Space is big. Really mind-bogglingly big. I mean, freaking big.

So why is it that our radar only shows us 3km? It's nearly impossible to meet up with a convoy in the first sector, because you all warp in from different directions, and end up scattered. I've taken to dogfighting there for a kill or three, and then just warping to the second sector where I throttle down and wait for the rest of the convoy.

We really need some sort of long-range radar to give us a better strategic map. 3km is fine for tactical, but we need more sight.

Thanks.

~D.
"Nigel the Indecently Dressed"
"Legin the Naked"

Good point. In an earlier post, it was suggested there should be AWACS-type command ships of corvette or frigate class, with higher radar range. I still support that idea. Not just everyone should have the excessive tactical advantage of long-range detection.

Right indeed, find the convoy is a splendid little pasttime which I for one could do without.

My best solution: convoys you escort are friendly, and sector chat is supposed to be a real comm channel, so technically the convoy craft could tell you it's position upon arrival, so that it appears on radar, even if it is way beyond 3000m distance. Maybe some special kind of waypoint dot would fit the bill :)

This kind of tech would be functional for a lot of other activities too.

Another solution:
Instead of having to scan surrounding space visually with your zoom to find any ships, have the ship do it for you and provide a "visual" scan overlay on the radar or something. Visual range is way beyond 3000m so that would be great.

Maybe even make it a small port scanner (making you think twice before using one) or an add-on sometime when that kind of thing gets implemented. A visual scanner/amplifier would also be interesting because it wouldn't work as well in darker sectors (e.g. it is not a mass scanner like the radar), so your advantage would be limited, but in many situations it'd be a great help anyway, or just fun to use.

I'm all for something like this... but not until (or perhaps at the same time as) the ability to drop off of the sector list (not stealth necessarily, but killing the equipment that the radar registers you with, ie, pulse beacons).

Gavan;

I wouldn't mind being able to purchase a small port radar jammer, but I would want that to have some kind of ridiculous level restriction on it, like trading 8 or better. It would be a good incentive for traders to put their time and effort into getting trade experience so they can avoid all those nasty pirates.

~D.
"Nidel the Indecently Dressed"
"Legin the Naked"

Or how about we just make it so everyone on the same mission gets the white group-dot on the radar that is visible at any range? ...

Lost;

That might work, but the drawback is that you have to be a part of a group.

I do admit that your suggestion would have less of an impact on piracy. My idea would make it difficult for the pirates to lurk in a sector (now they can just stay at 3100m and they're hidden, if they choose.)

Of course, a pirate could ALSO get a cloaking device, and wouldn't THAT make things difficult.

Also, would lack of radar lock mean that auto-targeting weapons like the AGT and missiles would be rendered ineffective? Boy could THAT create a nightmare for a trader trying to defend against a cloaked pirate. Most of the trading ships are too bulk to really dogfight well, and almost demand a self-targeting weapon for defense.

~D.