Are discoveries available to everyone?

[anniesron]

If you discover something in elite dangerous, does everyone see it on their map or only you?
I have recently found a planet that was not on my map, however once it appeared, it shows as first discovered by ######.
So that implies that others can discover things while it is still not known by all.
Can anyone explain the mechanics behind this?

 

[Strangepork]

Your ships have a database of the galaxy which is updated by you

 

[anniesron]

So then I would expect the inhabited "bubble" we see will never actually expand? And with each player having their own db of the galaxy, you can never really be certain of how far out you have to go before finding unexplored space.

 

[Bacon Sarnie]

Everyone sees everyone elses discoveries, not just their own.
I've found vast amounts of things discovered by other explorers.
The major reason I go out there into the black to find things is so I can get my name out their seen by countless other Commanders, its my own little bit of immortality.

 

[kpmop]

If you discover something (using the discovery scanner) then it shows as unexplored until you do a scan or detailed surface scan. An object is tagged by the first person to scan it. As far as I can tell only you get to see the things a system you've discovered - for anyone else to see them they have to do use the discovery scanner...

It kind of makes sense for gameplay as it means everyone can scan a system and get paid for it (although you only get the first discovery bonus, if you're first to, er, discover it).

 

[Saint242]

So then I would expect the inhabited "bubble" we see will never actually expand? And with each player having their own db of the galaxy, you can never really be certain of how far out you have to go before finding unexplored space.

No...

When you go into an unexplored (to you) star system and do a discovery scan, it will reveal all the astronomical bodies within the scanner's range. (For Advanced Scanners, that's the whole system, regardless of range.) If someone has been there before you, it will show a little tag next to each body that says, "Discovered by CMDR ______".

If you don't see that tag, it means no one has ever explored that body before. You can fly over to it and do a detailed scan, and then when you return to a station and sell your data, your name will be tagged on the body as the discoverer.

Most of the star systems within a few hundred light years of inhabited space have already been mapped by other CMDRs, and routes towards major nebulae and other "tourist" attractions like Sagittarius A* have also been explored. But there are literally hundreds of billions of other star systems that haven't been explored.

 

[b0rg9]

You'll find little at all w/in the bubble or real close that hasn't been "first discovered" yet. But you may still be surprised if you're lucky.

To get a "First Discovered by CMDR anniesron" you first must be carrying the Detailed Surface Scanner along with at least a Basic Discovery scanner that you run upon entry to that system to show all objects in the system w/in that scanner's range. The Intermediate Disco. Scanner has a longer range and the Adv. Disco. Scanner finds everything in that system.

After you've done that you can view the system map to see if it's been "tagged" already with any "First Discoverd by..."'s. This does not mean you cannot detail scan them yourself for exploration credits to cash in at Cartographics. On the contrary, you should still scan what you prefer -- especially any water or ammonia worlds, earthlikes and metal-rich. Detail scan an system object by navigating to it and pointing your ship at it until in range to begin scanning.

If you find an object (star or planet/moon) without a "First Discovered by" tag you can potentially have that for yourself. You will also get bonus cash when turning in your data. But you have to make it back to civilized space first and hope someone hasn't done that before you for that object or else you'll just get regular credits.

Hopefully that's all clear as mud. There are plenty of exploration 101 tutorials that cover more details and help you prep for exploration and have a plan of attack.

 

[Raiko]

In an Asp or a Diamondback, it'll only take you 30 minutes or so to get 1000LY from civilisation if you just keep honking, refueling and jumping.

Once you get 1000LY away there're plenty of untagged systems/planets as long as you're not directly enroute to a tourist-destination.

 

[Cody]

... it'll only take you 30 minutes or so to get 1000LY from civilisation [snip] as long as you're not directly enroute to a tourist-destination.

That makes me rather sad, tbh. <howls mournfully>

 

[Traveller_GG]

That makes me rather sad, tbh. <howls mournfully>

if it makes you feel better, generally it takes me about 40 minutes

 

[Cody]

<grins wryly>

 

[Raiko]

That makes me rather sad, tbh. <howls mournfully>

Sorry about that.

I am a galactic tourist though!

'Selfies at Sadge' and all that...

 

[iain666]

If you don't see that tag, it means no one has ever explored that body before. You can fly over to it and do a detailed scan, and then when you return to a station and sell your data, your name will be tagged on the body as the discoverer.

Strictly it means no one has sold data on that body to UC before. Things that were unknown to UC when you scanned them may not be first discoveries when you sell your data as someone else could have scanned them and got home to sell the data first.

 

[Reichl 22]

You'll find little at all w/in the bubble or real close that hasn't been "first discovered" yet. But you may still be surprised if you're lucky.

To get a "First Discovered by CMDR anniesron" you first must be carrying the Detailed Surface Scanner along with at least a Basic Discovery scanner that you run upon entry to that system to show all objects in the system w/in that scanner's range. The Intermediate Disco. Scanner has a longer range and the Adv. Disco. Scanner finds everything in that system.

After you've done that you can view the system map to see if it's been "tagged" already with any "First Discoverd by..."'s. This does not mean you cannot detail scan them yourself for exploration credits to cash in at Cartographics. On the contrary, you should still scan what you prefer -- especially any water or ammonia worlds, earthlikes and metal-rich. Detail scan an system object by navigating to it and pointing your ship at it until in range to begin scanning.

If you find an object (star or planet/moon) without a "First Discovered by" tag you can potentially have that for yourself. You will also get bonus cash when turning in your data. But you have to make it back to civilized space first and hope someone hasn't done that before you for that object or else you'll just get regular credits.

Hopefully that's all clear as mud. There are plenty of exploration 101 tutorials that cover more details and help you prep for exploration and have a plan of attack.

Hi, thank you and also have one question. When I am going to sell exploration data, how can I tell that planet or star still count as first discovered by me? Is there some list of "First discovered by me"? Or at least when selling, tells me I am the first?

 

[CMDR DoubleSkulls]

In an Asp or a Diamondback, it'll only take you 30 minutes or so to get 1000LY from civilisation if you just keep honking, refueling and jumping.

Once you get 1000LY away there're plenty of untagged systems/planets as long as you're not directly enroute to a tourist-destination.

My first untagged system this trip, going in an arbitrary direction (north westish and up) was 440ly from Sol. However if you head out towards Barnards Loop then most systems have been tagged the whole way.

Just don't head in a straight line towards something obvious...

 

[iain666]

Hi, thank you and also have one question. When I am going to sell exploration data, how can I tell that planet or star still count as first discovered by me? Is there some list of "First discovered by me"? Or at least when selling, tells me I am the first?

It tells you when you sell. There is no list maintained by the game beyond that.

(keeps fingers crossed hoping an API turns up eventually that gives us access to that information)

 

[CMDR DoubleSkulls]

If you discover something in elite dangerous, does everyone see it on their map or only you?
I have recently found a planet that was not on my map, however once it appeared, it shows as first discovered by ######.
So that implies that others can discover things while it is still not known by all.
Can anyone explain the mechanics behind this?

It is a little complicated. Everyone starts with the same galactic database. There are well known systems everyone can see all the details of. There are purchasable systems where you can buy the exploration data and there are unknown systems where you can't even buy the data. This selection does not appear to change - so for example lots of people have been to Sag A*, but the system isn't purchasable.

When you visit a purchasable system or unexplored system then you need to use the system scanner (basic, intermediate or advanced) to find any of the other astronomical bodies in the system. Once you do you'll be able to see lots of information about them, including first discovered tags. Confusingly there is a bug so some purchasable and unexplored systems don't have tags on bodies, but these have actually been discovered already.

In order to be eligible for first discovered status you need to scan the unknown object with a detailed surface scanner. First discovered tags are only awarded once you sell the data to Universal Cartographics. If someone visits the system after you, but sells the data first, they get the credit. Once one person has sold the data the system will show their tag for anyone looking at the system map.

 

[b0rg9]

Hi, thank you and also have one question. When I am going to sell exploration data, how can I tell that planet or star still count as first discovered by me? Is there some list of "First discovered by me"? Or at least when selling, tells me I am the first?

Yes, a little "Congrats! You have first discoveries" type window comes up for them. Then you can write them down if you want and try to get the galaxy map to navigate to them, which hasn't been working very well lately.

 

[goemon]

Or at least when selling, tells me I am the first?

this. you get a fancy gratulation message during the selling process. which can be aborted, because it gets quite annoying if you are selling data of your last deep space exploration trip, if repeated hundred times :-D

 

[Reichl 22]

this. you get a fancy gratulation message during the selling process. which can be aborted, because it gets quite annoying if you are selling data of your last deep space exploration trip, if repeated hundred times :-D

cool. Wonder if XONE has same version of galaxy or their owns? Because I play on XONE and almost every system I visited was already taged.. I dont think that there is so much players in preview program and all of them have detailed surface scanners...