Impossibe Route: The True Reason Behind Stacking Jumprange?

[Chaodiurn]

Ahoi folks,

Today I wanted to take my Python out there to explore stuff. My first stop was going to be the Witch Head Nebula and the end was meant to be the Flame Nebula. Nothing too far away. However, the exploration stopped before I even left dock: my computer said a route into the Witch Head Nebula is impossible to find!

Now, my jump range is 16 light years. Yes, every Asp can do twice. However, I don't care for getting there fast. Venturing barely 800 light years further away from the core didn't seem so much a problem for me. The system, and ultimately the game engine itself, seems to think different: is the density of systems around the Witch Head Nebula already that thin, that you'd get stuck with a 16 ly range? I can get some systems before it, but I want to venture into it. In my Python. In this load-out!

Now, it calculates a course for the Aquila Dark Region on around 950 ly distance without sweat, and the Coalsack is no problem either. The problem is that I don't want to go to those (now)! While I figure that 500 light years is far farther a distance than it sounds, I still think that's quite meh. If you need super-light ships to reach even the semi-outer spheres of the galaxy (just look at how much there is behind the Witch Head! Monkey Head Nebula? Unreachable?!), I'll have to overthrow my whole character's lore and rethink my whole exploration mentality.

My question thus is: do I really need to change my ship to be able to see what I want to? Sure, I could strip stuff off my Python, but I don't really want to do that. Especially for me character's lore (roleplay hype!), it is important to bring the weapons along. All 5 of them! When I strip them off, I may as well take another ship.

Is the true meaning behind jump range not speed but accessibility? Will I have to go out there in a Conda?

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Best you can get out of a Python with a discovery scanner and surface scanner is 28.59Ly

I'd recommend this though, slight increase on powerplant will help a lot when fuel scooping:
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=705,,2-3I6u7_6u2CA08I,5220PKmpX2UI2jw

Modules currently sell for 100% of purchase costs so feel free to swap away until your happy.

You could go with weapons and shields but drop down to a 25.06Ly jump range:
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=705,5TP5TP5TP5Rr5Rr0Wg01Q01Q0Wg,2-6Q6u7_6uA0A08I,5220PKmpV7RempT2UI2jw

Both should get you most place except the absolute rim.

 

[Zeeman]

You silly, silly people that keep on insisting that jump range is for "speed".

*sigh*

First, jump range is not about speed - it's about being able to access more systems.

YES, jump range is important - kind of like hard points and their placement is important for combat, and cargo racks are important for carrying cargo. Limited jump range, limits your exploration. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you want to do it. If you want to do it slow, it's easy, plot an "economical" route, and you can go nuts with 600 jumps for 1000Ly of travel.

Alternatively, fit a heap of cargo racks, and in the galaxy map, adjust the slider for cargo to the level where you want your jump range to be. This is a perfectly viable way to explore, as taking shorter jumps saves on fuel, means you can go further without scooping, and you'll visit more systems in any 1000Ly journey. Well, except ont he rim, but that is a different story...

So, man up, fit your Python out for exploration, because, as shown above, it can be set up for good jump range (do you seriously think an Asp will do 35Ly jumps with a combat setup/trading setup? They need serious stripping down too...), then go and enjoy your trip to your destination any way you like. Except in Supercruise. You can't get between systems in Supercruise.

With that aside...

Just because the route planner can't find a path, doesn't mean there isn't one. You'll need to, so to speak, "blaze your own trail".

What is your jump range as your ship is equipped right now (including fully fueled/empty). You'll find you can probably plot jumps up to 20Ly (or close) when you're near empty. Just make sure you are jumping at a scoopable star. Get the route planner to get you as close as possible, and keep your fuel at about 1/2 to 1/3, and when you find a system that is within your extended jump range, just select it on the galaxy map, don't hit the "plot route" icon (it won't work).

Once the system is selected, fire up the FSD and point in that direction... If you *really* are not about the speed, you will really enjoy finding your own route this way, it's very rewarding. Just make sure you note down your path, so you can get back...

Z...

 

[deathmagnet]

Random +1 so i can give someone that deserves it 2...lol

 

[Zeeman]

In addition to my above edit - once you have plotted your route to be "close to" your destination - you may find that the route planer can find a route...

Z...

 

[Jmanis]

Bear in mind also, the jump-plot range is limited to 1000LY of plotted path, not 1000LY as the space-crow flies (which is what the galaxy map measures). So there may still be a way in with 16LY, but it's highly convoluted and will be much more than 1000LY total.

I had to be around 200LY from the NGC 7822 nebula with a 19LY jump range before I could plot a route to it's center. If you only have a 16LY jump range and want to do it, time to put the "Explore" back into "Explorer" and look for a route in, and not rely on the computer.

 

[Vasious]

I'll second the suggestion to get closer before you plot the route, as it was be that there the suitable connections need to get the long way around and that is exceeding the 1000 light year range on the plotter.

I had the same issues getting to NGC 7822 as Jmanis did, I noticed that there was for my ship, only one way to cross a certain this part of the star clusters.

I remember in the Gamma when there was no route planner, plotting at trip out to the Pleiades in a Sidewinder ended up in going the long way around the dark regions as as you could go in so far but run into a jump that was too far and you had to turn around and go a different way

 

[Chaodiurn]

Thanks guys! Many valuable information right here. I have now plotted a route that brings me around 500 light years closer, and will see how close I get. That, or I will try to jump into an exploration Conda. Searching my own route sounds like massive fun though.

There is one question left that I now have: I see lots of people fitting very small power plants in their ships, like an A4 in a slot that fits a class 6 PP. Wouldn't that overheat the whole ship? I can only speak from combat, where bigger power plants keep the ship cooler. But since exploring deals with external heat almost exclusively, is this truly viable? They save much weight, I reckon that. It is the fuel scooping and the jump into neutron stars that I fear most.

What is your jump range as your ship is equipped right now (including fully fueled/empty). You'll find you can probably plot jumps up to 20Ly (or close) when you're near empty. Just make sure you are jumping at a scoopable star. Get the route planner to get you as close as possible, and keep your fuel at about 1/2 to 1/3, and when you find a system that is within your extended jump range, just select it on the galaxy map, don't hit the "plot route" icon (it won't work).

Z...

The calculations were tried with a jump range of 16,03 light years. Completely filled my jump range is reduced to 15,85, while a completely emptied fuel tank would in theory allow jump as far as 16,42 light years.

 

[Jmanis]

Thanks guys! Many valuable information right here. I have now plotted a route that brings me around 500 light years closer, and will see how close I get. That, or I will try to jump into an exploration Conda. Searching my own route sounds like massive fun though.

That's the right attitude I read many posts about getting to NGC 7822 or crossing the Formidine Rift being almost impossible without a 30LY+ jump range, doing both in a 20LY ship was a great feeling, and trying to navigate sparse areas without many scoopable stars just made arriving at my destination that much more exciting.

 

[deathmagnet]

There is one question left that I now have: I see lots of people fitting very small power plants in their ships, like an A4 in a slot that fits a class 6 PP. Wouldn't that overheat the whole ship? I can only speak from combat, where bigger power plants keep the ship cooler. But since exploring deals with external heat almost exclusively, is this truly viable? They save much weight, I reckon that. It is the fuel scooping and the jump into neutron stars that I fear most.

Heat is based on the letter rating of the Power Plant. A's will always be heat efficient regardless if they are size 2 or 8.

 

[Zeeman]

Thanks guys! Many valuable information right here. I have now plotted a route that brings me around 500 light years closer, and will see how close I get. That, or I will try to jump into an exploration Conda. Searching my own route sounds like massive fun though.

There is one question left that I now have: I see lots of people fitting very small power plants in their ships, like an A4 in a slot that fits a class 6 PP. Wouldn't that overheat the whole ship? I can only speak from combat, where bigger power plants keep the ship cooler. But since exploring deals with external heat almost exclusively, is this truly viable? They save much weight, I reckon that. It is the fuel scooping and the jump into neutron stars that I fear most.



The calculations were tried with a jump range of 16,03 light years. Completely filled my jump range is reduced to 15,85, while a completely emptied fuel tank would in theory allow jump as far as 16,42 light years.

OK, keep in mind that the rout eplotter will only plot a maximum 15.85, regardless of what you set. So get yourself close, and then try manually working your way in.

As I said, the only way to plot a jump for "max" jump range, is to do it with a low enough tank of fuel, and just select a system within your limit . Don't "plot a jump" to it, just select it. so long as it is within the current max jump range of the ship, at it's current overall mass, you'll make the jump.

And, again, make sure you can either scoop the star you are jumping to, or have enough fuel to jump back.

On a side note, considered dropping your power pant a size? You'll probably find it'll power your ship (with proper use of priorities), and you won't have to ditch anything else, and will get you an extra Ly or two. EG - from from 7A to 6A...

A 6A provides more power and has less weight than a 7C.




Z...

 

[Chaodiurn]

That's the right attitude I read many posts about getting to NGC 7822 or crossing the Formidine Rift being almost impossible without a 30LY+ jump range, doing both in a 20LY ship was a great feeling, and trying to navigate sparse areas without many scoopable stars just made arriving at my destination that much more exciting.

Ha, thanks! I must say, hearing that much about this Rift lately, I may put it on my go-to list...

Heat is based on the letter rating of the Power Plant. A's will always be heat efficient regardless if they are size 2 or 8.

Thanks a lot!

On a side note, considered dropping your power pant a size? You'll probably find it'll power your ship (with proper use of priorities), and you won't have to ditch anything else, and will get you an extra Ly or two. EG - from from 7A to 6A...

A 6A provides more power and has less weight than a 7C.

Z...

I have toyed around with it in the shipyard. Getting in the A6 power plant and the A6 power distributor, ranges go up to 18,01 without fuel and 17,33 completely filled! That could come in handy. Still, I'm toying with the idea to make it with the original setup (both A7). Will look deeper into it though. Perhaps I'll even make a travel report of it, who knows!

 

[-SOVEREIGN-]

Regarding the power plant it is often this situation: you have a stripped down ship w/o weapons that uses x amount of MW. If you have a power plant that gives you x+10 MW, you can very well put a smaller power plant in that's =x or most close to it and don't feel any difference.

In an explorer with weapons it's getting a bit more complicated as you will generate heat. But this still works if you just compare the A-rated power plants. The 7A gives you 30MW, but if you only need 20MW i.e., a 5A will be enough saving you 30t of weight basically (and some credits). The distributor though weights the most, but is also the most crucial in combat. It's just up to you. If you never even empty your capacitor (because of 5 cannons i.e.), you could think about downgrading it, in a 5 laser setup I would use the 7A.

 

[Chaodiurn]

Regarding the power plant it is often this situation: you have a stripped down ship w/o weapons that uses x amount of MW. If you have a power plant that gives you x+10 MW, you can very well put a smaller power plant in that's =x or most close to it and don't feel any difference.

In an explorer with weapons it's getting a bit more complicated as you will generate heat. But this still works if you just compare the A-rated power plants. The 7A gives you 30MW, but if you only need 20MW i.e., a 5A will be enough saving you 30t of weight basically (and some credits). The distributor though weights the most, but is also the most crucial in combat. It's just up to you. If you never even empty your capacitor (because of 5 cannons i.e.), you could think about downgrading it, in a 5 laser setup I would use the 7A.

When it comes to energy drain, my Python is rather needy. With three gimbaled lasers c3 and two gimbaled multicannons c2, the energy doesn't last long even with the A7. The energy of the power plant A7, however, is way too much for my Python to use. At best, I only use one laser turret at the bottom, and that one isn't even installed at the moment. Thus, with one SCB active at a time, I run at only 79% with all toys activated. I kinda would with for two additional slots to pump shield boosters in. Alas. With the A6 (which is 35 million cheaper and lowers the insurance by 500.000 on its own!) I still have 94% usage, still with all toys on. To me, the power plant in the Python feels way too strong. It rather could do with a A6 max and a A6 FSD as compensation imho.

 

[-SOVEREIGN-]

Yeah I know what you mean. The power plant seems oversized - but in fact this is one selling point over the FdL. You can put in almost whatever you want and it will work. It's hard to use more than 30MW and the Python is one of the few ships who actually can use the A-rated scanners with their ridiculously high 3.2MW usage

I use my Python as a pure combat vessel and I'd rather stick with the A7 PP and A5 FSD ;D

 

[Cmdr Rhott Roe]

OP, just run what you brung, sort of speak. I went to your wish list of destinations in a fully A class combat Python. I barely had 14.6 ly jump range. This was before the route planner would plan 1k route. I just kept pointing my ship in the right direction and off I went. Saw way more fascinating systems along the way that would have been missed if I had a ship that could jump twice as far and a planner to map my route.
Take your combat Python and go. You will not be disappointed.

 

[Chaodiurn]

Yeah I know what you mean. The power plant seems oversized - but in fact this is one selling point over the FdL. You can put in almost whatever you want and it will work. It's hard to use more than 30MW and the Python is one of the few ships who actually can use the A-rated scanners with their ridiculously high 3.2MW usage

I use my Python as a pure combat vessel and I'd rather stick with the A7 PP and A5 FSD ;D

Gosh I love my 4 km range. Admittedly, part of me wanted the Python because I'm too lazy for power management.
E: I'm so jealous of the FdL's huge hardpoint though. I'd love to fool around with a C4 PA. Alas, it's the major reason for me to buy a Conda eventually. The FdL sadly goes against my playstyle with its horrible range and that 8 litre tank -- on a 50 million dollar ship?!

OP, just run what you brung, sort of speak. I went to your wish list of destinations in a fully A class combat Python. I barely had 14.6 ly jump range. This was before the route planner would plan 1k route. I just kept pointing my ship in the right direction and off I went. Saw way more fascinating systems along the way that would have been missed if I had a ship that could jump twice as far and a planner to map my route.
Take your combat Python and go. You will not be disappointed.

Oh, I will. And nothing that can be killed will stop me...

 

[Ozmodion]

And don't forget if you do get stuck out there and run out of fuel don't self destruct call the fuel rats and we will come and get you. Fuel rats.org

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

Once the system is selected, fire up the FSD and point in that direction... If you *really* are not about the speed, you will really enjoy finding your own route this way, it's very rewarding. Just make sure you note down your path, so you can get back...

In what way is using the route finder 'finding your own route this way'?

If the route planner respected the filtering on star types that you can apply in the galaxy map, it might be useful. But since it doesn't, I have not used the route planner for months. One jump at a time, choosing 'the most interesting' system in 'the right direction' is how I do it. I am nearly 1,000 jumps into my current journey, all individually selected. My range is around 32LY, my average jump is around 26LY, including fairly bare patches with no real choice of what star to go to next.

 

[Allitnil]

Bear in mind also, the jump-plot range is limited to 1000LY of plotted path, not 1000LY as the space-crow flies (which is what the galaxy map measures).

No, the route plotter will give plots out to 1000 LY from your current position even if the sum of the individual jumps is much longer.