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[Mondaymonkey]

Neutrino detector is bad currently. It is pain to use. Worst thing - it sometimes ends up with pre-saving, flying a bit around and loading. So exiting!

But the truth is, that it is a very powerful instrument, as seeing direction means you can determine position by triangulating. Example:

Initial position

[close]

False readings

[close]

Signal's position

[close]

If I, meatbag, able to determine position by analyzing readings, then any computer as powerful as calculator able to do it better, and in real time. Do the space ships have a computers? Probably all, except LP - they use abacus.

Proposition is damn simple: give us approximate positions of all readings in a system, shown on map, player able to navigate better.

Will this make skill too powerful? Probably. But there are always ways to counter:

-Significant cost increase.
-False readings on map.
-Approximal positions can be too large and get smaller over a time, compulsing player for longer (and more expensive) uses.
-CR loss or other fleet debuff.
-Limited range? Not too small, off course. And it is better too see it on map.
-Require a specialized ship in fleet?
-Be illegal in civilized sectors?

[intrinsic_parity]

I like the idea of a very approximate position that gets more accurate over time with a high cost. Something like clouds/circles on the map around the object that start out large and shrink towards the object every time you pulse the neutrino detector (a pulse would work better than over time for this I think since you only need to check the map when you pulse instead of every couple seconds). I feel like this creates the same type of choice that the current neutrino detector tries to create, but in a better way.

The only issue is that it might add another resource the player feels obligated to lug around in bulk. I guess you can try alternative costs like CR but i think I prefer the volatile cost because it makes it somewhat unique.

[Wyvern]

Interesting idea - I think this actually matches up fairly well with the one thing I really want the neutrino detector to do (that it currently does not do): tell me whether or not I've found everything in the system and can move on.

[Terethall]

Neutrino Emitter is useful for exactly one thing: helping you find scanning mission targets in the "outer reaches" category of distance. Anything in the "heart" or "some distance" or "orbiting X" or "ring system" categories is really easy to find. So that's one category out of five, in a mission type (scan derelict) that is one category out of three (survey, scan, bounty). So it's basically kind of a mild time-saver when doing the most boring 1/15th of the game's mission-based content, which is like the most boring 1% of the game's overall content? Consider that transverse jump is useful like 80% of the time when jumping into a system, and sometimes in high danger [redacted] systems, which is basically the whole game plus sometimes the endgame. And that the game is about combat, and you are trading this skill off against combat skills. And against loot-improving skills. And more officers. Etc.

Remote Survey falls into the same boat -- you have to jump into the system and get close enough to run the survey, which doesn't show you anything just going up to the planet doesn't. And eventually you will be paid to survey the planets anyway. And you have to survey before colonizing anyway. If the use case is "scoping out a nice system to colonize" then it's very marginally useful in a tiny part of the game, and only becomes less useful over time, despite being gated behind multiple skill and aptitude points that are better spent on the many other, much better skills.

[Megas]

I have one reason only why I get Neutrino Detector even though I do not want it (due to skill point cost) - pirate bases.  Rarely, they can be placed in a huge system out in the fringe where there are no landmarks (such as the outermost asteroid belt), and tricks that quickly locate 99+% of the pirate bases do not work on that one.

Neutrino Detector should not cost significant resources (e.g., a skill point), and it should not be a pain to use.

[Mondaymonkey]

Neutrino Emitter is useful for exactly one thing: helping you find scanning mission targets in the "outer reaches" category of distance. Anything in the "heart" or "some distance" or "orbiting X" or "ring system" categories is really easy to find. So that's one category out of five, in a mission type (scan derelict) that is one category out of three (survey, scan, bounty). So it's basically kind of a mild time-saver when doing the most boring 1/15th of the game's mission-based content, which is like the most boring 1% of the game's overall content?

You just forget one thing - exploration. I know, not all the players like it, but this is a significant part of SS. Missions can tell you where to look, but if you just jumped inside the random system - you not even know is something exist in the outer reaches, or not. Seeking for a black cat inside the dark room is extremely boring, especially if there are no cat. Neutrino detector does it's job in that cases, but again - it is pain to use. You have to pay for it twice - with volatiles and with own brain cells because of stress.

[intrinsic_parity]

Yes, neutrino detector is useful for checking to see if there is anything worth looking for in a system that is not near the main planets. Usually I turn it on while I fly between planets I am surveying in a big system to see if there is anything else to go look for. Particularly in systems with very big asteroid belts, there can be very valuable stuff like mining stations in the middle of nowhere. I've also found random research stations in middle of nowhere. I think the neutrino detector is very valuable, and would love if the usability was improved.

[Megas]

It is one thing that nice bonus loot stuff get hidden.  What is not fun is that a pirate base that I need to kill gets similarly hidden and I spend more than thirty minutes (in Penelope's Star) trying to find it but failing, then spend a skill point to find it with Neutrino Detector.