I just got back from a 6 hour exploration run...........not good

Zeeman · Apr 20, 2015

smsKONG said:
Zeeman - pretty sure I've had ammonia as terraformable before too

Apparently, ammonia and rocky ice planets are the only ones where there is no proof of being terraforming candidates (apart from Jovials, of course).

Had I known, I woul dhave snapped it with my phone camera for proof. Hoping to come across another one, eventually...

Z...

smsKONG · Apr 20, 2015

Zeeman said:
Apparently, ammonia and rocky ice planets are the only ones where there is no proof of being terraforming candidates (apart from Jovials, of course).

Had I known, I woul dhave snapped it with my phone camera for proof. Hoping to come across another one, eventually...

Z...

Of course if we had an in game commanders log that kept details of our journeys we could go back through and proof would be there, but I suppose this way we get out more instead of sitting and reminiscing

CMDR Hagglebeard · Apr 20, 2015

iain666 said:
Not docked since January... I pooh-pooh your categorisation of anything that can be done in 6 hours as exploration.

I really hope you dock correctly... Maybe should try the Single player Combat Training before re-entry to human space...

dunnykin · Apr 20, 2015

smsKONG said:
Zeeman - pretty sure I've had ammonia as terraformable before too

I have seen water worlds with ammonia atmosphere that were terraformable.

Eddy Gurge · Apr 20, 2015

Hmmm. Mindless trade runs. Back and forth. Hour after hour. Money, money, money. Weeee......

Explore, Ah! Enter a new system, wow this looks nice. Check it out. Gorgeous! Habitable???? Awesome!

Yeah, you're right OP. Trading is where it's at.

/Oh dear.
/Just like real life. You do the crap work, to afford the fun stuff.

CMDR Ellegon · Apr 20, 2015

Phaaded said:
Ummm no.

I will literally never explore because of this.

Nor will many, many others.

I wlll not try to convince them - or you - to start exploring. That way, the people that enjoy it (which includes me, even though I only do short 2-4 day trips) will have more unexplored space left.

greybuscat · Apr 20, 2015

Phaaded said:
Ummm no.

I will literally never explore because of this.

Nor will many, many others.

So much negativity, arrogance, and self-centered attitude expressed in so few words, it's almost poetic. I'm more impressed than offended, really.

khaitom · Apr 20, 2015

smsKONG said:
Zeeman - pretty sure I've had ammonia as terraformable before too

So have I. They sometimes look like plain brown, very boring balls, but are worth loads. Not sure how you'd terraform then.

Brieus · Apr 20, 2015

Zeeman said:
Apparently, ammonia and rocky ice planets are the only ones where there is no proof of being terraforming candidates (apart from Jovials, of course).

Had I known, I woul dhave snapped it with my phone camera for proof. Hoping to come across another one, eventually...

Z...

I wish I could find some happy planets. All I keep finding are these stupid Jovian types.

Beatz0121 · Apr 20, 2015

Its awesome to hear that some of you have countless hours of free time to play. "wish I did"

As for me, those 6 hours of real life time were felt wasted. It was fun exploring, for a bit, but to be completely honest, as working in the 3D field, and working for a special effects company, all I saw was the same planets with the same textures. the only variance was changing the color scheme. sorry to burst your bubble.

after about the 100th system I realized there was nothing else to explore. The gas giants are awesome to look at. but again.. copy and paste. I am more personally geared towards trade and combat at this time.

But i am by no means bashing anyone who enjoys exploring. This is just my opinion.

Maruun · Apr 20, 2015

S-Kargo said:
I personally think they need to add in more valuable planets. I mean, there is practically an earth-like planet every 5 or so star in human occupied space. Go out and I've scanned like 100 stars without finding one.

Terraformed? Its a thing in Elite and even some system have that category. Earthlike planets are RARE freaking RARE, Even Mars is a Earthlike planet in Elite...Terraformed

kirkkh · Apr 20, 2015

Surly_Badger said:
Explorers don't explore for the credits; if you just want to grind credits there certainly are better ways. It just depends on what you find interesting.

Yeah, imagination is it's own reward, we should make an imagination song.

Kzak · Apr 20, 2015

Yesterday I returned from a two-week exploration trip. Ca 60M credits in total, putting me a fair bit closer to Elite in exploration. Of 1400 systems scanned, 4 had Earth-likes in them, so they aren't exactly everyday findings even for experienced explorers.

SteveLaw · Apr 20, 2015

S-Kargo said:
I personally think they need to add in more valuable planets. I mean, there is practically an earth-like planet every 5 or so star in human occupied space. Go out and I've scanned like 100 stars without finding one.

Haven't the majority of those occupied been terraformed? Out of interest, what sort of ratio of terraform suitable planets have you found?

gooddoc · Apr 20, 2015

Youve got to be bitten by the the bug to explore, 6 hours is not exploring...i returned from a 4 week trip out a couple of days ago covering 21k LYs...sold my data & got 30 mil for it.
got in my Vulture & went down to Empire space to up my ranking. Within 30 mins i'd got back into my Asp & was out in the black again, this time for weeks if not months, who knows.
I could have made heaps more trading or pew-pewing in those 4 weeks, but the lure of exploring suits my play style better.

Joe Spivey · Apr 20, 2015

I don't understand why explorers don't get paid for scanning asteroid belts. Asteroids are the only thing where the information is actually usefull to other players. Scanning planets is only of use to the background simulation.

Wullail · Apr 20, 2015

Jumping into a system and finding this sort of thing unfolding in front of you is WHY you explore....credits are a bonus...

or even this

Are there things that would make exploring better? , sure.

1. Waypoints so you can plan a route thats not 'straight' to a destination.
2. Making the route planner ignore systems that are turned off in the filters.
3. Being able to save a planned route so you can reload and continue on if you lose your connection or log off for the night.

and a few other things...but credits isn't one of them.

Hellhawk666 · Apr 20, 2015

Joe Spivey said:
I don't understand why explorers don't get paid for scanning asteroid belts. Asteroids are the only thing where the information is actually usefull to other players. Scanning planets is only of use to the background simulation.

Yeah, I'm with you on this one - even if it's only chickenfeed, they should be worth something.

Exploration IS done to earn money, but only as tokens to count towards ranking up as an explorer - and as such it makes sense and works. The progression to Elite is reasonably balanced in terms of time as compared with the other rank ladders.

You don't explore to earn big bucks, however - that's what trading is for.

mossfoot · Apr 20, 2015

Hellhawk666 said:
Yeah, I'm with you on this one - even if it's only chickenfeed, they should be worth something.

Exploration IS done to earn money, but only as tokens to count towards ranking up as an explorer - and as such it makes sense and works. The progression to Elite is reasonably balanced in terms of time as compared with the other rank ladders.

You don't explore to earn big bucks, however - that's what trading is for.

Or bounty hunting in RESs for now

Whiterose · Apr 20, 2015

S-Kargo said:
I personally think they need to add in more valuable planets. I mean, there is practically an earth-like planet every 5 or so star in human occupied space. Go out and I've scanned like 100 stars without finding one.

Its about 1:500 scanned systems to find an earth like. the ones in habitable space are mostly trerraformed.