I know this has been discussed ( http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/6514#80930 )
but I whished to renew the discuss

My opinion is that a thing VO really lacks is a 'true' 3d space for navigation. The current 2d maps and the fact that one can't fly to another sector without jumping make that the player in unable to build a spatial representation of the place he is in.

1) A simple artifact would be to re-draw the universe map, adding depth to the picture. I mean the picture would show a three dimentional universe, with some systems in the distance, some closer, but the actual stucture would remain the same 2d thing, leaving routes unchanged.
This could be shown as a 2d render, or a mouse-controlled 3d vision.

2 )More difficult to implement would be the possibility for one to travel from a sector to another without jumping. This would need adding real unified coordinates for every objects in each system, of course these should be expended in the 3rd dimension.
I ( am not a programmer and ) do conceive this means a revolution of the code, but would really add immersion in the game. What has a space traveller to think about when he wants to go from there to here ? Third dimension problems are what makes a game a space game.
It has been told that it would be pointlessly difficult for the player to navigate in such a space. This could precisely be a nice difficulty in the game, why not with a navigation skill for the characters,things like better navigation instruments available at higher levels ?

I think that the reason why we have compartmentalized sectors in systems, as opposed to one giant system, is mainly due to server hardware limitations. Imagine trying to design a system that keeps track of all of the thousands (or millions) of asteroids, the thousands of shots flying around, hundreds of bot (and all the hundreds of dropped cargo from dead bots), any players who might be in the system, the status of said players, the status of said bots, any particle systems (jumps, wormholes, explosions, etc), and doesn't experience significant lag. Definitely not easy, or cheap. I think that the developers decided to err on the side of playability as opposed to realism in this case.

I like the fact that things are compartmentalized - it makes it seem like the VO universe is THAT much bigger, that there's almost so way to get from sector to sector WITHOUT jumping - if you wanted to fly manually it would take ages. For a game example of this, see EVE Online - getting anywhere takes FOREVER.

Though, having a 3D model of the VO universe would be very neat, one that you could rotate around and such, while still having routes. (in this case, multiple routes to/from galaxies could be added...)

The size of a sector is mind-boggingly huge.

256 sectors in each right?
so a little maths:

Say our sun is in the center sector, and earth is say 5 sectors away.

The fastest non-warp speed achieved is 200 m/s
light travels at 299,792,458 m/s

so as 299,792,458 m/s, light travels 5 sectors in 8 minutes.

8 divided by 5 = 1.6
so 1.6 minutes, roughly one and a half. at the speed of light to cross a sector.

so at 299,792,458 m/s it takes 1 and a half minutes
distance = speed / time
distance = 187370286.25M
187370286.25M = 200 / time
187370286.25 X 200 = time in minutes
37474057250 minutes
26 023 650.9 days
71 250.3949 years

so 71000 years to cross a single sector.......

Thank the devs for the warp engine..... hehe

sorry bout the maths, not trying to be stuck up or anything just curious :)

Regarding the nav map:

Our original concepts for the nav map are basically what you describe. We wanted it to be fully 3D, and actually implemented some early versions of it like that. Unfortunately, we scrapped this plan when we ran low on time, and resorted to the "simple, effective" 2D map for the time being. It is noteworthy that we plan to add a full "exploration" expansion, which will require a dynamic universe map/chart, so we may revisit the 3D universe map design.

I wish we didn't have to abandon so many of our desired concepts, but.. the limitations of a 4-man development team on a very limited-time budget made it necessary to take some shortcuts.

Regarding sector design:

Actually, our original design called for a sector system that was not user-visible. Sectors essentially ran behind the scenes and distributed load based on various algorithmic perceptions. This would be superior in many ways, and is how we'd probably go about it if we were to redo things (or make a major universe architecture revamp).

The reason why it was implemented this way was more due to financial and time constraints, and a need to try and get something "Working". The existing sector system is simple and effective, both from a gameplay and server cluster perspective. Plus, this game evolved from something very simplistic (single-sector deathmatch), and although it always had the scope of an MMO in mind, we nonetheless still retain some aspects of those early designs.

incarnate, you should check out the Space program called celestia, its really neat. it gives you a full 3d realtime view of the charted galaxy(which, being extremely large, is very small comapired to the uncharted galaxy, which resides in a even larger universe!) maybe you could do somthing like that. you could also have it as the exploration expantion. people who pay(if you want them to pay, or unlock this ability) can have access to the full 3d map, people who havent, cant. you can also have it so if you dont want to explore, go back and fourth between 3D and 2D maps. also, each sector could still be in a square form.

(now i cant sleep, so this post will probably be long, and sound like a long rant of some sort.)

now in the 3D mode, you can put the known stars as points. you can then zoom into the star, and see all its surrounding features, planets, large roid fields, station sectors, ect. each system would look like a shpere, with smaller 3d squares in it, as horrably depicted above. zoom out to the galaxy map, and you have the exact same thing, cept larger :) and labeled. now your probably asking yourself "what happens with all the stuff between the know systems(and why is inuyahsa riding a giant p*nis)." well, theres the fun part, you see nothing except empty squares. yes, i said empty squares. they are empty becuase, well, we dont know whats in them. thats where the exploring part comes in. :) each time a sector is explored properly(enuf people have been there, and reported back. or somthing like that) then one of the nation sends cartographers out to ofically explore the sector, once thats done, the sector and all its glory appears on the map as explored.

(oh man i have no idea what im typing, but ima keep going!)

it would be very interesting to see the galaxy slowly coming together, sector after sector being discovered, new wormholes being found, leading to new star systems, new stars appearing on the galaxy map!(hell you can even put Sol in there someware, taunting people of their lost past.)

anyway,ive lost all train of thought, so im gonna bring this rant to a close. oh man that was bad, i leave for 2 mins, come back, and cant think of a damn thing. oh well, ill add more later. just go check out the program, www.shatters.net/celestia its worth it just to check out.

incarnate thx for your answer: that's right I don't keep in mind that you are a 4 (fantastic :) men team !
I hope to see the exploration part arise, so we get the call of the unknown...I have read a post about end-point systems, an idea which I love. Ends of ways are always uncommon places.

Now, I go rebuilding my stats...