Idea: Reintroduce Jump Drive via optional research

[jlehtone]

Would this be a good compromise for adding back the jump drive?

I was recently told that nobody should settle for a compromise. Aim for win-win. Besides, if one gains something while the other loses, then that is not even a compromise.


You could as well propose that NPC -- and only NPC -- gain ability to jump (btw, which they already do have and use) and they do use it only for coordinated attacks against the player assets. Frequently. That would give some players pesky trouble, for some "a challenge", and for you "jumpdrives in the game". Everybody wins?

[Alan Phipps]

The reasons for X4 jumpdrive decisions were asked for above:

See this old X4 introduction post from CBJ.

A different dev (I think) also said something along the lines of: 'A lot of time is spent making spectacular and even interesting in-game locations for the players to visit, explore and enjoy, and then, once they get jumpdrives, they hardly ever visit them again but just go directly to the next mission objective.'

[Raptor34]

The reasons for X4 jumpdrive decisions were asked for above:

See this old X4 introduction post from CBJ.

A different dev (I think) also said something along the lines of: 'A lot of time is spent making spectacular and even interesting in-game locations for the players to visit, explore and enjoy, and then, once they get jumpdrives, they hardly ever visit them again but just go directly to the next mission objective.'

Tbf I already do that with my chauffeur.

[Alan Phipps]

Heh, how you travel is largely irrelevant (aside from teleport maybe), but at least you can watch the scenery in passing whilst being chauffeured.

[Raptor34]

Well... Since there is no more risk of random collisions one-shotting me along with travelling in something tough enough to take a few hits, I don't bother keeping an eye on things either.
But seriously though, it's relaxing that you can now just afk and be assured of getting where you want to instead of coming back to a game over screen.

[Duncaroos]

Heh, how you travel is largely irrelevant (aside from teleport maybe), but at least you can watch the scenery in passing whilst being chauffeured.

What's sad about the Astrid personal office is there's no windows ... Also, recently I learned that near the sides of your office are ramps to a BED that you CAN'T SLEEP IN

[Raptor34]

Heh, how you travel is largely irrelevant (aside from teleport maybe), but at least you can watch the scenery in passing whilst being chauffeured.

What's sad about the Astrid personal office is there's no windows ... Also, recently I learned that near the sides of your office are ramps to a BED that you CAN'T SLEEP IN

There's a button you can press to lower the windows behind.
Though sadly since you are facing forward that wouldn't actually help much.

[ubuntufreakdragon]

Heh, how you travel is largely irrelevant (aside from teleport maybe), but at least you can watch the scenery in passing whilst being chauffeured.

I will likely be teleport chauffeured
You just move a teleport pad to the next mission target literally no difference to jumping.

A jump drive has 2 major issues:
It eliminates borders
It eliminates distance

I have a concept that works keeping both intact:
Jumping requires an uncontested path of friendly admin centres (defence stations) from start to target.
You need more charge up time and fuel for every segment of this path.
The jump leads to the admin module, no need to add more chaos to gates.

[LughC]

I mean the idea of it requiring the player to research it before the universe learns about it removes any issues I would have.

I mean I hate teleportation, it makes the already small map feel even smaller so I never research it. It would be the same with these.

Though the added effort to make the ai capable of using them alone probably isn't worth the effort.

If it were up to me I would have them require

1 a deployable that expires after xminutes and is placed where you want to jump.

2 fuel that scales by distance jumped.

3 limit how many sectors can be jumped at once based on the ship's combined crew skill. (Possibly allowing for missed jumps turning it into a soft rather than hard cap)

4 limit it to special hull variants of capitals to reflect the addition of the jump drive and removal of other systems. Basically they would in some way be weaker/slower than the base hull.

[TheDeliveryMan]

I have a concept that works keeping both intact:
Jumping requires an uncontested path of friendly admin centres (defence stations) from start to target.
You need more charge up time and fuel for every segment of this path.
The jump leads to the admin module, no need to add more chaos to gates.

Fuel complicates ai algorithms, in Rebirth we had terrible traffic jams at fuel stations. Furthermore, travel ai is already complicated enough by too many travel modes.

With your proposal the defender just has to base their rapid response fleet of doom at a central position.

A jump drive has 2 major issues:
It eliminates borders
It eliminates distance

If charge up time is low, then borders and distance do not matter. If charge up time is too high, then the mechanic is not much different than current travel drive.

[S!rAssassin]

Maybe just make speed in travel mode for L/XL higher? We have highways for S/M, which makes S/M more speedy, but do not have analog for L/XL.
Or add to L/XL travel boost device, which consumes fuel.

And make L/XL do not disengage travel mode at warpgates - just teleport in some radius.

[GCU Grey Area]

Maybe just make speed in travel mode for L/XL higher?

Can already do that. Entirely possible, with appropriate ship mods installed on engines & chassis, to end up with a capital ship that can exceed S/M highway speeds: https://www.dropbox.com/s/iv5rs1jhniaic ... 1.jpg?dl=0
Only dodgy part is when approaching or departing a gate at that sort of speed. Collisions with oncoming traffic (that can effectively appear out of nowhere with very little time to react) tend to be rather dramatic for a ship travelling at over 12km/s. Have sometimes ended up spinning out of control for over half a sector before I finally manage to get my ship pointed in the right direction again. Is a fun ship to fly though - it's my blockade runner. I use it for high speed transport of ship parts through Xenon sectors to the Yaki base, so they can make Moreyas for me.

[ubuntufreakdragon]

I have a concept that works keeping both intact:
Jumping requires an uncontested path of friendly admin centres (defence stations) from start to target.
You need more charge up time and fuel for every segment of this path.
The jump leads to the admin module, no need to add more chaos to gates.

Fuel complicates ai algorithms, in Rebirth we had terrible traffic jams at fuel stations. Furthermore, travel ai is already complicated enough by too many travel modes.

XR had one dock at a fuel station X4 would have many + refuel at homebase, not valid

With your proposal the defender just has to base their rapid response fleet of doom at a central position.

nope as I said uncontested path, so the rapid response can not jump in once there is an enemy presence.

A jump drive has 2 major issues:
It eliminates borders
It eliminates distance

If charge up time is low, then borders and distance do not matter. If charge up time is too high, then the mechanic is not much different than current travel drive.

Cargeup should be slow enough to interrupt like travel drive but much faster than flying there by feet.

[LughC]

The reasons for X4 jumpdrive decisions were asked for above:

See this old X4 introduction post from CBJ.

A different dev (I think) also said something along the lines of: 'A lot of time is spent making spectacular and even interesting in-game locations for the players to visit, explore and enjoy, and then, once they get jumpdrives, they hardly ever visit them again but just go directly to the next mission objective.'

Because teleporting or hitting alt-tab as your pilot flies you is much more engaging lol.

[LughC]

Maybe just make speed in travel mode for L/XL higher? We have highways for S/M, which makes S/M more speedy, but do not have analog for L/XL.
Or add to L/XL travel boost device, which consumes fuel.

And make L/XL do not disengage travel mode at warpgates - just teleport in some radius.

For most jump drives aren't entirely about speed/convince its about the moment of "and suddenly spaceships" either by jumping in your fleet or having an enemy fleet jump in on you.

[HammerHead91]

The reasons for X4 jumpdrive decisions were asked for above:

See this old X4 introduction post from CBJ.

A different dev (I think) also said something along the lines of: 'A lot of time is spent making spectacular and even interesting in-game locations for the players to visit, explore and enjoy, and then, once they get jumpdrives, they hardly ever visit them again but just go directly to the next mission objective.'

Because teleporting or hitting alt-tab as your pilot flies you is much more engaging lol.

Indeed. No jump drive? Use teleportation. I usually park Pegasuses in faction headquarters for this purpose.

But the Dev idea of "we made so many wonderful things for you to explore!" is not sound. All it tells us is that the "spectacular and even interesting" things ... well, they can't be that spectacular or interesting if people happily skip them.

Forcing people to bump into yet another asteroid in the meantime is simple madness.

[Diroc]

I'd like to see the return of an unfocused jump drive that spits players out of random anomalies (Similar to the exit after entering one.)
The charge up and trigger portion and ui entries would have to be made. A method for unlocking the drive would need to be added as would inventory items, encyclopedia entries and perhaps crafting recipes but the functionality (exiting an anomaly) already exists.

I'd also like to see pirates with unfocused jump drives spawning in to the universe at anomalies. (Perhaps after a research quest line for pirates.)
Perhaps also pirates using anomalies.
Unfocused jump drive as the only access to a few new sectors could be interesting.

The classic Jump Drive by comparison destroys the concept of trade and defense/offense distances, dangerous areas and severely limits the risk from pirates.
Suddenly, only the largest cargo hold matters and faster or better armed trader ships and defense fleets become irrelevant.

Consider the following scenario...
Load up a huge cargo hold. Pick a station anywhere and in an instant the ship only needs to fly across a single sector to deliver those goods.

The classic Jump Drive causes irreconcilable problems with trade and warfare in the conventional sense.

Realistically, unfocused jump drive, as described, is of questionable usefulness, but could add some interesting twists to pirates or an upcoming plot line.

The classic Jump Drive is approximately as transformative as a "Click here to win!" button. It defeats the purpose of so much gameplay.

[mr.WHO]

Voting "NO" - personal teleportation already cover basic jump drive utility, while HQ teleportation cover "material" jump drive utility (plus "tactical nuke" effect for everything in range of jump location).


There is simply no point or niche for JD anymore, especially that AI wouldn't be able to use it.
If it would be common use for moving inside star system (would need to expand current sectors to be more granular, similar to Sol), like in XR, then it might be OK, but if only exclusive for player/player assets than this is very imbalanced.

[Greenhorn]

I vote Nooo,for this game..
But I did like the (unfocused jump drive) to some extent.

Mining,and spacéflies,xenon and finding that wierd huge ship.

If egosoft do a unfocus jd ,I hope they add pirates/ yaki pirates can do it too.

[Beaconsilver]

Voted No

Makes the game to easy. Not really an epic space strategy game if everything is given to the player on a silver platter.
If anything border security should be tightened up around factions, making travel harder like it would actually happen in irl. Also not a big fan of teleportation. It just feels cheap.