a few questions...

[Zentriefugal]

Good morning commanders,

with the release of the PS4 version of Elite: Dangerous, I started my new „live“ in space and after looking for an interesting beginner guide I found the one from toddells.

---> click <---

At first I was blinded by the words “getting rich” but then I read it and was instantly impressed by all the different ways to play this game. So I decided to ignore the money making thing and start by learning all the opportunities of the game.

The problem with this guide is, that it seems to be a little out-of-date and needs to be updated. Those version differences cause some issues I couldn’t get out by my own. This is aggravated by the fact that I play the German version of the game and have to translate all the instructions as best as I can. So it would be great to get some help from the community and I think there is no better place to ask then this forum.

Let’s start with the first part of the guide…. Explore.

I’ve bought myself a fuel scoop and tried to look for unexplored systems to scan. That’s where the problems stared…

1. How do I find an unexplored system?
The guide says, that I should look for the “buy system map” button and if it’s red, it’s unexplored. This seems to be wrong because I even systems I have already been to, have this button in red. So there has to be another way to find unexplored systems, I am pretty sure there are still a few available ;-).

2. How about the scanner?
I already found out, how to refuel my ship by using the fuel scoop and for some reason I’ve automatically scanned 2 stars by targeting them as I was nearby but there were no other celestial bodies in those systems. Do I need another scanner to find planets or asteroid belts or was the really empty (there was nothing else on the system map)?

3. First explorer?
The next thing confusing me was the fact that after I have scanned those stars, it seems that there has been another player before. I expected myself to be the first one who discovered it but there was some kind of text saying “first explored by XY”. Did I get this right, I explore systems someone has been before!?

These are the first questions and I hope you guys can help. As soon as I got this Explore thing, I’ll as about mining. Thanks so far and have a nice weekend.


fly safe
Zentriefugal

 

[Wyaston Hypatia]

Welcome Commander.

I’ve bought myself a fuel scoop and tried to look for unexplored systems to scan. That’s where the problems stared…

1. How do I find an unexplored system?
The guide says, that I should look for the “buy system map” button and if it’s red, it’s unexplored. This seems to be wrong because I even systems I have already been to, have this button in red. So there has to be another way to find unexplored systems, I am pretty sure there are still a few available ;-).

I would ignore this, just fly around you'll find plenty of unknown systems.

2. How about the scanner?
I already found out, how to refuel my ship by using the fuel scoop and for some reason I’ve automatically scanned 2 stars by targeting them as I was nearby but there were no other celestial bodies in those systems. Do I need another scanner to find planets or asteroid belts or was the really empty (there was nothing else on the system map)?

There's only one type of system scanner, the 'Discovery Scanner' which comes in three grades:
Basic : detects all bodies within 500ls. - standard on ship.
Intermediate: detects all bodies within 1000ls - costs about 500 000Cr.
Advanced: detects all bodies in the system - costs about 1 500 000Cr.
You upgrade this when you can afford to. It's possible to explore with the basic but it's hard work, make upgrading a priority.
There's also another type of scanner that doesn't detect bodies, the Detailed Surface scanner, which gives more details about planets and thus increases their credit values. It costs about 250 000Cr and is well worth getting. Note it does not replace the Discovery scanner, it complements it.
These will soon pay for themselves as the rewards for handing in data isn't bad now.
On entry to a system you 'Honk' fire the discovery scanner - set this in fire groups - to detect all the bodies within range.
Further you need to target the star/planet/moon and let your ship scan it - it will change from unknown to a name. Do this for all the bodies in the system you want ro identify.

3. First explorer?
The next thing confusing me was the fact that after I have scanned those stars, it seems that there has been another player before. I expected myself to be the first one who discovered it but there was some kind of text saying “first explored by XY”. Did I get this right, I explore systems someone has been before!?

These are the first questions and I hope you guys can help. As soon as I got this Explore thing, I’ll as about mining. Thanks so far and have a nice weekend.


fly safe
Zentriefugal

There's three types of system in the game:
Discovered and known (to you): These are the systems that you already have data for in the galaxy map - nothing new for you to find here.
Discovered and unknown (to you): These are systems in populated space that you don't have data for, but are 'known' in that people have been there before. These you can scan and get credits for, they become known to you. It also includes systems in unpopulated space that some else has already been to.
Undiscovered and unknown (to anyone): These are systems that no one has been to before. These are the ones without names of the discoverer. If you hand in scans for these systems, you will get a Cr. bonus and your name as first discoverers. You will need to have traveled at least 1000Lys away from inhabited space, 'the bubble', before you start finding these. The further you go the more you'll find, a lot less than 1% of the galaxy is discovered.

o7 commander.

 

[Foddy]

1. I don't think this is right - there are lots of reasons why you can't buy the data I believe. If you want to find unexplored systems, then you can filter the galaxy by government or population (I think) to find unoccupied space (zoom out lots!) and then just head in a straight line away from population. Expect to travel a couple of thousand Ly though.

2. If you have an advanced discovery scanner, bind it to one of your fire buttons and hold it down until the scan completes on each system, It will scan the entire system in one go - otherwise, it will just discover bodies you're close to. You can do more detailed scans and surface scans, but you'll need to work out what's worth your time (e.g. if it's earth-like, the surface scan data is worth more).

3. Yes, it has already been discovered by someone else. You'll still be able to sell the data you've scanned, but you won't get the bonus for being the first person to discover it. The background simulation (which includes the discoveries) is shared between the platforms or were pre-populated.

If you're going out exploring, understand that it's a bit lonely. I've gone days without seeing anyone (even AI) - I found the best way was to pick a destination (the centre of the galaxy is a common choice) and make a trip there and back, exploring on the way. You also get passenger missions which take you way out of the way, so they can be a good source of income if you don't mind where you're headed.

Enjoy!

 

[m1dane24]

Welcome, Commander. I hope you enjoy the game.

And you are correct to ignore all the easy money making, credit exploiting ways to earn CR. CR will come to you as you play and enjoy the game.

To answer you questions -

1. To find unexplored or undiscovered systems you may need to go out the what we call the "Bubble" - the occupied patch of space (composed of a few thousand systems) of civilization. From my experience, going 200LY out of the bubble you'll start discovering unexplored/undiscovered systems. Going a thousand or more LY away from the bubble and most systems will be untagged yet. There isn't any system that's still undiscovered within the civilization bubble.

2. Within the bubble you don't necessarily need a scanner to discover stellar bodies (unless you sold the Basic Scanner that came with the ship), you can always just go to a Nav Beason, scan it and you'll get all the details about the system. The there's the Intermediate Scanner that scans or detects anything within 1000LS and the Advanced Scanner that detects everything within the system, you will have to map these two to your Fire Groups vai the Ship Interface panel. Once mapped, press and hold until the scan finishes and you get the details you want.

The last scanner is the Detailed Surface Scanner, you don't need to map it to any Fire Group an the only requirement is that you are close enough to any stellar body for it to fire up and start the scan.

3. If the system says "discovered by XCV" then that means, someone else before you has been to that system, scanned it and sold the Cartographic data to some station for Credits. The tricky part here is that, if you find an undiscovered system (you scan it and all) and you are the "true" first to discover it, it won't state that there unless you go to a station and sell you Carthographic data. If someone else goes to that system you first discovered and sold their data first then that system will have their name as the first one to discover it.

Fly safe!

 

[Factabulous]

As others have said, you want an Advanced Discovery Scanner (ADS). You also want a Detailed Surface Scanner (DSS) to scan the planets for more CR (and get first discovered hopefully!).

Here's a guide to what planets are worth scanning: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=117129&stc=1&d=1490523708

You won't get your name on much near where you start - people have been scanning a lot - but when you head out you will come across undiscovered systems (the rewards aren't great, but the popup is nice to see!)

Have fun (and consider taking some passengers with you, they can be quite lucrative!)

Edit: Check out the CR on Earth-likes and Water Worlds! And there is a special forum page somewhere for ringed earth-like planets, I think only 20 or so have been discovered in the galaxy

 

[Ashnak]

...You won't get your name on much near where you start - people have been scanning a lot - but when you head out you will come across undiscovered systems (the rewards aren't great, but the popup is nice to see!)...

...unless you're returning from a few months long expedition and would like to sell your data fast, but have to wait for the "first discovery" popup to run to its completion before you can go to the next page

Seriously, though - if you want to explore, hop over to the Exploration subforum. Lots of good advice over there.

 

[slayersamelia]

I think I'm missing something with the scanner. I just can't seem to figure out how to switch firegroups. Right now I have the scanner set on fire group 2 (fire group 1 has my multi-cannons and pulse lasers) but it doesn't cycle between them when I press square - it's either guns or no guns.

I'm sure it's something basic I'm missing here... Do I need to configure a gun for the 2nd firegroup to make it activate?

I'm still on the basic discovery scanner, so that might be part of the problem I guess?

 

[goemon]

Do I need to configure a gun for the 2nd firegroup to make it activate?

no, but you need to put the discovery scanner in there. check your keybindings in control for the firegroup cycle button.

 

[Factabulous]

no, but you need to put the discovery scanner in there. check your keybindings in control for the firegroup cycle button.

Yes, sounds like you might be deploying and undeploying hardpoints rather than cycling firegroups?

Quck fix: Just sell all the guns, then you don't need multiple firegroups