It's long past due for the maximum placement distance for device blocks to be increased. The largest blast doors and boarding ramps and hangar doors can't even be fully seen during placement because the game won't allow the player to back far enough away from them. To describe that as maddening would be an understatement.
The more we back, the more it shows a few things. First there is that "logic" that we "needed" the logistics system to build and manage inventory, because some players forgot we were playing a game and suggested that it was not realistic to be able to lift huge blocks and devices. So we got this nice UI and WIFI thing and additional toolbar and whatnot. But the "non realistic" part never disappeared : we still can manipulate huge stuff and hold it in mid-air, albeit in a kind of "ghost" state but that was already the case before logistics - in other words, if this "ghost state" was what allowed "suspension of disbelief" regarding manipulation of huge machines and blocks by the player, then it was already OK before logistics because it did not change after. In that regard, it does not make any more sense that to be able to build a ship we need help from a WIFI device in a certain range, but because placement is difficult player has to move almost out of range, so he can hold the Titanic at arms length. Second problem is that at a distance, the blocks grid becomes a tiny thing, and the origin of big devices is what the game looks for to "match" an attachment point on that grid. If there is no support on a large % of the device to "slide it" against when trying to place it then the device just flips around and fights our plans. Happens often that we think we finally got it, just to go a bit closer and realize that we're 1 block off in one or two axis. I think the whole idea of huge devices being manipulated by players in such a context is far from being optimal, realistic, and practical. I would much prefer if we could be able to "build" everything, including "large machinery", from their sub-parts, and that assembling these in different manners could yield different results / performances etc. This way we could hold and place everything much more precisely, and machines could also look quite different for same functions without requiring usage of another custom model/ script/ skin etc. Finally, because of the aforementioned break of immersion (for realistic-inclined players) induced by having to be in god mode (creative) to be able to comfortably manipulate huge things with "human strength and range" it would make more sense that the big devices could be only used in creative, because it is hard to reconcile "survival" of a lone guy who can get killed by a bullet or spider, but the same guy could simply crush a tank by dropping a T2 Large Generator on it...
Good grief... I only asked for a nominal increase in FOV so that ridiculously large blocks can be fully seen on-screen while being placed. That is all.
Even with the drone, I struggle to place a large hangar bay door because it just doesn't fit in the screen. If I scroll out too far, the block just disappears. I agree with the OP; the distance needs to be extended.
To be honest I just checked in game to see if this is really "maddening" and I just didn't get mad. Sure, I couldn't see the top part of the 10x9 hangar door, I did see all of the 14x7, tried other big blocks... But when working with such devices I assume players have a little more than beginner's experience at building. And I agree that distance could be greater, but... maddening ? Really ? Plus that reaction to my post, where I am supporting his request and add a few notes of my own.. No, there is something else : this guy had private convo with me, and now he thinks he owns me or something. So he goes on a rant on a daily basis on almost any topic and like the typical paranoid player who thinks the developers are working on a dark scheme of some sort he is surprised that I don't drink his cool-aid now. I can try to understand some amount of frustration, but this is different. I dare to say "clinical". This is exaggerating every aspect of the game one is unsatisfied with, in an entitled and unpleasant tone, each-and-every-frickin-time a message is posted. This is not sane, this is not "normal behavior". Some guys need a break and go see elsewhere if they get anything with this kind of attitude...
No, the drone doesn't solve this problem. Placing the large blocks are difficult simply because you can't see to place them. The biggest ramps are nearly impossible to place.
