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Author Topic: Transponder Transparency  (Read 5087 times)

Serenitis

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Transponder Transparency
« on: October 17, 2016, 09:26:53 AM »

It would be really help if it could be possible to have a mouseover for the transponder showing what kind of relationship/reputation changes would happen if you flip it on/off right now.
Or at least have the button pulse red if changing it's status would have a negative impact on any rep.

I'm getting a little frustrated by the -ve rep events for "having my identity revealed".
The latest one was a visit to Umbra. I was outside sensor range of anything and not a ship in sight, but as soon as I turned the transponder back on I got tagged by the independants and went from +70 to -60, lost a huge stockpile of stuff and quit in disgust. And I don't even know why it happened.
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Alex

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Re: Transponder Transparency
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2016, 10:30:04 AM »

Yeah, this has come up before - I've got a todo item to add a confirmation dialog in this case.

It would be really help if it could be possible to have a mouseover for the transponder showing what kind of relationship/reputation changes would happen if you flip it on/off right now.
Or at least have the button pulse red if changing it's status would have a negative impact on any rep.

The tooltip does have this information, and the button also flashes red after it's been "primed" (pressed once), but clearly that's not enough.

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Megas

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Re: Transponder Transparency
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2016, 10:41:47 AM »

I noticed the red flash before, but it is a bit too subtle, and I can see how it can be missed.  I also get impatient, and I tend to double-click transponder without looking (if I do not bother to go dark to avoid double-clicking).
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Schwartz

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Re: Transponder Transparency
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2016, 11:17:37 AM »

From another thread..

Quote
For example: When you're running with transponder on, put a little number on that transponder icon that shows how many fleets are currently detecting you. A captain should know this. We're limited by the little radar circles, and you essentially have to leave someone's detection range to realize they'd been there in the first place. This makes safely dropping off the radar harder where it shouldn't be.
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Midnight Kitsune

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Re: Transponder Transparency
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2016, 12:17:21 PM »

From another thread..

Quote
For example: When you're running with transponder on, put a little number on that transponder icon that shows how many fleets are currently detecting you. A captain should know this. We're limited by the little radar circles, and you essentially have to leave someone's detection range to realize they'd been there in the first place. This makes safely dropping off the radar harder where it shouldn't be.
Agreed, that would make sensors a TON easier to understand!
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Schwartz

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Re: Transponder Transparency
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2016, 01:19:18 PM »

Or it could be done visually. Did a little mock-up. The indicators are faction-colored and length could represent the strengh of the signal i.e. fleet size.
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Megas

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Re: Transponder Transparency
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2016, 07:03:24 AM »

It would be really help if it could be possible to have a mouseover for the transponder showing what kind of relationship/reputation changes would happen if you flip it on/off right now.
Or at least have the button pulse red if changing it's status would have a negative impact on any rep.

I'm getting a little frustrated by the -ve rep events for "having my identity revealed".
The latest one was a visit to Umbra. I was outside sensor range of anything and not a ship in sight, but as soon as I turned the transponder back on I got tagged by the independants and went from +70 to -60, lost a huge stockpile of stuff and quit in disgust. And I don't even know why it happened.
Does the planet or market count as an object with sensor range?  If so, it would be nice to see their detection range (which I assume is obscenely large) on the map.  That said, I wonder why pirates (at Umbra) would alert the independents (an enemy of pirates) of any wrongdoing by the player?
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Alex

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Re: Transponder Transparency
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2016, 10:32:41 AM »

Does the planet or market count as an object with sensor range?  If so, it would be nice to see their detection range (which I assume is obscenely large) on the map.  That said, I wonder why pirates (at Umbra) would alert the independents (an enemy of pirates) of any wrongdoing by the player?

It doesn't, and if it did, it wouldn't work like that (nor does it for fleets). If you attacked the Hegemony, for example, you'll only be "revealed" if Hegemony fleets see you turn the transponder back on.
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Serenitis

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Re: Transponder Transparency
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2016, 04:32:42 AM »

...I tend to double-click transponder without looking...

I tend to keep my eye on where I'm going and what's around me due to extreme sensor paranoia, and double-tap <1> to turn it on/off.
Probably why I've never noticed any subtle flashes etc.

Yeah, this has come up before - I've got a todo item to add a confirmation dialog in this case.
That'd do it I think. So long as you can't just click through it with the same button. :P
« Last Edit: October 28, 2016, 04:42:47 AM by Serenitis »
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