I don't get it. Do people imagine an infinite number of probes as like see of probes, or whole ship made of probes? Can't that be just 3 probes that will be made again when used? Thing is we don't know how big they are, whats inside and what they are made of. We can make oxygen from metal for god sake and fuel from stars, is that hard to imagine making a probe in 3D printer?
What they essentially are ... are slugs they are shooting at the planet to have it detonate on the surface and kick up energy that will reflect back on the sensors. Different images can capture what sorts of materials are spewed up into the sky.
So essentially they are mini supercruise engines with a bomb on them. The ship records all the telemetry and reflected data.
So really they are dumb probes and can be small and compact.
I just want to collect materials to make them.
No thanks. No srv or mining equipment = no way for explorers to replenish probes. And even with mining/prospecting equipment it breaks up an explorer's gameplay. We guests knocked the limited probes idea back during our visit, and I'm very happy FDev have chosen infinite instead.
You actually travel without an SRV? Thats insane. SRV's in the future should have a multitude of tools to help you survive out in the deep. They just haven't added them yet.
Exploring the galaxy SHOULD NOT BE "jump win, jump win, jump win". It should be like "lost in space" where you are always patching your hull and finding ways to survive and thrive.