If something is truly important to you, or you are truly passionate about it, then you will find a way.
If not, then you will find an excuse.
I see a lot of excuses in every one of these Exploration threads.
I also see a lot of people desperately trying to hide the fact that they clearly just want to stay in the high-chair, and be spoon-fed by Mommy. Searching on your own is not worth it, but what you really mean is that it's too much work. There are also a number of delusions floating around, such as:
-If I had better scanners, I would Explore. Not for long, you won't, because you don't do it now. Known Fact.
-If I had better scanners, I would actually look for things. Not for long, you won't, because you don't want to do it now. Also, this would quickly fall into the category of tedium. Known Fact, and Known Fact.
-That Scanner mini-game from Mass Effect 2 was great/immersive/satisfying. Clearly, you only played the game once or twice. Tell me that after 6 playthroughs, getting all upgrades each time.
-I would still like that Mass Effect 2 Scanner mini-game after using it on 100 systems. This is false, and no matter how rewarding or satisfying they made it, it would end up being tedious.
-I should be able to find things like Dyson Spheres. Why would those make sense in some random place in the middle of nowhere? Maybe they are out there, but most can't be bothered to find them.
-I think I should find things other than crashed ships/probes out in the middle of nowhere. See previous.
-If Frontier gave me a reason, I would travel more than x light-seconds from the main star to investigate. No, you won't, because you don't do it now. Known Fact.
Look - I get that Exploration can feel somewhat thin. As others have said, it has content, but limited ways in which to interact with it, or even find it. I have my own wishlist (perhaps Commander Mengy would be kind enough to post a link to his environmental ideas, which are fantastic), but just because there are things that I feel are missing, does not mean that Exploration sucks. Clearly, it doesn't for everyone, and those who enjoy it in its current form, will likely enjoy it even more as things are added. Exploration will get a de facto boost once we can land on something other than barren rocks, but there likely still won't be anything more to do on these new worlds - just more visual (maybe audio) eye candy.
I think one simple step in that direction would be to litter the galaxy (more than 1,000 light years outside the bubble) with POI's that provide scan data that sells for a lot of credits. There isn't any depth here, but at least there would be substantial reward for taking the time to find it. A simple USS in the system above the planet to let you know that there is one to be found on that planet, and it shows up like a normal POI on the radar. Some incentive to actually fly through the systems, scan the planets (and get the scanner Engineer upgrades), and find the prize. Maybe these things are already there - that would be a grand joke indeed if these things have existed since Horizons launched with stupid high payouts, but not one has been found yet.
There isn't any reason to spend significant amounts of dev time creating new assets (and background stories) for things found out in the middle of nowhere. Think about it - if you found a Dyson Sphere 25k light years out in the middle of nowhere, what would you expect to be able to do with it? You are so far out, there is no reason for anything other than a scan, and maybe some simple text. Additionally, this somewhat does not provide incentive for long-term Exploration, which is self-defeating.
One last thing that I have said multiple times elsewhere: Frontier has a very vested interest in the bulk of the population not being more than 1k light years from the bubble at any given time.
Consider that.
Riôt
