Player Features and Ideas Discussion

1) Create a cycle time for D-scan so that it doesn't require clicking every 1.5 seconds or w/e it is now.

2) Create a tab for D-scan only filters with a check-box that lets you enable using your existing overview filter or allows you to create and save a specialized one for D-scan.

3) Incorporate D-scan results into space. With Odyssey we got those signatures to pop up in space upon entering a system, I would propose showing D-scan results in a similar fashion (for a short duration, like a sonar ping). Also create a visual cone to more accurately let you see where you're scanning.

4) If visual changes seem to make using D-scan too easy, consider adding some kind of sensor strength or scan res or sig rad penalty (or any combination) to make them easier to probe out/slow their targeting (a trade off for someone trying to watch D-scan in combat)/make them easier to target.

5) Perhaps give some ships bonuses to using D-scan (Covops/Recon/Command Ships ect.) to encourage bringing them on grid as a kind of space-AWACS (like being immune to #4's penalties or having a longer D-scan cycle time or both).

That's just brainstorming though, feel free to point out balance problems.

Also, special credit to CCP karkur for upcoming improvements to D-scan sliders.

I saw multitude of threads about improving d-scan, local channel and how basic Intel gathering should work... and all of them seemed to fail miserably, what is a shame as there is plenty of possible solutions and ideas to make it work better and made game more interesting .

First of all. I think that scanner data should be more dynamic and continue refreshing (but keep the option of being able to ping once) at given cycle (5-10s) as long as it is switched on,

Also ships should be detected merely as ship signatures (no type), with only their sig type and number visible (on signature list, not on display), like during basic sweep during probe scanning.

I always imagined scanner game-play more like getting some more vauge signals (from some background noise at the end of range to accurate contact, precision error can vary with scanning cone and ships using scanner or during warp may give stronger signal than some idle ship in space) that could require probing for specific info (exact location or type) making it more like hydrophone bearings from some submarine games, you can detect "something" moving around Your area, track its movement, analyze traffic moving trough the system in our range or see that something may be sitting somewhere else, just passing by or... coming right on you !

Ship class, name and pilot info (like local) or corp is broadcast-ed by ship transponder (giving access to similar info You can get from local now) - mandatory in high security, but it can be disabled outside High-sec making You unknown ship signature on D-scans both for friends or enemies. Also this could allow to use interesting tactics if you manage to extract "friend or foe" device from enemy wreck and activate it, so you could appear on scanner as a fallen capsuler piloting said wreck for couple of seconds.

EDIT_1
Some ships (covert ops/blocade runners) could be smaller target than regular vessels and scanning range could be extended by modules that could amplify scanner signal, yet also using stronger scanner could made you bigger target (could be even big enough to pop in "background" scanner like some system anomalies or mining sites) and very easy to find with probes.