Tips or advice for a fresh explorer?

Its all incredibly subjective CMDR, some guys love Condas for exploring in, others love Haulers. You just have to test and adjust and find your own groove. We as a community can advise on many things but I think ship choice is so intimate its impossible to definitively advise on in my opinion.

I personally love Anacondas for exploring in, very personal but it's the ship which I have clocked most mileage in, feel most comfortable in and has kept me alive the longest in. I was a fully signed up lifetime Asp lover until DW.
 
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Different people, different preferences. Personally I'd much rather turn a bit slower in SC, which especially with a hotas isn't a problem.. I think a class 4 fuel scoop would make me go back to the bubble via the self destruct option. But this is what shakedown cruises are for. I took my then new conda on a week long shakedown before DW to see how I'd like exploring with her and landing in different gravitational environments. Being happy with her performance I took her to Beagle Point and beyond and I'm still happy with that choice. Sorry to hear you're hating yours, Scal, but if this proves anything, YMMV.

(also, use that hotas and throttle down to blue when turning. It does wonders :D)
 
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Its all incredibly subjective CMDR, some guys love Condas for exploring in, other love Haulers. You just have to test and adjust and find your own groove. We as a community can advise on many things but I think ship choice is so intimate its impossible to definitively advise on in my opinion.

I personally love Anacondas for exploring in, very personal but it's the ship which I have clocked most mileage in, feel most comfortable in and has kept me alive the longest in. I was a fully signed up lifetime Asp lover until DW.

This is all true, but I'd like to divert everyone's attention to something systemic in today's politically correct, disagreement adverse culture. Notice how when anyone disagrees, even on something as unimportant as spaceship preferences in a computer game, people like to sweep in with calming PC statements that are meant to level the playing field by suggesting nobody is right or wrong and it's all about what you like personally?

That's all well and good, but what if you're actually a newcomer asking for advice? Such a PC reply will leave you utterly uninformed. Personally I'd much rather two players entirely disagree and present their arguments while doing so, while staying civil of course. Then I might actually draw some conclusions from said discourse. Are we so afraid of people disagreeing, even politely, that we need to neutralize every discussion, even when it's about something as silly as spaceship preferences in a computer game? Seems excessive to me. I have no ill will towards Scal, who I entirely disagree with about the Anaconda, nor was I planning on being rude to him or calling him names. But when a newcomer reads the discussion, they can use what they read and cross reference that with knowledge of themselves; they can say "I know myself, that sc performance probably will / will not bother me" and make a decision on what to try first based on that.

If the only answer is "fly what makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside", well that's entirely useless to everyone involved. It can prevent two entirely immature people from fighting a meaningless fight online, yes, but if it comes to that - and it wouldn't have here, well, that's what moderators are for. The purpose of a moderator is not to prevent a polite discussion in the first place, and no, disagreement does not equal impolite. At least I hope that is still the case.

The reason I went on this tangent is that it felt like both Scal and I were treated in a bit of a "ok break it up you two" fashion when there was nothing to break up, and nothing would have happened. Surely we can still go back and forth on the merits of different spaceship designs on a forum about a computer game in which we fly said spaceships? :)
 
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Fair enough, just highlighting the subjectivity of ship choice, which I think is a fair comment.

EDIT: Its been a long day, I am tired and I may have not read your last post thoroughly CMDR Newman. You make a fair comment.
 
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This is all true, but I'd like to divert everyone's attention to something systemic in today's politically correct, disagreement adverse culture. Notice how when anyone disagrees, even on something as unimportant as spaceship preferences in a computer game, people like to sweep in with calming PC statements that are meant to level the playing field by suggesting nobody is right or wrong and it's all about what you like personally?

That's all well and good, but what if you're actually a newcomer asking for advice? Such a PC reply will leave you utterly uninformed. Personally I'd much rather two players entirely disagree and present their arguments while doing so, while staying civil of course. Then I might actually draw some conclusions from said discourse. Are we so afraid of people disagreeing, even politely, that we need to neutralize every discussion, even when it's about something as silly as spaceship preferences in a computer game? Seems excessive to me. I have no ill will towards Scal, who I entirely disagree with about the Anaconda, nor was I planning on being rude to him or calling him names. But when a newcomer reads the discussion, they can use what they read and cross reference that with knowledge of themselves; they can say "I know myself, that sc performance probably will / will not bother me" and make a decision on what to try first based on that.

If the only answer is "fly what makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside", well that's entirely useless to everyone involved. It can prevent two entirely immature people from fighting a meaningless fight online, yes, but if it comes to that - and it wouldn't have here, well, that's what moderators are for. The purpose of a moderator is not to prevent a polite discussion in the first place, and no, disagreement does not equal impolite. At least I hope that is still the case.

The reason I went on this tangent is that it felt like both Scal and I were treated in a bit of a "ok break it up you two" fashion when there was nothing to break up, and nothing would have happened. Surely we can still go back and forth on the merits of different spaceship designs on a forum about a computer game in which we fly said spaceships? :)

first of all, OP didn't asked about ship choice, he asked for comments on his builds, and we are derailing his thread! :eek: :D

secondly, i hope my statement can't be filed as "calming"? i was talking about LOVE and FUN, about PASSION. now, excuse me, i have to change my DBE for my explonda, my passionate relationship to both only works out with some rigid time management...
 


I've been had! It's not a lonely word at all!

Are we so afraid of people disagreeing, even politely, that we need to neutralize every discussion, even when it's about something as silly as spaceship preferences in a computer game?
You discuss in whatever way suits your preference and makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. There's no right way to discuss. Nobody is right or wrong and it's all down to the individual. [noob]
 
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I'd go for something like this - better protection (a good shield is very useful when landing on high-g worlds), more versatile, faster; less fuel, fewer SRVs. The HRP is only 'cause I couldn't think of anything else to fill the slot. :)
 
Honestly, the best explorer vessel is one you love and you have fun to fly for an extended period.

This.

Unfortunately, the grass is always greener on the other side. At least for me, the longer I fly in one ship, the more I think I should have chosen a different one. Each of them has its drawbacks. There is no perfect exploration vessel at the moment.
- the DBX is the best explorer to fly in. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the internal slots to carry all the stuff I want.
- the Asp X is the best allround explorer with a nice view and at least sufficient internal slots. Unfortunately, it has the charm of a combine harvester.
- the Python has even more internal space and a real nice cockpit. But it lacks in jump range.
- I can't afford a 'conda yet
- I'm seriously considering giving the fed Assault Ship a try after 2.1. With a multicannon loadout, I could get the same jump range as I currently got in my Python (i.e. slightly over 20 ly), the cockpit is also nice (although with a restricted view), and the internals are sufficient. The only downside ATM is that you can't get a paintjob for the FAS.
 
Not sure about 'best' ship or modules but I found I totally underestimated Space-Madness.
Ensure you have good tunes and a bottle of plonk. A cat or cushion with hat or something to talk to probably helps too.
 
Wow, I didn't expect this type of response to my thread, thank you guys. Tons of great advice here that actually helped me quite a bit. My initial plan was to hit Sag A and eventually Beagle Point, but I might do that sometime after the next patch. I'm gonna try for somewhere closer that would allow me to get back to the bubble and prepare for the next patch. Satsuma suggested I join the FGE's Sagittarius-Carina Mission. I have consider it but ultimately I decided to pass up on it as I'd rather not be a part of an organized expedition while I'm still learning the ropes. I'm gonna go it alone, trial by fire, probably literally lol

I've settled on a ship:

http://coriolis.io/outfit/anaconda/...v64324.Iw18ZlA=.EwBhrSumw6g=?bn=Explora-conda

She gives me all the bells and whistles I need, but I did sacrifice the boost. I am taking more fuel then most have suggested, but as this will be my first real excursion, I don't want to get caught in a string of brown dwarfs. If I'm too lazy to scoop are regular intervals, this still happens to me on Robigo runs. I examined the differences between the 7B and 7A fuel scoops. The price is the biggest difference. Scoop time difference is only 10 seconds for my setup. The 7A's not worth it.
 
Catch up on the forums while you move between stars in a system... ;-)

On a fuel management note; I found it a good idea on my first couple of exploration missions to note down each system I visited and the star type. I always knew where the most recent scoopable star was and could assess whether I should be turning back on a particular route before fuel became critical. Pencil and paper are always accessible ;-)
 
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Catch up on the forums while you move between stars in a system... ;-)

On a fuel management note; I found it a good idea on my first couple of exploration missions to note down each system I visited and the star type. I always knew where the most recent scoopable star was and could assess whether I should be turning back on a particular route before fuel became critical. Pencil and paper are always accessible ;-)

I used to use pen and paper, but now with over 32k Ly travelled, I am using a spread sheet. Helps me keep track of interesting stuff that I have found and where screen shots were taken. Most useful when updating a blog.
 
Wow, I didn't expect this type of response to my thread, thank you guys. Tons of great advice here that actually helped me quite a bit. My initial plan was to hit Sag A and eventually Beagle Point, but I might do that sometime after the next patch. I'm gonna try for somewhere closer that would allow me to get back to the bubble and prepare for the next patch. Satsuma suggested I join the FGE's Sagittarius-Carina Mission. I have consider it but ultimately I decided to pass up on it as I'd rather not be a part of an organized expedition while I'm still learning the ropes. I'm gonna go it alone, trial by fire, probably literally lol

I've settled on a ship:

http://coriolis.io/outfit/anaconda/...v64324.Iw18ZlA=.EwBhrSumw6g=?bn=Explora-conda

She gives me all the bells and whistles I need, but I did sacrifice the boost. I am taking more fuel then most have suggested, but as this will be my first real excursion, I don't want to get caught in a string of brown dwarfs. If I'm too lazy to scoop are regular intervals, this still happens to me on Robigo runs. I examined the differences between the 7B and 7A fuel scoops. The price is the biggest difference. Scoop time difference is only 10 seconds for my setup. The 7A's not worth it.

Quick suggestion: retain boosting ability by equipping a 5A power distributor. It can save your life if you intend to land a lot. As for the 7A scoop, remember that explorers visit thousands upon thousands of systems, so that "small" difference really adds up, and it becomes a lot more noticeable once your tanks took a significant drain, allowing you to top up faster while remaining cooler. Another small fact you may or may not be aware of, unlike ships you don't take a loss when you resell your modules, so there's nothing stopping you from selling that 7A scoop upon return to the bubble. In short, the 7A is definitely worth it if you can afford one.
 
I keep promising myself another exploring run but I tend to think that it's more fun with other flyers. It can get a little quiet out there.



Just had a thought, is the update going to mean we need better weapons out there? With NPCs and 'other' things roaming it could become a little more dangerous.
 
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I suggest you go to coriolis.io and click the optimise for explorer button, then add/change what you want.
Here's what I came up with:
http://coriolis.io/outfit/anaconda/...-3h1211v2----432i2f.AwRj4yVLjqRA.Aw18aDMICyUA

Your opinion may vary.

You don't need extra fuel tanks, just keep an eye on your fuel. If you hit a string of brown dwarfs, open the galaxy map. As long as you don't leave it too late, there will be several scoopable stars within range. Also don't forget about "economical mode" if it becomes necessary.
A class 6 hangar will give you just as many SRV's as 2 class 4's, and save you a few tonnes in mass.

AFMU's weigh nothing. Fuel scoops weigh nothing. Buy the biggest you can afford.

And plan your return. e.g. I have a sidey parked at an edge-of-the-bubble system where I'll park my Asp so I can go sell my data in my preferred systems, and stand a good chance of surviving the trip.

Happy trails!
 
I used to use pen and paper, but now with over 32k Ly travelled, I am using a spread sheet. Helps me keep track of interesting stuff that I have found and where screen shots were taken. Most useful when updating a blog.

I wish I was that organised :)
 
I wish I was that organised :)

I changed to a spreadsheet as sheets of paper were getting lost. I dont need to keep track of everything I find, but things like the number of earth worlds, water worlds, and terraformable worlds is easy when using columns. Also you only need to type in 1 letter to get the first characters of the system, and the a few back spaces to type in the alpha-numeric part, perhaps put in the distance, save and bob's your uncle. 45 seconds and you start your listing. It also gives you a powerful tool to start doing analysis too, such as number of jumps, total distance travelled, lots of other totals, and even stuff like percentage of terraformable worlds found so; for me it is 16.93% over 1187 systems visited. Now stuff like is interesting..... well it is for me :D
 
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