Jump to content

Fast Travel Idea


Supermega

Recommended Posts

This is my idea for how I think Fast Travel could be implemented. Please feel free to comment and let me know you're thoughts.


So basically the idea would require to main things. A new element, for now I'll call it a FTL Drive. An the second thing would be Data for the location of the celestial body the player wants to travel too. I say celestial body because it doesn't have to be a planet necessarily.

 

Here are the basic rules I came up with on how it would work.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


FTL Drive Element:

  • The FTL Drive is a craftable item that basically works by distorting space and allowing dynamic constructs to travel to and from celestial bodies only within a single solar system.
  • The FTL drive must be linked to at least one or more space engines on a dynamic construct to access this function.
  • The FTL Drive requires its own special fuel in order to work.
  • The FTL Drive also requires spatial data of a celestial body, in order to travel to that location.
  • The type of Celestial bodies that can be traveled too depends on the spatial data gathered by the nanoformer.
  • The FTL Drive is not instant, it takes a few minutes travel time (similar to super cruise in Elite Dangerous) and depends on the space engines size/quality/ or quantity.
  • The FTL Drive will only drop the player off in orbit, or near the celestial body, but not to close.

 

OTHER IDEAS

  • By default, the basic function only allows fast travel to the closes celestial body that the player has data for.
  • Linking the FTL drive to more then one engine can increase the range, and/or speed.
  • The FTL drive doesn't work if its linked to damaged engines.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Spatial Data

 

  • Players can use their nanoformer to gather general spacial data of celestial bodies that they visit. this data can then be used with a FTL Drive to fast travel to that location.
  • In order to collect this spacial data, a player must be at that location in orbit or the surface, but it will take time (1 hour for example), and the player must stay in range of that celestial body until the process is done. But, how long it takes to collect this spatial data depends on a players Talent tree.
  • The nanoformer "basic" function can only keep data for a limited amount of celestial body's, and must be upgraded via the skill tree to hold data for more locations.
  • This function must also be upgraded, using the "talent tree", to save spacial data for different types of celestial bodies for example: Terrestrial planets, Jovian planets, Asteroids, orbit of the Star, Comets, etc.....
  • This data can be saved to a Chip, and sold or traded to other players.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's the basic idea. I tried to think of limits and link certain aspects of its use to the Talent tree, to add some gameplay reasons for it being in the game.


The reason I suggest using the nanoformer for collecting spatial data, is so that a player is never left out of being able to use fast travel. Even if you're a new player you can collect spacial data with you're nanoformer, and have the basic means to fast travel. Maybe this could be even linked to the Pilot Talent Tree to make navigation a even more viable skill.


I'm against using gates for inter-planetary fast travel, because this would just become a PVP bottleneck that only Pirate groups, and large orgs would benefit from, An that would defeat the intended purpose. Traveling to planets will be a common thing for players, so fast travel should be accessible to all players.


I agree with JC that fast travel is a necessary gameplay mechanic for the longevity of DU. long travel times is great to scifi enthusiast, but in a videogame, taking hours to go from planet to planet will get old very fast, and most gamers aren't that patient.


Please share you're thoughts in the comments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

First we need to make a difference between fast player travel  and structure fast travel

 

fast travel player :

what about being able to build a cloning station, you will have to join a cloning station where your body will be scanned, your mind too, the data will be transferred to another planet where another cloning station will rebuild your body and your mind (and of course, the scanning process permanently damages your old body which no longer exists).

It will be in the same way that we will explain how to return from death, by reloading an old analysis of your body / mind, so with perhaps the loss of skill point learn after the last analysis of the cloning station

(nothing new, largely inspired by other games)

 

That require having your own cloning station at destination point, or paying someone to access his, maybe a company will offer this service, etc...

 

 

fast travel structure :

what to do without breaking the gameplay, transporting stuff across the galaxy should be a lucrative activity, because it takes time, it's dangerous, etc ... the ship warp will change a lot of things, and reduce the chance of players to interact.

If we're really going to structure fast travel (because fast player travel can also be sufficient), the stargate player building system may be the most balanced solution.

1) you must reach your destination at least 1 time using the conventional route (to build destination gate)

2) you must protect yourself stargate

3) The pirate can intercept you because your trajectory is perfectly known

so yes, it will (and it should) require a large organization to build, defend, secure this, maybe we will see a cooperation to have Stargate free, who knows, but you can also have the blockade, travel to old to avoid the blockade, Smuggler etc ...

 

 

conculsion :

there is no perfect solution, it may be necessary to do tests and see how the community behaves, not all players have the same expectations, it will be necessary to compromise, nor too simple, to keep the community which appreciates the simulations side of the games (and who are also the ones who will pay a fee several months / years), nor too hard not to scare away the more casual players, looking for a more arcade game play, who may only stay on a game a few months before moving on, but are also necessary to the game community

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First thing... a fast Travel mechanic is already planned by NQ.
It will function as follows.
As soon as more than one star system will be part of DU after Release (source Roadmaps)

We will get star gates or similar gamemechanic (source press interview)
Travel to another Star System will take about weeks in realtime for the first time to build another gate there (source Q&A)

Because this is an non NDA post, i can only write here whats publically known nor whats already in the game.


The travel times have to be long enough to establish a proper trading mechanic.
In EVE or Elite for example are fast travel mechanics a thing. But traveling although takes long times for a reason.
The trading mechanics need a certain distance between starbases or resource spots with particially long travel times.
In DU as it is an MMO it need min similar travel times to make resource gathering, travelling and tactical PVP worth it.
FTL or instant fast travel will disturb or even destroy those other gamemechanics.
The longer a travel time, the more valuable it will become for all other Game mechanics.

I expect to see extremely long travel times in DU, longer than ever seen in any other game befor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Yea, @Supermegayour idea seems too complicated. I think it would just be easier to just have a propulsion module that is no different then a micro jump drive. It uses fuel that varies depending on the distance and it goes in 5km , 10km, 20km, 50km, 75km, and 100km preset distances you can right click on the drop menu > select. Then you have a type in your own weird km distance and I am sure the studio can make their own voodoo magic calculations to determine fuel costs. If people want to explore then they are going to need to design the ship to be more accommodating to fuel storage so they are not stranded in the middle of nowhere with no gas station within 100km (emergent game play: beg someone on the forum with space bux or "favors" to tow your space ship to the nearest gas station). Anything you discover and worth charting you add that crap to your map > go to Jita > sell coordinates like those scalpers on the forums that sells wormhole coordinates > ????  > profit.

 

Also forgot, add that 50km distance of a planet if you jump in that direction it will stop at that mark for "safety" reasons. That way if you are leading a fleet or convoy, I can send a small wolf pack to take it down as you slow boat it to the planet and you are crapping your pants/palms sweating with the red flashing on your radar. Probably add in fuel refinement so I can sell a kidney and a lung to get high octane gas that can allow me to take multiple 100km jumps. Satisfy the explorers because more exploring yay,  the "care bears" because they can make a massive refinery in bliss from the production output charts, and traders that can flip said fuel, which forces me into a life of crime + sec status drops + insert Cage the elephant song on wicked.   

  • Gives people opportunities to maybe pop a space station at specific locations. I would like the opportunity to be that a**hole that is the only gas station within 100km on a highly traveled route that newbros get stranded on and charge the equivalent of 8 euro per liter to fill their tank up.
  • Deep safe's that if I am doing an insurgency or waging campaign  I can create a small depot/refueling/refitting station and not have to slow boat to a particular location. Me probably get someone better at maths to calculate the distance to certain points I X on the map with my crayon. 
  • This creates more opportunities to maneuver fleets to a staging area that has to take effort from the opponent to scout for.
  • Allows for locations to house secret construction projects out of public site (someone has to build that death star). 

Probably can come up with more stuff, but I am getting tired staying up till morning typing away on this forum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...