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[Block] Navigational Computer

misher shared this feedback ago

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The NavComputer would be a specialized block designed to store and manage GPS coordinates more effectively, improving organization, gameplay immersion, and overall navigation mechanics.

Core Functionality

The NavComputer has an inventory where you can place datapads containing GPS coordinates, for example, like those you can buy at economy stations.
Players can, of course, create their own datapads and manually write down GPS coordinates inside.
The NavComputer has a toggle to show/hide all coordinates stored in it.
A distance slider allows players to filter which GPS points are displayed based on proximity.
Coordinates are only visible when sitting in a seat or cockpit.
Players can set hotbar actions to show on/off points and adjust max/min distance.

Gameplay Benefits

Better GPS Organization – Use multiple NavComputers to categorize GPS points, such as your bases, mining sites, docking areas for a station, ore deposits (in different sectors), points on a specific planets etc.
Enhanced Immersion & Datapad Utility – Makes datapads more useful and reinforces gameplay realism.
Better Navigation Room Design – Encourages building dedicated navigation rooms in ships and stations, fitting the game's existing style, think timer blocks and event controllers.
Convenient Distance Filtering – Easily manage large GPS lists, especially when importing multiple coordinates from economy stations.

Possible Integration with Other Systems

Jump Drive Enhancements

Selecting GPS Points for Jumps – Players should be able to select a displayed GPS point (similar to how you set target by looking on a grid) and use it as a Jump Drive destination.
Hotbar Integration – Assign a NavComputer action to jump usinmg the first available Jump Drive instead of manually searching for one that is charged.

Autopilot Improvements

Docking Systems – Store all docking points of a station inside a dedicated NavComputer and quickly select waypoints for autopilot navigation.
Planetary Navigation – Use a planetary NavComputer to store key entry points for atmospheric transitions and surface locations.

The possibilities are endless. If you think about it, it’s surprising that such a system doesn’t already exist in the game.

I like this feedback

Replies (4)

MegaMick ●

"Coordinates are only visible when sitting in a seat or cockpit."

I like the overall idea, but I think there must be an option in the block to broadcast its GPS coordinates through the antenna. At least. That way you could have your GPS coordinates stored more "centrally" for example a base or outpost would have nearby ore coordinates, but not the actual mining ships. But out while mining we should still be able to see the centrally stored GPS coordinates without having to go around moving and copying datapads around.

Generally this execution might need a tweak here or there because GPS coordinates need to be made easier to use and to manage, instead of more complicated, bothersome, and prone to user error. But I like the potential of this, personally.

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misher ●

Yes, a broadcasting toggle is actually a great option to have. First, it would allow you to see your GPS points while flying around your grid in your suit. Additionally, you could set things up so that only relevant points are visible based on your proximity to certain grids.

As for ease of use, the system would definitely improve organization. While having categories and tags inside the GPS tab would be more convenient, the real question is: do we want maximum convenience or better gameplay? Using a physical medium for GPS coordinates opens up so many interesting possibilities. One example could be boarding an enemy ship to retrieve valuable navigation data stored in its NavComputer, or even setting up a self-destruction mechanism to protect that information.

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MegaMick ●

If this is something that can be another attack vector or exploited in any way where one risks getting the base raided, I don't think ppl will risk using it on public servers, or pvp servers. It's definitely something I'd use only in private on friend servers.

Also, I think you are underrating convenience and simplicity!

Regardless, I voted yes because I'd like to see Keen discussing these things internally at least.

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misher ●

Offline base raiding is, in my opinion, a broader issue, and there are already ways to locate player bases on official servers.

Storing GPS coordinates on datapads is intentional here to allow stealing. But at least you have the option to use engineering solutions to destroy them automatically or manually.

Ultimately, I’d prefer just looking at a point on the screen and being able to jump there or activate autopilot to reach the location, rather than having to open the K menu, scroll, search, filter, and select coordinates.

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captainbladej52 ●

So here's a big question. If this were implemented, would I be forced to use the nav computer or could I still navigate the old fashioned way if I wished? as in manually set GPS points, then tell the drives which one and jump? or just blind jump if I wanted to?

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misher ●

IMO, for many reasons, the old staff is better to leave as is. New NavComputer should only add new features and not remove existing ones. But instead of trying to fix staff in "2D" what NavCompiter can do is to add more natural game like controls and open new possibilities and gameplay mechanics. As for JD, NavComputer can also have a blind jump action, but it would be even better, becasue it will automatically use the first ready JD.

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Mark Willems ●

Wouldn't it make sense to have GPS co-ords tagged as being ore deposits, jump points, etc?

This would allow for a secondary filter method that could be combined with the distance filter.

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misher ●

Instead of tags, you would build multiple Nav Computer, similar to how you need multiple timers or event controllers for automation. GPS coordinates would be categorized by placing them into different Nav Computers, allowing you to toggle on and off different groups of points togetehr with distance min/max filter.

You could also store multiple copies of the same coordinates in different blocks. For example, you might have one Nav Computer storing all planetary entry points for every planet, while another stores the entry points for a specific planet and all other important points related to that planet. Another example, say you have an atmo miner on a planet. It could have one single nav computer with ore points and the docking position on a station. You really do not to have anything else and do any filtering. Then you can have something like a cental archive for all of important points, among many other emerging gamplay features.

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MegaMick ●

Looking from the perspective of PCU limits it's a bit of a nightmare, though. Multiple Nav Computers, timers or event controllers to manage any switching that needs to happen between the, the warheads to destroy them in case you're attacked in case of sudden disconnection if you don't manage to connect back, additional AI block options and jump drive block options because now they can take GPS coordinates from these blocks. More buttons and toolbars to control all these things. Not to mention the organization side of things because dealing with GPS coordinates that are the same or similar is already hard with them on the same player interface, let alone across blocks. It would be a pretty hard implementation for something that I don't see anyone using in servers where PCU limits are enforced to keep performing well. Would rather have one Nav Computer Block that could handle everything and all the organization. The "brains" of the ships and drones are getting quite big already in terms of block numbers, space they occupy, and PCU... And "debugging" their behaviors is getting more and more complicated. I don't deny some complications could be interesting, but personally I'd rather GPS management was just improved a ton without adding blocks specifically for it, I think.

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MegaMick ●

But this whole idea could be prototyped and tweaked with a programmable block script looking at data pads in some cargo container or looking at GPS coordinates in some custom data or LCD screen. Maybe start with something like that before delving into even a mod or full feature. It wouldn't be the first one to become part of the base game once it's been tried and used in the form of scripts and mods.

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4peace ●

I'm sure you'd prefer to look at a point and press 1 single action in hotbar to jump with first charged JD rather than adding multiple JD to hot bar and then go in control panel find charged JD and select gps point form infinite list of points there.

On most ships you will need 1 NavComputer or 0, if you afraid too much of someone stealing your ship.

The thing about mod. Once we have a mod for that, Marek will just tell you "you have already a mod for that". We now have a unique opportunity to have improved GPS managing in SE1 as it was marked as "planned". Your input is useful, and let's leave to devs to decide what is the most appropriate way to have it implemented. I would surely prefer not having just a 2D solution as there are many gameplay mechanics related to GPS coords. Not only the GPS tab itself that needs to be fixed.

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