Who wouldn’t mind a free Fuel Scoop?

[Moriarte]

Not completely free, actually. More like 10x-20x more expensive for the larger versions. But, sold as a separate module fitted in a special fuel scoop compartment, much like planetary approach suite. I suspect this can increase player mobility in the bubbles. Is it desired? I think it is. I know for a fact pvp players tend to overengineer and then keep their ships anchored to a designated location, move around at snail’s pace or not move at all. Furthermore, this equalizes the engineering field as a side effect. Between those roaming and those anchoring. I try to avoid this particular power creep where I can. Many don’t, because of inherent nature of engineering.

Explorers? You tell me.. I went exploring, but in no way a pro. Would you find use for an extra module during travels? Especially in these small ships. A repair limpet? Fuel transfer? Fuel tank, perhaps.. another srv.

Miners? Perhaps sturdier ships as a result, better prepared for the inevitable meeting with a wing of elite Lances. Beneficial to miners in small ships, I’d venture a guess. Traders? No traders in Elite. No traders - no problem.

All in all, I feel like having no specialised fuel scooping compartment may lead to choices, which are flawed, not optimal for players and the gameplay in the long run. I may be wrong! It happened before! Do tell me if that’s the case, let’s have a discussion.

 

[lemon407]

I can tell you who, fuel rats thats who would not like it, would make their entire mo obsolete.

 

[Screemonster]

From what I've seen of the miners in open, if you give them a free fuel scoop slot then they'll just fill the slot their existing scoop is in with a cargo rack.

And still not fit shields.

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

I feel like having no specialised fuel scooping compartment may lead to choices, which are flawed

The entire point with ship outfitting is to have to make choices and compromises, to weigh the usefulness of different modules against each other to find what works best for your purposes. A separate fuel scoop compartment would dumb down the game and remove player choice. Adding a fuel scoop compartment would probably also see an optional compartment removed and there would be no reason to fit a scoop smaller than the size of the specialized compartment. The way it works at the moment requires you to weigh the pros and cons of having a larger scoop against a larger shield or more cargo space.

The planetary approach suite exists for entirely different reasons.

 

[Augusta]

I wouldn't mind one either. But it's about compromise and expense. This would enable all types of ships to be capable of travel for a longer time than intended, without stopping at a station to refuel. From what I understand, fuel scoop is a utility, which should be something to come at some sort of expense.

Take a small combat-purpose ship like a vulture for example. I don't think a ship like that should come with a fuel scoop compartment.

Canon/lore wise, the vulture would have to sacrifice some sort of combat related capability for fuel scoop compartment to be in there. And from what I understand small ships like that doesn't travel too far from their base or capital ships.

Gameplay wise, it could be useful. But my opinion is that there is a slight "risk" to having compartment for fuel scoop (which has to be done for all ships in the game, unless you are picky about which ships have the reservations for it) on most, if not all ships. As much as it is enticing to install a fuel scoop, you would think that your ship is better off with another module. That's part of modding a ship.

Having all sorts of utilities as a compartment that comes with a ship to avoid inconvenience, is too cheesey for my taste.

For the sake of argument, if fuel scoop should come as a compartment, then where do you draw the line? Would you want other utilities to come as well?

 

[[VR] Dr Gentech]

The entire point with ship outfitting is to have to make choices and compromises, to weigh the usefulness of different modules against each other to find what works best for your purposes. A separate fuel scoop compartment would dumb down the game and remove player choice. Adding a fuel scoop compartment would probably also see an optional compartment removed and there would be no reason to fit a scoop smaller than the size of the specialized compartment. The way it works at the moment requires you to weigh the pros and cons of having a larger scoop against a larger shield or more cargo space.

The planetary approach suite exists for entirely different reasons.

Out of curiosity, why does the planetary approach suite have its own compartment?

 

[ocflyer]

Free fuel scoop? They already are free. Last time I checked, a 6A fuel scoop only costs 29M credits. That's about 15 minutes of game play!

 

[CMDR Serra]

Out of curiosity, why does the planetary approach suite have its own compartment?

Because it's a Horizons only mod.

 

[[VR] Dr Gentech]

Because it's a Horizons only mod.

Oh, okay, why does that affect it?

 

[Bigmaec]

A firm no, because consequences make the game interesting.
Yesterday I went from Borann to Wolf 397 to change one experimental in my FdL, I had to change the hrps to scoop and gfsd booster.
And I like it that way.

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

Oh, okay, why does that affect it?

It is the game’s way of keeping track of who can land on planets and who cannot. It is the in-game realization of an out-of-game payment.

 

[[VR] Dr Gentech]

It is the game’s way of keeping track of who can land on planets and who cannot. It is the in-game realization of an out-of-game payment.

That makes sense, I appreciate your explanation. Seems like a bit of a clunky solution when maybe a flag in the code would have done better, but I suppose there's some value in being able to look at your modules and know?

 

[JohnRoberts]

No thanks. Because getting the loadout right for you and what you want to do is a fun and interesting part of the game, and so your proposal would take away from the game, not add to it.

 

[GeoJase]

A free scoop slot would have to be pretty small. Go use a size 1 fuel scoop and tell us how much you like using it.

 

[Kimosabe_X]

Hmmm… no, I don't think so, as like Bigmaec said, consequences… and choices to make. Having a fuel scoop in every single ship would switch it to much into simple mode, imho.

But what I'd still like to see, would be the ability to fit a bigger scoop on the DBX. Maybe some kind of "special" slot there, e.g. one of the normal size 4 slots "evolves" to a size 5 slot, when fitting a fuel scoop. So you don't get the advantage of a size 5 slot except for fuel scoops. Another way might be changing the numbers of a size 4 scoop to the numbers of a size 5 scoop of the same class, wheen fitted in a DBX, e.g. a 4B scoop "mutates" to a 5B scoop …
Well, something like that but not just adding/exchanging a size 5 slot.

 

[Phazon Xenomorph]

Honestly the ships should all just have it as a Core Internal slot anyways. Makes no sense to restrict gameplay. I get the WHY of the concept at launch, but in this day and age of gaming (plus the setting of the Elite universe and how advanced ships are) it makes sense to just give them a Core Internal spot. Leave them still weightless so as not to screw up gameplay but be able to open up another optional internal slot for some much needed space (especially on Combat ships!). Just leave the Core internal capable of a Max size of whatever the largest optional internal is and GG. Happy players all around. Guarantee you Fuel Rats will still be popular as people will either forget to scoop or burn up their fuel on some non-scoopable stars.

 

[Reggit]

I hate to be the guy that dirties the Thread by mentioning Fleet Carriers...
But...
OP's kind of right - alot of PvP ships won't have a scoop fitted. You fly your taxi to where you want to be, and transfer your PvP ship. (Alternatively, you swap your MRP say, for a scoop, then transfer your MRP to your new location - either way, it takes time and money) To fit EVERY ship with a default scoop, would make decision making kind of bland (Hey - you still got the option to fit a scoop, it's up to you if you take it!)
This brings me to FC's....
I can't be the only Cmdr who has come to the realization that - I can fill a carrier with mine and my Squad's, non-scooping ships, and 15 minz later be 500 Ly away?
You could argue that FC's 'kill the fuel scooping decision making' - but given the fueling and funding of carriers, that seems a fair trade. Everyone getting a Scoop by default would just be boring

 

[varonica]

Explorers? You tell me.. I went exploring, but in no way a pro. Would you find use for an extra module during travels? Especially in these small ships. A repair limpet? Fuel transfer? Fuel tank, perhaps.. another srv.

Explorers? Lets think, repair limpet? no. Fuel transfer? no. Extra....why are all these suggestions designed to reduce my jump range? No and no.

 

[aRJay]

Not completely free, actually. More like 10x-20x more expensive for the larger versions. But, sold as a separate module fitted in a special fuel scoop compartment, much like planetary approach suite. I suspect this can increase player mobility in the bubbles. Is it desired? I think it is. I know for a fact pvp players tend to overengineer and then keep their ships anchored to a designated location, move around at snail’s pace or not move at all. Furthermore, this equalizes the engineering field as a side effect. Between those roaming and those anchoring. I try to avoid this particular power creep where I can. Many don’t, because of inherent nature of engineering.

Explorers? You tell me.. I went exploring, but in no way a pro. Would you find use for an extra module during travels? Especially in these small ships. A repair limpet? Fuel transfer? Fuel tank, perhaps.. another srv.

Miners? Perhaps sturdier ships as a result, better prepared for the inevitable meeting with a wing of elite Lances. Beneficial to miners in small ships, I’d venture a guess. Traders? No traders in Elite. No traders - no problem.

All in all, I feel like having no specialised fuel scooping compartment may lead to choices, which are flawed, not optimal for players and the gameplay in the long run. I may be wrong! It happened before! Do tell me if that’s the case, let’s have a discussion.

TANSTAFS

Combat builders don’t need it because of ship transfers.

No optimal solutions leads to more variety and to more thought having to go into ship builds and less boredom.

 

[Misty_Dark]

That makes sense, I appreciate your explanation. Seems like a bit of a clunky solution when maybe a flag in the code would have done better, but I suppose there's some value in being able to look at your modules and know?

It sure is, what is even better, you sell it, and now you can no longer land on a planets! Luckily you install a new one if you sold it...