Your Questions Needed - Join the Elite Tutorial Livestream - Everything You Need to Know About Exploration

[who?]

Data Piracy was tabled a while ago. I can't wait to hear the howls of outrage from the people already asking for the big diapers of exploration drones, recoverable black boxes, and antennas to automagically transmit your data back.

My current trip is going to take ~6 months by the time it's complete. If I'm interdicted by any pirate on the way back when carrying no cargo, just data.... when I have no way to "check in" my data, tags or rank progress over the course of that 6 months...

I will build a time machine. I will find that NPC's parents at the key moment, and I will perform sexual interdiction on them. There will be no logging (yes, I will log-block them). That NPC will cease to exist in a cloud of temporal paradox.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Data Piracy means I will never ever leave solo/private again.

 

[NeilF]

Data Piracy was tabled a while ago. I can't wait to hear the howls of outrage from the people already asking for the big diapers of exploration drones, recoverable black boxes, and antennas to automagically transmit your data back.

Data piracy? Fine...!?

But let's be frank... Some CMDRs destroy other CMDRs just for the kicks/lolz... And these kicks/lolz are all the greater for them if it can cause the victim all the more frustration. Dressing it up as something it's not, in attempt to make it sound more noble, just sweeps the issues under the carpet.

Make piracy about piracy. Not about a catch all "occupation". eg: Infering - as Michael did last night - that CMDRs destroying other CMDRs out in wilderness is "Piracy" makes me roll my eyes to the extent I get dizzy!

And worse still, if we'll now getting NPC "pirates" out in the wilderness for explorers to cope with... Sigh... If only as much effort was going into creating more stuff for explorers encounters, rather than evade!

 

[Michael Brookes]

My comment about pirates was simply that it's only player ones that you would find that far out. The potential for danger far from the bubble in the future isn't from other sources.

Michael

 

[NeilF]

My comment about pirates was simply that it's only player ones that you would find that far out. The potential for danger far from the bubble in the future isn't from other sources.

Michael

Understood Michael... Ta for the clarification on "future dangers".


My issue is the term "pirate" of course...

If we examine one of these "pirates", they are destroying vessels which are carrying no cargo, not that they even scan/ask for it... They are doing it for no gain or profit or advancement at all... They are doing it for simply one reason, quite literally just about as unnoble as it gets (in the game), and relishing the fact the game lets them.


ps: You know, I'm still paranoid Distant Worlds will suffer from some of this "piracy" at a key moment!

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Michael, question - regarding exploration but not only - do you plan to revamp tear and wear again? At this moment it is not functional, but is badly needed to add consequences part of the game. After crafting and looting it would be good to revisit this, no?

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Data Piracy means I will never ever leave solo/private again.

So you will be pirated by NPCs which will be better with 2.1.

Ohh noes it is like game trying to become actually dangerous.

 

[Alec Turner]

As has been said I don't think we are talking about human interdiction!

Not humans interdicting us out in deep space ... OK, got it.

My comment about pirates was simply that it's only player ones that you would find that far out.

Not humans Definitely only player pirates out in deep space ... OK, got it.

The potential for danger far from the bubble in the future isn't from other sources.

So you're in deep space, far away from the bubble and the potential for danger isn't from things not from the bubble ... OK, got it.

:S

 

[NeilF]

Michael's comment about why we can't filter on visited/discovered systems.

Couldn't that all be held locally, and that data used in such filter(s)? I'm sure the game could even do periodic little "ping" to even ensure the two lists (on client & server sides) are in sync. And if not, trickle the updates down (to the client) over time? eg: If a fresh install was done on a new machine using an existing account?

Be great to do it with a start/end date feature to. In that way you could look at the worlds you visited/discovered over a set time range to see exactly where you went on a particular journey.

Obviously not an important feature, but still...

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Michael, question...


So you will be pirated by NPCs which will be better with 2.1.

Ohh noes it is like game trying to become actually dangerous.

If I understood Michael's post from above I think he suggests no, there won't be NPC "pirates" out in the wilderness... Just human ones...

BUT, if we used the term "griefer" instead of "pirate" for these foilks it would make me so much happier. If it looks like a griefer, swims like a griefer, and quacks like a griefer, let's call them a griefer please

 

[Ozric]

Yes, the suggestion you will need to protect yourself in the deep worries me...

You already should protect yourself and if you're going to be meeting other sentient beings out in the black then I definitely would want to be. Which is why I always run with Shields, Guns and Chaff

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f I understood Michael's post from above I think he suggests no, there won't be NPC "pirates" out in the wilderness...

If we used the term "griefer" instead of pirate it would make me so much happier. If it looks like a griefer, swims like a griefer, and quacks like a griefer, let's call them a griefer please

Not NPC pirates, but there are other things that will make it more dangerous. Also is someone who kills another player once a griefer? No, I would be much happier if people stop (illegitimate child)ising words to fit their intentions. Use murderer, that's what they are.

 

[Alec Turner]

Could we have an update on the following number from one year ago, please?

Only 0.000223% of systems have had any bodies scanned in them so far.

Did we break the magical 0.01% barrier yet?

For those who might not get to see the video the answer was 0.0077%.
So no, not net

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

So you will be pirated by NPCs which will be better with 2.1.

If you think some sorry CMDR gets their grubby mittens over stuff I have spent months collecting, think again.

Ohh noes it is like game trying to become actually dangerous.

I was very charmed by Michael's comments about the geography trying to kill us while exploring, so you can drop the attitude.

So you're in deep space, far away from the bubble and the potential for danger isn't from things not from the bubble ... OK, got it.

That's like ebonics man.

"You aint gonna get none of my data you filthy pirate!"

 

[who?]

Whatever about human risks to explorers, I LOVE the idea of more environmental dangers (I think solar flares were mentioned). Ideally these would affect you on a risk/reward basis: if you keep a certain distance from stars while scooping you'll have more time to avoid them. But if you get too close in order to scoop faster, you risk being insta-fried by a flare.

 

[CMDR Texas Stu]

Howdy Commanders!
Q: Are we going to be able to filter Galaxy Map by places we have visited?

Currently we can highlight a secondary target in the navigation menu by scrolling over destination then selecting it after scanning current target.
Q: Will we be able to set that 'highlight' from the System Map (to highlight where we want to go next in system) as well? (Like right-clicking object in System map and navigation tab now shows target with carets and next destination highlighted).

Q: Are there plans to further balance income over time for Exploration to bring it in line with other roles in game (like BH & Mining have been)?

Q: Lastly, off topic, can you tell us what possible enhancements to Exploration are coming and anything on orray system map plans?

 

[NeilF]

Whatever about human risks to explorers, I LOVE the idea of more environmental dangers (I think solar flares were mentioned). Ideally these would affect you on a risk/reward basis: if you keep a certain distance from stars while scooping you'll have more time to avoid them. But if you get too close in order to scoop faster, you risk being insta-fried by a flare.

This is where common envelopes would be nice.

Not only would it mean a nice varied graphical effect based on the star, their size, colour, type and quantity (imagine a lovely shared common envelope around trinary stars!) but also, if you're in that common envelope maybe you scoop quicker, but heat up much quicker!?!

 

[who?]

Howdy Commanders!
Q: Are we going to be able to filter Galaxy Map by places we have visited?

Currently we can highlight a secondary target in the navigation menu by scrolling over destination then selecting it after scanning current target.
Q: Will we be able to set that 'highlight' from the System Map (to highlight where we want to go next in system) as well? (Like right-clicking object in System map and navigation tab now shows target with carets and next destination highlighted).

Q: Are there plans to further balance income over time for Exploration to bring it in line with other roles in game (like BH & Mining have been)?

Q: Lastly, off topic, can you tell us what possible enhancements to Exploration are coming and anything on orray system map plans?

They mentioned it's more difficult to filter unexplored systems in the Galaxy map, but it is possible and seems to be under consideration.

They also said they're looking at exploration missions (which hopefully will increase rewards as well).

The Orrery view is still on the roadmap but nothing else was said.

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

Is there any update planned that will add some skill to exploration ?

At the moment:

• Pick a star system
• Hyperspace to it
• Hold "scan" (aka Honk)
• Fly to a star
• Point nose at it (tick tick L1 / L2 scan performed)
• Move on

Granted some places are pretty, but the process of exploration is not very interactive and involves a lot of waiting around.

For example: Any thoughts on introducing probes as mentioned by FD during the DDF ? Fire them off (maybe guide them - there's a start for some skill) and they perform the scanning rather than just holding a button down ?

 

[NeilF]

They mentioned it's more difficult to filter unexplored systems in the Galaxy map, but it is possible and seems to be under consideration

See above for my take on it - https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=238486&p=3689236&viewfull=1#post3689236

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Is there any update planned that will add some skill to exploration ?

At the moment:

• Pick a star system
• Hyperspace to it
• Hold "scan" (aka Honk)
• Fly to a system
• Point nose at it (tick tick L1 / L2 scan performed)
• Move on

Granted some places are pretty, but the process of exploration is not very interactive.

For example: Any thoughts on introducing probes as mentioned by FD during the DDF ? Fire them off (maybe guide them - there's a start for some skill) and they perform the scanning rather than just holding a button down ?

I'd like to see surface detail scan drones you can shoot off, who can then fly back to you when done, complete with video feeds so you can see the planet they're looking at.

Talking of which, I'd also like to see a video close up of the object you are scanning with the detailed scanner! (see my sig)

eg:-

 

[who?]

This is where common envelopes would be nice.

Not only would it mean a nice varied graphical effect based on the star, their size, colour, type and quantity (imagine a lovely shared common envelope around trinary stars!) but also, if you're in that common envelope maybe you scoop quicker, but heat up much quicker!?!

View attachment 108712

Well.. I learn something new every day.

Looks good, and would add to the gameplay too.

 

[Brimstone]

If I understood Michael's post from above I think he suggests no, there won't be NPC "pirates" out in the wilderness... Just human ones...

BUT, if we used the term "griefer" instead of "pirate" for these foilks it would make me so much happier. If it looks like a griefer, swims like a griefer, and quacks like a griefer, let's call them a griefer please

This is just depressing.

 

[who?]

Is there any update planned that will add some skill to exploration ?

At the moment:

• Pick a star system
• Hyperspace to it
• Hold "scan" (aka Honk)
• Fly to a star
• Point nose at it (tick tick L1 / L2 scan performed)
• Move on

Granted some places are pretty, but the process of exploration is not very interactive and involves a lot of waiting around.

For example: Any thoughts on introducing probes as mentioned by FD during the DDF ? Fire them off (maybe guide them - there's a start for some skill) and they perform the scanning rather than just holding a button down ?

Absolutely - it's the general interactivity that's missing from Exploration. The Wave Scanner is a great addition, IMO, as it requires to use your eyes and ears and learn what the different signals mean. Something similar for the ships would be great.

I also think outfitting for exploration could be better. As it is - every explorer has the ADS and DSS and a big jump drive. That's pretty much it. IMO it'd be a lot better if you could have specialist scanner kits for specific purposes. Maybe one for gas giants, which yields more detailed and valuable scans for those, but less for other planetary types. Ideally, scanning with one of these might have to be done slightly differently - perhaps approach closer to the gas giant's "surface" in order to scan.. or perhaps some scanners scan laterally instead of straight ahead so you have to do a fly-by scan.