Newcomer / Intro The feeling of being there

[Annoluce]

OMG how can you reach for those 60 M Cr you need to buy fully fitted Asp explorer + insurance?? 8-0
I'm playing for 10 days now and I barely top 400k Cr.
The only way I see is trading trading until you get the money. Or can you choose the explorer path directly instead? Don't know how much exploring pays...

I found that you can equip many ships for exploration:

[Exploration Vessel: Hauler]

U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 2D Power Plant
TM: 2D Thrusters
FH: 2A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 1D Life Support
PC: 1D Power Distributor
SS: 1D Sensors
FS: 2C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 4)

3: 3D Shield Generator
3: 3A Fuel Scoop
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
1: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner

Cost: 2.933.294cr
Insurance: 146.665cr

Jump Range: 27ly

Due to the small fuel tank, you have to carefully plan your routes and top of your fuel tank at every scoopable star you come across. The realistic view of the galaxy map and a list of scoopable star types (A, B, F, G, K, M, O) should help you with that.

[Exploration Vessel: Adder]

U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 3D Power Plant
TM: 3D Thrusters
FH: 3A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 1D Life Support
PC: 2D Power Distributor
SS: 3D Sensors
FS: 3C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 8)

3: 3A Fuel Scoop
3: 3D Shield Generator
2: 2D Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
1: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner

Cost: 3.385.403cr
Insurance: 169.270cr

Jump Range: 26ly

The Adder's and the Hauler's disadvantage are their cockpits that don't really allow for beautiful screenshots.

If you want beautiful screenshots without too much of your cockpit in the way, you have a couple of options:

[Short Range Exploration Vessel: Sidewinder]

U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 2D Power Plant
TM: 2D Thrusters
FH: 2A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 1D Life Support
PC: 1D Power Distributor
SS: 1D Sensors
FS: 1C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 2)

2: 2A Fuel Scoop
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
1: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner

Cost: 2.276.702cr
Insurance: 113.835cr

Jump Range: 20ly

Through the roof of the Sidwinder canopy you can make beautiful screenshots that are not at all obstructed by any cockpit structure. The main disadvantage is that you have a small fuel tank, so you can only hop from scoopable star to scoopable star, and you have to sacrifice your shield for your fuel scoop. Now I don't really know whether you are any safer out there with a shield than without, but I tend to feel safer flying shielded.

[Exploration Vessel: Cobra Mk III]

U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 4D Power Plant
TM: 4D Thrusters
FH: 4A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 3D Life Support
PC: 3D Power Distributor
SS: 3D Sensors
FS: 4C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 16)

4: 4D Shield Generator
4: 4A Fuel Scoop
4: 4A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
2: 2A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
2: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner

Cost: 12.926.183cr
Insurance: 646.309cr

Jump Range: 26ly

The Cobra's canopy is not as wide as that of the Sidewinder, but still better than that of the Zorgon Petersen ships. With expensive Auto Maintenance units you can extend your exploration range significantly (from 1.1 on they will also repair thrusters and drive, apparently). The fuel tank is large enough to survive a couple of jumps across an area of unscoopable stars. Jump range is decent.

[Asp Explorer]

U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 5D Power Plant
TM: 5D Thrusters
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 4D Life Support
PC: 4D Power Distributor
SS: 5D Sensors
FS: 5C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 32)

6: 6A Fuel Scoop
5: 5A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
3: 3A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
3: 3A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
3: 3D Shield Generator
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
2: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner

Cost: 56.194.903cr
Insurance: 2.809.745cr

Jump Range: 35ly (biggest in the game)

You can, of course, go exploring without all this expensive self-repair technology. But it involves a larger risk. And I am on the "better safe than sorry" side. The canopy of the Asp has this annoying cage structure which will not allow you to make beauty shots without any cockpit pieces in your field of view. Other than that, it has the perfect all-round view.

If you want to safely explore the galaxy, the Asp is your perfect choice.

[Exploration Vessel: Imperial Clipper]

U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 6D Power Plant
TM: 6D Thrusters
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 5D Life Support
PC: 6D Power Distributor
SS: 5D Sensors
FS: 4C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 16)

7: 7B Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
6: 6A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
4: 4A Fuel Scoop
4: 4A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
3: 3A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
3: 3D Shield Generator
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
2: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner

Cost: 64.313.584cr
Insurance: 3.215.679cr

Jump Range: 24ly

Why choose the Clipper over the Asp? Two reasons: The canopy is perfect for beauty shots. And it is currently the most stylish ship in the game. You get a decent medium jump range, too... but you have got to watch your fuel, as your tank can only take 16 tons. An A4 fuel scoop quickly tops that off - if you can find a star to scoop from. So avoid big clusters of useless stars if possible, and you should be able to cruise the galaxy, sightseeing with style

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Not even NPCs?
Lost in the loneliness of skies?

If you go deep space exploring, you will quickly leave the inhabited bubble of space. After that frontier, pirates just don't turn up any more. You are out there on your own.

 

[CMDR Orson]

I haven't done much exploring myself, but if you want to try it check out this subreddit:

http://www.reddit.com/r/EliteExplorers

Lots of stories, tips, and general advice.

 

[Ferris]

How do you manage to plan your trips? Is there a route planner suited for exploration?
And how can you point to the nebulae and famous objects? Are they simply clickable in the galaxy map (did not try yet), or you have to reach a nearby star? Say I wanted to go sightseeing Orion nebula (or horsehead e.g.), what is the plan for that?

And secondly, if you fit your ship to explore with no weapons and shields how do you deal with pirates and nasty boys?

You can search for nebulae through the galaxy map.. I just tend to point my self in that general direction and then head through any star systems that i think will be interesting. You can see which star types are in systems from the info tab. Looks like with the 1.1 update there will be a gal-map filter for star types, which will be nice.

Secondly.. run... run like the wind! Once you get about 400/500ly from inhabited space you wont see a soul, no NPCs, nothing. While within the area where the nastys are, just make sure to fly about with 4 pips on engines. If you get interdicted, go max speed and boosting away from the nasty until your FSD cools down and then get out of there. In a Cobra you should be able to outrun most.
Also keep an eye on your radar, if you see someone slipping into that 45 degree area behind you, jump away to another system or throttle down to zero and drop out of SC.

Edit - That last strategy is a little risky though, as zero throttle can mean instant interdiction.
Regarding fuel scooping, I take the 'little and often as possible' approach. I refuel every time I get to a scoopable star. Means i don't have to wait long to fill up, so i don't loose concentration and take heat damage. Its also all too easy to forget while enjoying the exploration and find yourself in a sticky situation.

Another Edit - Once you get out there, try this.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=50952
It's a great accompaniment to exploring, adds a bit of fun to it.

 

[MaccGyver]

OMG how can you reach for those 60 M Cr you need to buy fully fitted Asp explorer + insurance?? 8-0
I'm playing for 10 days now and I barely top 400k Cr.
The only way I see is trading trading until you get the money. Or can you choose the explorer path directly instead? Don't know how much exploring pays...

.....

Not even NPCs?
Lost in the loneliness of skies?

Exploring may as well pay nothing, at least from an income vs time perspective - I netted 4.14 mil from my nebula tour, and while that's pure profit, as I mentioned the trip took me 3 weeks. Contrast that with trading, where I can now make about 4 mil in roughly 4 hours... bottom line, you don't become an explorer for the paycheck, unless it's at game start and you want a relatively risk-free, zero $ investment path to your first 100k or so.

You don't need 60 mil for an exploration Asp - I just built my current Asp in ED Shipyard, and it clocks in at 19.3 mil.

Macc's Ideal Asp (Explorer)

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 5D Power Plant
TM: 5A Thrusters
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 4D Life Support
PC: 4D Power Distributor
SS: 5D Sensors
FS: 5C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 32)

6: 6D Shield Generator
5: 5D Fuel Scoop
2: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=30g,,2-8S7_7_6u6u8S8I,7Um50ympV2UI2jw

As many above have mentioned, weapons are redundant once you get around 100Ly outside the inhabited bubble. At this point you'll stop seeing NPCs, USSs will stop spawning - you're truly on your own. And I don't think Thargoids have been added into the game (yet), so drop the guns and save the weight.

I not a fan of the AFM Unit - I took a Class 3/D rated AFM on my nebula tour, and ran out of repair units after less than 15% damage to modules (all from not watching heat closely enough when exploring stars/scooping). It cannot repair actual hull damage, and didn't even have enough ammo to get all my repairable modules back to 100% ... huge waste IMO. Sold it immediately upon returning - leave it out and save the weight

Regarding cost:

I know that amount of money seems unattainable at your current point in the game, but don't forget your earning potential (especially with trading) grows exponentially as you progress to larger and more capable ships. I managed to make enough for a fully exploration-kitted Asp through Bounty Hunting, Rares Trading, and (once I had a Type-6) Standard - i.e. non-Rare - Trading. Took me something like 2 weeks, with an average of maybe 3 - 4 hours per day max (less weekday play, more weekend - stupid IRL job....). For the first week and a half, I made less than 5 mil. Got something like 20 - 25 mil over the next 3 to 4 days.

edit: had the modules wrong, the list and link are now updated

 

[Ferris]

OMG how can you reach for those 60 M Cr you need to buy fully fitted Asp explorer + insurance?? 8-0
I'm playing for 10 days now and I barely top 400k Cr.
The only way I see is trading trading until you get the money. Or can you choose the explorer path directly instead? Don't know how much exploring pays...

The money is poor, it's not a career path that will make you much. I do it purely for the experience, enjoying the sights and discoveries.

Check out Nutter's Exploration Guide... It lists the payouts for scanned objects and has loads of great info/ship setups etc.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=81653&highlight=nutter

 

[cmdr lowest]

Oh! Really looking forward to get a rift too! I'm currently running a headtracker, and with my closed Audio Technica ATH-M50 and a 27" monitor the feeling of immersion is stunning, but I really cannot imagine what a rift can add to this experience. The only reason I don't have one is I'm waiting for the commercial stable version. What is like the feeling with your rift? How is the definition like? And fps?

I don't think anyone should be purchasing an Oculus DK2 (development kit 2) now. Their latest demos of the crescent bay technology has some amazing feedback in relation to much better image quality and far less feeling of nausea. Seems like Oculus are on the push to retail now , whenever that will be.

I'm really wanting to pick one up when they are launched, just for Elite...

I play on a stereoscopic monitor and that improves the immersion but I can only imagine how good it would be with an Oculus, HOTAS setup and Voice Attack. It would be like playing a brand new game.

 

[MickyBatch]

out there

and it's looking better every day.

 

[Gavski]

And don't forget to post your best holiday snaps! Enjoy exploring.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=95490

 

[YoBuck]

Have to agree with everyone's sentiments here - just came back from a nebula tour that took me to the Pleiades, Califonia, Witchhead, Spiral, Orion, Running Man, Flame, Horsehead, and Eskimo nebulas. Probably a couple more I'm forgetting Took about 3 weeks (and about half an hour to sell all the data once I made it back!). Black Holes, Neutron Stars, huge stars which fill the your view even from 2000Ls out... I think I took more screenshots on the trip than I've taken photos in my entire life (and that's not hyperbole). Track IR has helped capture some truly stunning vistas - thinking about chronicling the trip via a journal/photo blog, since I was making timestamped notes in Cmdr's Log the whole way...

Even if exploration was the only thing to do in the game, I think E: D would still be one of my favorite games of the last 10 years.

Amazing post +1 blog it for sure and link me!

 

[Annoluce]

I understand that, I'm ready to explore with porr gain and my aim is not to get money during exploration, but just exploring for the mere sake of it. But I meant... To get there, to those 20 millions I need to get a decent asp explorer, well, I have a lot of working ahead...

The money is poor, it's not a career path that will make you much. I do it purely for the experience, enjoying the sights and discoveries.

Check out Nutter's Exploration Guide... It lists the payouts for scanned objects and has loads of great info/ship setups etc.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=81653&highlight=nutter

 

[Ferris]

I understand that, I'm ready to explore with porr gain and my aim is not to get money during exploration, but just exploring for the mere sake of it. But I meant... To get there, to those 20 millions I need to get a decent asp explorer, well, I have a lot of working ahead...

If you have just got your Cobra you will find it now gets easier to earn credits... But don't forget, the Asp is not the only ship that is good for exploration. The Hauler can be outfitted as a pretty good explorer (and for a lot less credits).
I stayed with the cobra for quite a while after i got it because it is such a good multi-role ship. Once I had the Cobra I aimed for a Type-6. Once I had the Type-6 I was quite surprised how quickly I earned the credits to get the Asp.
As MaccGuyver said above, your earning potential grows rapidly as you get larger ships. You may find you have earned that 20 mil faster than you thought.
Once you have a fair sized cargo capacity, trading commodities and rares can earn you a lot, it is a bit of a grind unfortunately but a means to an end. However if you are looking for the fastest route to the Asp from the Cobra, rares trading is the way to go. Until you can afford something like a Type-6 and switch to trading regular commodities.

 

[Annoluce]

I'm about to take the Cobra. Not yet there. Still in the Ford Transit Adder. I have the money, but I want to get 1 M in order to fit the Cobra and spare some money for trading / insurance.
Once in the Cobra I'll enjoy some serious pirate shooting (Revenge! Revenge! Punishment! For all those heartbeat bumping interdictions I had to suffer!!).
Then, some money up to a Type 6. Then some big big money, luxury, fame, girls, whatever a rich trader is called to. Finally, the ultimate Frontier.
Not in a hurry!!

:-D

If you have just got your Cobra you will find it now gets easier to earn credits... But don't forget, the Asp is not the only ship that is good for exploration. The Hauler can be outfitted as a pretty good explorer (and for a lot less credits).
I stayed with the cobra for quite a while after i got it because it is such a good multi-role ship. Once I had the Cobra I aimed for a Type-6. Once I had the Type-6 I was quite surprised how quickly I earned the credits to get the Asp.
As MaccGuyver said above, your earning potential grows rapidly as you get larger ships. You may find you have earned that 20 mil faster than you thought.
Once you have a fair sized cargo capacity, trading commodities and rares can earn you a lot, it is a bit of a grind unfortunately but a means to an end. However if you are looking for the fastest route to the Asp from the Cobra, rares trading is the way to go. Until you can afford something like a Type-6 and switch to trading regular commodities.

 

[Ferris]

I'm about to take the Cobra. Not yet there. Still in the Ford Transit Adder. I have the money, but I want to get 1 M in order to fit the Cobra and spare some money for trading / insurance.
Once in the Cobra I'll enjoy some serious pirate shooting (Revenge! Revenge! Punishment! For all those heartbeat bumping interdictions I had to suffer!!).
Then, some money up to a Type 6. Then some big big money, luxury, fame, girls, whatever a rich trader is called to. Finally, the ultimate Frontier.
Not in a hurry!!

:-D

That's the best approach to this game, not to rush it. The temptation is there to try and blaze a path to the best ships quickly but IMO, it's much better to savor the experience and get the most enjoyment out of each ship as you progress.

Have fun CMDR

 

[Annoluce]

Did not resist... Last night I reached the 800k cr I needed to buy my new toy. And I did! I have a brand new Cobra, it's really awesome in its dark livery. I loaded some beams and multies and 44 cargo, looking forward to rock & roll! Can't wait to trigger fire on some pirate scum. :-D

That's the best approach to this game, not to rush it. The temptation is there to try and blaze a path to the best ships quickly but IMO, it's much better to savor the experience and get the most enjoyment out of each ship as you progress.

Have fun CMDR