Oolite Bulletins

Currently F6 offers two map views - short range with TL etc. indication available by pressing "i", and long range covering the entire galaxy and showing routes. But if you want to know TL etc. for a system that's outside the area covered by the short range view you have to use the sequence F6, F6, look at the uninformative long range view, then click on a system and press F7 to get data - then go through the whole rigmarole again if the system isn't the one you're looking for. This seems odd because the computer obviously has information on the entire galaxy; it's silly that it's so hard to get at it.

What I would suggest is an additional map mode (maybe an expensive computer add-on) that lets you look at the whole galaxy map and zoom in on more distant areas and use "i" to get info on the 7 LY radius around a given system. I don't see this as having a huge impact on game balance, it would just be more convenient than the current system.

Or it could be part of the current Advanced Navigational kit and could give the government/tech symbols info for each planet next to the distance (which is already available) when scrolled over.

The '?' key in the galactic chart now offers useful info, btw (if you didn't know about it already, that is).

Thargoid wrote:

Or perhaps just make the short range scanner scroll so it acts more a zoomed-in version of the long range scanner?

+ infinity to this.

Cody wrote:

The '?' key in the galactic chart now offers useful info, btw (if you didn't know about it already, that is).

No, I didn't - thanks!

Thargoid wrote:

Or perhaps just make the short range scanner scroll so it acts more a zoomed-in version of the long range scanner?

Good idea! I've just pushed a branch to github ("scrolling-chart") that implements this. See what the other devs make of it.

kanthoney wrote:

Good idea! I've just pushed a branch to github ("scrolling-chart") that implements this. See what the other devs make of it.

Quite nice, but I also find the way the chart scrolls in "blocks" a bit confusing. Additionally, once the chart has scrolled at least once, the mouse doesn't seem to be able to be used for selecting a planet anymore.

ffutures wrote:

Cody wrote:

The '?' key in the galactic chart now offers useful info, btw (if you didn't know about it already, that is).

No, I didn't - thanks!

OK, are there some instructions somewhere? I'm guessing the one with some systems red is law level, and one of the others seems to be TL, but it would be nice if it actually said so and gave a key on screen.

ffutures wrote:

... it would be nice if it actually said so and gave a key on screen.

Aye - but as per the above link, you have Basic, Economy, Government, and Tech Level (in that order - I think).

another_commander wrote:

kanthoney wrote:

Good idea! I've just pushed a branch to github ("scrolling-chart") that implements this. See what the other devs make of it.

Quite nice, but I also find the way the chart scrolls in "blocks" a bit confusing. Additionally, once the chart has scrolled at least once, the mouse doesn't seem to be able to be used for selecting a planet anymore.

Went to github and checked the code and from my limited understanding, the only change in mouse interaction code was commenting out the 'don't target nearby planets' code. Maybe it should have some sort of a reference to the centre coordinates?

I've updated the scrolling-chart branch with smooth scrolling and fixed the mouse. There are a couple of glitches but I'll look at those this evening.

This is amazing. I am a very happy customer with the way it works now. Compliments sir and looking forward to bringing it into master.

Glad you like it! Now, who's got the cookie jar?

another_commander wrote:

This is amazing. I am a very happy customer with the way it works now. Compliments sir and looking forward to bringing it into master.

I'm nearly drooling with excitement at you folks delivering an even better experience.

Another idea:
would it be possible to display the planet info (what is now on F7) on the same screen (F6) - by pressing a button or maybe on mouseover?

Sort of like a sidebar.