Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I would like to see more scanning and probing functionality included in all ships. I don't think there needs to be a special ship for that. I think every ship should have probing skills and that it is an intregal part of gameplay.

I mean, how cool would it be to probe down your mission site and set your own approach. I do a horrible job of explaining thing sometimes, so I'll just a use a short scenario instead.

I recieved a call from my agent. He's found a problem in the illinfrik system. Some angels have set up a secret base there. Intel suggests that there may be multiple sites that I need to clear and to watch for reinforcements. (extravaganza type mission) I set course across the system and using my directional scanner I narrow down the possible area for the site. Its near the 4th planet in the system. I launch some probe to do a more precise scan, and after some time I am able to exact the location. I warp to a location outside their sensor range and along with my probes and ship scanner I am able to bring up a map giving me the lay of the site.

The force composition make me inclined use a long range assault due to a number of frigates that could be troublesome for my battleship, but I'll probably need the extra firepower of my autocannons, since I can only jam thier signals for so long before they break through. I set warp point for a point near thier communication array...maybe I can take it out in time.

I ready my shields...and engage...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_radar

Not like sonar at all, just vanilla active and passive radar modes.

And I like the basis idea, but not the suggested details. I love dscan as a mechanic, I hate its UI. And I would like to see active and passive modes and a better UI added which does not need to to hit scan every 15 seconds and gives me a meaningful setting for scan directions which is not related to my camera position.

You should give him the benefit of a doubt. Dscan could really need improvements, and while your pointed out the flaws of his suggestion of actually implementation, itis unfair to assume that he did this on purpose and not just out of lack of thought.

Not every bad idea has some evil agenda behind it, some are just brainstorming ideas which may work or not.
You pointed rightfull out that combat probes as big beacon on every scanner in the system is not a good idea for wormholes. Fair enough, I have to agree on that and I have the feeling that the topic starter will agree on this as well.

....


would be fine with reducing this and adding a deviation factor too for people warping to someone using active mode if the warpable point using active scan was not used.


like the reduced range for picking up ships using this method as you're working on stray EM echo's as it were. i believe it shouldnt give a warpable point or a range but a deviated direction within say 30 degrees for example.

Yup i agree. even so when people are hiding theyre looking for scanner probes at 14au ranges typically, and generally when they see those they warp to a new safe waaay b4 the hunter gets a warpable hit.

for active mode only and yes only at short ranges. it also alerts the ship uve identified as foe that you're a foe too (failed electronic handshake) - should only show standings not alliance/corp etc... in my opinion.

hope u like my somewhat expansive critique on ur idea =)

Anyone paying even remote attention will see your combat probes long before you get a warp in under the current system. My proposed change doesn't change that. I'm not suggesting audio alerts or anything of the sort either, although they would be completely logical.

What I envision this as is simply the D-scanner Mk.II, nothing more. My original post was largely just brainstorming and I'd say it's been well received overall. So on that note, I think it should actually give range estimates in active mode at all ranges it can see at. But perhaps warpable points are too much. Or perhaps that should be retained but make it so that the deviation on them is so great that you have to get within an AU to have a useful one. If the latter, one workable approach might be to have warpable points at all ranges but for them to have huge deviation (on the order of 20% of your current range to target until under 1AU).

Once again, I'm just tossing out numbers and ideas and seeing what sticks.

Edit: When I say deviation I mean that you may land anywhere within a set range of the target. A 100km deviation means you will land a maximum of 100km from the target in any direction and minimum of 0m. Where you land inside that sphere is completely random. I also said the deviation would decrease as range decreases. So if you landed off grid but still nearby, you could scan again and suddenly you'd have a 5km deviation or similar.