7 replies to this topic

[Atlas Elestra]

[blockquote]Which begs the question of how you will find the wormholes. Well, we are in the process of revamping the entire scanner mechanic, making it faster and easier to use. A shortlist of the new scanner features is: You will be able to drop more than one probe in a grid Probe scan ranges can be adjusted via a drag and drop interface in the 3D map, removing the need for multiple probe types Probes can be repositioned in the solar system map using a drag and drop interface and will warp to their specified positions Scanning will now use triangulation to refine and improve accuracy of scan results You can recall probes for re-use at a later point and time The transition from ship view to 3D Solar System view to Universe Map view has been made near instant, allowing for quick switching between them There will be two new probe types, exploration and combat. Exploration probes will not be able to locate ships and drones but will have extremely low fitting requirements, making them ideal for people who wish to hunt down wormholes and other celestial anomalies. The combat probe launcher is able to detect ships and drones but has a higher fitting requirement, making this the tool of choice for those wishing to hunt down other pilots. We are still in the process of balancing these probes and launchers and yes, we are looking into the options of how to deal with the existing probes, probe blueprints and launchers.[/blockquote] --From the Dev blog Looks like scanning/probing is getting itself a revamp... Time to learn some new techniques...

[Sever Aldaria]

Nice. I like a lot of what they say, but I'm worried about fitting requirement for combat probe launchers. I'd like to keep my recon probe launcher on my scimitar.

[Tank Charlie]

You gotta think they'll bonus the recons and covops for the combat launchers.

[Carenthor Loon]

That sounds more like the old system, multiple probes to find things...that certainly wasn't faster or easier than the current system though! Hopefully they just mean faster and easier for exploration - ships are already pretty quick and easy to find, any quicker would be a bit silly.

[Simon Weston]

What would be nice if you could have more than one Cov-Ops drop a probe simultaneously and triangulate, but I suspect they won't do that, it will require you to drop more than one probe from your ship to do it. Will be nice for exploration if you don't have to worry about probes overlapping though, and save a bit of hassle in tracking complexes down. Although having spent quite a long time training for these skills I'd be a bit sad if they then lower the requirements to other people can use them without all the training time. Thinking about it, probes being able to warp should be really interesting. You could get your Cov-Ops off grid from the target you're trying to probe - he'll never know you've been on-grid with him, as you're cloaked. So jump into system, use the ship scanner to get a fix on him, then drop one or several probes off his grid and warp it to him, and scan. Or launch your probe and warp it into position, while you warp to a position the other side of him from the gate your gang will jump in from. Then you can warp to him at 100 from in front, at the same time as calling your gang mates in.

[Tea]

I wonder if by telling your probe where to warp you have to use a bookmark / celestial If you can just pick a point in space, tell it to go then warp to it then safespots / tacs just got easier to make Perhaps they will even add probes to the overview to make it easier to ship scan for them...

[Carenthor Loon]

Although having spent quite a long time training for these skills I'd be a bit sad if they then lower the requirements to other people can use them without all the training time.

I'm just finishing off the last of the special Astrometrics skills to V at the moment (triangulation IIRC), so I know what you're saying...there should still be an advantage to having the skills to a higher level than required though (I hope!).

Thinking about it, probes being able to warp should be really interesting. You could get your Cov-Ops off grid from the target you're trying to probe - he'll never know you've been on-grid with him, as you're cloaked. So jump into system, use the ship scanner to get a fix on him, then drop one or several probes off his grid and warp it to him, and scan. Or launch your probe and warp it into position, while you warp to a position the other side of him from the gate your gang will jump in from. Then you can warp to him at 100 from in front, at the same time as calling your gang mates in.

I don't really follow what you're saying here...the only advantage I can see versus probes that cannot warp is that you can be outside of his scan range when you decloak to launch the probe. Presumably the probes will still show up on his directional scanner when they're in range of him, so he'll know there's someone looking for him, he just won't know your exact ship type.

If you can get on grid without using a probe then I'd say don't bother leaving grid to decloak / launch a probe as that risks giving the game away - unless he's hundreds of kilometres away, just fly over to him.

[Simon Weston]

Sorry, typed in a hurry, I actually meant in scan range. You can warp over 14AU away to de-cloak and launch your probe(s), then come back from the other side, for a better warp in for your gang. The reason I think this might be helpful, is if they set it up so that multiple probes give you a better result, i.e. the mention of triangulation. You don't want to be sitting there on scan waiting for your recon launcher to cycle so you can launch several probes. But you can go and hide at a deep-safe, launch all probes at leisure, then warp into position. They'd be mad to let you warp your probes to wherever you want. Will be funny if they do, but will then get nerfed instantly when everyone has a super-super-safe. Not having to de-cloak to be able to load a different probe type will be nice.