Exploration addiction? Or insanity?

Shiro Akai

Shiro Akai
Trying to figure out which one is taking me.

Background:
- I once attempted to do SagA* run, failed after 5k LYs (in a ~30 LYs DBX) - too boring and tedious.
- few months later I went there and back in ~33 LYs ASP X. Had enough of exploration for another year.
- later I attempted Colonia run, failed after 5k LYs (in a 50 LYs Cutter) - too boring and tedious.
- half a year later I'm +- 5k LYs away from Colonia, probably get there today, maybe tomorrow.

As I'm closing to my target, mind that this journey is 30k LYs long already as I'm not flying straight line, I don't feel bored or fed up. I just... go. Jump, honk, scoop and scan. And I start to wonder - is it exploration addiction that finally kicked in as I feel I could continue much longer.

Or I already lost my mind and void insanity consumed me somewhere on the way and I haven't noticed?
 

Cmdr Beteran

Cmdr Beteran
Exploration is an addiction. You can never stay in the bubble for too long once you get the taste of that vast void.

As an addict, i needed a "fix" to satisfy my hunger, thanks to Fdev, they brought up Q4 Beyond update! ;)

What's even better, you don't OD!
 

S3B4ST13N

S
First trip out .. 3,000, suicide from boredom.
Second trip out .. wanted to try exploration the hard way ... (sidey) ... few hundred LY out, point nose at next star, go make coffee (ship still flying), get distracted with other things, come back .. ship out of fuel, can't jump .. suicide.
Third trip out .. T6, exploring having a good time, pick up some gold, pirate spawns, I die.

I'm not cut out for exploration. :3
 
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Stealthie

Stealthie
I think the insanity part is thinking you're likely to find anything special.

The addiction part is thinking of stuff to do and then figuring out how to do it.

Going to Sag A is fine, cos that's something everybody should really see, and you know there'll be something to see when you get there.
After that, I'm afraid, the galaxy is all much of a muchness, really.
That's when you really need to start thinking up things to do, aside from just "having a look around".
 

Shiro Akai

Shiro Akai
To me SagA* was a disappointment. I heard much praise how it's The milestone, how one true CMDR should make that pilgrimage. When I was just one jump away I felt excited. When I jumped there I was disappointed. Beige space with a visual distortion in the middle. Wiggled a bit to see how lensing work... and done. Over a week of flying to se such unimpressive sight. I swear, the one neutron star I visited on my way there gave me more excitement.

Anyway, been there, saw things, got the bumper sticker.

To think about it - it seems I wasn't an explorer under old system. Been to few places, took some nice shots but it all felt like a chore, more or less. Now, it's different. Going to Sag in a straight line it's 26k LYs, Colonia is even closer. I have over 30k clicked already and still haven't reached my destination. As I mentioned, about 5k LYs ahead till target and I don't feel it like "finally", more like "already?"

I noticed I spend more time in each system. Previously it was just honk, quick check for high value planets and then leave. Now I make a detailed scan in every system, minus those with stars only. My current stop, over 50 bodies, scanned all. Just because. Sure, money is nice and despite in need of lots of money I don't feel that urge to earn as much as possible.

I started to enjoy exploration and this got me thinking.
 

Ralph Vargr

Ralph Vargr
Shiro Akai said:
To me SagA* was a disappointment. I heard much praise how it's The milestone, how one true CMDR should make that pilgrimage. When I was just one jump away I felt excited. When I jumped there I was disappointed. Beige space with a visual distortion in the middle. Wiggled a bit to see how lensing work... and done. Over a week of flying to se such unimpressive sight. I swear, the one neutron star I visited on my way there gave me more excitement.

Anyway, been there, saw things, got the bumper sticker.

To think about it - it seems I wasn't an explorer under old system. Been to few places, took some nice shots but it all felt like a chore, more or less. Now, it's different. Going to Sag in a straight line it's 26k LYs, Colonia is even closer. I have over 30k clicked already and still haven't reached my destination. As I mentioned, about 5k LYs ahead till target and I don't feel it like "finally", more like "already?"

I noticed I spend more time in each system. Previously it was just honk, quick check for high value planets and then leave. Now I make a detailed scan in every system, minus those with stars only. My current stop, over 50 bodies, scanned all. Just because. Sure, money is nice and despite in need of lots of money I don't feel that urge to earn as much as possible.

I started to enjoy exploration and this got me thinking.
Click to expand...

Welcome:

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...Cherry-Picking-Might-Be-Over?highlight=cherry
 

Nutter

Nutter
It can be addictive, to help with the boredom, run along your route in the Gal map and mark any systems that look interesting. Stop off at each one and explore the planets and take screens or Video. Then long journeys feel more like bite size chunks :)

Nutter

o7
 

OHMSS

OHMSS
Shiro Akai said:
Trying to figure out which one is taking me.

Background:
- I once attempted to do SagA* run, failed after 5k LYs (in a ~30 LYs DBX) - too boring and tedious.
- few months later I went there and back in ~33 LYs ASP X. Had enough of exploration for another year.
- later I attempted Colonia run, failed after 5k LYs (in a 50 LYs Cutter) - too boring and tedious.
- half a year later I'm +- 5k LYs away from Colonia, probably get there today, maybe tomorrow.

As I'm closing to my target, mind that this journey is 30k LYs long already as I'm not flying straight line, I don't feel bored or fed up. I just... go. Jump, honk, scoop and scan. And I start to wonder - is it exploration addiction that finally kicked in as I feel I could continue much longer.

Or I already lost my mind and void insanity consumed me somewhere on the way and I haven't noticed?
Click to expand...

Do you find it relaxing or familiar now? Jump, honk, scoop and scan could have a meditative effect on you. I've heard of people getting into the zone when they're doing this and some how start to enjoy a zen like effect as they hurtle down the hyperspace tunnel. If you come round 18 hours later and you're sitting cross legged floating three feet off the ground humming, then you may be getting close to omnipresent super-galactic oneness.

It's much easier to get there using Jack Daniels to be honest :)
 
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viper666

V
I remember doing that travel xxxx light years from your starting system to unlock an engineer.
So I did Colonia, and I hated every jump after 3K out from start.
I have since been visiting POI's listed in the codex, but it isn't so bad in an ASPx that jumps 64ly each jump.

I admire those who will stay out in the black for months, but it just doesn't fit my play style. (Aka shooting stuff)
 

Shiro Akai

Shiro Akai
OHMSS said:
If you come round 18 hours later and you're sitting cross legged floating three feet off the ground humming, then you may be getting close to omnipresent super-galactic oneness.

It's much easier to get there using Jack Daniels to be honest :)
Click to expand...


What are you doing in my cockpit and how you get here?

<quickly closes YT tab>

[video=youtube;q_Ac3zRr_Kc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_Ac3zRr_Kc[/video]


Seriously, sometimes I fly with this playing in the background. Looped. Maybe I have neural programmed myself to see it as kind of pleasure. Activities that used to be boring and tedious now have some relaxing factor. And let's not talk about glass of mead or red wine. I'm a responsible CMDR. Drinking and flying is bad kids. But no one will see me while 30k LYs from the bubble. And it's a medicine. Promise.
 

Juniper

Juniper
I have three accounts which are currently Elite in exploration.

A fourth is probably on the way once I get home (I'm in no rush, just ambling there).

Yes, it's addictive.

;)
 

Dommarraa

Dommarraa
I used to love Exploration and have done several very big trips. DW1 ruined it for me. Going at someone else's pace made me realize how pointless it was.
 

Andovar

Andovar
I did the SagA run back during season one in a 32ly DBX. It was mostly boring and a battle of attrition. I hadn't done any long range exploration since.
Now since the Q4 update, I'm enjoying exploration again. The new mechanics not only help break up the monotony, but also reveal things to do/see along the way.
I'm currently about 5Kly out from the bubble on a round-about trip to colonia. (the path I'm taking will probably make it over 30Kly to get there)

So I'd say pre-3.3 it was insanity, but now it's enjoyable. :)
 

VR SenseiMatty

VR SenseiMatty
Same as you here....

First big trip: 7000LY to Bubble Nebula in a 20LY range ASPX (I was so ignorant...) for a passenger mission. It took me 2 weeks forth and back. After that experience I gave up with Exploration.

Second big trip (one year later): ASPX with 45 LY range. California Nebula, circumnavigation of COL70 Sector to Barnard's Loop and Head Horse Nebula (without DSS! I forgot it).

Third big trip: Colonia in an Anaconda, 50 LY. After 5k LY I was bored as hell and I wanted to come back. Then I bited the Onion's Head and I moved on. I reached Colonia and Sag A*.

Fourth big trip: Elephant's Trunk Nebula and NGC 7822 Cluster. ASPX with 52 LY range.

In-between I had various attempts to reach the top or the bottom of the galaxy but I failed... Not enough range nor jumponium. And famous locations visited like Betelgeuse and VY Canis Majoris.

Now I'm at Eagle Nebula with Distant Worlds 2 Expedition with my second CMDR...

I bought a second licence and trained a new CMDR for this purpose to be able to switch to my other CMDR in case I want some different type of business.



...so yes, we're all a bit crazy...
 

Jenner

I wish I was English like my hero Tj.
Jenner
I've made several attempts over the years to 'get serious' about exploration and really push out into the black. I love the new exploration mechanics, too. That said I still cannot muster the stamina for extended periods away from the bubble. I like flip-flopping between activities else I get bored, and I only have one account. :)
 

Vedmo

Vedmo
Jenner said:
I've made several attempts over the years to 'get serious' about exploration and really push out into the black. I love the new exploration mechanics, too. That said I still cannot muster the stamina for extended periods away from the bubble. I like flip-flopping between activities else I get bored, and I only have one account. :)
Click to expand...

That's where I am. I'm far to spastic to be tied to one activity for too long. An occasional jaunt in the SRV to break up the monotony of deep space isn't enough.

The new mechanics and the Phantom did get me to Colonia and back twice, then I did the DW CG and ended up in Colonia again, so I've definitely become comfortable with 5-20k ly journeys when 1k ly used to seem daunting.

Actually heading out for weeks or months on end though, ya I'm not that kind of explorer (yet?).
 

Stealthie

Stealthie
Vedmo said:
The new mechanics and the Phantom did get me to Colonia and back twice, then I did the DW CG and ended up in Colonia again, so I've definitely become comfortable with 5-20k ly journeys when 1k ly used to seem daunting.
Click to expand...

Nice thing about exploring is that the Bubble never seems irritatingly big afterwards.

I recall starting to engineer my Corvette in the days before nu-engineers, pinned blueprints and FSD Boosters, with a jump range of 14Ly.
Then I went to Colonia for the first time.
When I got back, flying a Corvette 200Ly, 14Ly per jump, didn't seem like a big deal any more.

By the same token, when people moan about going "all the way out to the Guardian sites" I tend to roll my eyes, I'm afraid?
1000Ly?
I've travelled further than that to get a chaff launcher engineered.

You know you're an explorer when you look at the galmap and notice that it's only 10,000Ly back to the bubble and feel like you're "almost home".
 
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