Quite a few of us (and the number is growing) can no longer find good planets because of the scan limitations. Even if I purge 200 planets I am still at "poor" chance of finding anything. I can't purge a lot more than that because then I would have to abandon and purge planets I actually own.

So how about changing it so that each scientist adds +! to scanning ability also?

I've actually been thinking about suggesting this too, although I was thinking of having it randomised between cloak and scan.

Scientists would be the ones using the scanners afterall. Maybe have it so engineers have a cloak bonus, since cloaking systems would strongly depend on how well-maintained they are.

I agree with this here post

+1

It should be limited to scanning for planets at least, otherwise people would have even less of a chance at hacking people.

The problem with these ideas is that they help out the higher levels more than the lower levels. I have 5k+ scientist and 10k+ engineers.

Another problem is that it's already difficult enough to protect planets as it is. If scientist add+1 to scan. Cloak would become more useless than it is now. If I switched to explorer, within a couple of months I could get my scan to 20k+, giving me a chance to find those paid for dysons just from a scan blitz. And you know someone would be pissed if that happened.

Personally, I would love it. If these ideas went through, my hacking and hacking defense would be awesome. Well, until some one debuffed me. Then a one armed old lady using a commodore 64 could hack me. (Seriously big flaw in game mechanics when there is no defense against mass hacks.)

I like the idea of scientist and engineers becoming more useful. It gives the game more depth by giving us more options. Most of the high levels seem to be dumping rank points into tactical officers including myself (I've put 0 total points into scientist and 0 into decks for the past 5 months. I actually have 40 ship bots just sitting in my cargo since all they do is add to my total dmg cap).

I'm gonna be selfish and say +1 to both ideas.

I think it might be better to introduce new officer positions.

Adding abilites to existing positions would seriously overbalance the rank distribution in favor of engineers. They already add energy which is huge.

You'd be better adding a scanning officer and espionage officer position. I know it sucks since you'd have to build them up but at least it'd be one more thing to use rank points on besides tac officers and engineers, thus necessitating a choice. Also Dan could add android artifacts that would boost these positions adding another draw to the pool that doesn't really bother me when I get one.

Also as someone pointed out they have a thousand plus engineers adding +1 scan easily adds way more scanning which then totally negates any of the benefits of cloaking.

-1 to idea.. Current scan system scales with planetary cloak system to keep things in balance.. Adding +1 scan ability to scientists only make things more unbalanced forcing Dan to upgrade planetary cloak all the time. Defense structures have to continuously upgraded all thanks to tactical officers..

I just realized something.. If scientist allows +0.5 planetary cloak and +0.5 ship scan and upgrade tactical officer to do +0.5 ship attack and +0.5 planetary defense modifier and helmsmen to cover ship defense and planetary defense modifier then everything scales without forcing Dan to upgrade continuously.. Then 1,200 attack/1,200 defense structure will always stay great for years at size of 2...

+1 to more scanning of some sort

Not to thread jack, but to pick up on Nocifer's point, the exotic barriers/ turrets are currently much less value considering you can get 1000 more def/att for the same 2 planet space. I know this has been mentioned elsewhere, but it seemed in keeping with the idea of unintended consequences. An adjustment to scan will necessitate an adjustment to cloak.

+1

what if each scientist just starts the curve later each say 50 Scientists can hold a planet so every 1000 you get 20 so not adding to the scan but to the amount of planets you can have scanned? just a thought.

This is a good idea.
DAN please don't do what was suggested at the top of thread; please give those of us at lower ranks time to catch up.

now that we have bases, how about a module/Theory Lab research that uses scientists?

+1 to both ideas

ok theres no way im gonna spend the time to look through all of these answers to see if someone already had this idea, but building on the Scientist = one scan and and engineer = 1 cloak, and that would be unfair for the weaker players, but why dont we first, lower the % that the chances lower for the planet deal, and secondly, make it for every 10 or 20 scientists/engineers, your scan/cloak goes up by one. its just a build up thought.

although the technicalities of raising scan and cloak will be beneficial when npc fighting and hacking, why not jsut make it so that colonized planets arnt counted in your scan database as planets scanned. that way you can essentially purge your entire database of planets and rescan up to whatever point you want. and players who colonize so many planets that they cant erase enough from their database wont have a problem anymore.

that actually works out the best i think. now that i do think about it, thats kinda retarted that your colonies still effect your scans