The forsaken road

[dayrth]

I have at last started on my long anticipated journey in to the unknown and the first expedition taken on behalf of ARC. For nearly a year I have been promising myself a proper expedition of discovery, but only now found the time and opportuninty. I have no set direction to go in or destination to arrive at. I will just head out and see where the fates take me. This is the build I will be going with:
Asp

As you can see I am going armed and shielded. Not that I'm paranoid or anything. I will be running with weapons and some other systems powered down though to save heat. I am only taking two heatsink launchers and you cant synthesise ammo for those My ship is in tip top condition and I even had a respray. It will be interesting to see what condition she comes back in (if I make it back at all).

Part one:

Spoiler

[HIP 74290] ARCS Robert Fitzroy Fully fit and with shiny new paintwork, just before setting off.

Made my first foray in to the unknown. Everything went smoothly enough, although I didn't manage to get very far. I expect to make better progress as I get more experienced. I did mange to visit 25 systems. All had been visited before, but a few at least had undiscovered planets.

Spoiler

I finished the evening with a first. Landing on a previously undiscovered moon.

 

[milkyway_dingo]

Personally, I also always go out with shields & weapons.... Yes, I am paranoid

Don't forget too keep taking lots of cool screenies! I always manage to forget & get myself caught up in the destination, forgetting the fact that it is about the journey.

Fly safe, & always check a planets gravity before landing!

 

[Deleted member 38366]

Good luck on your trip

Haven been contemplating about taking a long-range tour again myself, but so far the local activities and needs have kept me from doing so.

 

[Freebird]

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you

Good luck on your trip. Two heatsinks should be ok, depending how long you're out for. I'm out beyond the core (on DW) and so far have only used a heatsink twice

 

[dayrth]

Part two:

Don't worry. I'm not going to make a post every day, but 3 things happened on yesterdays leg of the journey.

First I unexpectedly came across a tiny outpost on a planet. I'm was not more that 1000 LY from the bubble, but I still didn't expect to find buildings, even if they were half buried in snow. It was only 2 small 'sheds' and a data point. I had to go and have a look. I did manage to access the data point and for the first time managed to use my data link scanner successfully. Trouble is, I don't know what that has achieved. Now that I've scanned the data, do I have a copy of it? What can I do with it? Is it of any use at all? If anyone knows, please enlighten me

The second thing was not so good. A heavy landing and I took my first damage. I knew it would happen sometime, but had hoped it would not be so soon. Still, the damage is only minor so I shall carry on, and be a lot more careful in future.

The third thing lifted my spirits though. I have found my first completely unexplored system 4 suns and five planets. All five planets are high metallic content worlds.


I landed on one of them for the night. Today I shall have a scout around in the SRV for any useful materials before continuing my trek.

 

[dayrth]

Part 3:

I am now deep in the Coal Sack Dark Region. It's just packed with small cool red stars with nothing but icy planets. I am very glad I brought that extra fuel tank On a brighter note, I did find three of these systems that were undiscovered.



I have also hit a problem though. My SRV weapons wont fire. Before I left the last high metal content world I went out looking for materials. Found loads, but could not shoot the rocks. I tried rebinding the fire button, shutting down and restarting the game, even did a reload although the ammo was showing plenty left. All to no avail. I can enter the turret but when I press the trigger nothing happens. Any ideas?

 

[Ashnak]

Regarding two of your questions:

Scanning data points: ok, I only scanned one data point so far (on a crashed probe), but if you go into your transactions tab (left screen), you should see a few thousands credits bonus for whatever faction established that data point. Don't know how to redeem that, though (yet), but I'd assume the same as any other bounty. Not really worth the effort - there were some comments a few days ago that it would be nice if data points' value would increase with the distance from the bubble.

SRV weapons: had the same problem at the start, until I realized that the SRV uses different key bindings from the ship.... in my case (more or less the default for the XB1 controller), the SRV forward and backwards drive is on the two main fire buttons, while the SRV gun fire is on the right shoulder button, which in the ship controls the main thrusters.... So did you rebind the keys for the ship's fire button or for the SRV's fire button?

And, in the same vein: you don't need to enter the turret to shoot - the SRV has a pretty decent auto aiming feature. Just select the target (in my case, the nearest target is outlined in grey brackets. press Y button once, and it's selected, outlined in white brackets), then wait for the aim point to find the target (in the main cockpit HUD), then blast away. Target selection also has different key bindings from the ship, btw.

 

[dayrth]

Regarding two of your questions:

Scanning data points: ok, I only scanned one data point so far (on a crashed probe), but if you go into your transactions tab (left screen), you should see a few thousands credits bonus for whatever faction established that data point. Don't know how to redeem that, though (yet), but I'd assume the same as any other bounty. Not really worth the effort - there were some comments a few days ago that it would be nice if data points' value would increase with the distance from the bubble.

SRV weapons: had the same problem at the start, until I realized that the SRV uses different key bindings from the ship.... in my case (more or less the default for the XB1 controller), the SRV forward and backwards drive is on the two main fire buttons, while the SRV gun fire is on the right shoulder button, which in the ship controls the main thrusters.... So did you rebind the keys for the ship's fire button or for the SRV's fire button?

And, in the same vein: you don't need to enter the turret to shoot - the SRV has a pretty decent auto aiming feature. Just select the target (in my case, the nearest target is outlined in grey brackets. press Y button once, and it's selected, outlined in white brackets), then wait for the aim point to find the target (in the main cockpit HUD), then blast away. Target selection also has different key bindings from the ship, btw.

Thanks for the info. I do indeed have the data scan listed under transactions. A nice 11k. Unfortunately I checked the bindings and it is the SRV fire button I am using. Still doesn't work in the turret or the main cockpit

 

[Mike W]

I have also hit a problem though. My SRV weapons wont fire. Before I left the last high metal content world I went out looking for materials. Found loads, but could not shoot the rocks. I tried rebinding the fire button, shutting down and restarting the game, even did a reload although the ammo was showing plenty left. All to no avail. I can enter the turret but when I press the trigger nothing happens. Any ideas?

Do you have any pips to weapons o7

 

[dayrth]

Do you have any pips to weapons o7

You sir are a genius, and I am an idiot

 

[Mike W]

You sir are a genius, and I am an idiot

Lol I wouldn't go that far, on either count, safe travels Cmdr o7

 

[Lapsang Twobob]

There is no such thing as paranoia, it's all true!

Just recently set out on my first voyage, my Asp is holding up very well.

i've also taken shields, needed in the bubble but its also useful to keep safe when landing on planets with high G's. I always turn mine on when landing


I've targetted a few places to aim at as my navigation skills arent great, so i keep the bright lights of the core and bubble behined me and darkness/nebula in front

stumbled over some undiscovered systems (first one was less than 500ly out!) and systems with undiscovered planets too. Its all great fun and only had troubles while in my SRV.

Also - you will always return, its just at what speed - the fast way is not good

fly safe Cmdr!

 

[Mike W]

i've also taken shields, needed in the bubble but its also useful to keep safe when landing on planets with high G's. I always turn mine on when landing

If you intend to land on any planet, use protection, always use shields, shields are widely available, in many strengths and sizes, even if you only intend landing on low G planets, you could receive hull damage landing without shields, don`t leave home without them,,,,,,as Paddy would say,,,,No shieldy, no landy o7

 

[Lapsang Twobob]

If you intend to land on any planet, use protection, always use shields, shields are widely available, in many strengths and sizes, even if you only intend landing on low G planets, you could receive hull damage landing without shields, don`t leave home without them,,,,,,as Paddy would say,,,,No shieldy, no landy o7

And never forget the pips! i opted for 3D shields, wont last long in a firefight but protects my      when I'm legging it and when im bouncing down on a planet

 

[dayrth]

Progress is slowing now. The further out I go the more undiscovered systems I find and even though they have all been uninteresting, unscoopble suns with nothing but icy planets and asteroid fields orbiting them, I have to scan every one though

I did find one icy planet that had been suffered a large impact, spreading an orange materiel over much of it's surface. I explored that one in the buggy and did find a lot of materials. I am getting much better at that (now that I have some power assigned to the gun ), and at driving around without damaging the SRV. Not getting better at returning to the ship though. Managed to get stuck under it. Wheels spinning on the ice and could not move. Had to dismiss the ship in the end and get it to land on more even ground.

View attachment 105844

 

[dayrth]

Getting a bit fed up with these...
View attachment 106060

Visited 26 systems yesterday. Only one had a scoopable star. It's not a big problem fuel wise. I brought an extra tank and I don't think I have ever dropped below 90% fuel yet, but with the Coalsack Dark Region behind me, I was hopeing to find something more interesting than cold red suns surrounded buy balls of ice. Progress is slowing now because I am finding more undiscovered systems, 14 in the last 26, and when I do I have to scan everything.

I'm slowley getting closer to the core, although I'm not heading directly for it, so I hope to find more interesting systems soon.

View attachment 106061

 

[dayrth]

More progress made, but it is slowing. 75% of systems visited since the last post were undiscovered, so a lot more scanning to do. I have started to find things other than balls of ice though. Just a class 1 gas giant, but very pretty:

Spoiler

View attachment 106340

These two got me excited, but they both turned out to be just high metal content worlds:

Spoiler

View attachment 106341
View attachment 106342

I continue to be amazed at the fuel efficiency of the Asp. I can plot a 1000 light year rout with 300 jumps and I get a completely solid line on the map. Before I set out the possibility of running out of fuel and getting stranded was a worry to me. I don't really worry about that any more

Spoiler

View attachment 106343

 

[Ouberos]

Hi Commander, I've just begun (2weeks) my first exploring trip too. My primary target is the Core but I'm also scanning too much I think. Only about 3k out at the minute!

Regarding your metal rich planets you thought might be something more promising, not sure if you know that you can listen to the planets in the system map, each has its own distinct sound when you scrol over it. Water worlds have a background bubble, while ice worlds sound more like wind over a tundra or something. I use a headset and can clearly pick up the differences.

Having said that I still scan everything!

 

[dayrth]

Despite heading toward the core, Scoopable stars seem to be becoming rarer. 20 jumps without one yesterday. By the time I found one I had used nearly a third of a tank of fuel. It was the first time I have found myself watching the gauge. Yesterday did also produce a couple of firsts for me. My first undiscovered volcanically active world:

Spoiler

..and my first undiscovered life. A gas giant with water based life:

Spoiler

 

[iain666]

Despite heading toward the core, Scoopable stars seem to be becoming rarer. 20 jumps without one yesterday.

Are you in the narrow layer of unscoopables that pretty much covers the entire galaxy around x,-60,z?

Try going up or down one or two hundred ly and then carrying on - that problem may well disappear...