Newcomer / Intro A couple of questions regarding exploration (searched, didn't find it)

junaum · Apr 8, 2015

Hey there.

Exploration is awesome, but I've being struggling with this:

- It seems to be the least profitable profession (by a large margin). Is that correct, or am I'm doing something wrong (I'm reaching relatively far from the starting areas, scanning the system, then approaching "unexplored" stuff and micro scanning them as well).

- Now that I'm very far from the starting areas, and after I get some cash, I'll be willing to buy new equipment and new ships. The thing is, as far as I could learn from the webz, you can only buy this stuff at the beginning area. Does that mean that EVERYTIME I make some cash from travelling to the far reaches of space, I'll have to get travel back? Oh dear, that will be exhausting and boring. No workaround for that?

I'm using Fuel Scoop for non-stop jumping, and trying to get this thing right. My ultimate (and possibly impossible) goal is to get to the center of the galaxy. Any tips concerning a becoming more efficient at this will be most welcome (aside from the stuff I'm already doing, described above).

Thanks bros.

Ian Phillips · Apr 8, 2015

You are correct in thinking that it is the least profitable profession. But that really isn't the point of exploration.....

You can only sell data to Universal Cartographics, who luckily have offices in every outpost and station in the known galaxy - but you do have to go to one of those stations or outposts to sell the data. So, yes - you have to go back to the core to sell your data.

Rubblemaker · Apr 8, 2015

Its probably the least profitable if you count it in terms of hours spent doing it. You can spend a good week travelling out and back and make as much as you'd make in a couple of hours bounty hunting. But money making isn't the reason to go exploring is it?

exploring is the reason to go exploring.

You can ONLY make cash from exploring by travelling back to populated space and selling your data so yes, you have to travel back and no there is no short cut. No worm holes, no fast travel, no teleportation. You spend a month to get to the other side of the galaxy, then expect to spend a month getting back again. But think of all the new discoveries you'll make on the way back. You don't have to come back the same route!

Fuel scoop is essential for exploring. Want to refine this? get the biggest one you can afford. It scoops faster and further away from the star. Safer all round.

Quite a few people have reached the centre. Quite a few have reached the other side of the galaxy. Its far from impossible. Just takes a bit of upgrading of your ship and knowledge of jump distances to be able to do it.

LeetNoob · Apr 8, 2015

- It seems to be the least profitable profession (by a large margin). Is that correct, or am I'm doing something wrong (I'm reaching relatively far from the starting areas, scanning the system, then approaching "unexplored" stuff and micro scanning them as well).

In terms of profit over time, yes it is. Have you got an advanced surface scanner? This gives you more money for your discoveries. Also you get an extra 50% for systems no one else has explored.

- Now that I'm very far from the starting areas, and after I get some cash, I'll be willing to buy new equipment and new ships. The thing is, as far as I could learn from the webz, you can only buy this stuff at the beginning area. Does that mean that EVERYTIME I make some cash from travelling to the far reaches of space, I'll have to get travel back? Oh dear, that will be exhausting and boring. No workaround for that?

To make cash from exploring, you need to discover and scan the system, then fly back to populated space to sell the data. In other words, you will not get any cash from your exploring until you return and sell the data. If you are asking can you only buy more equipment in the area where you started the game, you can but this equipment in any station in populated space.

-I'm using Fuel Scoop for non-stop jumping, and trying to get this thing right. My ultimate (and possibly impossible) goal is to get to the center of the galaxy. Any tips concerning a becoming more efficient at this will be most welcome (aside from the stuff I'm already doing, described above).

This below link is a guide by Nutter. He is quite well known for his exploration expertise and has reached the far side of the galaxy so you can’t get a better guide.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=81653

junaum · Apr 8, 2015

That was some quick quality help friends. Thanks a lot for the support and replies!

I'll try to keep myself near the starting areas then (at least until I get a nice exploring ship and better gear).

Just got confused by one thing: I usually sell my carthographies to station 20ly away from where I explored (minimum required). Are you guys saying that selling this stuff at the starting area (is that the "core" you where referring to?) will make for more profit?

Oh, and don't get me wrong: I too wanna explore for other reasons than money. But I also need some money to starting a quality exploration, so that's why I was asking about the profits related.

Again, thanks a lot!

Rubblemaker · Apr 8, 2015

You can only sell at a station and the stations are only in the populated area of the galaxy, which in itself is pretty big but compared to the galaxy as a whole is microscopic. It makes no difference which station you sell at, you get the same money. Your money variations will come in whether you detail scanned a planet or not or whether you discovered it first.

willowfan · Apr 8, 2015

You can sell the information at any station as long as it's 20ly or more away from where you surveyed. There is no benefit from selling it further away (it's not like rares trading), you will get the same price wherever you sell it.

Sapient6 · Apr 8, 2015

Lastly, "The Core" that was referred to is Sagittarius A*, the center of our galaxy. It is around 26,000 LY from populated space and the nearest landing pad.

Fen Harel · Apr 8, 2015

Also remember that if you are an explorer there are lots of places to go to which are not Sag A*. Nothing against the core, of course, but its a big galaxy. For a first exploration trip consider going to a nebula, Barnard's Loop or California, say. It is very cool watching them slowly get bigger in your sky with each jump. Another good place is Mintaka. It has a black hole and is the rightward most star in Orion's Belt. Go to Mintaka and you show other people where you have been by pointing into the night sky.

I admit I'm biased, I'm out in the Perseus Arm debating whether or not the make another run for the Outer Arm and the Rim.

cmdr lowest · Apr 8, 2015

Exploring is incredibly profitable. I did a week's trip a while ago about 1000LY out with an advanced disco scanner and detailed surface and came back to about 10m credits. Thats only doing a couple of hours a night (and more on weekends).

However as many have said before, if it's a matter of maximising your earning potential versus time spent then there are other ways to amass credits quicker. To explore you really need the desire to get out there, see new systems and perhaps even put your name on an undiscovered little blue dot or two. I've found that when you get about 1000LY away then almost every system you jump to is undiscovered.

Just remember, when you get out of populated space there is no-one out there. No starports, no NPCs, no pirates, no players, no Seeking Luxuries, no USS'. You're on your own, it's just you and your fuel scoop. So prepare to miss out on community events and all the fancy stuff they add to the patches until you get back. Personally I've never seen a WSS or SSS(?) yet. Or any wings for that matter...