The Future of Exploration Ship Choices

[Scimiter]

I have just tried out the Anaconda for exploration and the Cobra with two short trips 500ly from civilization.
The Anaconda, you feel very safe in it especially on the return and she has good jump range and the fuel is fine, but of cause you are risking up to 10,000,000 + credits insurance if you loose it, also the repair bill was 1.500.000 credits, although if you own an Anaconda that is not a great deal. All in all she is a great ship for exploration.

The Cobra is an icon in Elite, she has good jump range when stripped down and plenty of fuel and is quick enough to escape most interdictions on the way back, exploring seems a lot quicker with the Cobra and if disaster strikes the credit hit is negligble.
I think the Cobra will by my ship of choice for exploration

 

[puca]

Scimiter do you remember exactly what the repair bill and hull integrity were? I am trying to gather data to reverse engineer the wear and tear formula here:

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=140296

 

[janmb]

I just set off on my 2nd trip in my Clipper. 1st trip was 1500LY from sol towards the center. I learned a lot on that trip. So far I'm 600LY from Sol headed towards the California Nebula. Here is my Clipper lay out:
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=603,5Rr5Rr5Rr5Rr,2-7_A07_8SA08S6k,53w7UI0MW0MW05U05U2jw2UI

an extra 10LY per jump would be nice, as would a larger fuel tank. But, the size 7 scoop is incredible. By the time I line up for the next jump my fuel tank is full.

Lot of room for improvement there if you wanted to.... you can go with a lot smaller plant, and a lot weaker/no shields. Also cut the weight of those lasers.

My config would be something like this>

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=603,mpW0Wg,2-3I8S7_8S2C8S6k,53w0Nc0M20M205U05U2jw2UI


I must admit I prefer the Asp or Anaconda tho. As many others have pointed out, the anaconda is sluggish and painful to turn, the Asp feels a lot more convenient imo. So money aside, if you can live with the ever so slightly lower jump range, the Asp is better in absolutely every other way imo

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60g,0Wg0Wg,2-3I6u7_6u2C8S8I,5220Nc0KU0KU7Q42UI2jw

 

[Bladesteel]

I have just tried out the Anaconda for exploration and the Cobra with two short trips 500ly from civilization.
The Anaconda, you feel very safe in it especially on the return and she has good jump range and the fuel is fine, but of cause you are risking up to 10,000,000 + credits insurance if you loose it, also the repair bill was 1.500.000 credits, although if you own an Anaconda that is not a great deal. All in all she is a great ship for exploration.

The Cobra is an icon in Elite, she has good jump range when stripped down and plenty of fuel and is quick enough to escape most interdictions on the way back, exploring seems a lot quicker with the Cobra and if disaster strikes the credit hit is negligble.
I think the Cobra will by my ship of choice for explorationhttps://forums.frontier.co.uk/images/icons/vbposticons/icon10.gif

On returning I wouldn't care about the insurance cost if i blew up, but about the lost exploration data.

 

[Fizzymcbangbang]

Im currently 7k lys out in an anaconda - 38ly jumps and a massive fuel scoop makes things a lot faster - but still, the Asps view and the fact it doesnt turn like a brick make it the best explorer for me.I will be swapping back once I get home.

 

[puca]

Im currently 7k lys out in an anaconda - 38ly jumps and a massive fuel scoop makes things a lot faster - but still, the Asps view and the fact it doesnt turn like a brick make it the best explorer for me.I will be swapping back once I get home.

Enormous wear and tear repair bills in the anaconda, too .

 

[Kancro Vantas]

The thing is that I still think there could be a highly specialized ship for exploration...say maybe 2 small hard points...4 utility....4 size 1 compartments for scanners (I imagine two more scanners will be added after landing in planets)...2 size 3 -for AFMU and shield- and 1 size 5 -for scoop with a 6 size fuel and a 6 size FSD. Need not to be big -why for? But great windows to look out like the Asp -no, is not for pics so debug cam is not used: I actually move head around when exploring, to keep scanning a planet while looking out for the next.

Jump range is definitely the most important part here and this thing should be able to pull 60ly fully kitted - 70ly when not. 10 MM Cr. Look like a combination between the Asp and the Clipper.

Conda seems to be able to travel 40ly at a time almost as a byproduct for its large FSD, not intended. Between Asp at 36ly, and 6MM cr and Conda at 40ly and 146 MM, those are the most ridiculously expensive 4 ly difference that is really not worth it 140 MM. IMHO.

 

[Jaden]

The thing is that I still think there could be a highly specialized ship for exploration...say maybe 2 small hard points...4 utility....4 size 1 compartments for scanners (I imagine two more scanners will be added after landing in planets)...2 size 3 -for AFMU and shield- and 1 size 5 -for scoop with a 6 size fuel and a 6 size FSD. Need not to be big -why for? But great windows to look out like the Asp -no, is not for pics so debug cam is not used: I actually move head around when exploring, to keep scanning a planet while looking out for the next.

Jump range is definitely the most important part here and this thing should be able to pull 60ly fully kitted - 70ly when not. 10 MM Cr. Look like a combination between the Asp and the Clipper.

Conda seems to be able to travel 40ly at a time almost as a byproduct for its large FSD, not intended. Between Asp at 36ly, and 6MM cr and Conda at 40ly and 146 MM, those are the most ridiculously expensive 4 ly difference that is really not worth it 140 MM. IMHO.

Fully agree - exactly what I am dreaming!!

Well at least give us 50LYs to get to some of those more remote systems.

I was hoping for the Imperial Courier, but I guess that is not going to happen (it's going to be more like a Cobra, it looks).
So maybe the Diamondback...?

 

[ColdFish]

I actually have some hope that the Diamonback (and even the courier) might turn out to be explo ships. (Or at least suited to explo duty)
The concept for the Diamondback looks like a cockpit squashed between 2 huge engines to me, so it might fit.

Also, we got 2 combat ships in the last major patch and we have a decent number of multi-purpose ships and traders already, so the notion of FD adding new explo specific ships makes sense to me.
But yeah, it's all guesswork and hope for now...

 

[Obtuse]

I actually have some hope that the Diamonback (and even the courier) might turn out to be explo ships. (Or at least suited to explo duty)
The concept for the Diamondback looks like a cockpit squashed between 2 huge engines to me, so it might fit.

Also, we got 2 combat ships in the last major patch and we have a decent number of multi-purpose ships and traders already, so the notion of FD adding new explo specific ships makes sense to me.
But yeah, it's all guesswork and hope for now...

I agree, I think the Diamondback will be an exploration vessel. As to whether or not its an more or less $$ than the asp who knows? (Can't wait to find out though!)

 

[Caleuche]

I actually have some hope that the Diamonback (and even the courier) might turn out to be explo ships. (Or at least suited to explo duty)
The concept for the Diamondback looks like a cockpit squashed between 2 huge engines to me, so it might fit.

I was disappointed that there was no real detail on the Diamondback in last week's announcement and Q&A other than it's a Lakon ship. It would be cool if it were an explorer - after all the Asp is a Lakon. However, with the emphasis FD has show towards mining in the next updates, I really think the Diamondback will be a multi-role with special aptitude for mining and strong defenses. But then I'm exploring in a T6 so maybe it will be both.

 

[puca]

If that picture is accurate, the diamondback is quite small (compare canopy size to ship size). This, coupled with the manufacturer being Lakon tells us things. Namely: probably relatively inexpensive, probably an explorer/trader generalist.

 

[Renegade Roach]

My issue with exploration ships, and exploration in general, is that there is very little point to new ships if all they offer is a little extra jump range. What I would like to see is some attention given to the actual mechanics of exploration, how we go about finding and scanning celestial bodies. That would open up the possibility of true exploration ships with specialist capabilities. It's a crying shame that FD went to all the effort of creating this huge simulation of a galaxy but didn't put any time or effort into the actual business of exploring it. Still hoping they'll see the irony of this and get their act together in the not too distant future.

 

[puca]

I agree with you Renegade Roach, but actually maneuverability rating is another valuable stat for explorers (not just jump range). Asp's maneuverability is only 6. This affects turning to scan in supercruise.

 

[Renegade Roach]

I agree with you Renegade Roach, but actually maneuverability rating is another valuable stat for explorers (not just jump range). Asp's maneuverability is only 6. This affects turning to scan in supercruise.

Sure, but it's somewhat indicative of the state of the exploration 'game' that sc maneuverability is all we can think of aside from jump range/fuel efficiency and whether the ship has a nice cockpit

(I actually did like somebody posted above and sold my Cnda because I hate how it handles. Was going ot use it for exploration and trade, but it was no fun at all.)

 

[smsKONG]

I actually have some hope that the Diamonback (and even the courier) might turn out to be explo ships. (Or at least suited to explo duty)
The concept for the Diamondback looks like a cockpit squashed between 2 huge engines to me, so it might fit.

Also, we got 2 combat ships in the last major patch and we have a decent number of multi-purpose ships and traders already, so the notion of FD adding new explo specific ships makes sense to me.
But yeah, it's all guesswork and hope for now...

I'm thinking the diamondback is a dedicated smugglers ship precisely because of those big engines - looks like a blockade runner.

Although who knows; it may turn out to be a good choice for an explorer regardless of what it's supposed to be.

 

[SCADVID]

Here I am dreading to log on to even trade for 1.6mil for the advanced scanner, forget the ship!

Exploration side is terrific (MOAR PLZ). But even getting to the point to leave mankind behind...IS the CHORE!

Add a hull repairer (or we can exit to repair the ship), and Sol will never be seen again, I'll be with the Creator now!

 

[Vasious]

The Courier was confirmed as a Multi-role not the "Pew Pew"

Anyway, remeber we should be able to fit more fuel tanks on ships, but that will come at the cost of more mass.
That said, I have never found anywhere were I might run out of fuel, as the economic setting give a huge range & if there is anywhere that is so thin on stars and the only stars are non scoopable that economic cant get you across, the extra fuel tanks will either solve this or prevent you from having the jump range anyway.

All that said I use the Adder to explore, I likethe wear and tear costs of 9k vs what ever the 20-80 million credit cost ships would be

 

[SCADVID]

All that said I use the Adder to explore, I likethe wear and tear costs of 9k vs what ever the 20-80 million credit cost ships would be

Yep, that's what I'm thinking as well. In the Cobra now and simply don't like this ship but for it's canopy view. Adder without the support frames for windows (would be nonsensical in 3300, especially when metal could be transparent by then), is enough to hop along (certainly made more credits with it exploring than this trade route to the riches route that is a CAPITAL BORE).

 

[Alvatore]

That said, I have never found anywhere were I might run out of fuel,

I've heard stories about areas of space rich with unscoopable brown dwarfs.