A PP Explorers Faction

[CMDR Valvrave]

lets be honest the sirius corp isnt really great for explorers, besides the 200% payout increase in data sold.

what would a good explorers faction look like?


a passive for controlled/exploited systems be like: 50% payout increase in sold data

rating 2: additional 50% payout increase

rating 5: longrange detailed surface scanner which adds 500-1000ls scanning range

you gain merits by scanning stellar objects
like

1 for systems, stars, rocky and highmetal planets
2 for jovians
3 for earthlikes

homebase like 3k ly from inhabitated space in direction to the core
planned as outpost for travelers

 

[InMemoriamSirocco]

I like it

 

[Muetdhiver]

I'd rather have the exploration side of Sirius corp being fleshed out, along with teraforming.
Like a rank 4 bonus for earth like and teraformable planets.

Also, having 'internal' CG for exploration => teraformation => colonization resulting into a control system + colonies
netting you creds & merits, i.e. way of getting merits from exploring.

That would be cool I think.

 

[iain666]

Also, having 'internal' CG for exploration => teraformation => colonization resulting into a control system + colonies

Terraforming should take a long time. Decades at least.

Maybe build a station and start the colonisation process of a system with terraforming being set in motion but you should really have to wait (in terms of a computer game) an inordinate amount of time for a planet to be terraformed.

 

[DrNoesis]

I like the OP's idea, and as someone that's not seen human space in months, can certainly appreciate the desire for a long range sensor "upgrade" with any speculative explorer focused faction... but to play devils advocate - it is kind of explorer exclusive.

The Mining related module whilst intended primarily for miners to defend themselves, can also be equipped by more combat related pilots who perhaps want the opportunity to mine for ore at RES's when they aren't otherwise engaged, or for general purpose use by pilots who want the flexibility a mining laser which can damage ships brings with it.

As a result, I think we explorers are probably going to come across as a bit "elitist" if we push for a mod that is only really of use to ourselves, and I would suggest that we're less likely to see a perk along these lines because of that.

Instead I'd suggest that either the mod in question extends all equipped sensor/scanner ranges (most likely with an associated increase in power draw to balance it) or that we opt for something else entirely.

As an alternative, I'd suggest some kind of shield/armour/powerplant mod that improves heat management efficiency. Call it a "Fractal Heat dissipating '[module type']" and you can suggest that through some form of nano-engineering/magic the effective heat dissipation surfaces of the ship are increased explonentially, allowing for cooler running.

As explorers, we feel the benefit most in fuel scooping, making it less likely for us to get burned to a crisp when we drop into a system between two or more stars... Combat players may notice the difference in how long it takes to overheat weapons, and traders.... erm.... get to transport frozen goods and yoghurt?

Just my 2 penneth worth anyhoos...

 

[CMDR Valvrave]

well, what with and A* FSD which increases jumpdistance

tbh, the most wanted for me is passive exploriation data payout increase

i mean, there is one which buffs trading and bounty payouts again.

explorers are like stepkids in PP, no thoughts were made.
i mean a rank5 payoutbuff with no ways of maintaining merits in deepspace is not well worked out

 

[Mengy]

I still think an Explorer Guild would add a lot to the game. Not a faction in Power Play but a neutral power, something alongside of the powers. I mean explorers don't really want to peeve off half of the galaxy now do they?


Here's my thread on my idea in case anyone's interested:


https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=155152

 

[Ian Phillips]

check out the link in my sig

 

[Murishani]

Terraforming should take a long time. Decades at least.

To be fair, traveling 30 light years should take a long time, 31 years at least.
We're all playing a game, might be nice to see some expansion and rewards for our exploration that are less monetary.

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check out the link in my sig

I think OP was talking about an official PP group. Ive always been curious about FGE but I rarely hear from you lot. What are you doing currently and where do we sign up? Just register on the forums?

 

[iain666]

To be fair, traveling 30 light years should take a long time, 31 years at least.
We're all playing a game, might be nice to see some expansion and rewards for our exploration that are less monetary.

FTL travel we have to put up with, but super fast terraforming I don't think you need. Colonising system by building stations, yes. Once planetary landing comes you could have all kinds of missions based around colonising the planet - setting up bases under covers, protecting bases and terraforming equipment from local beasties, delivering volatiles from a nearby gas giant - but getting from CFT to ELW should take ages.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Exploration-based powers don't really fit with PP as it is, though - PP powers need a good dense base of inhabited systems to get CC for expansion, which isn't really available in frontier or beyond-frontier settlements. Colonisation/exploration-based collectives would need at least a completely different CC source, but the general mechanics of powerplay could be modified to do it:

Prepare: detail scan systems in a subsector (maybe a 25LY cube, as this has similar volume to a 15LY radius sphere) to prepare it for future expansion. Unlike UC scans, PP scans can be done in systems you already know (but no more than one scan per system/object per 30 minutes). Subsectors containing any stations may not be prepared.

Preparation CC costs are similar to those of normal powers - which means that the distances involved will make it difficult to prepare more than one or two subsectors per cycle even for a large power

Expand: deliver metals (or mine them locally) to a capital-ship sized construction vessel in the system
Oppose: destroy supply ships bringing materials to the sector

Successful expansion places a small outpost in the most valuable system in the subsector. This outpost then generates CC in proportion to the number of habitable, terraformable and minable worlds in the subsector as the power sells various settlement and mineral rights. Control costs are again distance-based, so pretty expensive.

Fortify: deliver metals to the outpost
Undermine: destroy transport ships in the subsector

Successful fortification without undermining increases the size of the outpost (adding large pads, eventually) but does not grant a CC benefit.
Successful undermining without fortification does not cause a CC penalty, but does temporarily suspend station facilities

 

[Fen Harel]

Exploration-based powers don't really fit with PP as it is, though - PP powers need a good dense base of inhabited systems to get CC for expansion, which isn't really available in frontier or beyond-frontier settlements.

My thoughts exactly.

Merit-decay makes it really difficult to actually explore and retain rank within a power. While an explorer is out in the deep black it looks like they can still vote their preparation nominations (with the number available dropping each cycle), but unable to pick up the cash bonus at the end of the cycle. For that you need to physically show up in one of the control systems.

It's simply difficult to participate in PP - at least as its structured now - without actually being in or around the bubble. And honestly, that doesn't strike me as being unreasonable. PP involves working with your power to help shore up existing systems, to expand to new systems, to hinder your enemies, etc., and that is tough to do from Sag A*.

I'm an explorer, and I also am enjoying PP. My plan is to head back out into the black at the end of cycle 3. I want to pick up my bonus before heading out, but I realize my merit level is going to rapidly dwindle next to nothing. Like with many things in Elite its a balance, and choices need to made. In this case, I can live with that.

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Also, having 'internal' CG for exploration => teraformation => colonization resulting into a control system + colonies
netting you creds & merits, i.e. way of getting merits from exploring.

Having someway of doing this would be great, whether or not it had anything to do with PP.

The Mercs of Mikun were able to get Frontier to give them a Community Event to get a station, its too bad there isn't a more formal structure for how to do that.

 

[CMDR DoubleSkulls]

I tend to agree. PP is about intra-humanity politics. A PP that gave rewards for exploration would not be a self-serving institution unless this became a method of increasing its political or economic power.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Stacked exploring would mean an objective could be: make x systems known to civilisation. Scans and all. That would be an incentive for people to scan systems close by. The PP could even state a region towards which they want to expand.

I really do feel that expanding civilisation should be a target for exploration.

 

[Traveller_GG]

Essentially I am role-playing an independent ship captain, plying the stars doing my own thing and not getting involved in politics. I'd actually made that decision when I started playing the game: keep my head down and not get caught up.

I think when I hang around the bubble it'll be interesting to see how long I can stay 'aloof' from the action.

 

[Himilco]

I use the Phoenecians as my guide. Trade with everyone. "Side" with NO ONE. Explore in ways that are profitable to me.

I'm not sure how an "exploration" based Power really "fits"... it's clear that PP is geared towards the high end pew pew pew crowd...I always think of Eve vets...and it seems to me most explorers aren't terribly interested in that playstyle?

Rather than a new "political faction", I'd prefer interesting things to FIND. Things ONLY to be found in the Deep Black...places where only dedicated explorers will likely ever see. Things that established political power would LOVE to have. Alien tech? Evidence of alien culture? The possibilities are boundless. And we, as explorers, make our mark not guns blazing....but by choosing with whom we share our finds. We'd be Kingmakers....or breakers.

Until then, and since this the largest "sand box" game ever created, I log in and have fun on my own terms.

 

[JeffRyan]

Merit decay makes an exploration faction for me impossible.

 

[CMDR Valvrave]

Merit decay makes an exploration faction for me impossible.

thats why you should get merits for scanning - ser jorah

 

[Jacob Marshall]

I use the Phoenecians as my guide. Trade with everyone. "Side" with NO ONE. Explore in ways that are profitable to me...

...Rather than a new "political faction", I'd prefer interesting things to FIND. Things ONLY to be found in the Deep Black...places where only dedicated explorers will likely ever see. Things that established political power would LOVE to have. Alien tech? Evidence of alien culture? The possibilities are boundless. And we, as explorers, make our mark not guns blazing....but by choosing with whom we share our finds. We'd be Kingmakers....or breakers*...

...
I really do feel that expanding civilisation should be a target for exploration...

These, these are the two posts that really struck a chord with me.

Ziggy's encapsualtes 'The Grand Mission' (as I see/feel it) of exploration, and Himilco's...Himilco's represents what I would do with that information, an excercise in personal politics.

In-game I find a system of CTs and, after taking the pics and ooh-ing and ahh-ing, I get to thinking that this would be a perfect system to expand to, spreading humanity as wide and far as possible...but then I kind of start thinking about who I would want there.

So much scope for Exploration, so little done with it.


*My emphasis

 

[Fen Harel]

Merit decay makes an exploration faction for me impossible.

I see your point, though in practice it doesn't take too long to get to Rank 3 (750 merits) or even Rank 4 (1500 merits).

The bigger issue, as I see it, is that to get the cash bonus one needs to be back at one of your chosen power's control systems. Even if an explorer doesn't go too far, its very dangerous in those control systems. I expect to be interdicted at least once every time I go to dock, so its not a safe place to take a weakly shielded, long-jumping ASP, for instance. The next time I head into the deep black I'll just have to forgo that cycle's bonus... but I can live with that.