Navigation / Map Issue

[Kayonits]

I wasn't sure whether to post this in the technical support area or the relevant game forum as I am not sure that this is actually a bug.... (The game is Evochron Mercenary)

Sometimes when I use the Navigation System and launch a jump, it does not put me anywhere near the location that I had selected (for instance, if I right click on a space station, and then initiate a jump, normally it lands me pretty close to the space station's docking area). When this issue occurs (when I select a location to jump to, and then end up somewhere in deep space) IF I got back into the NAV system, and try to figure out where I am, I can zoom out the map, but when I right click on an area (normally right clicking on an area other than the one that I am in zooms into that area, allowing me to target somewhere in this new area) anyways if I right click on that area - say where the space station is that I was originally trying to get to - it just zooms back into the area of deep space where I am already at... and from here, no matter what I try to target and launch a jump to - it doesn't seem to work. (I just keep jumping into some random deep space location). (It almost seems like the NAV system map is out of synch)

Has anyone else encountered this (or something similar).... is this something that I am doing wrong? (is there an easier/better way to navigate and initiate jumps etc?) I thought at first that it might have something to do with my rank (as in my level in the game might effect my "skills" or something like that, and possibly the game allowed for "mistakes" due to inexperience... I thought that maybe that was why you could hire crew members etc, to counter act this... but really I have no idea whether that is the case or not... I even hired a navigator specialist with 80 skill, but he didn't seem to affect anything (on another note - when I tested this, by trying to initiate a jump too close to a planet - expecting that he might try and warn/stop me or auto-correct it - he did nothing and we exploded.)

Anyways - I am very much enjoying the game (just bought it yesterday) - but it does take away from the immersive experience when frustrations crop up... I was on a nice roll of exploring/mining and trading... and was just doing the Mercenary quest (completed part 1 - and was going to head to the space station when the whole navigation issue cropped up again).... this time, I tried saving, and then reloading to see if that cleared it up (it seemed to fix it in the past) but unfortunately it doesn't seem to have fixed it this time.... I WAS able to just manually travel towards it and through a lot of time and continual use of the afterburner - I was able to get close to where I was trying to go originally.... so I know that the "world" is still intact etc... it just seems to be the navigation system that is flaky or that I do not seem to understand correctly....

I'd appreciate knowing if this is happening to others... if this is something I may be doing wrong.... or if this is a known issue that may be corrected sometime soon.

Thanks and safe spacefaring!

[Edited on 11-19-2010 by Kayonits]

[SeeJay]

Hello Kayonits and welcome to a great sim.

I haven't experienced exactly what you describe. However, I learned that when you enter coordinates
manually in the nav console you must hit "ENTER" to "set" the value in a field, otherwise it will put you
in an unexpected location.

Right-click to set a location only works if you click on an object, not in an "empty" space sector.

I don't know if this is of any help to you, but I'm sure that more experienced pilots will answer you as well.

See ya out there mate.

[MMaggio]

Hello Kayonits,
I have had similar experiences, but it is due to not centering the waypoint over the icon berore you right-click.
Take a little more time and make sure you are directly on the icon.

[Marvin]

Originally posted by Eclipse

Stations that off the galactic plane (SY=0) can be seen when the map is zoomed out, but if your destination SY is not set to the same as the object's you can end up in empty space. When experiencing this phenomenon it is best to recheck the object's SY by using the "rear view" button on the nav map.

I'm quoting the whole thing here because, 99% of the time, this is the problem new pilots have with navigating in the three-dimensional space of Evochron. Perhaps we get lulled into just using the Top View because most objects (planets, stations, etc.) are on the galactic plane ... and we have one of those "Yoda moments" when trying to jump to something that, if you used the Rear View, would pimp you into realizing you're trying to do 2-D navigation toward an object that's either above or below (in 3-D) your current position.

[49rTbird]

Hello Kayonits, Welcome to the forum and the Sim. See you out there sometime.

[Yob]

Originally posted by Marvin

Originally posted by Eclipse

Stations that off the galactic plane (SY=0) can be seen when the map is zoomed out, but if your destination SY is not set to the same as the object's you can end up in empty space. When experiencing this phenomenon it is best to recheck the object's SY by using the "rear view" button on the nav map.

I'm quoting the whole thing here because, 99% of the time, this is the problem new pilots have with navigating in the three-dimensional space of Evochron. Perhaps we get lulled into just using the Top View because most objects (planets, stations, etc.) are on the galactic plane ... and we have one of those "Yoda moments" when trying to jump to something that, if you used the Rear View, would pimp you into realizing you're trying to do 2-D navigation toward an object that's either above or below (in 3-D) your current position.

Good explanation, I'm new to this type of Sim and have been lost so many times by jumping into deep space (Center of a few planets also) by not paying close attention to what I have selected. Grasping the "Galactic Plane" consistently is tough some times.
But, I have managed to find most (if not all) of the cool toys by using this forum, reading all of the post’s from the more experienced pilots. Now I’m taking the advice to learn to fly my personal rust bucket without the use of the IDS system. When I can, I’ll get online and die like a Man, (maybe just a little sobbing)
Great Game ! Great Forum!

[Kayonits]

Originally posted by Marvin

Originally posted by Eclipse

Stations that off the galactic plane (SY=0) can be seen when the map is zoomed out, but if your destination SY is not set to the same as the object's you can end up in empty space. When experiencing this phenomenon it is best to recheck the object's SY by using the "rear view" button on the nav map.

I'm quoting the whole thing here because, 99% of the time, this is the problem new pilots have with navigating in the three-dimensional space of Evochron. Perhaps we get lulled into just using the Top View because most objects (planets, stations, etc.) are on the galactic plane ... and we have one of those "Yoda moments" when trying to jump to something that, if you used the Rear View, would pimp you into realizing you're trying to do 2-D navigation toward an object that's either above or below (in 3-D) your current position.

Hello everyone, thanks for your input and advice. Would the above explanation account for the strange "right click" thing that happens in the NAV console? (so for instance, normally in the NAV console, let's say I zoom out and see there is a sector within jumping distance that has a space station... normally I can right click on it when zoomed out, and it zooms into the destination sector, and I can then right click on the space station I want to travel to. When the issue I originally posted about occurs, if I right click on that sector I want to travel to, it just zooms back in on my deep space location in the middle of nowhere... it really seems like the NAV system map gets out of synch or something).... I have tried multiple times (just to make sure it's not a matter of me clicking off centre or something)....

Anyways, from the sounds of things though, it appears like this isn't something that others are experiencing.... so my guess is it probably is something I'm misinterpreting or doing wrong.... admittedly, I still haven't figured out the whole 3D navigational coordinates, so maybe that does have some bearing on this.... I'll be sure to follow up on this post if/when I finally have one of those EUREKA moments and figure out what I've been missing....

Thanks again for all your replies and advice... this is a really in-depth sim, and all the more enjoyable when you can take one of those "huh? What the heck"" moments, and share it with a responsive community.

[Marvin]

It's a habit you'll need to develop ... always checking in the vertical (Rear View). Especially if you're on the R1 server in MP, where many pilots have built stations either above or below the galactic plane. Because when you click (either left or right), the nav map resets the Destination coordinates in only two planes. If your in the Top View, it sets the X-Z coordinates to whatever sector you clicked on. If your in the Rear View, it sets the X-Y coordinates.

Right-clicking just adds one other step: it zooms in on whatever sector is showing in the Destination windows.

My foolproof method (used a lot because I always build my stations "out of plane") it to left-click in Top View, switch to Rear View, left-click again, switch back to Top View ... then (and only then) right-click. It never fails.

[Blake Steel]

I think I know exactly what you're doing. I believe you are holding alt when you place the waypoint on the nav map. I was doing this for a week and drove me totally insane.

[yohan89]

It's a bug. And a bug that only effect some people too.
I have it, (or a similar one) it's usually when you have done a number of jumps and when you then are to zoom in on a different area (by right clicking) you see nothing there even as there's supposed to be a space station/planet there.

I get it back to normal by saving my progress and then reloading it from the menu.

This was another topic where this was discussed.
http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtop ... 3#pid92187

[Edited on 2-20-2011 by yohan89]

[SeeJay]

The station might be offset in the Y-coord. (above or below you)?

[Ravenfeeder]

To start with don't use the Alt key. When you right click on a station/object etc, make sure that you are right clicking on the sector that the stn/obj is in, it's easy to click the wrong sector, especially if the stn/obj is on, or near the edge. Once you have the stn/obj zoomed in, right click on it again.

For a station, set your compass at zero, for a carrier, set it at 180, and your pitch at zero - that way you should jump right into the stn/obj etc. You also set your compass at zero to hit the gates.

Have fun.

[Maarschalk]

Hi Kayonits, welcome to the game and forum. Right clicking on a Station while your current position is above or below the Galactic ecliptic can also cause the symptoms you are experiencing. Follow the advice of Marvin to make sure your destination square is centered on the station in both top and rear view and make sure your pitch is 0 when choosing jump destination..