Nice one 'ol chap, I'll get round to this newfangled mining thing at some point and all this info will flatten out my learning curve considerably.
+1 for you.
+1 for you.
Screenshots of core rocks next to non-core rocks.
- Thread starter SupraOptimo
- Start date
The real reason I make posts like this is that generally shortly afterwards I start getting the hang of it. That is a trend I have noticed!
So.
I am getting better hit-rates prospeting in hotposts in the shadow of the Gas Giant. Obvious really!
There seem to be 3 stages to the imagery from the PWScanner and when you are close up to a potential target you see some distinct colours/textures:
1. Glowing like a hot coal, fire from within, cooler edges.
2. Image shifts, green tinges or deep orange/red on edge surfaces.
3. Neutral image as the scanner cycles. The prospector limpet attached, core confirmed.
OK so it's Bromelite but as above I was getting no luck in a Void Opal Hostpot so shifted to get some action.
Note: Pictures 1 & 2. A prospector limpet is attached to another target.
More:
1 Very Bright (as usual)
2 No colouration as the PWS cycles but very high shadow on the asteroids features.
Last edited:
I come bearing gifts. Absolutely riveting footage of a rock floating in space. You're all witnessing my first use of recording software ever, so it's not the best by any means, but you can at least see how the core rock changes as you pulse scan it.
The core rock is in the upper right at the beginning, just above the word "Primary". A couple things tipped me off about this rock. First, it was bright enough that it was causing a reflection on the rock next to it. (You can barely make out the red tint in the video but it's much more noticeable in game). Second, it remained bright throughout the entire scan, so I decided it was worth a look and flew closer. The core rock is on the right as I approach. Watch how it's scan changes compared to the other rock there on the left.
Note that I hold the fire button down throughout the scan (actually a rubber band holding down the trigger on my HOTAS). Some people tap the fire button instead of holding it. I don't know if that produces different effects.
The core rock is in the upper right at the beginning, just above the word "Primary". A couple things tipped me off about this rock. First, it was bright enough that it was causing a reflection on the rock next to it. (You can barely make out the red tint in the video but it's much more noticeable in game). Second, it remained bright throughout the entire scan, so I decided it was worth a look and flew closer. The core rock is on the right as I approach. Watch how it's scan changes compared to the other rock there on the left.
Note that I hold the fire button down throughout the scan (actually a rubber band holding down the trigger on my HOTAS). Some people tap the fire button instead of holding it. I don't know if that produces different effects.
[video=youtube_share;7EmNOSCfIc4]https://youtu.be/7EmNOSCfIc4[/video]
Everyone's PWS imagery looks very very different to mine.
I don't get any green, and it's resolution is significantly lower... Lol
I don't get any green, and it's resolution is significantly lower... Lol
Trust me, once you've see a few "good ones" on your own system , you won't have any doubt as to which to go after - again keeping the scan pulsing seems to be the key as it resolves out more data in the image as a result.
I've found a really sweet mining spot just two jumps from a station offering top dollar, I'd share the location, but I appear to be like Thorin with "Dragon-sickness" and don't want any claim jumpers trying to take it all from me
Last edited:
These images are great, thanks very much. If Frontier would only fix the Euro xbox server I would be a zillionaire by now!
It's all in the shape - plus brightness. If it's round, or oblong, or too smooth, no matter how bright, then it's still not an icy core 'roid. I think the icy cores tend to look a bit like Thargoids.
I wish I snapped a pic, but I once two identical 'roids right next to each other, both in the same orientation and even spinning in the same direction, and both glowing bright yellow. One had fissures and a core and the other didn't - it was just a high yield 'roid of some useless junk. So you always need to spot those fissures.
I wish I snapped a pic, but I once two identical 'roids right next to each other, both in the same orientation and even spinning in the same direction, and both glowing bright yellow. One had fissures and a core and the other didn't - it was just a high yield 'roid of some useless junk. So you always need to spot those fissures.
Trust me, once you've see a few "good ones" on your own system , you won't have any doubt as to which to go after - again keeping the scan pulsing seems to be the key as it resolves out more data in the image as a result.
I've found a really sweet mining spot just two jumps from a station offering top dollar, I'd share the location, but I appear to be like Thorin with "Dragon-sickness" and don't want any claim jumpers trying to take it all from me
I've more or less mastered my own PWS imagery, but when other people show me theirs, it looks totally different.
I have mining spot too. Also within 2-3 jumps of where I sell my goods.
It's probably well known though, but I'm still not sharing it. Lol
While I was mining today, I encountered something I had not seen before:
At the end of the scan it became this:
Now, I've been mining in this same hotspot every morning for a few days now. I've never seen a rock that scans like that out here before. It doesn't look like the usual core asteroids I see and the scan doesn't match the norm either, but I fired a prospector into it anyways, and sure enough, it was a core rock.
I'd been puzzling over why people have been saying their scans look entirely different and I think this is the reason why: We all know that core rocks have a few distinct models and generally once you find a core rock in an instance, all the other core rocks are going to use the same model. My theory is that each of these rock models has it's own unique PWS texture when scanned.
So if I'm in a certain instance with core rock Type A, I'm going to be seeing that black net texture when I scan these rocks, but if another player in another instance is finding core rock Type B, he's going to be seeing these big green spots. Someone with a core rock Type C is going to be seeing something entirely different.
Now, I've been mining in this same hotspot every morning for a few days now. I've never seen a rock that scans like that out here before. It doesn't look like the usual core asteroids I see and the scan doesn't match the norm either, but I fired a prospector into it anyways, and sure enough, it was a core rock.
I'd been puzzling over why people have been saying their scans look entirely different and I think this is the reason why: We all know that core rocks have a few distinct models and generally once you find a core rock in an instance, all the other core rocks are going to use the same model. My theory is that each of these rock models has it's own unique PWS texture when scanned.
So if I'm in a certain instance with core rock Type A, I'm going to be seeing that black net texture when I scan these rocks, but if another player in another instance is finding core rock Type B, he's going to be seeing these big green spots. Someone with a core rock Type C is going to be seeing something entirely different.
Last edited:
He only gets green because he changed his UI to green. In default UI, it most likely looks orange.
Recommend you look at GunnerBill's screenshots. He's pretty clearly seeing green on a default HUD, and I wasn't seeing green at all until this morning. As far as I can tell, comparing my screenshots to the others in the thread, custom HUD colors have no effect on the color of PWS scans.
Last edited:
Might have to do with the background too; what star is lighting the environment. I have indeed seen the green as well. No alterations to my game.
Nicely done, OP. Nice to have clear visual examples all in one post.
Unfortunately, in the ring I’m mining, natural lighting is at a premium, so spotting the fissures is tricky (and seeing them with NV in VR with my current settings requires more time than I’m willing to waste). I’ve been going by the model differences between rocks and the fact that VO rocks are bigger than most other ice asteroids. I can recognize most non-cored rocks from a good distance. I still waste prospectors left and right, though.
Trouble with the Pulse Wave Scanner’s “black pixels” trick is that, in my experience, it’s completely random. Dunno how people are deriving meaningful results from that one. I just find a noticeably large bright orange rock and look for model similarities to the ones I’ve cracked in the past.
Unfortunately, in the ring I’m mining, natural lighting is at a premium, so spotting the fissures is tricky (and seeing them with NV in VR with my current settings requires more time than I’m willing to waste). I’ve been going by the model differences between rocks and the fact that VO rocks are bigger than most other ice asteroids. I can recognize most non-cored rocks from a good distance. I still waste prospectors left and right, though.
Trouble with the Pulse Wave Scanner’s “black pixels” trick is that, in my experience, it’s completely random. Dunno how people are deriving meaningful results from that one. I just find a noticeably large bright orange rock and look for model similarities to the ones I’ve cracked in the past.
I reinstalled last night and took a shot at the mining. I watched a bunch of random mining walkthroughs and in one of them the guy was showing how when he scans some rocks scan very dark slight yellow or orange and then after a few second delay they turn bright yellow. He said that is a consistent way to identify core holders quickly. Is this a consistent method that always apply in everyone's experience? I watched it after my play session and it sounds very useful and I haven't really seen it mentioned. Will try to link to it if I can find it again when I'm out of work.
Happy New Years everyone.
Happy New Years everyone.
Last edited:
Definitely not consistent in my experience. Most core rocks will do that, but only because most resource-rich rocks will do that. If you see a small-ish rock do that (or you’ve hunted in RESs so long that you immediately recognize the old rock models), move on.
I have tried bright rocks and glowing rocks and shaded rocks
Orange rocks and yellow rocks and green rocks
I have tried small black pixels, large back pixels and black lines
It isn't at all consistent.
Its the shape you say? Well you need a first one to know the shape, and after 80 limpets, I am out.
Good gravy fd, give a sensor that senses something usefull
Orange rocks and yellow rocks and green rocks
I have tried small black pixels, large back pixels and black lines
It isn't at all consistent.
Its the shape you say? Well you need a first one to know the shape, and after 80 limpets, I am out.
Good gravy fd, give a sensor that senses something usefull
If you keep at it you will start to recognise them fairly accurately. No one thing guarantees that it’s what you’re looking for from a distance. General shape, size and shine will help you to know which ones to approach. Fissure visuals once close up will tell you if it’s crackable and prospector will show what’s at the core. If you follow that you won’t waste near as many limpets.
This is (imo) one of the best gameplay implementations by FD yet. It requires experience, planing, knowledge and skill across many elements of the game in order to do efficiently and boy does it reward it.
Last edited:
I have been meaning to sit down and list out everything that is known/suspected about core rocks into one document, so here goes. This pertains only to icy fields as I've not gone to metallic since the update, but I imagine the same rules apply.
1. Only certain in-game asteroid models can spawn with core deposits. I don't know how many different models there are exactly but I think it's around three to four.
2. I suspect that each model has it's own unique texture when scanned. One will appear with massive green splotches and transition to a bright red-orange. Another will appear with large dark patches and a black "net" over it before transitioning to a very bright yellow. There's certainly other patterns I haven't seen though.
3. The asteroid's model and the coloration of the scan seems to have no bearing on the type of core within.
4. Fissures or cracks are visible before hitting the rock with a prospector, just like how surface deposits are visible. This is the one thing that is consistent across all core asteroids, regardless of shape, size, scan coloration, etc.
5. Asteroids are persistent. This has been confirmed by others through various means. You drop into the ring at the same point, you will find the same rocks every time. What exactly this means for core mining, I am still trying to figure out. I have seen a post on this forum from someone who was core mining with no other ships around, but saw two vapor clouds from cracked rocks appear nearby, but with no debris, fragments, or ships in evidence. Their theory was someone in the same ring, but a different instance, had blasted those rocks, so the game removed them from all instances. If that's correct, then the more people mining a certain ring, the less core rocks you will find.
6. Core rocks do not seem to be evenly distributed. I have found half a dozen Void Opal cores within visual range of each other in one section of a hotspot and I have flown for twenty minutes, scanning continuously, without seeing a single core rock in another section. Sometimes it pays to get back into SC and drop in somewhere different.
Anything I missed?
1. Only certain in-game asteroid models can spawn with core deposits. I don't know how many different models there are exactly but I think it's around three to four.
2. I suspect that each model has it's own unique texture when scanned. One will appear with massive green splotches and transition to a bright red-orange. Another will appear with large dark patches and a black "net" over it before transitioning to a very bright yellow. There's certainly other patterns I haven't seen though.
3. The asteroid's model and the coloration of the scan seems to have no bearing on the type of core within.
4. Fissures or cracks are visible before hitting the rock with a prospector, just like how surface deposits are visible. This is the one thing that is consistent across all core asteroids, regardless of shape, size, scan coloration, etc.
5. Asteroids are persistent. This has been confirmed by others through various means. You drop into the ring at the same point, you will find the same rocks every time. What exactly this means for core mining, I am still trying to figure out. I have seen a post on this forum from someone who was core mining with no other ships around, but saw two vapor clouds from cracked rocks appear nearby, but with no debris, fragments, or ships in evidence. Their theory was someone in the same ring, but a different instance, had blasted those rocks, so the game removed them from all instances. If that's correct, then the more people mining a certain ring, the less core rocks you will find.
6. Core rocks do not seem to be evenly distributed. I have found half a dozen Void Opal cores within visual range of each other in one section of a hotspot and I have flown for twenty minutes, scanning continuously, without seeing a single core rock in another section. Sometimes it pays to get back into SC and drop in somewhere different.
Anything I missed?