Jump Beacons

[DaveC9000]

Okay this is just a brainstorm but I'll throw it out there anyway. Let's just say it works like this:

In order for your jump computer to perform a jump it first has to safely plot a course (that puts you in space as opposed to inside an asteroid or something). Since the sensors can only see as far as 8 sectors it can't safely plot a jump any further and that's why you can only jump 8 sectors. Solution: I put a device in a sector that already has safe jump coordinates programmed into it and broadcasts those coordinates on an amplified signal (which causes the beacon to use enormous amounts of power BTW). Now your jump computer can plot jumps like normal, but if it's in range of my jump beacon (let's say 25 sectors or so) it can also just use those coordinates because it's been told by my beacon that they are good jump coords. The end result is your jump computer can now jump anywhere within 8 sectors, or to any sector within 25 sectors with an active jump beacon. It was just a fleeting thought that I had while I was waiting for my jump drive to recharge. Any thoughts?

 

[TheOmega]

Sounds good, if anything. Jump drives were added recently and are still open to debate, like anything in the game.

 

[Reilly Reese]

I wonder if you could program fake cords in and trick a player into jumping right smack into a planet >: D

If you cant I will just make a disintegrator minefield around the beacon. >: D

 

[TheOmega]

I think the beacon should be like a cell phone tower, like to where if you have enough in a network close enough to each other, you could go anywhere, and warp gates would need to be buffed. If that were the case though, I would recommend a small range to keep them balanced.

 

[DaveC9000]

I wonder if you could program fake cords in

Interesting thought. People would have to decide if they trusted said beacon or not. Jumping to an unknown beacon would be a risk.

 

[TheKingOfSpace]

So it's like, a warpgate that has only one end?

 

[Vengeance42]

What happens when my salvage beam hits your beacon?

 

[TheOmega]

I guess it would be a station specific block, so faction it and your salvage beam is useless. Hey, if it would be, maybe it can be like other blocks to where the more you have, the larger the radius!

 

[DaveC9000]

I think if you did that then people would just link 900 of them and jump across the universe. The short range would have to be a permanent trade-off for its portability and ease of setup.

 

[TheOmega]

Two words: Hard. Cap.

 

[Criss]

Hmm. It's interesting. So charge up the drive and jump without the possibility of wrecking your ship. That's good. I think the range shouldn't be enough to go completely past an entire star system. When I think about the jump drive it seems more for inner system travel and gates are used for extra solar travel. We wouldn't want people to revert to beacons instead of jump gates. I would even dare say that a beacon should only let you jump to an area within the system you are currently in and no where else. Think of it this way. It would take at least a few years to actually lock onto that beacon due to it being light years away.

 

[NeonSturm]

I think beacons should add NAMES to locations.

In Navigation tab as destination/target:
"0, 0, 0" : Jump to a free position in 0, 0, 0
"Becaon Name" Jump to a position provided by the beacon. Beacon names are also listed in a jump navigation list.

I also think that you should only be able to jump to locations you are able to scan. That means further jump ranges in ally territory.
And that you should be able to recharge 2 jump arrays in parallel. Maybe for x^(1+0.1*x) times the power instead of just x times for x arrays.

You should get 2x or 3x sensor range, but just for scanning allied or owned beacons if you are in unclaimed territory.
That means that you can thrust allies, you own and check (with scanners) enemy beacons.


Just some thoughts I found useful to add to this discussion.