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[Harmful Mechanic]

I can tell I'm going to fall in love with these events - it's just such a nice, clean gameplay interface for 'a long-term thing is happening, you'll want to keep an eye on that'. Lots of gameplay potential, lots of modding potential, and a nice antidote to predictable optimization routines, the bane of a sense of adventure.

[epsilonflash]

these dev blog posts are always a treat. generally speaking, they're not the kind of thing I'd usually be interested in when it comes to other games, but it's like your passion really comes through in these and it makes for a fun read every time

as far as these future changes go, I'm very excited for them. the janus device was already quite a helpful solution for late-game hyperspace repetitiveness issues, but coupled with these plans, and all the other interesting little things like hyperspace ghosts, we're probably getting very close to the point where hyperspace travel will no longer be seen as a chore at all. it's a great idea all around, I'm looking forward to seeing it in action

[SonnaBanana]

What about tying the event system into other skills or giving other skills their events? Crew Training and Cybernetic Augmentation come to mind.
Also there's an idea about some sort of codebreaking event.

[Candesce]

ooohhhhhh, those new icons are lovely!
also hmmm, it wasn't too clear in the post - does hyperfield optimisation increase the normal speed limit to 23, or does it bump your current max burn up by 3? (for a +4/+8 speed increase w/ navigation)

It probably works the same way as the existing max burn bonuses - i. e., it's not doubled and doesn't do anything for your "slow" speed. Navigation is the only bonus that gives more with Sustained Burn on, and it explicitly says it does that rather than being the general rule.

[Brainwright]

Speaking as someone who uses the slipstreams quite often, this won't change much.  Primarily because the slipstreams go in more or less one direction.

It's true that there are occasionally branches that will take you back toward the center of the map, but those are likely to be well out of scanning range as detailed in the blog.  You can't depend on them.

I rather like the idea of the old-fashioned sailor, waiting on the wind and tides, but in this case, waiting is just holding the shift key for ten to fifteen minutes straight.  Not only is that expensive in supplies, it's also incredibly boring.  It's what I'll have to do if I depend on slipstreams.

So what can be done to ameliorate this?  I think some method of waiting with reduced supply cost would be nice.

[Dornam]

Regarding slipstrean usefulness: it would be neat if you could sort of catapult yourself out of a stream after building up momentum, and then continue sliding in the chosen direction for a good long while at high speed/fuel efficiency and being protected from storms. Maybe just by activating emergency burn at the right time in the stream? In practice that would much increase the area that you can conveniently reach with a slipstream.

I'd have to think about that, that's an interesting idea. Getting the physics to work right/in a satisfying way could be a bit involved.

(Fun fact: I've got this idea for making short slipstreams with a huge speed (like, 500-1000 burn), sort of like "gates" that boost you. This actually works if you do it in-game; might add this in at some later point. I remember even trying to make a chain of relay gates this way, spacing them so that by the time you slow down, the next gate picks you up - and it totally works!)

I definitely think there's some interesting ideas here in general with slipstreams, but I agree that there needs to be a bit of leeway in how we are allowed to traverse hyperspace with these slipstreams. They sound useful, but a little bit limiting in their current incarnation if they aren't going exactly where you need to go. I do think the gliding exit sounds like a good idea for early game ease of use if you know how to line things up right to have a glide boost to get to places that are farther away from the slip stream.

The mini super slipstreams sound like a fun idea, and perhaps that could be expanded with late game tech to be able to create them with an appropriately significant cost, and maybe a limited maximum amount. Being able to create them at the far reaches by your colonies sounds like a great way to improve mobility using the mini slipstream booster idea, and another way to add investment in your colonies as well as another goal to work towards. It'd also play into your idea of spreading colonies around if you can make it easier to travel between long distance colonies with these booster slipstreams.

[Soban]

Bit of an off-topic thought, but thought it might be good for longetivity of the game (unmodded especially).

Since Hyperspace lanes move items between long distances and, would it be possible for them to slowly trickle in new things from "outside" of the playable area (explanation wise) so you'd still be able to find domain relics in places you might have previously explored, or perhaps in a certain general area that was very close to a hyperspace lane. This could also be something that could be used to boost the progress for the bar as you're investigating anomalous activities along the routes.

That way you'd still have that exploration open to you, and hey maybe you might find something else in the area as well. [REDACTED], pirates that are out of fuel (hence got drawn into a solar system with the domain relics as well as they dropped out of the hyperspace lane), luddics etc. Could even introduce some random but very cool unique event/boss this way (or story stuff due to plot reasons as not to spoil things).

That is one big downside. Once you've been to all of the systems you're sort of done. Afterwards you can get things only from missions that spawn domain objects.

[Sundog]

Hype! I think this will go a long way toward making exploration and travel more interesting. Having more visibility over slipstreams will be great, and it seems like the topography discovery stuff will be very curiosity inducing! Do you plan to eventually make those award xp the way other discovery types do? (maybe they do and it just doesn't show up in the screenshot)

Regarding slipstrean usefulness: it would be neat if you could sort of catapult yourself out of a stream after building up momentum, and then continue sliding in the chosen direction for a good long while at high speed/fuel efficiency and being protected from storms. Maybe just by activating emergency burn at the right time in the stream? In practice that would much increase the area that you can conveniently reach with a slipstream.

I'd have to think about that, that's an interesting idea. Getting the physics to work right/in a satisfying way could be a bit involved.

(Fun fact: I've got this idea for making short slipstreams with a huge speed (like, 500-1000 burn), sort of like "gates" that boost you. This actually works if you do it in-game; might add this in at some later point. I remember even trying to make a chain of relay gates this way, spacing them so that by the time you slow down, the next gate picks you up - and it totally works!)

*cough* hyperdrive *cough*

[FooF]

A very unexpected, but very welcome/cool blog post! I'm glad you're trying the progress system on a low-risk mechanic that still has good QoL improvements without (hopefully) cheese tactics. This system feels very natural and you don't have to go out of your way to really earn it, though I do like that you can be intentional about it and earn it faster if you want.

There are some interesting bread crumbs in all of this, namely, incentivizing colonies in multiple systems. While I don't think having a wider knowledge of slipstream patterns will be a decisive factor for whether or not I colonize a different system, this is a step in the right direction. I like the idea of claiming multiple sensor arrays having an effect on all colonies within a radius. Other similar mechanics could encourage spreading out more. Going "tall" (using a 4x term) of stacking all your colonies in one system for defense is a viable strategy but going "wide" should also have its perks.

Regarding slipstreams themselves: I like them when they work for me but I really dislike them when they don't. When the slipstreams are going in the opposite direction, there sometimes isn't any other recourse except to cross them and its frustrating when you're pulled off track so much. I wouldn't mind another hyperspace skill unlock that would allow "fording" of a slipstream. Sort of like a warp bubble that prevents slipstream effects for like 3 seconds with a cooldown of 10 seconds. Maybe it has a cost (Volatiles?) but E-burning through slipstreams can be very costly in supplies if you don't have the Industry skill. Alternatively, if you enter a slipstream at a near-perpendicular angle, the slipstream current doesn't kick in immediately (1 second?) The delay would allow you to cross narrow/fast slipstreams almost entirely without getting pulled in the wrong direction for 10 LY. Perhaps this feature is mutually exclusive with Sustained Burn. 

(As a total aside, I will say it one more time: this progress bar system is going places, so I hope you're prepared to make another dozen iterations. People are going to clamor for it to be used for Combat ("Combat XP!" "Split off Combat Skills from the main skill system!" "The more you fight the more Combat Skills you get!" etc), for Trade, for dealing with Factions, for campaign events, endgame scenarios...the list goes on and on. I think it has the potential to do some really cool things in the game, assuming of course, you want to spend the time on it!)

[Acro]

Seems interesting, I can't wait for more small stuff like this to come out.

The slipstreams are cool but when it comes to usability it is quite lacklustre, in fact sometimes more of an annoyance particularly when your destination is being barred off due to a slipstream forcing you to emergency burn through it or just try going through it, with these small features we can have a bit more control over our exploration. Now the neutrino detector is more of an early game strategy and slipstreams can be exploited used to our advantage.

It's cool to see these concepts come to life. You guys are legends and are pumping these ideas out like crazy. Can't wait to see what else you have in store.

[Shinr]

After reading this, the first thing that came to my mind is the potential new Crew/Marines/Pilots experience system separate from the Trading/Inventory system, which from my understanding being coupled to it was the main drawback of the earlier EXP system.

[BCS]

I'll be honest: none of the "think where you place your colonies" mechanics ever managed to make me actually consider where I place my colonies - extra Industry is superfluous, faster population growth with Cryosleepers is a very minor QoL which becomes obsolete once your colony reaches max size anyway, and I can't see myself putting down colonies just to know where the Slipstreams are either.

But hey, I'll gladly take +3 burn speed in Hyperspace and some extra money from Topographic Data, thankyouverymuch

[Doctorhealsgood]

What a neat little thing. Having some bearings about where slipstreams are more or less is something i would appreciate. It's hard to plan a route while having them into account as they are now but this will probably help. The fact that after you completed the permanent benefits from event you get an additional source of credits so you still benefit from doing the thing is very nice too.
Someone mentioned reduced supply use when waiting around and i think that's a nice idea. I mean it makes sense right?  Ships would probably require less maintenance if you are only running the barest minimum or something. Kinda like go dark... but darker?

[Bastion.Systems]

With all this extra efficiency from coming Hyperspace Topography, Auxiliary Fuel Tanks hullmod and the idea of needing colonies to support exploration, it's too easy to have enough fuel capacity even without tankers to basically have near unlimited range. I propose the base fuel use should be raised somewhat to encouraging planning and to make tankers useful again.

[Gothars]

I'd have to think about that, that's an interesting idea. Getting the physics to work right/in a satisfying way could be a bit involved.

(Fun fact: I've got this idea for making short slipstreams with a huge speed (like, 500-1000 burn), sort of like "gates" that boost you. This actually works if you do it in-game; might add this in at some later point. I remember even trying to make a chain of relay gates this way, spacing them so that by the time you slow down, the next gate picks you up - and it totally works!)

Speaking more in general, top down 2d games always struggle to have interesting movement systems. I can think of very few where movement is actually a main appeal, it mostly serves to connect other game elements to each other. That is of course in sharp contrast to side-scrolling 2d games, where movement is often the core mechanic. Why is that, I wonder?

Gravity, momentum? Top downs often have both. What comes to mind as typically for side scrollers is challenging interaction with barriers, specifically their influence on player momentum. Using walls, ramps and enemies skillfully to accelerate instead of being slowed down by them is much of the fun.

I recently tried the mobile game DATA WING, which is one of these rare worthwhile movement based top downs. You race around a course, and here it kind of works because closing in with the course barriers just so gives you a speed boost.

Spoiler

[close]

That all means to say: Yeah - it would be fantastic to have more controllable momentum changing environmental interaction during travel, it actually seems the key to a fun movement system. Like the gate slipstreams you describe. I also think hyperspace storms offer potential, if you could just predict/influence the direction they throw you in and maybe chain them together somehow.

With all this extra efficiency from coming Hyperspace Topography, Auxiliary Fuel Tanks hullmod and the idea of needing colonies to support exploration, it's too easy to have enough fuel capacity even without tankers to basically have near unlimited range. I propose the base fuel use should be raised somewhat to encouraging planning and to make tankers useful again.

Valid concern.