1st large exploration / optimal build?

Like its useless to go out with an umbrella on sunny days. Rather you are able to fly or you need a helmet. To each his own ;p

Oh yes, absolutely, if you want to go into a firefight with no shields knowing you will be shot at, or go exploring with no heatsinks and AMFU's knowing you will get hot or damaged, by all means do it, but thats no justification for mocking others for doing it.
 
... or go exploring with no heatsinks and AMFU's knowing you will get hot or damaged, by all means do it, but thats no justification for mocking others for doing it.

I am not mocking anybody. Its common sense that you get damaged or hot just when you dont fly good. Its not that the stars and suns fall into you, you fall into them. But if it hurts you I will withdrawal it again. To each his own and to few a false bottom
 
My DBE build:

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70i,,2-3I6u7_5K3I5K8I,4_w0722UI7Q42jw

I wouldn't bother fitting heatsink launchers or AMFU.
Edit: I see the latter have no mass, so it's not a big deal mounting them either. Plus, I would scale down the power distributor. The smaller ones have less mass, while the A one should have enough capacity to boost.

And it took me to the core (Sag A) with everything intact.

Of course there's danger out there, which is why we are advising OP bring heatsinks and/or AMFU's. If you KNOW there's danger everywhere, going in without proper preparation is not brave, it is reckless.

Statistically, the biggest danger is while docking/undocking in my experience. Also dangerous is letting yourself get dragged into a fight when being intercepted instead of boosting and jumping away. Just exploring is not really dangerous.

I also agree with dognosh, when you leave the bubble, turn everything non-essential off (including shields). Then you can scoop and jump very quick.
 
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Theres a couple logos, as well as sigs/bumper sticker logos in the fuel rats thread. (check in spoiler tags too)

Cool, will do. I only read that thread when it first started, but today I noticed interest has really picked up.


On topic, I've only gone out on one exploration mission so far, but it was decent sized one (got me to Ranger and about 20+ mil credits). Didn't take any heatsinks -- but then again I ventured outward toward the fringe and I think -- but am not sure -- that there are less of a likelihood of running into those close binaries there. I took a tiny AFMU w/ me just to experiment. I think I used about all of it up but most everything was at 89% or more still by the time I was back about 3 weeks later.

Granted, my 18kly round trip was a bit more than a tourist trip but still far less than the ones I plan to embark on in the future. So I am still considering packing one or two heatsinks for the next trip (because getting jumped into one of those binary situations is impossible to avoid despite any skill except for just not jumping there in the first place AFAIK), and I'll still take some AFMU's -- but won't be going crazy on them.

Of course, I will not be leaving on the next trip w/o everything needed to be part of the Fuel Rats volunteer hose patrol, if I happen to be in the right place at someone else's wrong time. :D


P.S. I think I like it down here better than in the general discussions section. More peaceful.
 
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P.S. I think I like it down here better than in the general discussions section. More peaceful.
It really is a much more friendly board I think.

Regarding the topic, and heat sinks and AMFU's: The thing is, you CAN travel all the way to the far rim and back and never need one, no argument from me on that. Many explorers have gone their entire career without needing one. The thing is when you need them you REALLY need them. My loadout carries shields, dual AFMU's and dual sinks. I barely use them, admittedly. You have to weigh the very very negligible cost (weight and power) of bringing them along, versus being five or six weeks into your trip, full of thousands of systems of data and having a scanner go out, ending your trip, or overheating in a binary/black hole/neutron that you could have easily used a sink to get out of safely.

If these were heavy, costly, fuel hungry difficult modules to work with, Id understand, but they aren't, they're easy to fit, you turn them off until they're needed, no big deal. Very minimal cost for the extra security they bring. Now if youre debating room for fuel and drones, or room for cargo space if Frontier ever puts anything out in space to bring home, or anything of that nature, I can see a stronger argument for leaving them at home, but as it is, theres almost no reason not to tack them on to your loadout.
 
I'm sure people have addressed this before but my advice remains: get the largest fuel scoop you can cram into your ship; everything else is a detail.
 
This will be my personal variant for my Asp on my next trip.

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70g,0Wg0Wg,2-3I6u7_6u3I8S8I,52M7Q4mpV2jw2UI

I have omitted the repair modules to show actual power use. Do not activate them unless you need them, and turn off your FSD when you are using. them.

No point going for too many, though, as it can't repair your canopy, and it starts to crack at about 85%, and breaches at 15% (from memory).

In the end, if you are planning to be near the fringes of the galaxy, you need every fraction of a light year in jump range that you can get your mits on. My current set up is at 31.7Ly, and I am often having to fly an additional 50-100% of the distance (if not far, far more) I am actually travelling due to the round about routes I need to take. 1000Ly trips are often over 45 jumps now, they used to be in the 33 range - assuming the galaxy map can find a route, and I don't have to manually plot it in sections...

I'd kill for an extra light year, even 0.3 of a light year.

For the record, I'm at 87% hull, 85% for the most compromised component, and didn't have heats sinks or AFMU's equipped when I started. Of that 13% damage, 10%of it was due to me messing around with things I shouldn't have (oh look! MY first Neutron! Can I scoop form that? Ooohhh...)

And the other 3% was due to real world control issues (cat nudging my hand, making me accelerate into a black hole, and my throttle calibration deciding to go nuts at the exact moment I dropped out of a jump facing a Neutron, and did not detect my throttle being at zero).

I'm well and truly paying attention now, an dhave had no mishaps in over 20k Ly. I've now done about 80k Ly.


Z...
 
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This will be my personal variant for my Asp on my next trip.

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70g,0Wg0Wg,2-3I6u7_6u3I8S8I,52M7Q4mpV2jw2UI


I like that loadout. That has about 1ly more than I had last time going out and you even manage a few heatsink launchers on it, too, which I want to carry next time.

Being new, I hadn't considered power management so I went w/ a setup that had power to spare even w/ everything turned on. Also, apprehension over being interdicted and being unable to run after returning had me going with probably more of a power dist. and thruster setup than necessary.

Unless I have a real in-game political or faction reason to do so, I don't see any reason not to just dump the cartographic data at whoever's lucky outermost outpost I can get to first. That's what I did last time (and it was kind of funny seeing me "allied" with some little refinery or whatever that I'll likely never see again!)
 
Asking an explorer the best loadout for a ship is like asking them what their ideal woman, or man is. We each have our own ideas, and our own foibles. Nothing is true, everything is permitted (heard that before somewhere). So do your own thing and enjoy yourself. My loadout is crap, only get about 27.05Ly, but that suits me. My only recommendation is to get the largest scoop you can. As far as fuel scoops go, size does matter, although some will disagree. Confused? just wait until the nebula start talking to you, or as happened to me somebody came along and fixed the blue lights in my Asp panel when I was asleep.....
 
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6C fuel scoop is fine with 627 hypothetical because FD haven't named them units/s. The fact you can't go above a Class 4 scoop is what keeps me from buying the DbEx - I've been spoiled by the 6C.
 
OK, this may very well be a stupid question. But I really don't get it.


If your aim is to explore new systems and tag your name / discover habitable planets (as opposed to doing an A* speed run) why is this fascination with jump range?
Wouldn't you explore more systems with shorter range? (more stops) (once sufficiently out 95% of systems are unexplored anyway) (you can explore on the way back too)

So why?

Edit: it's only a little off topic, as if I'm not trying to optimize for jump range, the loadout will change drastically.
 
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For me, it was the OP's request for a "large exploration" build. Large to me means +20klys. Whatever the exploring style, when you're that far out, a large jump range is good to have. Even if it's just "I'm sick of this and want to go home quickly" scenario.
 

It's been discussed in other threads that are up right now, but to sum it up:
Unscoopable deserts and neutron fields are easier with them, not everyone wants to search every system on the way to their target, just to get there asap, and its basically essential for exploring on the rim between far distant stars.
Also you can always jump LESS than your max if you want to scan every system, but you cant jump more than your max if youre in a bind, thus, get the highest jump you can.

Jump range is not REQUIRED for exploration especially heading coreward, but for many types of exploration its vital and can get you from point A to point B faster, and save your neck.
 
The DBE does have a decent heat tolerance but with the longer scooping times, I wouldn't slot anything less than a Class A powerplant. The number doesn't matter, it can be 2A or 3A. As long as it provides the power you need to repair your ship with life support still on.


Btw I was mostly joking. The DBE is an OK explorer ship if you're very strapped for cash. But really it's only about a 1.5 million CR difference to get an Asp that is much better equipped for long range travel. A significantly bigger and yet cheaper fuel scoop and more AFMUs. A class 6D fuel scoop is 2.4 Million CR LESS than a class 4A fuel scoop, and will fill a max jump in just under an FSD cool down timer. Not to mention better armor and top speed for a safer data passage through the bubble return trip.

17.5M Asp
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70g,0Wg0Wg0Wg0Wg,2-4s8S7_6u6Q8S8I,52W7Re0Ke0Ke0Ke2jw2UI

vs

16M DBE
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70i,mpV0Wg0Wg,2-6Q6u7_5K6u5K8I,7Re4_w0KU2UI2jw

+Rep for this as I am currently doing a brief run in my newbie explorer hauler. Another explorer was telling me about the DBE and I was considering it but I have no experience with long trips. I appreciate the suggestions especially if the price is so close between the two. I should just stay out for a few days longer ;)
 
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Asking an explorer the best loadout for a ship is like asking them what their ideal woman, or man is. We each have our own ideas, and our own foibles. Nothing is true, everything is permitted (heard that before somewhere). So do your own thing and enjoy yourself. My loadout is crap, only get about 27.05Ly, but that suits me. My only recommendation is to get the largest scoop you can. As far as fuel scoops go, size does matter, although some will disagree. Confused? just wait until the nebula start talking to you, or as happened to me somebody came along and fixed the blue lights in my Asp panel when I was asleep.....

THIS.

Get out there...dabble a bit in the type of exploration that appeals to YOU most. Buy and outfit a ship that YOU feel best supports the style of play that YOU favor.

There is no "right" or "wrong" way....it's your time...your credits. Find "fun" and satisfaction on your own terms.

And send back any interesting pics you get along the way!
 
Speaking as an exploration veteran, I went out with 2 heatsinks, 3x 3C AFMUs and a 6C scoop.

I used all 6 of my heatsinks before I got halfway (about 50 Kylies), and I used about 50% of the repair capacity of the AFMUs.

The fuel scoop is a subjective choice. I believe 6C is the sweet spot of scooping speed versus cost. 6B or 6A are only a few seconds faster for a MUCH larger cost. That larger cost hits your insurance bill if you pop your canopy, so why pay over the odds?
 
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