I just got back from several weeks out in the neutron fields, making a concerted push to get myself finally up to Elite Explorer ranking. According to everything I can find online, Elite ranking should be around 156 million CR exploration profit. As you can see from the attached screenshot, I have over 200 million CR exploration profit, yet my rank is apparently only 89% Pioneer. Anyone have any idea what's going on here?View attachment 119020
Why haven't I reached Elite?
- Thread starter Mira Calques
- Start date
Credits got bumped with 2.3 and so the ranking benefit per credit earned got reduced and so the credits earned requirement for Elite went up.
I think the ranking benefit per credit was about halved, if that's true the last 11% of pioneer will take you 22m more (it was previously about 1% per million credits).
I think the ranking benefit per credit was about halved, if that's true the last 11% of pioneer will take you 22m more (it was previously about 1% per million credits).
With great exploration payout comes greater requirements to level up exploration rank. Apparently, from beginning, it takes roughly 300 mil to get to Elite now.
While i can understand your frustration, i do have to ask... If you find exploration such a tedious grind, why are you doing it?
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I'd been sat at something like 30% Pioneer for months - maybe even a year - after two trips out towards the core and back. It was kind of fun the first two times, but I just wanted to make the final push to get to Elite. So, I did the maths for how many neutrons I'd need, added a few for good measure, and headed out. I don't have hours to play every day -any day in fact, I have a family -but I committed myself over the past couple of months to play a couple of hours each night to finally reach that coveted Elite rank that seemed so (relatively close). Jump, scan neutron, plot next jump, jump etc. I finally made my quota, turned tail and steamed back - so excited that I was going to, 30 years after playing the original Elite as a kid, reach Elite rank in something. The prospect of having to trek out 18,000 or so LY yet again after all I've been through is just crushing.
If it were up to me - I'd make neutrons worth nothing 
Neutron farming is pointless now, Earths and Terraforming candidates are the money makers.
Filter the map to A/F/G class stars and you'll make 22m in no time. You dont have to go 18,000ly or so, just look up where all the new Asteroid bases are and go from base to base until to reach Elite.
Filter the map to A/F/G class stars and you'll make 22m in no time. You dont have to go 18,000ly or so, just look up where all the new Asteroid bases are and go from base to base until to reach Elite.
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Thanks Murf. That's useful advice. And for the record, in case anyone else feels the need to ask, no I don't hate exploring. I've just been doing it for what seems like an age, I'd had enough of it and I was completely expecting to get the rank I was due (before 2.3) for it. That's all. I think I'm allowed to be a tad < upset >under the circumstances.
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If reaching a meaningless rank in a video game is so essential to your well-being, maybe you need to stop cursing and get a life. Your rant is a bit childish and ridiculous.
You like exploring, explore. You don't like farming, don't farm.
You like exploring, explore. You don't like farming, don't farm.
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As murf says earthlikes and waterworlds are the big payouts now (ammonia worlds are pretty good too).
In https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/339546-2-3-exploration-payouts-visual-guide there is a handy guide for how much each payout now - if you only need 22m then it shouldn't take long if you just focus on systems with a lot of elw or water worlds in the bubble that you haven't been to and scanned
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Well said!
I've been "exploring" for an age and still out there... perhaps I'm doing it wrong if I still enjoy it
Doesn't the adjustment differentiate between pre and post update? So the percentage gained from the scans before the update would go up what they would have, and the scans for after go their current rate. So if you'd have shown up before the update, you would probably still be about where you are now (assuming they balanced the before and after).
Op must have scanned some after the 2.3 patch, therefore the calculation of how many neutrons required for elite status would be incorrect
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Thanks, but I don't need a lecture from you. Maybe if you climb down off your high horse and stop being such a sanctimonious bell end you might realise that. Also reading my two subsequent posts after the OP rather than deciding to jump straight to name calling might have helped.
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Exactly. I was probably about 80% or so of the way through my neutron farming when 2.3 dropped.
But it is actually easier to gain elite now, there are systems worth 4.8m within the bubble, the same system pre 2.3 would be 600k so although rank requirements have doubled payouts have increased x8 for decent systems so overall its nearly twice as quick "mathematically" (roughly speaking),it's just neutrons arnt the thing you should be farming if farming is indeed your thing (and perhaps for the better as I never understood why uc would pay more for a neutron star than a habitable earth like world
And if it's just the rank you want take some passengers
I've spent most of my 12 weeks playtime out in the dark exploring, tried neutron farming once, for a week. I can tell, that i will never do it again. It was the worst experience i had in this game, probably only time when i felt it as a grind, that people mention so much.
And its much easier to earn credits by exploration with better payments.
Never again neutron grinding.
And its much easier to earn credits by exploration with better payments.
Never again neutron grinding.
But it is actually easier to gain elite now, there are systems worth 4.8m within the bubble, the same system pre 2.3 would be 600k so although rank requirements have doubled payouts have increased x8 for decent systems so overall its nearly twice as quick "mathematically" (roughly speaking),it's just neutrons arnt the thing you should be farming if farming is indeed your thing (and perhaps for the better as I never understood why uc would pay more for a neutron star than a habitable earth like world
And if it's just the rank you want take some passengers
Forget passengers - I'm nobody's bus driver! Still yet to do a single one, I hate the feature personally but each to their own
Anyway I thought ranking up through passenger missions was stopped?Easier, well maybe, but to me isn't quite the point. Difficulty in getting Elite should be as close to the way it was. Otherwise you'll get the 'it was harder to get Elite in my day' brigade.
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I guess that means it didn't even out. Or you miscalculated to begin with. Do first scan bonuses formulate into the ranking? Did you make sure you weren't scanning already tagged neutron stars? Since apparently neutron star farming is a thing. Maybe others beat you to it.
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