Link to the thread im responding to. http://starmadedock.net/threads/maps.22014/
Ok, time to get to work on a suggestion for how this would work.
First HOW it works
First two copies of the map exist, one for the client and another for the server. The server's map is like we have now and perfectly updated which admins have access to (and players should the config turn off the player mapping function.)
The client map is handled such, first it's handled system by system and the data we currently have is stored for each. Things like station location and planets locations are stored. The data is then dated with the current day (for the server) and is branded "out of date" after a week, with its age counting up each day until then.
Now by default the only information a player has is "is there a star in this system." And nothing else. Upon entering a galaxy the player downloads the star-map for that galaxy containing only stars.
Second its effect on gameplay
Now there is mapping, survey ships have a role. One must use a scanner to create map data for the system, one so we don't constantly have this happening as people travel across the universe and two because the scanner does kind of need an out-of-combat function and this suits it perfectly.
All map data can be traded globally (or at least by galaxy) by selling it to the trade guild, the trade guild also has a map seperate from the server and map data sold to it gives increasingly larger amounts of credits the more out-of-date the guilds map is. Current map data is worth far more than 3 day old data which is worth far more than 6 day old data etc.
One can buy map data as well from the trade guild for the current galaxy for a bulk cost-per system updated. In the future this might help introduce the locations of pirate strongholds or other special areas as a vector for PvE content as well as locate hidden faction bases.
Other Options
Now some things that might want to be server options should this happen, first faction space.
1. Either have it labelled by default.
2. Faction ownership discovered on scanning.
Either way if a system is owned by a faction then scanning it should be disallowed for gameplay reasons(again make it a server option.), namely so now you can't instantly locate a faction station without physically visiting the sector and making a note of the location elsewhere. This would give a little safety (albeit short term) for new folks because stations are stationary, even if not marked they'll be found eventually.
This unscannability has two flaws.
X amount of time after war is declared by your faction for the first time it is voided for a week(pick any amount of time) and
second you can scan the systems of factions you are at war with after Y amount of time.
The first is to discourage excessive warmongering and the second is an amnesty for factions who get into wars for a chance to get together before their stations are revealed.
Oh and I almost forgot this part
So factions sharing map data should be pretty normal, as to how to do it? I guess the same as how the trade guild does in my suggestion or one click and you can check against your faction map for the current galaxy, replace the systems more recently scanned. (Don't bother comparing the actual data, just the days on which they were scanned, or even times if you prefer.)
To make this easier for discussion, if there's something you'd like changed quote it and state what you dislike.
Ok, time to get to work on a suggestion for how this would work.
First HOW it works
First two copies of the map exist, one for the client and another for the server. The server's map is like we have now and perfectly updated which admins have access to (and players should the config turn off the player mapping function.)
The client map is handled such, first it's handled system by system and the data we currently have is stored for each. Things like station location and planets locations are stored. The data is then dated with the current day (for the server) and is branded "out of date" after a week, with its age counting up each day until then.
Now by default the only information a player has is "is there a star in this system." And nothing else. Upon entering a galaxy the player downloads the star-map for that galaxy containing only stars.
Second its effect on gameplay
Now there is mapping, survey ships have a role. One must use a scanner to create map data for the system, one so we don't constantly have this happening as people travel across the universe and two because the scanner does kind of need an out-of-combat function and this suits it perfectly.
All map data can be traded globally (or at least by galaxy) by selling it to the trade guild, the trade guild also has a map seperate from the server and map data sold to it gives increasingly larger amounts of credits the more out-of-date the guilds map is. Current map data is worth far more than 3 day old data which is worth far more than 6 day old data etc.
One can buy map data as well from the trade guild for the current galaxy for a bulk cost-per system updated. In the future this might help introduce the locations of pirate strongholds or other special areas as a vector for PvE content as well as locate hidden faction bases.
Other Options
Now some things that might want to be server options should this happen, first faction space.
1. Either have it labelled by default.
2. Faction ownership discovered on scanning.
Either way if a system is owned by a faction then scanning it should be disallowed for gameplay reasons(again make it a server option.), namely so now you can't instantly locate a faction station without physically visiting the sector and making a note of the location elsewhere. This would give a little safety (albeit short term) for new folks because stations are stationary, even if not marked they'll be found eventually.
This unscannability has two flaws.
X amount of time after war is declared by your faction for the first time it is voided for a week(pick any amount of time) and
second you can scan the systems of factions you are at war with after Y amount of time.
The first is to discourage excessive warmongering and the second is an amnesty for factions who get into wars for a chance to get together before their stations are revealed.
Oh and I almost forgot this part
So factions sharing map data should be pretty normal, as to how to do it? I guess the same as how the trade guild does in my suggestion or one click and you can check against your faction map for the current galaxy, replace the systems more recently scanned. (Don't bother comparing the actual data, just the days on which they were scanned, or even times if you prefer.)
To make this easier for discussion, if there's something you'd like changed quote it and state what you dislike.
