Becoming ELITE - is it just about the credits? Not for me...

[Grendahl]

So, I am just about to cross the Sag A meridian that divides this side of the galaxy from the far side. One of my self-imposed goals in aiming to become an Elite Explorer was to journey into that far side. (I did have visiting Sag A on the list, but now its turned into a tourist destination, meh, not so much).

Which got me wondering, does anyone else have self-imposed goals before they consider themselves to have personally earned 'Elite' status? (Obviously ignoring the credits earned ranking.)

 

[WR3ND]

If it were about credits (beyond being able to have the options that I want to have while playing the game), I would have stuck with trading. Credits are just a nice bonus and perhaps a justification or excuse, in a way.

What do I personally consider to be a distinguishing characteristic of an elite explorer? I suppose being the first to discover something significant and previously unknown that can then be used or shared with the community for its benefit.

 

[drkaii]

For me being an Elite explorer is about skill. Skill at navigating, skill at finding good discoveries, skill at outfitting the best ships, skill at handling the dangers, skill at being fast and efficient, and skilled at understanding astrophysics.

All these things can be accomplished quite quickly tbh, so the rank doesn't fit my philosophy. It does fit yours though as it's all about endurance

 

[Ben Ryder]

So, I am just about to cross the Sag A meridian that divides this side of the galaxy from the far side. One of my self-imposed goals in aiming to become an Elite Explorer was to journey into that far side. (I did have visiting Sag A on the list, but now its turned into a tourist destination, meh, not so much).

Which got me wondering, does anyone else have self-imposed goals before they consider themselves to have personally earned 'Elite' status? (Obviously ignoring the credits earned ranking.)

No self imposed goals but I like t do stuff that's a bit old fashioned. I just play keyboard only. No mouse. Got a CH hotas and it is still sat on the window ledge. Dont use trading tools for my trades. Playing as close to black and whites HUD as I can. Smuggle for fun. Have some nice notes books and a clutch pencil. Love the role playing bit that this game offers. So no self imposed goals, just stuff I like to do. I d guess my only goal would be to make an new keyboard layout and stuff for people who want to play old Elite with a new twist. If I don't well that's fine.

 

[WR3ND]

Yeah, for me it kind of hinges on the meaning and use of the words "elite" and "explorer." For example, I would consider someone who discovers an exceptionally profitable trade route with low overhead and entry costs who shares that information with the community and is less interested in seeking personal profit than finding the trade route in the first place to be an elite explorer. This doesn't mesh well with the in-game meaning of exploration though.

For something that does mesh better, I suppose holding a record for some coveted and relatively difficult achievement would be a good distinguishing characteristic of an elite explorer - the fastest to go there, going the farthest, finding the most of something, being the first to accomplish something particularly meaningful - those sort of things.

 

[b0rg9]

I want to find a nebula on the far side that no one's been to yet. Not sure if they're there to be had but it's a big place and I'm heading there.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I'm in it for the money and loose women. Since I seem to keep misplacing them all the time. You leave them somewhere, you come back and they're gone!

 

[marx]

I want to find a nebula on the far side that no one's been to yet. Not sure if they're there to be had but it's a big place and I'm heading there.

While you're out there, mind keeping an eye out for Earth-likes? There is a list for them here, but out of the 994 systems so far, only 26 are farther than 30000 ly. So there's plenty of opportunity to be the explorer who found the most Earth-like planets on the far side.
In any case, good luck with your expedition!

 

[Cdr Voorheez]

It's about the journey to Elite Explorer status: the mistakes, the bad builds, the new finds, the interdictions, the sweaty palms on returning after a long trip, the notepad and pen next to my keyboard I keep a manual captains log in, the thrill of the fact you are thousands of LY out of SOL, the shared cammerarderie of Explorers, the love of deep space, the interest in astrophysics, the constant learning curve and the fact that even when you hit Elite Explorer there is still more to do (extra missions) and more to see. It's a constantly turning wheel for the uber rich Conda Cdr to the uber poor DBE Cdr but we all have a shared common goal: exploration.

 

[marx]

It's about the journey to Elite Explorer status: the mistakes, the bad builds, the new finds, the interdictions, the sweaty palms on returning after a long trip, the notepad and pen next to my keyboard I keep a manual captains log in, the thrill of the fact you are thousands of LY out of SOL, the shared cammerarderie of Explorers, the love of deep space, the interest in astrophysics, the constant learning curve and the fact that even when you hit Elite Explorer there is still more to do (extra missions) and more to see. It's a constantly turning wheel for the uber rich Conda Cdr to the uber poor DBE Cdr but we all have a shared common goal: exploration.

And the pretty views. Let's not forget the pretty views.
Plus explorers tend to have the best screenshot albums too.

 

[TartanDragon]

It's all about fun for me. If I do not enjoy it I do not do it. Everything else is a by-product.

 

[thehairymob]

There are ranks? When did this happen?

 

[antonygoldrick]

I'm on my 2nd major exploration holiday. The first being a Sagi A run which I completed (2nd time around).

This time I'm leisurely heading 10k east, then will be going south 10k, then west 10k and finally North 10K back.

I decided to try and do a big O'Square dance around and back to where I started from in the Empire and scan as much as I can in the 40k traveling I'm doing.

I have no time scale, not plan to deviate of my planned path and I'm doing it in an Imperial Clipper with around 23-24 jump range.

I'm .5k from the first corner and should hit it any time in the next couple days...

 

[Hoderi]

It's about setting goals for me. I'm aiming to visit every single nebula in the galaxy

 

[Sire]

If it were about credits (beyond being able to have the options that I want to have while playing the game), I would have stuck with trading. Credits are just a nice bonus and perhaps a justification or excuse, in a way.

What do I personally consider to be a distinguishing characteristic of an elite explorer? I suppose being the first to discover something significant and previously unknown that can then be used or shared with the community for its benefit.

IMHO, I don't think data an explorer collects could benefit others than the explorer himself and just in terms of ranking and money.

I really can hardly understand how data about the most desolated and farthest systems could be of any use to me or to anyone else in the community.

 

[Kancro Vantas]

Hmm Elite Explorer for me is:

-Having discovered at least one of each of the possible astronomical bodies that exist, from O stars to Herbig objects to Black Holes to Carbon Stars...etc.
-Having mastered the Galaxy Map and the regions of the Galaxy. Think you should generally know where something in the galaxy is (e.g. should know where Sag A is, where the Great Annihilator is, a notion of where the most popular nebulae are, etc.)
-Having deep understanding of the configurations and modules more beneficial for exploration. This also happens to increase understanding of your ship greatly, not only for exploration.
-To have had at least 3 formal exploration trips (10k ly and over, round trip)
-Run a major exploration/research, creating hypothesis, follow thru with observation and results, and present findings to the Explorers Community. This is like presenting the paper to get your graduation. I know, you don't have to, but this is my idea, and I did so. Gave me a sense of accomplishment as Explorer.
-Make a major collaboration to the community in terms of service or findings or making constructive and helpful insights/comments/information.
-"Making money, money, money tons of it, hahahaha, become rich to own them all! all! all! That's the purpose of exploration!! to be the richest man in the world!!!" <---said no one. Ever.

Purely having 160 MM by exploring might make you Elite but I believe I read somewhere else, is not the only way, as someone reported getting there much earlier -at 120 MM. I guess is actually a balance between that and actual systems visited or some other metric.

 

[iain666]

Purely having 160 MM by exploring might make you Elite but I believe I read somewhere else, is not the only way, as someone reported getting there much earlier -at 120 MM. I guess is actually a balance between that and actual systems visited or some other metric.

I think for ranking purposes any credits earned prior to the inflation (in 1.2?) are increased by the multiplier they applied then, even though the actual earnings you see aren't changed. So if you made a chunk of credits before 1.2 then you could get Elite at a smaller total (but if you'd handed in all the same systems after 1.2 you would have 160m+)

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Purely having 160 MM by exploring might make you Elite but I believe I read somewhere else, is not the only way, as someone reported getting there much earlier -at 120 MM. I guess is actually a balance between that and actual systems visited or some other metric.

It means they'd have explored for a little over 50 mil before the awards were doubled. Which would be a little over 100 mil in todays money. Add 60 mil in exploring and you'd have a little over 160 counting the first 50 double. In actual money, a little over 50 + 60 = a little under 120.

I think. I don't know of a way to explain it less clear

edit: Or I can read on a post or two ....

 

[marx]

I really can hardly understand how data about the most desolated and farthest systems could be of any use to me or to anyone else.

For example, collecting information on what star types and luminosities have Earth-like planets been found at could make it easier to find new ones.

 

[WR3ND]

IMHO, I don't think data an explorer collects could benefit others than the explorer himself and just in terms of ranking and money.

I really can hardly understand how data about the most desolated and farthest systems could be of any use to me or to anyone else in the community.

Yes, in general I agree with you. Given that, it's my opinion that there isn't necessarily all that much elite exploration involved in obtaining the elite explorer rank in ED. Again, as the OP said, these are our personal definitions of what we consider to be elite exploration, not the in-game rank itself.

However, hopefully FD will change these sort of things and the data we gather from scanning systems will have more significance.

Here's a post I made in another thread regarding this: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=168657&p=2574364&viewfull=1#post2574364