What I'd like to see in an improved version of EVO is a pathfinder function in the map window. Command-click on a system and the shortest route to the target system is chosen. It wouldn't be too hard to program (standard problem in computer science), and I suspect it already exists somewhere in the code, since certain missions seem to use distances between systems (in leaps) as a parameter.
Whaddya think?
-- Cinga
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That would be pretty cool, but it would sort of ruin that aspect of the game.
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How would it ruin the aspect of the game? 
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Originally posted by Gavin:
How would it ruin the aspect of the game?
Because it would be a way for you NOT to use your brain. Any idiot can devise the shortest route to a system with their minds.
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OpenGL Avara!
AIM: EVAndrewM
"I haven't seen myself lately, AndrewM."
Ā GreenYO, #ev
Actually, in places like EVO, it's not that easy to calculate the shortest distance.
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"Arthur Philip Dent?" pursued the alien in a kind of efficient yap.
"Er...er...yes...er...er...," confirmed Arthur.
"Your're a jerk," repeated the alien, "a complete kneebiter."
err.. not that easy to calculate shortest distance? Actually, it's quite easy. Since there is no real measurment of 'time' or 'distance' one jump is always equal to any other jump. Therefor, its a simple matter of finding the least number of jumps from point a to point b. Anyone who's taken more than one Comp. Sci. course in college should know how to do that problem. They beat you over the head with multiple versions of it.
Of course, with a game like EVO, and the size of the galaxy, most people should be able to do it in their head, on the fly. So it would just be wasted programmming time. Time that could be spent adding really kickass features 
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NightHawk The Sane
(url="http://"mailto:nighthawk@eego.net")mailto:nighthawk@eego.net(/url)nighthawk@eego.net
A "shortest-distance calculator" might be useful, but would also eliminate part of the strategic aspect of the game. For instance, do you want to blitz right through wherever you're going, or do you want to plan a route which has a planet at the end of your fuel reserves so you don't have to rely on your scoop? What about avoiding (or seeking out) known trouble spots?
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What I'd like to see is the pathfinding feature being used for missions, as the number of days you have to do some missions is absolute. It should find the shortest number of jumps, and one flag says either use absolute number of days, or a day for each place you have to jump, and the absolute would be added on, giving you like say 4 extra days. It should also calculate how many times you are going to need to stop for fuel, just #jumps/100 units of fuel. And add a day per stop, and finally it should calculate how many days it takes you per jump, Based on your ship size, so you can still get a device that shortens the number of days per jump, giving you extra time.
Hope thats clear.
Chamrin
(QUOTE)Originally posted by Chamrin:
It should find the shortest number of jumps, and one flag says either use absolute number of days, or a day for each place you have to jump, and the absolute would be added on, giving you like say 4 extra days. It should also calculate how many times you are going to need to stop for fuel, just #jumps/100 units of fuel. And add a day per stop, and finally it should calculate how many days it takes you per jump, Based on your ship size, so you can still get a device that shortens the number of days per jump, giving you extra time.
Would you also like somebody to work the keyboard for you?
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Originally posted by Kevin Jordan:
Would you also like somebody to work the keyboard for you?
(/B)
I am sorry if you didn't understand what I was trying to say, I disagree with being able to jump to any system with one press of the button, I only want this feature so plug designers can give ships just enough time to get to a planet and no more, so they don't delay. As it works now, you get the same amount of time to travel 2 systems as to travel 10.
Chamrin
P.S. Try to be more clear next time.
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Originally posted by Bill:
err.. usually the start system is fixed unless you got some really weird mission you're thinking of
The thing I was refering to were "Rush Delivery" missons, where you get 30 days to get there, but sometimes they are 2 jumps away, sometimes 10 jumps away. The path finder ability could make it so if the system was 8 jumps away it would give the appropriate amount of time to get there.
Chamrin
It might be possible to have a "Jump Route Computer", an outfit for about 10000 credits, that you could purchase at higher end outfiting shops. It would choose the most direct route to wherever you want, without taking things like your fuel range, renegade systems, hazards, etc. There could also be a "Renegade Protection Module" that would prevent the route chooser from going to systems where pirates are frequently encountered, and then there could be similar modules for Voinian systems, and Igadzra, and Azdigari, Zidigar, and Uninhabited, Miranu, and UE, or sytems that have lots of asteroids, or interference, or..., or..., etc. then there could be a auto route chooser that automatically sets the shortest route to the destination of the mission with the nearest date limit (as in you don't even need to go to the map). If the first outfit cost 25000 credits, and each subsequent module took 5000 credits, and the auto router about 100000, you would have to work for a while before you could get it. It would fit the story line since only the big warship captains or prosporus traders would be able to afford the things, thus they would have to have allready done enough of mapping to get sick of it.
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Zitchas
