Explorer - anything worth discovering?

Cosmo Bozo

Cosmo Bozo
I think being the only one to know the location of a habitable planet could be quite lucrative.

I hope the gameplay is immersive and fun even when you are all alone, things like scooping fuel could get a bit bumpy and hazardous for example.
 

NeilF

NeilF
noodle said:
So I'm looking at the "Explorer" starting option ("Have the option to start on the edge of explored space with a long range version of the Cobra Mk III and 3,000 CR") and wondering if there's any point to it. If you're heading out beyond the core of settled systems, will there actually be anything to see other than pretty scenery?

On a related note, can we have multiple characters on the go? Or are we tied to one per account?
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We have the same concern - http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9179



As regards characters, I believe you have three profiles to flick between.
 

Faerie

Faerie
In Frontier I spent a lot of time as an explorer just for the thrill of going to places that perhaps no other player had ever been. :cool:
Planning my routes so I didn't hit any dead-ends by being unable to make a crucial jump. Carefully checking distances between systems in case I jumped into somewhere with no gas giants & had to jump back. Sometimes making large detours to check in to a rare populated system where I could get my ship serviced because you really don't need an engine breakdown when you're 50 light years from civilization.
Occasionally I might run into a pirate fleet. Run or fight ? Can't afford to take module damage out there & I might have to use my last, precious missile, but if I run ? Frying pan ? Fire ? :eek:

And when I reached the very edge of the galaxy, what then ? Turn around & go back ? Continue around the edge, praying the ship would hold up ? Hours spent searching the map for some far-flung station where I could take some (metaphorical) R&R. Then onward, & all because later I could look at the star chart & say "I've been there". Fantastic ! :D
 

NeilF

NeilF
Faerie said:
In Frontier I spent a lot of time as an explorer just for the thrill of going to places that perhaps no other player had ever been. :cool:
Planning my routes so I didn't hit any dead-ends by being unable to make a crucial jump. Carefully checking distances between systems in case I jumped into somewhere with no gas giants & had to jump back. Sometimes making large detours to check in to a rare populated system where I could get my ship serviced because you really don't need an engine breakdown when you're 50 light years from civilization.
Occasionally I might run into a pirate fleet. Run or fight ? Can't afford to take module damage out there & I might have to use my last, precious missile, but if I run ? Frying pan ? Fire ? :eek:

And when I reached the very edge of the galaxy, what then ? Turn around & go back ? Continue around the edge, praying the ship would hold up ? Hours spent searching the map for some far-flung station where I could take some (metaphorical) R&R. Then onward, & all because later I could look at the star chart & say "I've been there". Fantastic ! :D
Click to expand...

But surely if all you're doing is seeing system after system without any vistas or artifact or things to make the journey/exploration worth while? I want that rare "odd" thing to happen every now and then. eg: That single asteroid in the middle of no where with something odd in/on it.
 

NeilF

NeilF
Ixnatifual said:
Maybe the first ship to discover the Thargoid homeworld sets them loose upon the universe :)
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I think that would be too "big" :) But maybe explorers are more likely to bump into Thargoids going about their business. And under rare (very rare) conditions if you can follow one in stealth mode you may find it returing to a Thargoid mothership or the like?

Just little things like this will bring an explorers career alive! If it's just system after system without anything to add risk/wonder, it might wear thin.


And as I've also said before, I wonder if their will be vistas? eg: Pulsars flashing in/though nebulas. Or bizare nebula formations like the "Pillars or Creation" to find/see? Not seen the slightest mention of this!?
 

MaxT

M
I think after the expansions it will become much more viable and interesting. You will be able to find a system and land on a planet that nobody visited before and hunt some unique animals. :D
 

Jenner

I wish I was English like my hero Tj.
Jenner
MaxT said:
I think after the expansions it will become much more viable and interesting. You will be able to find a system and land on a planet that nobody visited before and hunt some unique animals. :D
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Yeah! Hopefully I'll find some derelict ship, too! Maybe a big chamber full of eggs... might just have to get a real, good, *close* look at them. :D
 

Erimus Kamzel

Erimus Kamzel
The Trumble homeworld is out there too. A place full of furry space rodents that cost me 5,000 hard earned credits back in 1984.

I will find them, and gut them like fish. Like fish :mad:

Or nuke them from orbit. Its the only way to be sure.
 
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Faerie

Faerie
NeilF said:
But surely if all you're doing is seeing system after system without any vistas or artifact or things to make the journey/exploration worth while? I want that rare "odd" thing to happen every now and then. eg: That single asteroid in the middle of no where with something odd in/on it.
Click to expand...

I think perhaps you misunderstand the nature of exploration, because it wasn't done for any "Ooh ! Aah! look at that !" instant gratification. The satisfaction came from overcoming the sheer difficulty of crossing huge distances alone & without support. Each time you hyperspace you are jumping into the unknown & each new system brings new & often huge challenges that you must solve with your resourcefulness & skill.

Also consider that when playing in this way you effectively enter "Iron Man" mode - Yes you could try something, die, & load your last save, then try again & again until you get it right, but the most profound satisfaction comes from meeting the dangers head-on & defeating them *without* getting killed.
When you could do that, you knew you truly were 'Elite'.
 

NeilF

NeilF
Faerie said:
I think perhaps you misunderstand the nature of exploration, because it wasn't done for any "Ooh ! Aah! look at that !" instant gratification. The satisfaction came from overcoming the sheer difficulty of crossing huge distances alone & without support. Each time you hyperspace you are jumping into the unknown & each new system brings new & often huge challenges that you must solve with your resourcefulness & skill.

Also consider that when playing in this way you effectively enter "Iron Man" mode - Yes you could try something, die, & load your last save, then try again & again until you get it right, but the most profound satisfaction comes from meeting the dangers head-on & defeating them *without* getting killed.
When you could do that, you knew you truly were 'Elite'.
Click to expand...

I understand that, and I can see that aspect of gameplay could be gratifying. But I also think there needs to be some sort of other level to exploration; Consider a walk through some reomte woods. You reach the peak of ahill and have a beautiful view to admire, or find a hidden waterfall, with a small cave behind it, with someone's old belongings in, or a cabin tucked away... etc...

My point is, it would be lovely for at least some exploration to find beautiful new vistas to look at, admire, share and talk about, or odd locations/artifacts to see. None of these even need to be anything more than things to look at, but they will add mystery, intrigue and depth IMHO.
 

MarcusAurelius

MarcusAurelius
I don't think exploration would need get boring. We just need the procedural planet generation to be elaborate enough to make many different types of planets and especially procedurally generated alien wildlife. Then its very possible we could find rare places in the universe and still be amazed and have significant impact on ED's economy or viability for new colonies. In fact it would be a good source of income to find the most hospitable planets and sell the information back to human settlements back within the 250ly bubble. The more hospitable and mineral rich the habitable planets or moons, the more money earned.

I think if the FD team are going to dedicate an entire expansion to planetary landings and presumably the resources expended will almost be like time and energy spent on building ED, can you imagine how good and thorough the ED will be? I'm sure by then I will truly regret not joining the DDF :eek:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxVUC65uBmw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUnk8XdnB_B2VoWqt_Iz8aFg

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmeiXEm9hFY

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6a69dMLb_k

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEq793g8Ivc
 

StarTux

S
Exploration will be fun, but even more so after the two expansions, can you imagine discovering a planet with water and then checking to see if the atmosphere is breathable? Finding out it has a breathable atmosphere with, and then wondering if life has sprung up and in what shape or form? Slowly descending through cloud cover to burst over a plain covered in strange looking beasts who stampede away in every direction, you find a good spot to land, then toggle over to first person control and retrieve your hunting rifle out of storage as you make your way out into this strange new world...
 

neilisdead

N
How about...

Surely a cool thing would be able name the planets etc that are found in the system... maybe take your map back and submit the names for vetting by the powers that be.
 
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