a compass would make navigation better

[Captain_Quacer]

You should have an onscreen compass while navigating space. A good example in a bad game would be Star Voyager for the NES. It should be a simple feature.

 

[therimmer96]

You should elaborate your point more, what would the compass point too?

 

[mitchelltrt]

it would of course point in the +x direction. or if you are perpindicular to the x axis it would tell you so and point in the +y direction.

 

[KuramaFox]

Also, change the background image of the galaxy so its NOT AT A BLOODY ANGLE! Its bloody annoying that that disk is at some odd angle when its the only visual reference for ship orientation when not looking at a station/planet.





Additionally, have an option somewhere that people can turn on for \"auto-level,\" which causes the ship to automatically roll such that it is \"right side up.\" This would only affect roles, and will not alter your pitch or direction. This will make it much easier to navigate both without a compass and with one (as it will prevent the compass from ending up being stuck in some inverted position after a few turns until you hit C to right yourself manually).



Lastly, one option could be to add fighter plane HUD-style attitude indicators, which would let you see both your \"pitch\" and your \"roll,\" making it easier to pay attention to which way you are facing. Combining this with a standard compass in the corner somewhere would allow a viewer total knowledge of their current heading without needing to rely on comparing their current sector number to the sector number currently in front of them.



In fact, with such a system you could just remove sectors as HUD targets, aside from using navigation to reach one. Which by the way should be improved so that you can fly diagonally right to the target at some point.

 

[Arlin.Del'Adre]

I think a combination of this and radar would be a good idead... alsmost like the dreadus on battlestar gallactica. It shows a 3d battle field with contacts and orients itself showing the xy and z axi.. It could also have a leveled progression where ass you can get just radar or just compass or by and upgraded system to incorporate both...

 

[Arlin.Del'Adre]

also an addition to that would be maybe connect them to enhancers or to antenea that with the better contruction the better range/detail.. as well as the ability to detect ships that are either jamming or are cloaked...



**spell check

 

[???]

in space there is no up or down no left or right no north or south BUT maybe the compas outd be pointing to a signal coming from the spawn sector 2,2,2

 

[lupoCani]

Well, neither are there flat planets. Where there are coordinates, there is up and down. Maybe only on a virtual axis, but on an axis all the same.

 

[lazarus78]

I have suggested adding an artificial horizon ball with \"north\" being the way your ship faces when you press C, which I like to call \"Galactic North\".

 

[Digi]

A globe-like ball of awareness would be ok... but the current navigation seems more scifi and more interesting.

 

[Agent Zirdik]

In agreement with a navigation ball. I know the minimap has some sort of rudimentary pitch indicator, but a full horizon globe with the origin being the +z direction you normally get from hitting C, would be very helpful. I hate having to zig-zag between sectors in order to get to a particular sector when I know that I could just calculate the a vector and fly in a straight line if I had a heading and pitch indicator. Also as someone suggested an auto-level option would be good. I wish that I had more options than just C to level too.

Good suggestions!

 

[lazarus78]

The current system isnt even comperable to any modern day system, so its hardly \"scifi\". An artificial horizon ball would improve current navigation greatly.