Exploration Noob question

[Kilokrecker]

I recently got back into Elite and at last I am finally starting to enjoy exploration, few questions though:

1.When I jump into a system, I use the discovery scanner (1.5 mill one) to lights up everything in that system right and this gives me credits for just mapping them in that system right?

2.I then go into FSS mode and start mapping everything using what feels like the big brother eye to see what each object is, do I get credits for doing this as well?

3. What planets are actually worth haulling myself over too to probe? I can't be doing everything as I find super cruise BAF so rather just do 1-2 and only do 3 unless its worth huge amount of dollar if you get my meaning.

Help!!! explorernoob.com

 

[tafkabb]

They're only in your system map because the system has been previously explored - if you jump into a system which nobody had discovered before, your system map will be empty and you'll have to use the FSS to discover the planets.
You do get credits for explored systems, but you get a 50% discovery bonus for unexplored planets (stars are all automatically discovered on the discovery scanner honk).
The best planets to fly over and scan are Earth-likes (ELW), water worlds and ammonia worlds. Also terraformable planets are worth a lot, and they're always within the 'goldilocks' zone, which is different for every star class and size

 

[Falcon JSDF]

And a system no one has explored is closer to the bubble than you think, the truth is out there.

 

[Fray]

2.I then go into FSS mode and start mapping everything using what feels like the big brother eye to see what each object is, do I get credits for doing this as well?

That will be your regular source of income, so to speak. You really don't have to resolve all of the signals on the FSS, btw, which leads on to---

3. What planets are actually worth haulling myself over too to probe? I can't be doing everything as I find super cruise BAF so rather just do 1-2 and only do 3 unless its worth huge amount of dollar if you get my meaning.

You can see all of the potential signal sources and celestial bodies on the spectrum range, and as Bongo already said, the main focus is always on ELW's, water worlds, ammonia, and those capable of terraforming. You'll learn very quickly to read the FSS at a glance, in terms of whether the system has those listed.

It's all kinda relative to your journey, however. Someone can travel tens of thousands of light years (I'm currently on my way back from Colonia), and if they're only firing the Discover Scanner, and only ever picking out ELW's or the like to scan, then they won't necessarily earn much at all. But someone who does a much shorter trip, but cleans out a fair chunk of systems thoroughly - including surface mapping the key aforementioned targets - will make more.

So explore as you see fit. Short journeys beyond the bubble can pay well, provided you take your time with choice systems, and if you've not got much patience for being beyond the bubble, then short trips are the way to go.

Oh, one last 'explorer's 101' thing. Think about mixing up your exit angle/trajectory from the Sol bubble, as in; don't just plot a route straight for the centre of the galaxy, or to Colonia. Leave the bubble above or below the galactic plane, then chart your way out. It really doesn't take many light years at all to find plenty of new discoveries, but obviously it's nice to maximise your discovery bonuses as soon as possible.

If you don't have a specific destination in mind, change angles, too. Climb or descend, zigzag, etc, and you'll likely be encountering far more systems that everyone else has just shot past.

 

[wAsh67]

Additionally, I find it handy to use the economical route. Although its much slower you do come across much much more. In the space of three short hops on the way from Coal sack to Pelican I mapped about 6 terraformable HMCs, one ELW and two WW. Using max jump range might have missed all of those.

 

[dreampage]

I recently got back into Elite and at last I am finally starting to enjoy exploration, few questions though:

1.When I jump into a system, I use the discovery scanner (1.5 mill one) to lights up everything in that system right and this gives me credits for just mapping them in that system right?

2.I then go into FSS mode and start mapping everything using what feels like the big brother eye to see what each object is, do I get credits for doing this as well?

3. What planets are actually worth haulling myself over too to probe? I can't be doing everything as I find super cruise BAF so rather just do 1-2 and only do 3 unless its worth huge amount of dollar if you get my meaning.

Help!!! explorernoob.com

When you arrive in a system there are two possibilities:

1. The radar is filled with astronomical bodies immediately. In this case, the system has already been scanned by someone else. You can still scan the bodies and get money for it but not as much as if you'd first discover them (obviously).
2. The radar is empty on arrival. This indicates that the system is completely undiscovered, so it's all yours. Your ship will automatically detect the main star (and any bodies within 25 Ls distance, should there be any) but for the rest you need both the Discovery Scanner and the FSS.

Using the Discovery Scanner in an unexplored system will determine how many bodies there are, and also automatically detect and scan all stars / black holes in the system, but for planets and moons you need the FSS. (In order to see them on the radar and the system map. If you just honk and jump, you'll still get money, just not as much.) Not using the FSS will leave both your radar and system map essentially empty.

Then, using the FSS is essentially scanning the bodies. It's like in the old times when you flew to every single one of them and scanned them, only now you can scan the whole system from the arrival point, no need to fly over to everything. This equals to the old "detailed surface scanner" method, only much faster.

If you probe a body then it's a new layer of exploration now, and means even more money but probably not substantially so. The more valuable the planet the more it's worth mapping it. You can map non-landable planets, too. I personally only map earthlikes or water worlds, who knows, maybe high metal content worlds pay well for it, too, but I don't bother. I don't think mapping makes a big difference in payouts but I may be wrong. It takes too much time in my opinion so I usually don't do it.