Well, I normally run around the bubble in a DBX, do most of my longer range exploration in an AspX, but I bought and set up an Exploraconda for the DW2 expedition. It has the range I want with all the slots/utility I need to keep my ship healthy and useful, for me.
Exploration Ship Choices will be taking an arrow to the knee in Update 3.1
- Thread starter Mengy
- Start date
My thoughts on this whole subject in a nut shell: we need the option to use our ships more efficiently, as in convert hardpoint slots to small optional internal slots.
I was going to just leave it at that statement, but ended up writing an indepth proposal here:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...for-More-Versatile-Outfitting-(No-Engineering!)
Would be interested on everyone's thoughts. Fortifications are already in place.
The list is irrelevent to be fair & has nothing to do with the introduction of the Guardian FSD.
The bulk of cmdrs signed up & indentified their ships weeks ago. Yes, the list is updated, as cmdr's change their ships. All that you can say is the 'Conda & Asp are popular when going on longer expeditions, probably because of their versatility.
There's always a % of cmdr's that 'like the challenge' & will choose the smaller, different ships - fair play to them.
I'm going in my 'Conda, but not a 'Conda that's 50, 60+ LY jump range.
Is the extra 10LY jump worth me altering my module layout....No!
Will others go for it....sure!
I agree with you regarding the FSD booster.
It'd be something I'd consider bunging on an exploration ship if it had a spare slot, but only then.
The broader point, though, is that it'll be a shame if FDev go to the effort of creating a heap of new modules for explorers but most of 'em will get left on the shelf because there aren't enough slots to accommodate them - or the Annie becomes the undisputed king of exploration because it's the only ship capable of being optimised for exploration.
Again, it's slightly different with everything else because you can always, for example, outfit an FdL with PAs for pew-pew and then dock and fit an FGS with a fighter bay and MCs or an iCourier with rails so none of the modules FDev create are likely to be ignored.
With exploration, if one module isn't as useful as another one it's always going to be left behind.
![[Diplomacy] Carnegie](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/123/123809.jpg?1553527149){kind=avatar}
The thing is, there's a subset of explorers who believe that everything is required for exploration, coupled with maximum jumprange and a large fuelscoop.
FSD Boosters, AFMUs, Repair Limpets, even SRVs are not requirements - you can explore perfectly happily without them - but some explorers get all kinds of salty if they can't fit anything and everything they consider they could possibly need. Demanding that everything be optimized for exploration ships/loadouts is frankly unreasonable.
Caveats:
1. If the Q4 Exploration updates adds new scanner types then there definitely needs to be some way to consolidate them, at least back to 2 slots.
2. The 'Conda is overpowered and should be nerfed - probably by limiting the level to which you can undersize core utilities. Make it possible to only step down one level and you'd probably put the 'Conda back into a reasonable state for exploration without ruining it for everyone else.
This list really shows two things:
1. There are quite a lot of viable exploration ships
2. Most people go with what is most efficent (even more so on something like dwe where you have to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time)
I mean no ship gets made worse in any shape or form, no nerfs nothing. What we get is a way to increase jumprange which from what I can see can only make other ships more viable for exploration. I don't get the logic leap of "You can get 10ly more jumprange on your Python means python is less viable now" (and some other ships like cutter or clipper).
Your main problem seems to be point 2, the very human nature of going with what is most effiecent. Nothing you can really do about it gameplaywise other then basicly making all ships roughly the same.
I don't agree. I like it very much to explore at the very rim of the galaxy. Right at the edge or deeply above/below the galactic plain, jumprange gets the most important stat just to reach the next star. In most cases it is necessary to plot the route step by step with a half fueltank
I bet, most people don't even know that there are still untagged ELW's and more just 1,5k lys away from the bubble. Just go up or down instead left or right and you'll be surprised how much is still left to explore right in front of our doorstep.
This is how i like exploration and here the FSD booster would be more than welcome. For those living on the edge, make it an utility!!!
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@OP: have you considered the possibility that the primary use for those modules is not to benefit explorers but to benefit jump-range challenged ships like the FDL and Corvette in getting around the bubble? Rather than having to switch to an asp or taxi-hauler and transferring your ship, you would fit this module, fly it to your destination, and then store it again when you arrive.
Well said. The DBX is loosing nothing here.
I absolutely agree with this. FD (or to be precise Sandro during a live stream) have stated in the past that they see no reason to buff the corvette (in terms of jumprange) as enough players are still willing to get through the rank grind for it. This FSD booster appears to be a nod towards the general complaints of short-range ships, which instead of buffing every ship has resulted in an optional module if you really feel the need to have it. Seems rather fair to be honest.
Actually, there is only #2, because every ship in the game can be used for exploration, even a stock unmodified Sidewinder has been used by a few CMDRs for exploration and expeditions. They are also a bit masochistic and want to self gimp the game to make it harder. Nothing wrong with that, and any CMDR that has made the trip out to one of the deep targets in a winder has my respect.
I not just mean doable, but viable. Everything above 30ly is very viable and lets you reach everything expect the few fring cases. But by far most of the galaxy is comfortable reachable above 30ly, even more so thanks to synthesis. I not once felt gimped travelling about the galaxy with 30ly jumprange.
<currently in his sidewinder on his way to Colonia while dropping in on the forums>
Well, I wouldn't call myself masochistic... Wait, I have nearly unlocked all the engineers on my main to G5. Nevermind!
<currently in his sidewinder on his way to Colonia while dropping in on the forums>
Well, I wouldn't call myself masochistic... Wait, I have nearly unlocked all the engineers on my main to G5. Nevermind!
I rest my case! [up]
You have more patience than I, or more time, or both. I bow to your superiority! [smile]
You are probably right. I really wanted at least something from the Tech Brokers to be for non combat players (other than CCR's), but maybe that really is expecting too much from Frontier. It's possible my expectations are just too high.
It is also for non-Combat players, Mengy - as I mentioned before, the Cutter, Corvette, and T-10 all look a lot sexier with +10 jump range. This is also not to mention both the Python and Clipper. You could even go so far as to include the T-7, and two of the other Federal ships.
Funny enough, the ship that gets royally screwed is the Beluga. I really wouldn't want to think about increased fuel usage on a ship that already uses a lot per jump on a 6A scoop, let alone a 4A.
Riôt
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Did you read the Galnet article pertaining to this stuff yet?
Seems like it's more about getting ships with a short jump-range into the 'goid wars than anything else.
if they want to get my ship into the goid wars, then please give me class 1 and class 4 versions of those weapons.
NO shields? My hat's off to you.
Guess I need to work on my jump/piloting skills. I goof up every 100th jump or so. After a couple thousand, even with shields, the damage really adds up.