Why does my 34th century spaceship have no autopilot OR how do you accept the hyperjump grind?

[Straha Yeagar]

As someone who has been adamently opposed to auto pilot and fast travel, this has got me thinking more about this.

A few things first though...unless the ship is specifically designed for it, maintaining the minimum 42 seconds between jumps indefinately is nigh on impossible. There will always be a point where the ship will need to slow and refuel beyond the next jump countdown, and I have a feeling the majority of people who want this autopilot are not flying ships designed to 42 second jump scoop indefinately.

Given the logic and reasoning many have presented in justifying open only power play, i.e. the ability to directly oppose other players, the auto pilot feature should not be available to purchase or use while a pilot is in open. Unless of course a mechanic is created and implimented that allows for a pilot who is actually at the controls of their own ship to see and interdict autopiloted ships.

So, since the ideas have been presented as a way to automate long range travel, and not as a fast travel mechanic, I think it would be perfectly fine to impliment if the ship is outfitted with a fuel scoop, and have the time the autopilot trip would take calculated based on the fuel scooping rate, not allowing for any scanning to be done, even basic honking, and the route would have to be made using only previously tagged star systems, so no autopiloting off into unexplored territory.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I, for instance, would love to go out to the Formidine Rift and experience the little audio stories at those abandoned settlements. But i cannot justify to myself sitting 3,5,8 hours infront of the screen playing this mini game over and over again.

How about this for a solution. There are many CMDRs who will go out and splore the galaxy. And there is multicrew. So a ship with SLFs could be used as a receiver of interested CMDRs who would like to fly around these remote places without having to do a single jump. And since they can pilot their SLF, it's not as if they're complete passengers. This would be improved with Ship Launched Ships which can operate independently from the mother ship, so the distance restrictions would be lifted.

The one aspect that is missing from this picture is planetary landings. And this is due to the glaring omission of letting multicrew drive SRVs. I feel that these just have to be implemented regardless of this problem. Having your friends over to tear up some planet just sounds like good fun.

A lot of people here have been barking up the wrong tree, in that they're blaming those who disagree with autopilots for not having autopilots. The tree you should be barking at is Frontier. It's their decision. And they stated they are unwilling to implement that feature because they want people to play the game. Now you might disagree, feel their sentiment is ludicrous but I don't think any of it will do any good in having them change that mechanic.

On the other hand, I do get the impression they want Multicrew to succeed, and have to get over a very chilled reception of that feature. If players push for features in Multicrew they would like to see, I think they might be more receptive to that idea than the idea of an autopilot.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

How about this for a solution. There are many CMDRs who will go out and splore the galaxy. And there is multicrew. So a ship with SLFs could be used as a receiver of interested CMDRs who would like to fly around these remote places without having to do a single jump. And since they can pilot their SLF, it's not as if they're complete passengers. This would be improved with Ship Launched Ships which can operate independently from the mother ship, so the distance restrictions would be lifted.

The one aspect that is missing from this picture is planetary landings. And this is due to the glaring omission of letting multicrew drive SRVs. I feel that these just have to be implemented regardless of this problem. Having your friends over to tear up some planet just sounds like good fun.

A lot of people here have been barking up the wrong tree, in that they're blaming those who disagree with autopilots for not having autopilots. The tree you should be barking at is Frontier. It's their decision. And they stated they are unwilling to implement that feature because they want people to play the game. Now you might disagree, feel their sentiment is ludicrous but I don't think any of it will do any good in having them change that mechanic.

On the other hand, I do get the impression they want Multicrew to succeed, and have to get over a very chilled reception of that feature. If players push for features in Multicrew they would like to see, I think they might be more receptive to that idea than the idea of an autopilot.

I guess ED knows. After all they can track how people play and visit places. If that's enough players seeing the content - I kinda doubt it. My furthest travel was a wide arc to Heart and Sould Nebula, visiting some stellar cradle formation before the nebula. Then straight back to bubble. Kinda - I dived down under the plane quite a bit.

But the constant jumping grated on me. The trip out wasn't that bad actually with a couple of stops but the return made me feel like I might get brain damage from the repetitiveness.

 

[AsukaZ]

What can I say OP ?
It's a long way to the shop if you want a sausage roll.
Depends how badly you want it.

Travelling very long distances is a challenge, and used to more dangerous. Some can hack it, others can't. And as surprising as it may come to a few, some actually enjoy it. And no, it doesn't mean they're mentally defective as has been suggested, they just have different ideas. What I would suggest is mentally defective is an inability to acknowledge and accept other people may have different ideas, different ways of looking at the same thing, just as valid to them as your ideas are to you.

From your tone OP I do sympathize and I get it's a tough choice for you yeah, but from what you describe to be frank it sounds to me like a choice to either keep bashing your head against a wall playing a game that drives you mad or do something else. Or stay in the bubble, not much travelling required then. Search the Cannon site if you're interested, they have most of these audio transmissions on file I believe. Not quite the same as being there though I do appreciate.

Auto pilot .. I wouldn't use it, same reason I prefer driving a manual to an automatic. Should it be in the game ? I have no idea, that's FDs call. Personally I prefer they didn't, not because I want people to suffer (that's crazy talk!) but to me it would be an erosion, a 'dumbing down' if you like, I'd like to see more challenge, not less.

A final thought - This is a travelling issue, not an exploration one. Exploration has it's own issues. People who conflate the two are mistaken. This idea that explorers are somehow to blame for this mechanic or involved in some conspiracy with FDev to maintain the status quo I find absurd (Sorry!).

Just my thoughts, which may (or may not) have some correlation with reality.

 

[Dbrn47]

Travelling very long distances is a challenge

Yea, clicking on a waypoint thousands of light years away and then going through the jump, wait, turn/scoop, jump loop until you get there is serious business. Definitely a test of one's abilities.

 

[Shinji Ikari]

Yea, clicking on a waypoint thousands of light years away and then going through the jump, wait, turn/scoop, jump loop until you get there is serious business. Definitely a test of one's abilities.

It's the challenge of determination.

 

[Straha Yeagar]

Yea, clicking on a waypoint thousands of light years away and then going through the jump, wait, turn/scoop, jump loop until you get there is serious business. Definitely a test of one's abilities.

And yet look at all the people who just do not have the mental stamina to persevere. Not every challenge is one of twitch.

 

[Patrick_68000]

In the 3000s, they removed the autopilot because they had noticed that people became lazy

 

[Deleted member 110222]

In the 3000s, they removed the autopilot because they had noticed that people became lazy

Now if we just ban the docking computer, Skynet will truly be vanquished.

 

[Stigbob]

In the 3000s, they removed the autopilot because they had noticed that people became lazy

The ED universe already had it's own Butlerian jihad.

 

[Dbrn47]

And yet look at all the people who just do not have the mental stamina to persevere. Not every challenge is one of twitch.

Yea, tolerating boredom in a video game is something to be proud of. Mental stamina... come on man... Some people just happen to like the loop, has nothing to do with mental stamina. Navy Seals have their mental (and physical) stamina tested. CMDR Joe Jumpnscoop, who is just Netflix and chilling to Sagittarius A*, is not.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I guess ED knows. After all they can track how people play and visit places. If that's enough players seeing the content - I kinda doubt it. My furthest travel was a wide arc to Heart and Sould Nebula, visiting some stellar cradle formation before the nebula. Then straight back to bubble. Kinda - I dived down under the plane quite a bit.

But the constant jumping grated on me. The trip out wasn't that bad actually with a couple of stops but the return made me feel like I might get brain damage from the repetitiveness.

The dreaded way back. You went out to what you were planning to do. Did it. All what's left is getting home. Same happened to me after my first Sag A trip. Until I decided to check out the nebulae on the way back and went straight past the bubble to see ... well ... the Bubble nebula.

Since then I always try to have a between destination or something to look out for along the way to keep me occupied.

 

[askavir]

Yea, tolerating boredom in a video game is something to be proud of. Mental stamina... come on man... Some people just happen to like the loop, has nothing to do with mental stamina. Navy Seals have their mental (and physical) stamina tested. CMDR Joe Jumpnscoop, who is just Netflix and chilling to Sagittarius A*, is not.

But the thing is you ain't no Navy Seal either. You're just playing pretend spaceships on your couch, in your warm home, wearing confortable slippers. You're just another nerd, like all the rest of us, regardless of the particular way you might have chosen to play with your toy spaceships.

 

[Stigbob]

Yea, tolerating boredom in a video game is something to be proud of. Mental stamina... come on man... Some people just happen to like the loop, has nothing to do with mental stamina. Navy Seals have their mental (and physical) stamina tested. CMDR Joe Jumpnscoop, who is just Netflix and chilling to Sagittarius A*, is not.

He was just parodying the posters who say you'd need to be crazy to enjoy long distance travel.

 

[Dbrn47]

But the thing is you ain't no Navy Seal either. You're just playing pretend spaceships on your couch, in your warm home, wearing confortable slippers. You're just another nerd, like all the rest of us, regardless or the particular way you might have chosen to play with yout toy spaceships.

No, I'm not a Seal, I was in the Army though and being in Iraq for a deployment did take some mental stamina at times. That's all irrelevant though, none of it is a reflection on individuals, it's just that traveling in the game isn't challenging and we should stop trying to pretend it is just because we like it.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

who is just Netflix and chilling to Sagittarius A*, is not.

If I got the euphemism right, Joe Jumpnscoop is far from bored and has amazing stamina.

 

[Straha Yeagar]

No, I'm not a Seal, I was in the Army though and being in Iraq for a deployment did take some mental stamina at times. That's all irrelevant though, none of it is a reflection on individuals, it's just that traveling in the game isn't challenging and we should stop trying to pretend it is just because we like it.

That depends on what one defines as challenging. Physical difficulty, need for dexterity, twitch reflexes are not the only ways to define "Challenge" Actually, I think some people may be confusing "Challenging" with "Difficult". No, the current mechanics of long distance travelling are not difficult, but they are clearly very challenging for some people. So challenging in fact that they simply can't succeed at it.

 

[777Driver]

I know this is a pretty negative OP but it comes from frustration of having to make a very tough choice....let Elite rest or waste tons of hours on a very bad game design decision.

In agreement that an autopilot should be part of the game, at least for medium class ships and above. I wouldn't wan't to see a 1 button go make coffee type of automation being implemented, even the current 1 click docking system irks me a bit, although I use when I want to kick back after a bunch of trade runs.

The great thing about automation in reality is that it actually requires a bit of knowledge and skill to operate or set up efficiently, it also needs to be monitored to ensure it is performing correctly, on top of that you can actually learn from how it controls the machine since it is designed to fly trajectorys incredibly efficiently. Sure you can set it up and just sit back and relax, but if things go wrong you need to be able to take over at a moments notice.

My issue with ED has always been that the flight model is great, SC feels great, but the jump - wait for load screen jump wait for load screen etc etc is beyond tedious. The devs could easily steal ideas from navigation software and autopilots in the real world, make flying long routes much more engaging, as opposed to nudging the stick and pressing J a 1000 times to get to the other side of the galaxy.... Mind numbing, yet a group of cmdrs seem to think adding automation will dumb things down :-/

Sadly I doubt they will change anything, and they seem very much against allowing modders access through external tools, so we are stuck with the same jump/nudge the stick/jump.. Over and over again..


We've been asking for a flight path vector for 4 years now, an autopilot and navigation system that had a bit of depth or realism? No way.. We have Cessna 152's in space.. Ah wait, you can equip autopilots to 152's

 

[askavir]

No, I'm not a Seal, I was in the Army though and being in Iraq for a deployment did take some mental stamina at times. That's all irrelevant though, none of it is a reflection on individuals, it's just that traveling in the game isn't challenging and we should stop trying to pretend it is just because we like it.

For me, being challenging or not is irrelevant. Many people enjoy playing Space Columbus, and that's what matters. Just as it matters than many people enjoy playing Space Maverick. And many people enjoy playing Space Truck Simulator. Or Space Captain Hook. Or Space Han Solo. Some people had a boring day and want excitement, some people had a stressful day and want relaxation.

It's perfectly ok to dislike one or several of these (and other activities). I sure do care very little for some. But you must remember that people enjoy different things, value different things, relax in different ways, find fun in different things. And while you may dislike a particular (or more) activity and find it a complete pile of bovine excrement, remember that other people might find your favorite activities a complete pile of excrement too.

So instead of being miffed about activities you don't enjoy but others do, you should be happy the game provides activities for so many different people allowing them, and you, to find some kind of enjoyment doing things that fit their (and your) preferences.

 

[Dbrn47]

For me, being challenging or not is irrelevant. Many people enjoy playing Space Columbus, and that's what matters. Just as it matters than many people enjoy playing Space Maverick. And many people enjoy playing Space Truck Simulator. Or Space Captain Hook. Or Space Han Solo. Some people had a boring day and want excitement, some people had a stressful day and want relaxation.

It's perfectly ok to dislike one or several of these (and other activities). I sure do care very little for some. But you must remember that people enjoy different things, value different things, relax in different ways, find fun in different things. And while you may dislike a particular (or more) activity and find it a complete pile of bovine excrement, remember that other people might find your favorite activities a complete pile of excrement too.

So instead of being miffed about activities you don't enjoy but others do, you should be happy the game provides activities for so many different people allowing them, and you, to find some kind of enjoyment doing things that fit their (and your) preferences.

I didn't say anything about not being entitled to enjoy things. I actually envy people that get enjoyment out of the 'exploration' we have in the game. The argument was about calling it a challenge.

That depends on what one defines as challenging. Physical difficulty, need for dexterity, twitch reflexes are not the only ways to define "Challenge" Actually, I think some people may be confusing "Challenging" with "Difficult". No, the current mechanics of long distance travelling are not difficult, but they are clearly very challenging for some people. So challenging in fact that they simply can't succeed at it.

Hey man, whatever helps people sleep at night. I can't ever agree though.