Recognized by Council Increase Scanner Usability

[AresCoalition]

So to make this simple we are having problems tracking not only players but NPCs . The scan range is just so small that even confined to one galaxy scanning anything is a needle in a haystack.

Suggestion:

- Add functionality to current scanner by increasing range to 5 Systems rather than 3 sectors (or make a deep space scanner that doesn't decloak)

- Make scan filters so we can scan for specific asteroids/planets/ships; include NPCs in scans

- Allow fleets to scan and report scans to faction lead ( Aka Satellites/Probes)

- Distress beacons for friendly and allied ships


I feel as though the anount of actions in the game has been dramatically reduced due to the fact that it relies on both parties agreeing to meet rather than having the ability to track and pursue targets.

 

[Lecic]

5 systems is a little overkill, but the range should definitely be larger. Maybe have it have a large "range," but there needs to be activity for longer range detection? Things like jumping, mining, combat, large amounts of thrusters moving, large biomasses doing things (space whales? :P), etc, would show up from further ranges than a tiny station with nothing going on.

 

[Madman198237]

Yep. Ideas like this have been floated around a lot. I prefer reworking the whole system to be more science and less fiction, which would (If properly implemented) allow for just about anything to be found/searched/scanned depending on your ability to field scanners.

Please review the FSM for details:
Frequent Suggestions Megathread
Frequent suggestion #35 covers this. The thread under FSM #35 is one that I really hope makes it onto the "Planned" list....soon.

 

[Gonzalo]

would really love to see a massive increase in scan range like AresCoalition stated. Would make it easier to find players and encourage player interaction, something that in my limited experience of multiplayer seems to be lacking.

 

[FlyingDebris]

Increasing scan range is something I'm definitely for, but I do think that five systems is a wee bit overkill. I've always wanted player pirates to be viable, and beefing up the scanner range would certainly help. Perhaps extend it to the range of a jump drive, plus one or two sectors/systems?

 

[Heillos]

Buffs to the scanner are definitely necessary, and those outlined seem generally desirable. I concur with the sentiment that a 5-system radius may be excessive, though.

I'd also suggest the removal of the current scan-range nerf when in neutral (4 sectors, iirc) or hostile (2 sectors) territory; this does not make sense, and further decreases potential player interaction. The idea of limiting scan range is a pleasing one, but should require input by the defending party, probably in the construction of "jamming" structures that are great enough in size to overwhelm the offending scanners. In this way, some conflict could be created where there is currently none.

 

[Madman198237]

Also, the presence of places where your scan range is reduced should be actively noted and obviously presented to the player. That way, if you're running passive scanners and find jamming, you know that either A. You've stumbled into something that someone thinks is important, or B. You're about to discover that your JD is being inhibited and that there's a fleet of pirates coming for you.
Either way, jamming can show you important things about the universe.
Provided you live long enough to realize what that important thing is, of course.

 

[Valck]

Also, the presence of places where your scan range is reduced should be actively noted and obviously presented to the player. That way, if you're running passive scanners and find jamming, you know that either A. You've stumbled into something that someone thinks is important, or B. You're about to discover that your JD is being inhibited and that there's a fleet of pirates coming for you.
Either way, jamming can show you important things about the universe.
Provided you live long enough to realize what that important thing is, of course.

I think there's potential in the suggestion, however I don't think it should always be obvious if you're being jammed.

Consider ECM and stealth technology - one could flood the scanner with white noise, making it useless, but pretty obvious that something is going on; or use some kind of active or passive technology that dampens out the response "ping" so the echo is massively weakened, possibly to the point of vanishing, and it isn't immediately obvious to the scanner whether something is just far away or interfering with it, or if there even is something there at all...
I'll leave it at that, since this is a thread about scanners, and jamming/ECM/stealth is just a related topic that may warrant its own discussion (of which I think there have been several threads already).

 

[BJammin]

Increasing scanner's usability? That would be fantastic. If implemented in some way, I might actually start building scanners into my ships now

 

[Madman198237]

Valck, you just described modern electronic warfare precisely, which is exactly what I'm going for.
You can be stealthy, or you can be obvious. Jamming is cheaper and more widely useful than stealth, but stealth is harder (If not impossible) to locate.

Yeah, it's been discussed. A thread titled "Cloak, Jam, and Scan System Revamp" is on the FSM. That's the thread in which I explained most of these ideas.

 

[AresCoalition]

Increasing scan range is something I'm definitely for, but I do think that five systems is a wee bit overkill. I've always wanted player pirates to be viable, and beefing up the scanner range would certainly help. Perhaps extend it to the range of a jump drive, plus one or two sectors/systems?

Jump range would definitely be a massive increase, I would be for something like that. Maybe make it passive so that as you're jumping it pings contacts so you can stop at the jump and find whatever pinged?

 

[Proxima_Centauri]

Sounds like a great way to give more power to griefers and scare off even more new players.

 

[Lecic]

Sounds like a great way to give more power to griefers and scare off even more new players.

There is no such thing as griefing on a PvP server.

 

[Lukwan]

How many threads is this now? 3..... 4 ..... so the community is clearly interested in this subject.

Good. I cant wait for a new & improved scanner/jamming/ecm/eccm/cloaking/stealth/+3 to hide-in-shadows technology to be introduced so we can rip it apart rip into it. :D

I going to open Pandora's box here and suggest the most diabolical effect that scanners could have: 3 successful scans provides a snapshot of the target's BP. (hunkering down in heckle-proof resistant bunker)

 

[sayerulz]

There is no such thing as griefing on a PvP server.

Now THAT is logic that has caused WAYY to many problems in games.

What if I leave a 100000000 block logic-powered swarmer array by spawn? What if I drive a titan into every planet I find just to cause lag?

What if I simply hang out at spawn and kill anyone who joins?

Tons of incredibly obnoxious people do these things or things like them, then use "its pvp git gud skrub!!!1111!!!" as an excuse.

 

[Dire Venom]

Now THAT is logic that has caused WAYY to many problems in games.

What if I leave a 100000000 block logic-powered swarmer array by spawn? What if I drive a titan into every planet I find just to cause lag?

What if I simply hang out at spawn and kill anyone who joins?

Tons of incredibly obnoxious people do these things or things like them, then use "its pvp git gud skrub!!!1111!!!" as an excuse.

Theres a differance between just playing the game and breaking the rules you know.
The majority of servers puts limits on what players can do to prevent server problems/detract from others gameplay.
If it breaks the rules or goes against the admins wishes then yes it is griefing. If not, then theres nothing wrong.

 

[Lecic]

Now THAT is logic that has caused WAYY to many problems in games.

What if I leave a 100000000 block logic-powered swarmer array by spawn? What if I drive a titan into every planet I find just to cause lag?

What if I simply hang out at spawn and kill anyone who joins?

Tons of incredibly obnoxious people do these things or things like them, then use "its pvp git gud skrub!!!1111!!!" as an excuse.

If it breaks the rules or goes against the admins wishes then yes it is griefing. If not, then theres nothing wrong.

 

[sayerulz]

Which is my point really.

 

[Lone_Puppy]

Back to the topic.

I was thinking scanners and jammers could be module controlled and have similar features to the weapons where you can cross connect/slave them to produce different effects. That brings me to the effect side. You could use the existing effects to convert your signals into something that could either be a weapon, scientific use or something else.

The modules could either be used to increase range, accuracy or whatever. Perhaps with the effects and weapons slaved it could make the pulse rate quicker as with slaving cannons or increase range by using some effect.

You could introduce new effects with a primary focus on scanning/jamming, but allow them to create new weapons etc with new combos.

I would actually like to see this in most of the technology provided in this game, so the players can come up with new and inventive uses for everything.

 

[cyberus111]

IMHO

Friendly or hostile territory should not have any effect on scanners.

Scan range should be based on array size with min/max, minimum being the current range

Scan *usefulness* should also be based on array size with more info given the bigger the array.

Jammed/cloaked ships should be detected in current adjacent sectors based on array size vs jammer/cloak

first band of sectors show shops, station names, ships and asteroids

second band out shops & station names

third band out shops

just my 2 cents