I did say “liken to” for a reason. No, they are not the same, especially when it comes to range. In terms of actual data collected, I should certainly think by the 34th century we would have made some advances. But more so in the terms of game playability, I don’t think more than a couple people would enjoy a round or two of Virtual Gas Chromatagraph/Mass Spectrometer either. So we really have to split differences here.
As for the ADS - I did not find any joy in the game play. I rarely looked at the system maps, unless I was bookmarking a specific planet, such as one with guardian ruins or pristine metallic rings. I still don’t use the system map much at all, outside of bookmarking or setting a course to a specific station. I don’t use the orrery at all.
In the old ADS system, I simply selected a body from my navigation panel and flew until within DSS range, dropping to 18% throttle at :10, so as not to overshoot while waiting for a scan to complete.
Now, under the FSS I am engaged in the process of scanning each planet, can select one to fly towards based on the presence of surface POI’s, or the appearance of the planet itself, or the interesting facts about it displayed on the FSS screen. And I can get right back to that same view simply by going back into it, should I forget if it was Somesystem A1B2 or A2B1 that caught my attention, with all the same data right there. Or I can remember and and set a new course from my Nav panel as before if I choose.
When I arrive I now have an interactive “game” of probing the planet to reveal map locations, mineral hotspots, and surface mapping the previous DSS either did not do, or did automatically, but in a very uninteresting manner. I still do not use the system map, except as before, to set bookmarks. I still don’t use the orrery.
Maybe this means I’m not a “real explorer”, just a “galactic tourist”, but I can live with that. It’s just vastly more active and enjoyable.