Item Pick-Up Range Upgrade

[DoragonKeiyou]

It's sometimes a real hassle picking up items, especially after a large battle.  A solution to this would be a system upgrade for pickup range of items, to give more options for salvagers and fighters.

[Hale]

Good idea!  I like it.

[Thundercraft]

It is a good idea. However, I'm usually in a small-ish ship which barely has enough room for 3 modules. Since there are so many good modules to choose from and only three slots available, I have to pick and choose (or even swap out occasionally).

 

I do think there should be a module (or module types) that can increase pickup range. But, also, I think there should be a "Tractor Beam" type turret that can pick up loose cargo, ores, and modules from a respectable distance - like, at least 1 km, if not even further.

[Tchey]

Before Steam it was even worst, you add to pick each gems one by one, more or less.

 

I don't think it should be a module or anything, only a "fix" in the code, because there is no point into this system. It's already time consuming to mine and salvage (and it's fine), so why i should be punished and be forced to catch the anoying gems around ?

 

I think all range should be 1km for interactions, it would feel better, not having to be nose to nose because of perspective and scales of space. It's an arcadish game with some newtonian juice, not a space sim.

[SageThe13th]

Keep in mind Multiplayer through.  What's the game going to do if all ships have a 1 km pick up range and their are four of them 1 km away from an item?  I like the idea of a system because the systems could have not only greater range, but also great priority.  It would be super helpful to just suck up all items 2 km range during a large battle.  Though I feel it's an ability that is better earned not a freebie.

[Thundercraft]

Keep in mind Multiplayer through.  What's the game going to do if all ships have a 1 km pick up range and their are four of them 1 km away from an item?

 

It's easy enough to code an exception to the rule with an "if ... else" statement or similar. The rule should be that the closest ship gets the loot. And it's unlikely for two or more ships to be exactly the same distance. (I imagine that the game keeps track of distance and coordinates with more than 1 decimal point of accuracy, even if that accuracy is hidden from players.) In the incredibly unlikely event that two or more ships are the same distance, one of them could be picked at random. But that seems like overkill since player ships are almost always in motion and they won't be the same distance for long.

 

I like the idea of a system because the systems could have not only greater range, but also great priority.  It would be super helpful to just suck up all items 2 km range during a large battle.  Though I feel it's an ability that is better earned not a freebie.

 

As I pointed out, though, starter ships tend to be limited to 3 module slots. Now that I think about it, starter ships are also typically limited to 3 or 4 turret slots. That doesn't leave much room for an "item pickup range" module or a "tractor beam" turret - much as in none. So, I've changed my mind.

 

Perhaps having an item pickup range of more than 2 km should be a module or turret. But the current system feels flawed in that we have to constantly fly around and run into stray ores, credits, turrets or modules to pick them up - merely because the pickup range is just a bit short of being ideal. That's tedious and gets old very quickly. It feels like a game flaw, so it should be addressed as such by tweaking it.

[SageThe13th]

I did the AI boss fight recently.  This guy really highlights the need for a big pick up range.

[DoragonKeiyou]

The AI Boss was actually the reason I suggested the idea to my friend I was playing with, then to here.  Too much loot, and I'm a really bad hoarder. :<

[DoragonKeiyou]

Another manner that an increased item pick-up range could be implemented is with ships with access to hangers.  Have a new type of "fighter" called a "scavenger" or something along those lines and they fly out and pick up items X distance from your ship.  That way smaller ships don't need to sacrifice an upgrade slot and it more balanced for ships of mid-late game size / quality.

[SageThe13th]

Another manner that an increased item pick-up range could be implemented is with ships with access to hangers.  Have a new type of "fighter" called a "scavenger" or something along those lines and they fly out and pick up items X distance from your ship.  That way smaller ships don't need to sacrifice an upgrade slot and it more balanced for ships of mid-late game size / quality.

 

I like the idea.  Though, how would you tell them what to go after?  Say, if you wanted them to pick up the stuff that was close, but not try to grab all the loot in the sector.

[Subquake]

+1

[DoragonKeiyou]

I like the idea.  Though, how would you tell them what to go after?  Say, if you wanted them to pick up the stuff that was close, but not try to grab all the loot in the sector.

 

That's why I suggested X range, where X is the range stat of each "salvager".  Each tier could have small fighters be able to travel further from the mother ship to collect.

 

Edit:  I have just realized that "scavenger" would be a better name for the fighter ship to not get confused with Salvaging (player action).