The first technical demo of the Multiple Solar System concept is now available in the Akua-Omicron scenario! What does "technical demo" refer to? This means, that this is not a FULL implementation, but this is really only a tech-demo in its best sense. It is NOT the full Multi-Solar System implementation yet, because it does not allow to create a Galaxy randomly and it also does not have the final design on how to warp between solar systems, the galaxy map is not in its final state and a bunch of other elements are not yet finalized - but we did want to give you a little present for all the feedback, critiques and suggestions you were contributing in the forums and all the patience you have shown while testing EXP builds including the CPU and Flight system in particular! You can already play it and those who want to dive into the setup of the sector.yaml (for fixed scenarios) can already check out how it works. Of course we want to read your feedback on the topic of Multi Solar Systems in general and also specifically what you expect to get added along with it [..]
What's the plan for the actual method of traveling between systems? Procedurally generated wormholes? Warp gates? A new warp drive? Mass relays? Also, what's going to be in these new systems? New planets or the same old ones?
I noticed that only the left Mouse Button and the Scroll wheel works (also keyboard), within the mentioned A/O Scenario but also in the default EXP Games. Will this be changed?
Not decided yet. Both wormhole/warpgate or a new warp drive are considere (although you might require a new device for using stellar warpgates anyhows)
Warp gates would be cool even if a warp drive is still used. Especially for custom scenarios. Right now there's no way to teleport ships and finding and activating some kind of "ancient gate" could be an interesting objective.
Will a randomly generated sector map with a lot of planets be easier to navigate with multiple solar systems? Right now generating a large solar system leaves you with messy and hard to navigate warp connections. Hopefully by grouping planets into solar systems, the sector map will be a lot cleaner to look at.
With a new solar system and new planets to explore will we eventually get more differences between the planets like more threats on the ground and in the air... Having played over 5000 hrs I am now finding that once I have completed everything on one planet e.g. building HVs, SVs CVs. bases I don't want to move on to next planet because I will basically be doing same thing over again. Game to me gets boring doing same thing over and over again. or is that just me who feels like that.
Thing is that with 'star gates' you could re-integrate instances in game with separate planets & playfields, and activate & deactivate them with missions & conditions, and things like that. Maybe they don't need to be 'star-gates', but could be some sort of 'space-nodes & anomalies' (or all of that ). I did not play a lot and didn't actually jump to other stars, yet! - but - I'm really missing those three options/views in 'galactic map', I hope something like that will return soon. So 'snap button' for at least top view and a little better 3D position, plus current 'free-mouse-look'... Talking about 'universe map' my wish is to have them connected with some physical in-game device, that you can look at that device and activate map (then game open space map like we have now - so I'm not talking about real interactive 3D virtual map in front of us). That would be our detailed 'space map' for exploration and planet data! NOW, is it possible to have something like much more simplified "navigational space map" device where you will have only discovered & already traveled warp lines, planets & playfields. something 2D and like 'metroline maps'? This type of map/device will make travel in known 'space' much faster and you could plan your route with ease (ok, I guess lots of additional programing is necessary for ingame generating this type of 'new map' but it is just an nice idea )
I too am having some real trouble navigating my view around in the sector map. I'm really looking forward to it but right now it's really awkward. I can't put my finger on it yet but it just seems 'opposite' of what it should be.
It would be the coolest thing ever if these "ancient warpgates" were VERY rare in a random galaxy, and the Warpgates we used would be exclusively built by ourselves!!! Imagine how cool it would be to build a structure, add a device which would create a gate (like a CV forcefield), which would allow us to reach a planet from another system (range taken into account here). And for the ones who enjoy PvP, Factions could join to disable / destroy such gates, isolating entire systems! (siege!!! lol).
The biggest issue with new map for me are controls. I don't think 'flight-like' controls are apropriate for this UI. I totally expected it to zoom on double-click, not for mouse to control rotation... Obviously list of sytems/bodies and other things also need work. there also didn't seem to be a easy way to get back to your position. P.S. Sugestions: - A way to filter out incompatible paths/a way to show only paths within your reach. - A way to filter bodies by distance. - Last visited date.
The freedom of a multi solar system approach opens up a lot of opportunities. It may now be a good time to readdress space exploration. The present method of being able to see in some detail all planetary areas that can be reached by a jump from one's current location is in part a disincentive to explore them, except to find the onward jumps to other areas that would be revealed. Furthermore, in a complex solar system, it is not easy to remember which planets have been visited, and which not, and therefore whether there are further jumps and planets as yet undiscovered. This is most apparent in the superb project eden scenario, where to some extent exploration becomes a bit of a chore, rather than a pleasure, since one knows in advance most of what is to be found by jumping to a new planet. It might be a better approach when reaching a new planet to merely discover the additional available jumps from that planet, without learning where they lead (unless they go back to a planet already visited). This would both encourage exploration and remove the doubt as to whether a particular planet has actually been visited yet
Eleon. Guys I like the way you are heading with MSS and all @Hummel-o-War noted here are welcome. I remember the existance of an image of a concept of this for years now... Now, my thoughts : 1.For nearest solar systems, depending on warp distance the player should utilize the current T1 warp drive or gates. 2. T2 warp drive should allow the player to jump to a solar system according to warp range and not warp lines. Similar mechanic is used to Elite Dangerous. 3. Wormholes should provide jump shortcuts but without the use of warp drives at all. Wormholes should be randomly created and destroied and the player should use special equipment/detector to locate them. Said detector should inform the player regarding the traces of a wormhole upon entrance on an orbit, so there is no waste of time on locating them. 4.Also EGS developers should find a way to avoid clutter while the player uses the galaxy map. An idea here might be the use of hiding of orbitlines and warp lines of solar system not neighbouring the one the player is currently located. Also a need for search tools for names, resources POIs, factions etc should be itnroduced. There is no need to have all facitons on all planets nor orbits. Like there is with resources. The need of bookmarks and a list of visited places arise. I know there is a console command for the last but it is not that player friendly. 5.Finaly, I will ask one more time the introduction of a course system based on a plot the player will set between two orbits or planets with multiple jumps between the source and destination. The limit should be ofcource the jump drive and pentaxid. Now if the T2 warp drives need something more that could be for example the addition of promethium to the components of the new substance to be used as fuel for the new drive. If I think anything else i will update bellow. A. To increase the exploration aspect of the game, the information regarding the resources of orbit or planets should be different than currently. The info should be gathered by the player for the orbit with a detector. For planets, I suggest a mechanic similar to EVE online, where the player flies close to the planet's orbit and shoots probes towards the planets, from which after a period of time a readout is returned and the resource information is gathered.
This is actually how it used to work in previous versions of the game. All you could see was the planet name and icon color until you warped to it. I liked it better that way too.
Oh no...not another Fog of War suggestion. The last one is useless after first hour or so in game, and also useless because of using two different reveals that have two different distances. In space it will also be map verses sensor range and quite a waste of time in my opinion.
