Sensors: How they should work and what they actually are.

[Mr. Pea]

The first post will be a quick thing listing what I’m actually saying when I talk about sensors. It just lists the names, classification based on similar functions, and a bit about how the groups would work.

Disclaimers;
* = not really discussed or thought about, maybe some niche uses

Multiple Wavelength Cameras. Good for getting lots of detailed information on an object or two. (pixel exposure based, works like IRL cameras did/do on a functional level, but with drastically fewer pixels);
-X-ray*
-UV
-Visible
-IR
-Microwave*
-Any lower and we get to radio devices, which are their own thing and are a separate discussion about communication devices.

Ping based/active. Pretty foolproof and can be easily used to find a lot of things. You get simple information on many different objects or surfaces back in waves, which makes them ideal for a wide variety of applications. These include colision avoidance in simple drones, maze solving robots, object scanners, ore location, etc;
-Radar
-Lidar*
-Sonar*

Other;
-Radiation

 

[XenoCow]

Lidar

If you put a laser range finder on a turn table, this is exactly what you have.

Also, prepare for the onslaught as you are mentioning so many types of cameras for a game with next to no HUD.

 

[CalenLoki]

How do you want to send that data to yolol or player?
What range, frequency and FoV do you suggest?
What goal do you want to achieve by adding those?

 

[Cavilier210]

I would say the FoV should be configurable. A way to pull off a volumetric radar would be cool. The rangefinders are just rays, and honestly not at all useful for detection.

Also, if its not at least a 10 km range, it pretty much useless.

I can think of uses for infrared (heat) and microwave, but the others seem extraneous.

Passive detectors (as in they detect emissions) should be an option as well as active. It kinda gives a role to capital ships/AWACs to have the ability to utilize these active sensors with less risk.