As an Explorer I guess I am Nuts

[kb_Nomad]

Sometimes it is very hurtful to my heart how folks just want to go to SGR A or just want to scan where the money is and call themselves an Explorer.

Folks have lost track of the fact a (Real/True) Explorer sets a direction not a destination unless it is a new route.

The Dictionary says: Exploring = to travel in (a region previously unknown or little known) in order to learn about its natural features, inhabitants, etc.

I continued my Exploring today, in four (4) hours I moved 115 LY's - Thats how I explore. If you are in to exploring for the credits you are in the wrong profession in Elite Dangerous.

 

[Danger Mouse]

So far I've visited a bunch of nebulas usually only deep scanning planets based on their photographic potential. SC takes a wee bit too long for me to become a professional explorer, I'm really just in it for the photos. Any money made on the trips is a bonus.

 

[bigmuthatrukka]

I'm on my way to sag a using economic routing and taking a pretty scenic line. So far I am 9000ly from sol and every jump heralds an unexplored system since 1000 out. Now don't get me wrong I'm not scanning all of it, I have a rule set. Always the sun, metallic up to 1000, Jovians from solar orbit or bust, Worlds and non sequentials always, no matter how far, anything odd looking gets a photo opportunity. Ice and rocks never. Powerplay eh? yeah I'll catch up with it in a few months.

 

[callahan44]

Proper Exploring isn't about how many Million credits per hour. I usually scan the whole system if it's interesting (including rocks which are worth nothing)

 

[Nounverber]

I'm still on what I consider my first exploration foray. I decided I wanted to see Rigel and Betelgeuse, but looked at all the things that lay in between. My first waypoint became Aldebaran, to which I set an economical route and then scanned pretty much everything that wasn't icy or a belt along the way (I do still scan the closer ones, especially when they are moons around interesting planets). My next waypoint is Maia because people said it was worth seeing, but 55 jumps and 450-ish scans later I'm barely halfway there.
It's also very funny to think about how people won't go anywhere without the maximum FSD. Turns out I could have stuck with a D module because 83 systems after sailing out of Neto the biggest jump I've made was 9.8 light years (the average so far is 5.3). Perhaps some day I'll rig a long range tourist vehicle, but for now I'm content seeing what the next star over has in store.

 

[b0rg9]

I'm on my first exploration foray as well. I did as you said -- set a direction, not a destination. That was out to the edge and let's see what's out there.

Along the way I found nebulae and other interesting areas so I made courses for those. I also thoroughly scanned lots of stuff -- whether discovered or not.

As it turns out I have been mostly in uncharted territory. I love it. Sometimes the starfields get monotonous (endless M Class stars w/ either nothing or a few rocks or gas giants around them), but, like you said pretty much, that's the point. You've explored that area and now know.

Yeah, yeah I'm not too proud to say I will be eventually making that pilgrimage to the core, but there really is infinitely different directions to take off into in the meantime. Good post!

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Pretty much my method these days OP. When the game launched i spent a lot of time running from one tourist destination to another (although still haven't been to Sag A*!!). Now i just fly slowly, picking interesting looking systems (ideally hot A, F, G systems, usually better if they are single stars) looking for earthlikes and other cool stuff.

I don't want to be one of those people when asked how i got to Elite in Exploration respond by saying "I spent a week farming neutron stars near the core".

 

[Grav]

I'm with you too OP. I've been meandering in a given direction at my own pace now for about a month, and still only ~3000LY from Sol. At this rate it may be another year before I dock again, assuming I even make it back in one piece.

The feeling of freedom in this game is so dizzying, I love it.

 

[AsukaZ]

No OP I don't think you're nuts as an explorer, I think you have the heart of a true explorer, and I think most true explorers would agree with you.

But Yes, this is nuts -

Sometimes it is very hurtful to my heart how folks just want to go to SGR A or just want to scan where the money is and call themselves an Explorer. ...

People do what they want, let it go. Live and let live I say.

 

[Badben]

Wow OP, you're obviously a much better player than I am. You know how the game is really supposed to be played. I guess I should just give up because I don't explore the way you think I ought to. Thanks for putting me in my place, I'm just a money grubbing jerk off and you are Christopher g Colombus. I see the light now thank you, I will stop "pretending to be an explorer now because you put me to shame. (by the way, I've explored over 5000 systems, I've been to the other side of the galaxy, and I don't give a &%$# how you think I ought to explore)

 

[Dommarraa]

Wow OP, you're obviously a much better player than I am. You know how the game is really supposed to be played. I guess I should just give up because I don't explore the way you think I ought to. Thanks for putting me in my place, I'm just a money grubbing jerk off and you are Christopher g Colombus. I see the light now thank you, I will stop "pretending to be an explorer now because you put me to shame. (by the way, I've explored over 5000 systems, I've been to the other side of the galaxy, and I don't give a &%$# how you think I ought to explore)

At least op posted in the troll forum. If he tried this in the exploration forum, he would be laughed out of his asp

 

[Magnificent Beard]

Never planned on going to the core myself. Not since I heard it was full of black holes. I know I can't avoid bumping into one eventually once I go on my dream trek around the galaxy, but I think i'll leave the core alone.
I'm only part way through my first exploratory run myself. Haven't found anything spectacular yet, but I have been to and scanned a few systems that no one has been to before.
Boldly going where no man's gone before. That's the dream baby!

 

[SirAdelaide]

Sag A* IS unknown, until you've been there.

 

[TheNunu]

Proper Exploring isn't about how many Million credits per hour. I usually scan the whole system if it's interesting (including rocks which are worth nothing)

I scan everything too, except the asteroid belts of the suns, since they don't even give you any information except a name for the piece of the asteroid belt. If they would at least give some kind of information and still would be worth nothing i would probably scan them.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

:sigh: The old "true explorer" debate again.

What makes a true trader? To me it is anyone who can make a profit from selling commodities.
A true fighter? Someone who can give as much as they can take in the combat aspects of the game.

A true explorer? Someone who can go out where they have never been before.

I've mentioned this before elsewhere, but "exploration" is such a broader term for this part of the game than some realise, with so many reasons to go out where you have never been before, and so many different things to get out of it. That latter part, what to get out of it, is the real issue here, and it is inevitable that people will disagree with the reasons for each and every person's every journey.

Ask yourself what is the most important reason for you at any particular time, and be true to your reason and to yourself. If all you care about is taking picturesque snaps, then so be it. The same goes for those only looking for the money, or to set a new travelling record in a particular ship, or to find new planets and other phenomenae out there, or to just get to explorer Elite and literally have nothing more to do with exploration afterwards ever again, etc. However, in all of these cases, there is still the common thread of going out to a place which is new to you.

 

[specialsymbol]

Sometimes it is very hurtful to my heart how folks just want to go to SGR A or just want to scan where the money is and call themselves an Explorer.

Folks have lost track of the fact a (Real/True) Explorer sets a direction not a destination unless it is a new route.

The Dictionary says: Exploring = to travel in (a region previously unknown or little known) in order to learn about its natural features, inhabitants, etc.

I continued my Exploring today, in four (4) hours I moved 115 LY's - Thats how I explore. If you are in to exploring for the credits you are in the wrong profession in Elite Dangerous.

You definitely are nuts.

Exploring in Elite is about being able to find the most profitable region (there are three known so far) and hit-and-scan the systems.
The metering for success in Elite is income.

Since the devs chose to reward hit and scan tactics over thoroughness that's the way it's meant to be played.

In fact, don't bother looking for earth likes - SC simply takes too long. Just scan neutrons and black holes where they are amassed, but I find that the better known regions are all very much claimed. Doesn't matter much, as you could still leave your mark by scanning everything else but the central star (most systems have only the central star scanned and named) - but then everyone would know that you're stupid.

 

[Morlock5K]

I personally consider myself a true explorer but I am however currently en route to saggy A* - I'm approx 13Kly away so approx half way, after that I would like to take a stroll over to the the great annihillator and then will start my long trek home. On my way out I have been using fastest route and only scanning what I consider worthy of my time but on the way back it will be different, I will be using econimical most of the way and not taking the direct route. On my travels I have seen many interesting systems and have taken lots of photos, the main reason I am looking forward to the power play update is so I appear in the cockpit on my space selffies!

 

[Erimus Kamzel]

I continued my Exploring today, in four (4) hours I moved 115 LY's - Thats how I explore. If you are in to exploring for the credits you are in the wrong profession in Elite Dangerous.

I think we all start off like that. One star at a time, taking it slow and taking in the sights. A trip to the Coalsack was an expedition, same with Barnard's Loop. But there comes a time, and its doesn't take long, when you yearn for a bigger challenge. At the moment the only challenge to exploration is one of endurance... how far can I go?, can I set a goal and reach it?

It was only a few weeks into the removal of the gamma bubble when people realised there's really no content out there yet except the stuff the ADS reveals time and again, and scanning the same stuff over and over again loses its appeal, that's why explorers set their sites further afield and went to the core, or to the far side of the galaxy... it was a challenge. And 6 months later is still the only challenge for a lot of those early players.

So although I agree with your sentiments about exploring, especially about the credits (which are meaningless anyway), in Elite Dangerous exploration to a lot of players is about more than just taking it slow and scanning things one system at a time... they've done that 1000's of times already and want something different.

Once the ability to actually discover unique content, and new content is added that requires more than just endurance to locate or the pressing a couple of buttons to reveal, then exploration will take on a whole new meaning. I'll be doing it one star at a time again when that day comes

 

[CMDR DoubleSkulls]

The metering for success in Elite is income.

Personally, I'm playing a game. I measure success by the amount I enjoy the game. Not some arbitrary measure that has little impact on my enjoyment. For me, money in Elite, as in life, is not and end. Money is a means to an end - the means to have the right equipment to do what I enjoy.

The biggest problem I have with exploring is the commitment level involved. No other profession requires such dedication and commitment in terms of time. I can trade for an hour or ten, then switch to bounty hunting, gaining rank, piracy, mining... whatever - when I want with a fairly minimal amount of time/effort required to switch. With exploring, if you are 20kly from inhabited space, it will take you hours to return, sell your data and switch profession. So if I get a bit bored exploring and want to do something different its much, much more painful than any other role.

 

[Deleted member 38366]

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