Confused about navigation and fuel use

[FarGalaxyBoy]

Hello I can't seem to figure out how to plot a route on the galaxy map using my available fuel only. I was bounty hunting and found a really lucrative smuggling job while checking in at a station. The Galaxy map showed 3 jumps when I plotted it, it didn't seem very far, all the lines were solid, so I figured what the heck. I'm in a sidewinder so rather then getting a fuel scoop I figured safe to keep my interdictor. You guessed it, after 2nd jump I'm in a system with no stations and not enough fuel to make the last jump. I reroute and eventually made it but had to run around in a populated system and big stations with illicit cargo.

isnt there some way when plotting courses to understand the limits if your fuel, how far you can get? I feel I must be missing something obvious! Any help appreciated or link to something that clearly explains fuel management would be great, apprciate the help!
FarGalaxyBoy

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

If you plot a route and the line start's being doted that's where your fuel will run out, also it's best to plot the route only after you accept the mission and buy any extra cargo. Finally never plot before you refuel as your ship will be lighter and may plot a rotue you can't make with a full tank.

 

[RasputinX]

Yeah, plot the mission after you refuel AND after you load any cargo as this will also reduce your range.

 

[limyjerry]

Don't run out of fuel it sucks I had to watch my anaconda self destruct for 30 sec I wanted to cry 9 mil lost

 

[Rauminen]

Don't run out of fuel it sucks I had to watch my anaconda self destruct for 30 sec I wanted to cry 9 mil lost

Fuel Rats mate. http://fuelrats.com/

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

Don't run out of fuel it sucks I had to watch my anaconda self destruct for 30 sec I wanted to cry 9 mil lost

Why not call a fuel rat or forum member?

 

[GreeceyChops]

Yeah, plot the mission after you refuel AND after you load any cargo as this will also reduce your range.

This has caught me out a few times - I've brought up a BB mission, gone into the Galaxy Map, plotted the route and seen that it looks OK, accepted the mission, and then suddenly found that the cargo I've now loaded for that mission has reduced my range just enough to make that route that I just plotted impossible. In one case I even had to abandon the BB mission - I was still in my Sidewinder at the time and the reduced range made the route unplottable. Not sure there's any way round that without making the route plotting really complex, i.e. giving the option to plot routes based on possible cargos rather than current state.

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

This has caught me out a few times - I've brought up a BB mission, gone into the Galaxy Map, plotted the route and seen that it looks OK, accepted the mission, and then suddenly found that the cargo I've now loaded for that mission has reduced my range just enough to make that route that I just plotted impossible. In one case I even had to abandon the BB mission - I was still in my Sidewinder at the time and the reduced range made the route unplottable. Not sure there's any way round that without making the route plotting really complex, i.e. giving the option to plot routes based on possible cargos rather than current state.

No, I've ploted route's that make huge loop's. As long as your FSD can get you there it'll plot the route, even if you'd have to refuel 7 time's(HUGE loop).

 

[limyjerry]

I didn't know about the fuel rats at the time

 

[GreeceyChops]

No, I've ploted route's that make huge loop's. As long as your FSD can get you there it'll plot the route, even if you'd have to refuel 7 time's(HUGE loop).

I definitely had one case where I was able to plot the route unladen, and then once I had the cargo loaded the route came up as unplottable, because there was no way to get to the target with my reduced jump range, even by making a huge loop.

 

[Karhedron]

(...)giving the option to plot routes based on possible cargos rather than current state.

This is already an option, isn't it? I'm not in the game right now, of course, but on the left hand menu I believe you can use your d-pad to set your planned cargo load before plotting a route. Think it's at the bottom of the tab where you choose economical/fastest route etc.

 

[GreeceyChops]

This is already an option, isn't it? I'm not in the game right now, of course, but on the left hand menu I believe you can use your d-pad to set your planned cargo load before plotting a route. Think it's at the bottom of the tab where you choose economical/fastest route etc.

Ohhhh I'll have to have a look at that, thanks!

 

[Stealth Gamer92]

This is already an option, isn't it? I'm not in the game right now, of course, but on the left hand menu I believe you can use your d-pad to set your planned cargo load before plotting a route. Think it's at the bottom of the tab where you choose economical/fastest route etc.

Yes, a slider at the bottom of Navigation tab but won't work if you go into system view to plot to a specific outpost(which will plot by current weight).

 

[Lost_in_Tactics]

Yes, a slider at the bottom of Navigation tab but won't work if you go into system view to plot to a specific outpost(which will plot by current weight).

^^^ Listen to this young brother. Stealth Gamer92

He knows his stuff. I played one game with him as his wingman and ended up buying a ship two classes above my beginner sidewinder. I was playing for a week prior to this and couldn't even finish a mission.

 

[Karhedron]

Yes, a slider at the bottom of Navigation tab but won't work if you go into system view to plot to a specific outpost(which will plot by current weight).

Ooh yes, important detail there. Thanks!

 

[OZYMANDlUS]

This is already an option, isn't it? I'm not in the game right now, of course, but on the left hand menu I believe you can use your d-pad to set your planned cargo load before plotting a route. Think it's at the bottom of the tab where you choose economical/fastest route etc.

You are correct sir. You can use the slider to adjust cargo capacity. Just max it out if you are planning to load up. Help stop the mystery of. "Can I make it after im full" remember that the heavier you are the more fuel you can potentially use per jump. Since your FSD jump range is based on your weight. The heavier you are, the less far you can jump. Also when entering certain percentage of your max jump range the more fuel you use. Example. You have a max jump of 20 Ly (unladen). 15 Ly (laden). Your jump is 10 Lys. Lets say it cost you 4t of fuel at max. To make that 10Ly jump empty costs you 2t of fuel. To make it while full of cargo it will cost you 3t of fuel. I hope this helps.

 

[Lawrence van Rijn]

A few things.
1. travelling around the cosmos in a sidewinder is a really bad idea.
2. by the time you get to a Cobra MK3 you get to travel further. When you update the frameshift drive to a class A, you can get 15Ly per jump.
2b. If you also get a fuel scoop you can refuel at any star, so basically unlimited fuel.

- Now you can do all those long trip idea's you currently seem to have.

3. the Anaconda can do a max 40 Ly jump (hear say), The sidewinder is just too pathetic to count for long range travel, to get a class A frameshift will help you, but the sidewinder is too weak to put up a fight. The cobra is an alround max toy for travel in your early years. (200 million credits takes a while to amass).

 

[SMcA]

I definitely had one case where I was able to plot the route unladen, and then once I had the cargo loaded the route came up as unplottable, because there was no way to get to the target with my reduced jump range, even by making a huge loop.

When exploring, I've had occasions when I have had to burn off fuel before I could plot and jump to some stars. I needed the extra jump range that low fuel gives.

 

[OZYMANDlUS]

A few things.
1. travelling around the cosmos in a sidewinder is a really bad idea.
2. by the time you get to a Cobra MK3 you get to travel further. When you update the frameshift drive to a class A, you can get 15Ly per jump.
2b. If you also get a fuel scoop you can refuel at any star, so basically unlimited fuel.

- Now you can do all those long trip idea's you currently seem to have.

3. the Anaconda can do a max 40 Ly jump (hear say), The sidewinder is just too pathetic to count for long range travel, to get a class A frameshift will help you, but the sidewinder is too weak to put up a fight. The cobra is an alround max toy for travel in your early years. (200 million credits takes a while to amass).

The anaconda can do 40Ly jump range. But you are stripping it out to bare bones and lowering all the internals way down. Everything must go including the navigator's station, lol. Oh and no red shirts for you. They are too heavy.

 

[GreeceyChops]

2b. If you also get a fuel scoop you can refuel at any star, so basically unlimited fuel.

Not true - you cannot refuel at *ANY* star, you can refuel at any so-called "Main Sequence" star, that is stars of type K, G, B, F, O, A, M.

When plotting routes, always check that the star you will need to refuel at is either one of these, or has a station with a refuelling service. If every star was scoopable, there would be no need for fuel rats...