do to a ship playing a crucial role. Stuff like that would be awesome if you ask me.
How about a CG for explorer's to build an outpost somewhere out in the deep, it might give them a reason to travel farout in ships more suited to bulk trading.
Well, I'm going on one hell of a limb here, but I would love to see the ability for player-made factions to stake claims in out-of-bubble systems their members explore. It would be a long and challenging process, but the end result is that a player faction eventually owns and can build an economy in a zero population system them claim. I see many player-driven events with this:
- Faction wars among players groups vying for control
- Trade negotiations with Major factions, allowing players to court the NPC factions into supporting their system.
- System-generated CG's for supplies required to create docks and stations
- Engineering opportunities for dock-building (think mining, but with construction tools instead of lasers)
- Security force conscripting from other player factions.
How about a CG for explorer's to build an outpost somewhere out in the deep, it might give them a reason to travel farout in ships more suited to bulk trading.
