Exploration totally broken
- Thread starter specialsymbol
- Start date
Every time I read one of these threads about how exploration is "broken," it always seems to include a repair bill in the hundreds of thousands, if not nearly a million. The few times I've gone exploring, my repair bill is usually in the thousands, and yet I seem to be making the same amount of money. Then I see the inevitable "recommended" ship for exploration, and I see what the problem is.
The problem isn't that exploration is broken (though it does need more content). The problem is that way too many people are taking a luxury Winnebago with all the comforts of home to go exploring, when all they need is a Jeep, a tent, and a sleeping bag. There is nothing wrong with going exploring in style, but you shouldn't expect to make a huge profit doing so.
This isn't a traditional MMO where income and expenses are carefully balanced against a character's level, nor is getting a bigger ship or higher grade equipment the equivalent of "leveling up." This design choice makes it very easy to lose money via over capitalization: having too much ship for the job you're doing and your skills at doing it. This means you have to weigh your decisions, including the ship you fly and its design. I know I'm in the minority here, but I happen to like it this way. I would much rather have meaningful decisions to make in my games, where often you're choosing between the lesser of two evils, than games where decisions are between black and white, success and failure.
The problem isn't that exploration is broken (though it does need more content). The problem is that way too many people are taking a luxury Winnebago with all the comforts of home to go exploring, when all they need is a Jeep, a tent, and a sleeping bag. There is nothing wrong with going exploring in style, but you shouldn't expect to make a huge profit doing so.
This isn't a traditional MMO where income and expenses are carefully balanced against a character's level, nor is getting a bigger ship or higher grade equipment the equivalent of "leveling up." This design choice makes it very easy to lose money via over capitalization: having too much ship for the job you're doing and your skills at doing it. This means you have to weigh your decisions, including the ship you fly and its design. I know I'm in the minority here, but I happen to like it this way. I would much rather have meaningful decisions to make in my games, where often you're choosing between the lesser of two evils, than games where decisions are between black and white, success and failure.
I'll admit I've not been faced with a 0.2ly FS journey but I've done some decent 6 figure ls jaunts. In fact I've never known a ship to take hull damage from just flying around in FS - are they supposed to?
Last edited:
Heh, I've explored the far corners of the galaxy in a hauler, cheap and cheerful! and not once did I explode.
Oh, and exploration isn't broken just needs fleshing out.
Oh, and exploration isn't broken just needs fleshing out.
Last edited:
No, ship integrity was at 44%. Not the Hull. Hull was unscathed, but the paint suffered a lot.
It's not that I can't wait. I was fine with the 1hr+ supercruise to the sun.
What I don't like is the arbitrary scanning waiting time. If you want to shed off seconds let us get closer - it's the same effect, but more fun. Fun is something I expect from a game. Seriously.
- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -
Yes, unfortunately that's intended for some reason unknown. Oh, and it was structural damage, not hull damage.
Last edited:
I would like to be able to repair my cracked winshield (8000 ly out of sol) after an onforunate incident involving a neutron star, this is gonna be a long journey back....
A type life support is definitely something an explore needs. 25 min makes it possible to get to an outpost or such that can repair unless you are VERY far out, in which case, yeah ability to repair, EVA repair? maybe make it a repair that gives negative effect? like using a kind of patch from metal or whatever that you can't see through but you can seal it so you can breathe? then you can limp to a repair place?
closest station 7500 ly, if it pops a life support wont save me
I like exploring like it is now, but i would like something different
The minor tweak i would be able to scan planets from more distance according to the type of scanner. I don't mean i want to the win button, but something like scan from 300 Ls a planet who require 100ls with the basic scanner for example. Like a factor 3. Just for small object.. something like the less is the mass the better is the range, just 3 steps for the 3 scanners.
Another thing i would see is a kind of reward for specific objects you visit. In particoular for nebula, but also for more objects. I seen there are lot of real objects represented pretty well on the game, my wish would be that if i go to visit eta carinae, because i know it is an interesting astronomical object, maybe with lucky, i could have a "extra" reward. So, knowing something real and ccheck if it is included on the game, going to explore it, compare with the real object, and hopefully get an extra reward. This doesn't mean credit... maybe just a "sign" you have been there for example, so who really love exploranig has something to collect... for example
The minor tweak i would be able to scan planets from more distance according to the type of scanner. I don't mean i want to the win button, but something like scan from 300 Ls a planet who require 100ls with the basic scanner for example. Like a factor 3. Just for small object.. something like the less is the mass the better is the range, just 3 steps for the 3 scanners.
Another thing i would see is a kind of reward for specific objects you visit. In particoular for nebula, but also for more objects. I seen there are lot of real objects represented pretty well on the game, my wish would be that if i go to visit eta carinae, because i know it is an interesting astronomical object, maybe with lucky, i could have a "extra" reward. So, knowing something real and ccheck if it is included on the game, going to explore it, compare with the real object, and hopefully get an extra reward. This doesn't mean credit... maybe just a "sign" you have been there for example, so who really love exploranig has something to collect... for example
Yes, I've had similar. The trip to Hutton Orbital (0.22ly) knocked my ship integrity down to 32%. There's something about the speed (because you get up well above 1500c) or distance covered, or the combination, in supercruise that massively degrades hull integrity. For comparison, I've just returned from a trip out from the core systems, around the california and orion nebulae and back again. About 350 systems or so visited and scanned to varying degrees, hours and hours sat in supercruise but at low speed/distance covered, when I came back my integrity was down to 58%.
Well it makes sense that SC would be hard on the ship, I mean you are travelling beyond light speed, I can understand if that would be hard for the materials the ship is made off.
Though it could also be because you are without shield, and space dust hitting you at those speeds well, obviously they don't just zip right through you, but the impact would still be significant.
Though it could also be because you are without shield, and space dust hitting you at those speeds well, obviously they don't just zip right through you, but the impact would still be significant.
Does Exploring need some work: Yes. But I don't think it does the for the reasons you describe. Exploring systems does not cause that kind of hull damage. I explore without shields and only receive that damage if I get to close to the sun. Did you drop out of SC around the sun?
Where it needs work: More variety in planets - the update to gas planets is a welcome beginning! So I am sure Frontier are working on it.
Where it needs work: More variety in planets - the update to gas planets is a welcome beginning! So I am sure Frontier are working on it.
Regarding surface scanning, which is undeniably dull, uninvolved and not even very explorery, I'd prefer it if it took less time to complete but had to be done from closer range - so you can actually see the surface of the planet and get a much better sense of discovery.
Sure, you can do that now but it's really not worth it when you've got the time it takes to scan on top of it. In fact, the long scan time actively discourages explorers from actually visiting planets and moons close up, which is a shame given how beautiful so many of them are. Or perhap the long-range scan could still be there (but quicker...) for the standard payout bonus, and another close range scan for a higher payout.
Which brings me on to the most depressing thing an explorer will ever see.
202 Cr
409 Cr
845 Cr
208 Cr
0 Cr
408 Cr
Not worth the 5 seconds it takes to sell at those prices. I got back from a 6000+LY round trip last night. It took 7 days to complete and over an hour to sell the data. Net payout after fixing wear and tear? 1.7m Cr. My Cobra will have to wait for her new FSD.
Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the exploration game but it definitely needs work.
Heat damage, crash drop damage. It happens to the best of us sometimes. Especially once space madness sets in.
Sure, you can do that now but it's really not worth it when you've got the time it takes to scan on top of it. In fact, the long scan time actively discourages explorers from actually visiting planets and moons close up, which is a shame given how beautiful so many of them are. Or perhap the long-range scan could still be there (but quicker...) for the standard payout bonus, and another close range scan for a higher payout.
Which brings me on to the most depressing thing an explorer will ever see.
202 Cr
409 Cr
845 Cr
208 Cr
0 Cr
408 Cr
Not worth the 5 seconds it takes to sell at those prices. I got back from a 6000+LY round trip last night. It took 7 days to complete and over an hour to sell the data. Net payout after fixing wear and tear? 1.7m Cr. My Cobra will have to wait for her new FSD.
Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the exploration game but it definitely needs work.
Heat damage, crash drop damage. It happens to the best of us sometimes. Especially once space madness sets in.
No Exploration isn't broke.
I have no idea what ship you are using but even with that a Sidewinder or Eagle should not take half damage from travelling a single solar system. That damage was there before you set off I will guarantee that.
IMO Exploration is rather interesting (boring to some not all) You may think you have scanned the entire system but if you look at the system map there is still space left within it that has nothing registered as yet. Finding that is the fun part and if done right you can earn loads of cash for a properly scanned system, it may not be time effective for money but risk v reward is very good.
LOL I have no idea what you are doing when you scan but I can get 40k+ per system The only times I have seen that low a payout is if you just warp in scan then leave without looking for other planets in the system. Don't get me wrong some systems are like that!.
Last edited:
Not a thing in his post implies danger. Not a thing.
Why do people keep bringing up hull damage when the OP clearly mentioned the integrity. ie, the wear and tear? This is completely seperate from hull damage...
Anyway, I think my biggest frustration is how little interactive it is. You're not actually doing anything except waiting which is frightfully inactive compared with the rest of the stuff you can do.
Combat, mining (yes, its horrible too, but you're *doing* something at least), pirating, even trading.
Its not so much the time it takes, but the time it takes while *doing nothing interesting*. Have us fly around the planet for the best scan, or whatever. Anything that requires actual attention, as opposed to "Point ship in generally the right direction, then wait"
Anyway, I think my biggest frustration is how little interactive it is. You're not actually doing anything except waiting which is frightfully inactive compared with the rest of the stuff you can do.
Combat, mining (yes, its horrible too, but you're *doing* something at least), pirating, even trading.
Its not so much the time it takes, but the time it takes while *doing nothing interesting*. Have us fly around the planet for the best scan, or whatever. Anything that requires actual attention, as opposed to "Point ship in generally the right direction, then wait"