Transponder Feedback - Important Changes

[Kmank]

This is a continuation of the discussion that we had last night (20+ community members on discord).

One of the things that we talked about was the functionality of transponders and the important changes that we felt were necessary in the future.

1. Company tags and identification need to be added to transponders.
   1. Abvreviated tags (e.g. /DC/, [KB], [AM]) for companies should be added to company ships and player names.
   2. Direct LOS (within 100m or so) identification of players, seeing their face and knowing who they are (needs more discussion here).
2. Increased transponder visibility.
   1. Have a single icon (e.g. dot) with text either below or above the transponder as to avoid text blocking view of asteroids etc.
   2. When multiple transponders are close together, have only the nearest transponder show up to avoid text overlapping blocking view, keep the icons (dots).
   3. Distinction between station, ship, and player transponder.
   4. SOS signals that change the colour of your transponder and/or make it blink.
3. Selectable active transponders that you can send messages to the ship, capital ship zone, or station zone.
   1. Optional description field for selectable transponders (additional information about ship or station).
4. Removal of ghost transponders.

 

[Pink]

I think that there should be hotkey to show only transponder icon (the little images of people next to names added to ptu) and not full name
so you can press a button and transponder names will vanish

This will help with overlapping names so it is easier to see individual ships

 

[Kmank]

So more specifically for me on some of the above topics:

1. Company tags and identification need to be added to transponders. & 1.1 Abvreviated tags (e.g. /DC/, [KB], [AM]) for companies should be added to company ships and player names.
Being able to see who someone is, is vital to any mmo experience especially one that focuses on a player driven world. Simple company tags would go a long way to helping us contextualise the interactions we have in game.

2.1 Have a single icon (e.g. dot) with text either below or above the transponder as to avoid text blocking view of asteroids etc. & 2.2 When multiple transponders are close together, have only the nearest transponder show up to avoid text overlapping blocking view, keep the icons (dots).
Flying towards transponders outside the safezone (especially when they are clustered) is currently like playing chicken with yellow text, you can't see what you are going towards. Having transponders simplify themselves when in a group and having text not being directly in the direction of progress would go a long way to avoid many hours of frustration due to a collsion with an asteroid (or other ship) that was covered by text.

2.5 Selectable active transponders that you can send messages to the ship, capital ship zone, or station zone.
Communication is a cornerstone to any MMO, especially ones that focus on a player driven universe. As such, having a way to communicate to a transponder that you can see from a distance would be a perfect way to increase the number of player to player interactions in game and to generate a good amount of player content. Imagine being out in the middle of nowhere then recieving a message from another ship that communicates their desperate need for fuel, should you help? Is it a trap?

4. Removal of ghost transponders.
These continue to annoy pirates, and scavengers alike. They need to be delt with asap. There is nothing like flying to a transponder only to realise nothing is there. It creates an negative experience and reinforces the idea that following a transponder is useless.

 

[ChaosRifle]

I hate to be that guy, but, ya'know, the one thing Space Engineers did well, was transponder grouping. They have a hotkey to toggle show all, show only icons unless pointed at, or show only icons unless looked at + group similar transponder types/allegiance that are close together from your perspective (angularly close, not distance close, to de-clutter hud, but enemy signals would not be grouped with friendly)

I liked the grouping/hide names when not looked at. just an icon and a colour to denote relation to you.

 

[Gatou]

I can't add a lot to this post. I agree with all the points. Hope some of the ideas make it into the game.

Keep building

Gatou

 

[DivineEvil]

- Singatures most definitely should be a point-based marker. Displaying names at all times creates clutter. Name should only show up below when looked at.
- There should be an angular setting to trim the marker display, meaning only markers within chosen angle will render for theplayer.
- Shape of the markers would indicate its type: round for an Endo, rhombus for Ship Transponder, square for Station Transponder. Asjustable.
- Color defines allegiance: white for own, green for group, light blue for allied/company, yellow for neutral, red for hostile company. Adjustable.
- Transparency defines distance. Objects within 1000 km are opaque, becoming more transparent until 100,000 where they cap at 50% transparency. Adjustable.