Forums » Suggestions
Intrasector Navigation - Serious Discussion
Okay, most of us want some kind of system to help locate certian points, objects, etc... within a sector.
The goal: to make it simpler to re-find a favorite roid, dropped cargo, object of interest, etc...
The difficulty: X-Y-Z coordinates and such would make it too simple a matter to write auto-perform scripts for mass mining, etc...
A system suggestion I think should be considered:
I have three ideas for a graphical 'compass' which would direct you back to decided waypoints. For all three, the following is true:
Outside of a certian distance (approximately 12,000 meters), the ranging meter is inoperable (shows beyond max measurable range).
Within 100 meters, the navsystem ceases to function (is no longer really needed, and you should be able to find your own way from there).
The system can store 5 navpoints, accessable from the intrasystem nav menu as waypoint "1", "2", "3", "4" and "5". You can at any time set a new waypoint within a sector (overwriting one of the slots) to your current position, and if within the same sector as an existing navpoint, you can select the waypoint to display in the HUD.
for each specific solution (shown below):
1) a conical projection affixed to the forward rardar points in the direction of the waypoint (with a resonating error cone of ~5 degrees) and a range bar below grows in size as it approaches the waypoint. at 100m, the indicators disappear
2) a glowing patch around the outside of the forward radar (as if around a 3-dimensional sphere) faces the direction of the waypoint, and grows in size, until within 100m, when it encompasses the entire radar. (shown in image as if approaching sideways)
3) a navigation reticle appears over the waypoint on the HUD (like a wormhole marker), and a ranging line wraps around it clockwise from the top. as you approach, the ranging line shrinks. the last quarter of the line is enclosed by a zone indicating 0-3000m (radar range). at 100m, the reticle disappears.
please excuse the crap-ness drawing... all I had available to work with was MSPain
The goal: to make it simpler to re-find a favorite roid, dropped cargo, object of interest, etc...
The difficulty: X-Y-Z coordinates and such would make it too simple a matter to write auto-perform scripts for mass mining, etc...
A system suggestion I think should be considered:
I have three ideas for a graphical 'compass' which would direct you back to decided waypoints. For all three, the following is true:
Outside of a certian distance (approximately 12,000 meters), the ranging meter is inoperable (shows beyond max measurable range).
Within 100 meters, the navsystem ceases to function (is no longer really needed, and you should be able to find your own way from there).
The system can store 5 navpoints, accessable from the intrasystem nav menu as waypoint "1", "2", "3", "4" and "5". You can at any time set a new waypoint within a sector (overwriting one of the slots) to your current position, and if within the same sector as an existing navpoint, you can select the waypoint to display in the HUD.
for each specific solution (shown below):
1) a conical projection affixed to the forward rardar points in the direction of the waypoint (with a resonating error cone of ~5 degrees) and a range bar below grows in size as it approaches the waypoint. at 100m, the indicators disappear
2) a glowing patch around the outside of the forward radar (as if around a 3-dimensional sphere) faces the direction of the waypoint, and grows in size, until within 100m, when it encompasses the entire radar. (shown in image as if approaching sideways)
3) a navigation reticle appears over the waypoint on the HUD (like a wormhole marker), and a ranging line wraps around it clockwise from the top. as you approach, the ranging line shrinks. the last quarter of the line is enclosed by a zone indicating 0-3000m (radar range). at 100m, the reticle disappears.
please excuse the crap-ness drawing... all I had available to work with was MSPain
Your fancy drawing and general concept is swell, save for one tiny bit of hard edged reality.
It will never happen.
Now, with that out of the way, let's note the fact that there's already an X,Y,Z coordinate system in the code (/displays hippos)... unless it was totally scrapped at some point previous. Could we get a Dev comment on what sort of time factor would be involved for reintegrating the current XYZ with a randomizer to prevent the auto aim/nav scripts? And for shites and giggles, a cf. with Cunjo's landmark nav approach's implementation...
It will never happen.
Now, with that out of the way, let's note the fact that there's already an X,Y,Z coordinate system in the code (/displays hippos)... unless it was totally scrapped at some point previous. Could we get a Dev comment on what sort of time factor would be involved for reintegrating the current XYZ with a randomizer to prevent the auto aim/nav scripts? And for shites and giggles, a cf. with Cunjo's landmark nav approach's implementation...
OR... Just have beacons. They're targetable and work like mines, except they persist in a sector. Store them client-side to minimize bandwidth wastage.
hey, it -could- happen... though certianly not soon™
it's not the translation of the code that would be difficult either... just the UI work required to integrate it.
it's not the translation of the code that would be difficult either... just the UI work required to integrate it.
Cunjo, of your ideas I think I like the third the best. Perhaps go ahead and have the distance given like for warp points (i.e. distance is to the edge of a 100m sphere) instead of the range bar? And the drawing is good. Also, I think that letting players store locations client-side would be a more efficient use of bandwidth than persistent beacons. However, destructible beacons could be a lot more interesting and interactive ("Huh, what's this beacon doing out ... HELIO!!!").
/me likes the third idea better too
second one would be cool, and give the impression of homing in on a 'beacon', but it could be hard to implement/read.
I like the range bar as opposed to a numeric readout mainly for the aesthetics... I think it would also make it easier to judge RoC with the bar. You really wouldn't lose that much precision, and it should be easy enough to interpret if you wanted an approximate numerical range.
Storing them client-side definately has its advantages, though like you say, it would add a neat aspect if you could manipulate other peoples beacons. If this were the case, I'd kindof like the beacons to be destructable and visually identifiable by other players, but to be designed to only allow the person who dropped it to home in on it/pick it up on radar.
of course, it if's all stored client-side, there'sreally no reason to make it a physical beacon at all, and as such it would only exist as a location in the nav computer of the ship.
second one would be cool, and give the impression of homing in on a 'beacon', but it could be hard to implement/read.
I like the range bar as opposed to a numeric readout mainly for the aesthetics... I think it would also make it easier to judge RoC with the bar. You really wouldn't lose that much precision, and it should be easy enough to interpret if you wanted an approximate numerical range.
Storing them client-side definately has its advantages, though like you say, it would add a neat aspect if you could manipulate other peoples beacons. If this were the case, I'd kindof like the beacons to be destructable and visually identifiable by other players, but to be designed to only allow the person who dropped it to home in on it/pick it up on radar.
of course, it if's all stored client-side, there'sreally no reason to make it a physical beacon at all, and as such it would only exist as a location in the nav computer of the ship.