I'm going to skip all of that and just say if all you have to offer is insults, I'd just shut your word hole son.
Why does my 34th century spaceship have no autopilot OR how do you accept the hyperjump grind?
- Thread starter sc_neo
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I'm going to skip all of that and just say if all you have to offer is insults, I'd just shut your word hole son.
Ah but then you'll have people complaining about the "refueling grind" and calling for the addition of ever bigger fuel tanks.
There is not a single aspect of this game that is free from some people calling it a "grind" - I think it's gotten to the point where some don't even know what "grind" is anymore and just apply it to every gameplay mechanic they personally don't like, regardless of whether it is actually grindy or not.
Example of when I suggested in another thread that we should be able to unlock paint jobs by doing certain activities in the game (mainly one off activities) and that was considered to be "adding to the grind".
Absolute lunacy.
I wouldn't throw it all in one pot. Most accept some effort for results. It's just the repetition that gets on people's nerves. I'd totally accept some effort for cosmetics. It doesn't have to be done like: "Do this task 107 times and earn a skin."
Well, except me and engineers. Since I'm not gonna grind stuff just to unlock my previous gameplay I'd rather have it back for free.
Thread title also had a "OR how do you accept the hyperjump grind", and I found the bit
What you need to understand is, many who explore don't just go into a jump, honk scoop routine for hundreds of systems. Often they're looking for a specific something in that system, so the repetition is regularly broken up when such a thing is found and the explorer goes to check it out.
There was one point when I got back from Beagle Point and the last 12.000 LY I just headed home and went in that routine, and yeah, it drives you bonkers. But I had just traveled 130.000 LY and wanted to git home.
Sucks to be us eh?
I hardly do hundreds, I'm no bucky baller. But with the star class filter, especially near the core, it's possible to filter so only the stars which have the greatest chance of having interesting systems come up. Each jump I check the system to look for shinies, odd configurations like planets/moons orbiting close to each other, or close to the sun. Players who never went exploring might state: if you seen the planets/systems in the Bubble, you seen 'em all, but they don't know what they're talking about. I also usually try to find some odd star (O-class or something like that) a couple of thousands of LY away as a destination, so I have a manageable distance.
What you need to understand is, many who explore don't just go into a jump, honk scoop routine for hundreds of systems. Often they're looking for a specific something in that system, so the repetition is regularly broken up when such a thing is found and the explorer goes to check it out.
There was one point when I got back from Beagle Point and the last 12.000 LY I just headed home and went in that routine, and yeah, it drives you bonkers. But I had just traveled 130.000 LY and wanted to git home.
I would love to fly around in Open and not be interdicted by other CMDRs.
Sucks to be us eh?
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Hidden within those petty insults is the truth though. The reason we dont have an auto-pilot is because there is a very small group of people who do nothing but jump thousands upon thousands upon thousands of times, and pride themselves on doing so. Which is fine, to each his own, but it are these people who are vehemently against an auto-pilot because it would 'reduce their achievement'.
IMHO, anything and everything that must be repeated without offering a challenge of any kind should have the option of automation. If people, for example stigbob in this topic, enjoy pressing 'J' repeatedly I have no problem with them pressing that button as many times as they want. At the same time, others should have the ability to automate it. Or FD should add some actual gameplay to the whole process, but that seems even less likely.
I feel an 'deep space' autopilot is no problem either, especially for the 'common star types'. I dont mind a risk of failing autopilots with black holes, neutrons and such, and I dont mind if it is far less efficient at scooping than a decent explorer, but basic 'go to X using only KGBFOAM' should be fine.
People are asking for auto pilot, not fast travel.
I think Frontier has something to do with this as well. It's their design decision. Don't blame those who happen to agree with it.
When long-distance travel is nothing but 'press one button once every 42 seconds' that is no excuse for such a sordid mechanism.
Oh sure, in the end every choice is FD's to make. But it is problematic that there exists a core group of explorers who dont just want to do it their way, but insist everyone does it their way, for no apparant reason other than to make the sould-crushing boredom more valuable somehow.
And they're not in charge of Frontier.
So however you paraphrase it, 'The reason we dont have an auto-pilot is because there is a very small group of people etc etc' is bollox.
![[Diplomacy] Carnegie](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/123/123809.jpg?1553527149){kind=avatar}
So how do you propose to differentiate between long-distance and short-distance travel?
Pressing J once every 42 seconds repeated 1,000 times is no more or less 'sordid' than pressing J once and WAITING 42,000 seconds.
Yeah I know.
Same with those PvPers. Can't play Open without being forced to be subject to their antics. Only difference is, PvPers actually make the decision to influence my game. Explorers only can argue their case, while not being in charge of anything.
So... let's say for the sake of argument, Frontier were to remove all flight mechanics from this game. Now you just click a button and go wherever you want to go.
What's left?
Yeah, so that's the "white knighting explorers" defending the game.
No, that's the logic of a space game being about flying a spaceship maintaining flying a spaceship as a mechanic.
You don't want to fly your spaceship? Elite Dangerous is not the game you are looking for.
What's left?
Yeah, so that's the "white knighting explorers" defending the game.
No, that's the logic of a space game being about flying a spaceship maintaining flying a spaceship as a mechanic.
You don't want to fly your spaceship? Elite Dangerous is not the game you are looking for.
Well I've been to Sag A* twice, colonia many times, beagle point twice and am 80% through a galactic circumnavigation.
I agree with the OP that it is a rubbish mechanic.
I just watch Amazon Prime while I travel, or probably more correctly I travel in ED while I watch Amazon Prime.
But at this stage I don't feel there is much that can be done about it without making it a different game. Traveling a long way taking a long time is a corner stone of the game.
I'd never want an autopilot because it is a space ship flying game.
If we were starting from scratch I'd be for jump gates in inhabited space. For exploring uninhabited space I'd be looking for a new exploration mechanic for unlocking new star systems. Once unlocked I'd be able to travel to them in a single jump from anywhere in the galaxy. But unlocking them I'd want to take a good while or cost an astronomical amount of credits.
I agree with the OP that it is a rubbish mechanic.
I just watch Amazon Prime while I travel, or probably more correctly I travel in ED while I watch Amazon Prime.
But at this stage I don't feel there is much that can be done about it without making it a different game. Traveling a long way taking a long time is a corner stone of the game.
I'd never want an autopilot because it is a space ship flying game.
If we were starting from scratch I'd be for jump gates in inhabited space. For exploring uninhabited space I'd be looking for a new exploration mechanic for unlocking new star systems. Once unlocked I'd be able to travel to them in a single jump from anywhere in the galaxy. But unlocking them I'd want to take a good while or cost an astronomical amount of credits.
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This subject is a bit different than others. See, sometimes it would make sense if autopilot were available. Other times you realize you're asking for something like this simply because you haven't done every little thing yourself. But the work and time requirement is a bit much considering you have to dedicate potentially 48 or more hours of game time for just one adventure. I think this is where Elite is due for improvement, and I believe Frontier wanted the same thing: a reason to stop and wonder what might be in the system you just entered.
Those far off logs you mention are things that only those who travel there can read for themselves in their own comms log. Those folks went the extra mile to get there, just like those who have gone even farther. It's similar to raids or trials in other games, except gated behind dedication and time rather than a good team. Can't give everyone the "goodies" unless they put in the effort, right?
They didn't get to make automatic progress as they slept either. That's why you'll encounter resistance. Every jump could be your last thanks to human error. That's supposed to be the main danger of exploration for now. Remove that and you're basically removing what gameplay there is in exploration currently. And remember, just because more gameplay is coming in Q4 doesn't justify negating what we already have. We needed more, not a replacement.
I understand the want for such a thing and even thought of a simple solution in less than 3 seconds that would make most happy. However, it's simply an idea that likely won't happen. Allow this mechanic within say 20-50ly of inhabited systems or perhaps only inhabited systems. Yeah, it won't let you get those distant logs easier but if you need to cross the bubble before work...no need to waste half of your next play session doing just that. :3
Lastly, this wouldn't be an issue if each system you dropped into made you wonder what it holds. Well, I still wonder that each time, but more seasoned explorers may feel differently. Either way, Q4 sounds like it'll help in that regard. Those long trips we hate so much may just become non-grindy long term goals thanks to all the possible gameplay coming. That is, unless you just can't help getting to the destination ASAP.
Those far off logs you mention are things that only those who travel there can read for themselves in their own comms log. Those folks went the extra mile to get there, just like those who have gone even farther. It's similar to raids or trials in other games, except gated behind dedication and time rather than a good team. Can't give everyone the "goodies" unless they put in the effort, right?
They didn't get to make automatic progress as they slept either. That's why you'll encounter resistance. Every jump could be your last thanks to human error. That's supposed to be the main danger of exploration for now. Remove that and you're basically removing what gameplay there is in exploration currently. And remember, just because more gameplay is coming in Q4 doesn't justify negating what we already have. We needed more, not a replacement.
I understand the want for such a thing and even thought of a simple solution in less than 3 seconds that would make most happy. However, it's simply an idea that likely won't happen. Allow this mechanic within say 20-50ly of inhabited systems or perhaps only inhabited systems. Yeah, it won't let you get those distant logs easier but if you need to cross the bubble before work...no need to waste half of your next play session doing just that. :3
Lastly, this wouldn't be an issue if each system you dropped into made you wonder what it holds. Well, I still wonder that each time, but more seasoned explorers may feel differently. Either way, Q4 sounds like it'll help in that regard. Those long trips we hate so much may just become non-grindy long term goals thanks to all the possible gameplay coming. That is, unless you just can't help getting to the destination ASAP.
Why differentiate in the first place. Just have a 'hyperjump Atuo-pilot' for how many, or how few, jumps you want. As it doesn't do any SC outside of the basic 'fly around star + jump, slowly scoop if needed' it is irrelevant when trading. More importantly: if 'pressing a button without challenge' is such a major and crucial element of this game, maybe something else is deeply, deeply flawed?
Yeah! If you dont literally like every single thing I love about this game, like pressing a single button over and over without any challenge or risk, or any skill required, you should go away! How dare anyone have a slightly more engaging vision than pressing one button for thousands of times! For shame, away with them all!!!
Please "enlighten" me as to the context of your response here. I don't see any actual information that refutes my statement, just a snarky response as a disagreement.
Again, what exactly is left when you remove the actual flight mechanics from the game and replace it with simply button clicking "point here and click to go there" instead?
Amusing as your response may seem to be, you simply fail in your attempt to answer the question.
Yes and no. I do want to drive my spaceship...when there actually is something to it! But going 10.000ly...i don't feel there is anything fun about that mechanic. It might be for the real explorers who scan and explore more systems than not they come across. Automate the mundane tasks so we can spend more time actually playing the parts of the game where it shines.