Directional and Ranged Antennas

Probably won't happen as it gives an advantage in some scenarios to DLC antenna dish

Basically this would be a redesign to how antennas work.

Antennas would have a range value (maximum transmittable range) and as you move further from the transmission source, the HUD marker's opacity decreases. This would be dependent on your range from the source and the broadcast power of the source and would make it very difficult to find and lock on to very distant antennas. Furthermore, the antenna dish could serve as a directional antenna, i.e. it broadcasts in a narrow cone fitting with its parabolic shape. Any antenna outside of that cone would be unable to see the source, and those on the edge would barely see it. The focused nature of the antenna dish would mean it can broadcast further at the same power output. Beacons would also follow this rule, but still allow for higher broadcast power.

Voice chat could also follow these rules. The farther you are away from another player, the noisier the sound is. Nearby antennas would still act as boosters to allow very long distance transmission. Also, if in sufficiently dense atmosphere and with your helmet open, voice would be just transmitted by sound, so this system would only need to work if your helmet is closed or the atmosphere is too thin to carry sound.

Standard Antenna:

- Radial broadcast range can transmit and receive from all directions

Antenna Dish

- Conical broadcast range can transmit and receive only from within broadcast cone

- Broadcast cone depends on rotation of dish

- Conical broadcast range increases efficiency of dish

- Could add antenna controller block to auto-rotate antenna to lock onto other antenna (similar to laser antenna)

Beacon

- Can transmit only (same as current)

- Massively increased broadcast range but similar efficiency to standard antenna (due to spherical broadcast area)

Laser Antenna

- Very limited conical broadcast range

- Can lock on to other laser antennas

- Very high efficiency as broadcast range is very thin so can reach very far