Will PL bring new exploration gameplay?

[t3l3c0n]

I'm just wondering whether there will be anything new exploration wise with planetary landings? With the scarab taking up weight and space will it be worth taking one with you on exploration trips?

It would be nice if there were bonuses for identifying mineral deposits for instance.

Or maybe you could use moons as supply dumps/repair stations to help you stay out there even longer.

I'm interested to hear anyone's ideas about how the PL mechanic could be used to enhance an explorers trip other than it being fun to take a break and tear around a moon for a while for a change of pace (which does sound awesome!)

 

[Muzz UK]

I'd imagine there might be a first to land on a planet tag or something along those lines would be cool.... surface scanning will defiantly be just that now as well.

 

[thehairymob]

There will I suspect be new mining missions, as well as spying, sabatoge and delivery missions. Smuggling might also benifit from PL, ie land your ship short of the planetry space station, use the verhicle to get to base with the illegal goods and trade them at the airlock with your contact. On EL worlds it would be the edge of town but then you would have the added danger your ship might get nicked, hehehe Exploration is a harder one to see the benefits of this other than the selfie shoots we'll get as we fly over mountain ranges on planets thousands of light years from the bubble. Of course we might get to see pimative civilizations on those distant EL or as has been hinted long dead civilizations. These we could check for rare treasures

 

[giomania]

I would love to place a flag..

 

[X-Terminator]

Well I really don't see anything other than Exploring, Mining, and Trading to do. Perhaps some Piracy may intervene but wars I doubt very much so.

 

[t3l3c0n]

My worry is that again exploration is not going to get any love, for instance I doubt very much that we will see much of the cool stuff (bases etc.) outside of civilised space so I'm worried that all it will be is a photo opportunity. I do like the idea of first landed tag though, even more if I can plant a flag.

 

[Bam]

I guess its just going to be moon buggy racing for the first year or so, which is not why I play an internet spaceship game

 

[Kancro Vantas]

Hmm...will we get to set up bases in the planets? will we get to have first tag on landing? will we get paid for doing that? or this?

Quite honestly, is all speculation at this point.

And, even with the current state of things, I just spent over three months out there...and actually had to rush back against my plans...I can't imagine what landing on planets -albeit only not atmospheric ones- will do to my life.

The breathtaking pictures from the surface of a shepherd moon on a ringed planet....I just can't...even start to imagine....yes, is all worthy, IMHO.

And surely they will add something to it...even if its only the tag.., or mining...most likely it will have a point even if it is a small one..but for me, just to drop there is freaking awesome.

Now, wait until atmospheric planets is added..and with those, life. Or not even, just walking around my ship -which I think it will come hand in hand- is just awesome.

 

[Alex Traut]

This question confuses me. They've just announced an expansion whose entire purpose is to give players a reason to land on and explore the airless worlds that right now most explorers just pass by. Deep-space explorers will suddenly have literally entire worlds of things to discover, look at and visit that aren't just the usual routine of jump-honk-scoop-scan.

Isn't that, well.. exploration gameplay pretty much by definition?

 

[EUS]

Not to be cynical, but I'm guessing the depth of exploration in a buggy will be on par with what we have now.

 

[t3l3c0n]

This question confuses me. They've just announced an expansion whose entire purpose is to give players a reason to land on and explore the airless worlds that right now most explorers just pass by. Deep-space explorers will suddenly have literally entire worlds of things to discover, look at and visit that aren't just the usual routine of jump-honk-scoop-scan.

Isn't that, well.. exploration gameplay pretty much by definition?

I see where your coming from but I'm not sure its really giving explorers a reason to land other than it's really cool. I may be wrong but I find it highly doubtful that much of what they have talked about thus far will be applicable when talking about a rocky world 10,000ly from civilisation (bases, crashed ships etc.) you will be able to mine but that is of little interest when you have to cart the goods across half the galaxy. I really like the idea of being able to setup a supply dump for yourself with spare AFMU's, fuel etc. that would allow to land and repair the systems the AFMU can't currently handle. for me giving us the ability to land is not the same as giving us a reason to do it.