Posts: 1,400
Threads: 117
Joined: Sep 2016
BYOND Username: Aft2001
GPS tracking is kinda poop, in terms of its usefulness. Specifically, the fact that you can't track a moving object using it - just static coordinates.
What I mean by tracking is how the GPS functions similar to a pinpointer, pointing you in the direction of your target.
Could there be a feature which allows you to pinpoint a GPS directly, even if it changes location?
As a bonus/alternative, the GPS telling you what area the target is in would be very handy (unless it already does this and I'm just a dummy)
As an added bonus/alternative, being able to instantly locate and track someone on the security camera console if they have a tracking implant would be extremely handy-dandy. Again, I feel like this is already a feature, but I'm not sure and don't have access to spessmens at this moment in time (RIP me).
Posts: 2,456
Threads: 113
Joined: Feb 2017
BYOND Username: Technature
I wanna add to this. The GPS just plain doesn't work on most of the maps. Updating those maps (as well as maybe making it a good use for spies) would be nice.
Posts: 1,356
Threads: 160
Joined: Sep 2012
07-21-2019, 08:16 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-21-2019, 10:17 PM by kyle2143. Edited 1 time in total.)
(07-21-2019, 07:49 PM)Technature Wrote: I wanna add to this. The GPS just plain doesn't work on most of the maps. Updating those maps (as well as maybe making it a good use for spies) would be nice.
This sounds like more of a bug report. A bug that's new to me at that. I don't use the GPS often, but I have never noticed it not working.
Edit: Also, I can see a use for allowing a gps to track another gps. Adds a bunch of possibilities and I don't see that it would negatively effect the balance of anything.
Posts: 633
Threads: 35
Joined: Aug 2018
BYOND Username: pali6
I think that Technature is taking about the GPS verb that's supposed to show you the path to an area of your choice. I know it works on cog1 and doesn't on most other maps.
I think it would be really handy to let GPS units track other GPS units (and possibly people implanted with tracking implants as they also show up in the same list).
Posts: 1,400
Threads: 117
Joined: Sep 2016
BYOND Username: Aft2001
It shouldn't be too hard to either
A) Try and salvage some code from the pinpointers to make this feature a thing
B) Have the GPS check to see if the position of the target has updated. To reduce lag whilst maintaining effectiveness when tracking at close range, I propose the following:
The rate at which the GPS checks the position of the target should be proportional to the distance between the GPS and the target. As an example, if you're really far from the target, it should probably check every 10 or so seconds, but if you're super close, it may update once every half second or so. Accuracy isn't needed at long range, but it is at close range.
Posts: 633
Threads: 35
Joined: Aug 2018
BYOND Username: pali6
I very much doubt that cheking the position of one fixed GPS would cause any lag since each GPS can simply store it's target. Checking the location of that target isn't a very expensive operation compared to just grabbing fixed coordinates.