Exploration feels pointless to me though, as everywhere you go there are always settlements, sentinels, crashed ships, etc. It feels like there's nothing new to find as everywhere is populated.
I think its much different now to what it was. Your right in saying that it didn't feel like you were the first one there, we've all said that before, it was one of the points NMS didn't do well at. There are many things NMS doesn't do well, but all video games are like that really. Just has to have enough of what you like to keep you playing.
I stick mainly to uncharted systems now, they are more likely to have nothing there, not even a space station in many. So it works well, you will get the odd ship flying around, pirate or whatever, but the sentinels are much less likely to pop up now, which is a good thing.
Some of the planets I've visited recently have been, as far as I could tell.. 'Barren' of all life. These are by far the planets I prefer. Before this update it was very hard to find anything that came close to Barren/lifeless. Now it seems, certainly in some uncharted systems, that we can feel really alone. Which is nice.
Regards collecting ships. I have a freighter full of ships I want to sell, but the game doesn't let you sell. So really its my own fault for getting them in the first place. I knew I would only stick with my lowly trader ship, its the type I prefer in the game, none of the others really interest me. I think I got them because I could, so think on players, don't bother if you think the ship you already have is better, stick with that, unless you fancy a fighter too. But I have my trader pimped up to deal with any pirate that comes along..
I really don't need the freighter never mind the other things. The game gave us these options and I fell for it, knowing full well, it isn't the way I play the game. So only myself to blame.
I play as a solitary trader/miner (should add to that explorer too), going from place to place. So really no point in bases, freighters, other ships, vehicles (maybe one) or anything like that.. Really I need my head looking at for wasting the credits on all those items..
Still, credits are very easy to come by, so no big loss.
Edit: Found a nice plant thought I would add the vid.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLmTcvvwk-Y