Umm... a couple of things to point out here. First, I said I would like an "offline autopilot" too, but what you did overlook was the huge CAVEAT that I brought with this "feature" -
persistence servers (which, sadly, we currently don't have and I doubt we ever will). Secondly, what you also conveniently omitted is that
time investment is not taken away anywhere. It is simply different. Watching netflix and mindlessly repeating the jumphonkscoop routine, is really engaging like 1% of the brain. Which I did, on a laptop with iGPU back when hauling from Sothis was a thing and I didn't want my missions to expire while doing much more important things
Is it different from logging off? In my
travel example, no.
See, I like to think about a broader picture, not cling to miniscule details. Having persistence servers would mean that while you're offline, your ship is actually doing all this travelling in game world and all sorts of nasty things can happen (yes, even in solo). Which would open some interesting "notification" gameplay for example, where you scramble from your cats or housework to save the ship which suddenly caught fire flying too close to a star (or something). Also it would allow other commanders in open (or npc/thargoids in solo) to jump on your ship while you're offline. Which also would add to the risk. But we don't have that, so we would need another "random event" probablity calculation. Which would suck anyway so in the non-persistent mode we won't have that, and rely on random failure instead.
Now back to the time investment. Regardless of persistence servers, the game should calculate where are you in the moment you log off, and then recalculate your position on the time of next login. It's not that hard, as all values to calculate it are on hand: plotted course (jump points), jump range, scoopables (I can imagine autopilot using only OBAFGKM (kgb foam) sequence stars), fuel scoop class, ship heat model... So basically it would need to calculate two approximated variables:
- time for normal jump (fsd cooldown, safety buffers - not jumping from the corona to avoid heat and all that)
- Once in 3-4-5 jumps (depending on ship tanks, jump range and fuel usage per jump) a longer pause for refueling and cooldown, move away from corona, and jump).
You can tweak individual parameters even more to make manual route still more appealing for the hard-core players, and leaving for example buckyballing intact.
So to list caveats/rules visibly for offline mode autopilot so that you don't miss it this time...
- slower than manual application - safety first! Follows cooldowns, cannot jump while ship is overheated, moves away from the corona before jumping, waits for heat to subside - this makes buckyballing still equally valid as it is now
- also, refuels slowly so that ship does not overheat. How many of you ignore pilots federation's rules of managing heat? No, you don't have to answer
- cannot operate discovery scanner at all. Even the basic honk, handwavium - this is a complicated piece of equipment requiring human interaction (no one button press affair nossireee!). That would be harvesting credits which belong to real explorers who put in some effort.
- although I am really opposed to software taking module slots, since I'm talking about a crutch not a solution, so it could take up a module slot. The proper mechanic would be having software grades to buy and leave modules for, well, actual modules, but we can't have that now
- have a random failure chance tied to module class, checked each jump. If failure happens, ship drops from SC to normal space and stops. So yeah it might happen, that you wake up half way to colonia orbiting some backwater sun, and need to "repair" autopilot in order to continue using it, be it using amfu or synthesis, I don't care really. Would give amfu an additional purpose, too. Depending on the implementation this could mean two things:
- persistence servers, you commander could suffocate if you don't log in and act quickly enough. Current game is quite reasonable with that time, having a consumption of a ton per hour give or take, so it leaves a few hours to actually react... unless you're unlucky and it happens on last jump before scooping . But there's reserve tank for that. In order to facilitate fuel rats gameplay, we could also have a "low power mode" where ship's computer switches all but lifesupport off, and waits with a "red alert" condition. Yes, that could also mean shield and hardpoints. It would give a wider window of opportunity to react, but it shouldn't be unlimited.
- If not having persistence servers, nothing should happen like it is now with fuel rat rescues - as long as you remain offline you're "safe". Handwavium - life support mode draws little power from ships systems, so it can operate longer, but not unlimitedly - would also make for an interesting twist on fuel rats' gameplay.
- can only follow OBAFGKM routes. Incidentally this also means that there could be regions of the galaxy available by manual jumping only!
- cannot use neutron boosts
- we could have a random interdiction chance, but based on what is currently rules for the bubble. IDK where the NPC spawn limit ends tbh, had a pirate python jump at me 600Ly from the bubble when I went on a small "exploring" trip to unlock the farseer clone, martuk was it? This would be only possible with persistence servers and notification system, because otherwise it would mean death to the commander (some of you would probably like it that way). I'm not sure we should have that in offline mode, simply for the rule that gameplay > realism. And frustration of being at work while your ship is blown to pieces. Or we could have a mobile client for ED like outlined in previous post with interdiction and get away minigame
Regarding "we can't have autopilot - it would make parts of the galaxy the same" - this is fundamentally wrong design choice, since they ARE the same. There should be a
reason to go there, instead of just "bragging rights" of thousand J press. When our galaxy stops to be the same void planets everywhere, this problem will cease to exists. In other words it shouldn't be a role of a travelling mechanic to make systems more or less appealing. It is like using a concrete drill to treat tooth decay.
Regarding "fully loaded trade ships cannot use autopilot", this completely doesn't make sense (along with "only open" and "always on" requirement). Trade ships would be perfect first application for autopilot in any civilised part of the universe. It would make trade routes mean something in game actually, and open up interesting gameplay venues because you could predict where "All this tasty cargo" will end up en route. And we're experimenting with self driving trucks already.
Regarding "Open only" it also doesn't make sense. Because why? You want to attack all those people who you have deep hatred and disdain for making their life easier with an autopilot or, god forbid! a DOCKING COMPUTER, BLASPHEMY! Well, no. If it's for the strawman "but... but... exploration should be dangeroooous!", it is not autopilot role to make exploration dangerous. Autopilot role is to automate
travel from A to B. Not
exploration. There can be all sorts of dangerous things out there, and we're limited only by lead designer's imagination and fdev's resources (oh, wait... ;-( )
Regarding "your computer must always be on" - it is a silly strawman trying to again, punish people for having the audacity to want an autopilot in the first place! It is similar to that shortsighted programmer saying "I refuse to put comments in my code! It was hard to write, it should be hard to understand!". This passive-agressive stance has nothing to do with good game design, and actually incurs additional real money costs and (laugh all you want) fire hazard to a real life person leaving electrical equipment on while sleeping. Over someone's butt being hurt about someone's else gameplay. Seriously?
