This is more of a brainstorm than an idea, so i am probably going to regret posting it in a features and ideas forum which typically attracts the type of person that just wants to dunk on others. Anyway here it goes.
We have high slots, low slots and med slots and rig slots, and it seems great. But would be interested in a 5th type of slot, a QoL slot. Afaik there was a time where the market was not available when undocked. But then it just became available. With QoL slots you may have needed to put in a “market module” to view the market when undocked. Lets say every ship gets 3 QoL slots. And by default they have the market module to avoid a situation where someone logins and all of a sudden cant access the market like he used to and gets disappointed. But it can be unfitted and then they can no longer view the market in space. So now all of a sudden QoL things are not given for free, and the player has to adapt his ship according to what he needs and compromise. This idea requires more QoL ideas/modules in order to work properly. But it seems like a nice way to approach major QoL improvements going forward.
Probably viewing industry jobs and so on in space should be a QoL module as well. If its not on the ship you cant do it. And also a more tasteful name than QoL modules is needed imo. Maybe even the ability to chat should be a QoL module. if you dont have it, or it gets damaged, you can no longer access “Chat channels”. Maybe mail, and “personal assets” interface should be a QoL module as well. If they are not fitted you can only access these features when docked. What purpose does it serve? Well to new players it might feel rewarding to upgrade a ship with these things. But for older players who got it for free and take it for granted, they probably dont see the big deal.
Its a framework, mostly its a way to “upgrade the UI” → Ideally people would not be able to view for example the market in space without “upgrading” their ship with this kind of functionality. But like i said this is aimed at new players, not old players. To old players everything will work as it used to since all ships that are already exists get the module by default. But to new players they wont be be able to use or access the market while undocked unless fitting their ship with a “market module”. What is the point? There is going to be many different QoL modules and it will be a framework for “upgrading UI” and implementing major QoL updates without giving it for free. Its simply another way for players to upgrade their ships and improve their experience without it simply being “hey if i fit this i can do more damage”. With QoL slots fittin will expand and become “If i fit this, i can view the market in space!” (I KNOW ITS ALREADY VIEWABLE IN SPACE BUT TO NEW PLAYERS IT WONT BE AND IT WILL BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR THEM TO DISCOVER THAT FITTING SHIPS IS NOT JUST ABOUT IMPROVING THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE OR AMOUNT MINING YOU CAN DO. ITS ALS ABOUT GETTING NICE QOL THINGS LIKE VIEWMING MARKET INS SPACE). I give up the magic of this idea cant be explained. sad
It sounds like you’re just punishing new players by removing important game functions for no other reason than “now you dont have that important game function”
Having to work for stuff that enhances base gameplay can be rewarding.
Having to work to unlock basic gameplay is real silly goober logic.
I’m not about to write an essay for ya but in terms of important basic game functions, how about being able to view industry jobs, the market, and we’ll throw chatting, mail and viewing personal assets
The chatting module should probably be in by default, but its not necessary to play the game. Its also not neccesary to be able to view the market or industry jobs while undocked, these are luxuries.
-This module will automatically activate your turrets or launchers on anything that is targeted and within range of the weapon
Can also be used for miners.
All it does is you dont have to hit F1 etc. as much. Just fly the ship, manage your targets, afk if you feel like, and the turrets will do the work. It wont break the game or anything. Its just a QoL change because hitting F1 over and over isnt particularly rewarding.
The beauty of it is that you only have maybe 3 of these slots. So the more modules there are to choose from the more balanced the concept becomes imo. since players will have to compromise. Also ideas like this will never make it into the game They are too bold. Sadly.
You can even make the “Auto target back” function into a QoL module. This way the player has already used 2 slots if he wants to “Auto Target Back” and “Auto Shoot”
A better implementation of this, IMO, would be an overhaul of the auto-targeting module which has been broken for years (if not decades). It would have a configurable target list you’d be able to prioritize in a highest-to-lowest order. Targets would include things such as:
Hostile deployable weapons
Hostile NPCs who are targeting you
Hostile players who are targeting you
Hostile NPCs providing logistical support
Hostile players providing logistical support
Hostile drones
Nearest hostile targets
Most distant hostile targets
…and so on. Each time you activate this module it would start locking targets based on the priorities you assigned it. To try and prevent this from becoming a botter’s dream the auto-targeting module wouldn’t auto-cycle. Also, it would only activate if you had open target slots. I see an updated auto-targeter being particularly useful for those huge fights that the big boys engage in. I would also suggest the idea of a dedicated “AI” slot for an item like this.
The safety system could be a default QoL module, all ships will have them when manufactured. But you could take it out and replace it with any other QoL module.
Can you imagine the ramifications of that? Someone unfitting the safety QoL module, and thus being able to make mistakes much easier, but fitting some other QoL modules which he believes benefit him better This is the way
Yes, how does removing functionality “upgrade the UI”?
if you have to choose between which functionality you have available then with your suggestion you would lose the functionality that you don’t select, so its quite clearly reducing QoL features.
That depends because you can introduce more powerful QoL features and create a balance so that it becomes worth choosing. I already suggested an auto shooting module and auto mining module.
Why are they called QoL modules
If you have a better name for a category of modules that increases QoL i would like to hear it.
They are too bold. Sadly.