Lots of text alert!
After hearing about a scan point that resets if you relog, I thought I'd do a small experiment to see what data drops I'd get.
I did 100 scans, and the pool of data drops was out of 6 types: specialised legacy firmware (SLF), Cracked Industrial Firmware (CIF), Modified consumer firmware (MCF), Classified scan databanks (CSD), Unusual encrypted files (UEF) and Tagged Encryption codes (TEC).
Each scan could have a minimum of 1 drop and a maximum of 3 drops, so there would be 300 chances for a material.
So, the results (I'm not the best at maths, so go easy!):
CIF was dropped 10 times (30 data) used in nearly 20 high end blueprints G3 - G5 (mainly G5) 10% drop rate
CSD were dropped 30 times (90 data) used in 5 G3 blueprints (wide angle scans) 30% drop rate
MCF was dropped approx 9 times (27 data) used in 50(!) blueprints G2 - G4 10%ish drop rate
SLF was dropped 39 times (117 data) and used in 19 G1 - G3 blueprints
UEF dropped 40 times (120 data) used in 2 blueprints: long range and wide capture arc G1 - G2
TEC dropped 27 times (81 data) used in 2 blueprints: long range and wide capture arc G2 - G3
Conclusions / suggestions:
Scanning datapoints is a poor way to get CIF and MCF. From my own experience the drop rates are very low and its painful hearing about CIF 'raining' down for some people using this method. This test was done under 'grind' conditions so if I was doing the base raid method, I would have exhausted the commonly used lists twice over, and would then need to wait a week for a data point reset. I have done this several times 'for real' and gained very little.
Engineering materials need to be either rebalanced or culled, as from the above a lot of data drops often for little or no purpose (2 blueprints for a material that drops 40% of the time?) that simply clog up the 500 storage.
CIF needs to be more common, its in the same group as CSD (standard 3) but drops are much less likely to happen (10% v 30%)
Ironically MCF might be even harder to find using base scans and it is used much more often and is rated as common (2), one below CIF!
CIF needs to be more common as the main use is for Palin and G5 dirty drives- since you never lose rep with him, once you get G5 unlocked there is no reason to go any lower again, but the data drops restrict you.
A material broker like the Salvage contact would most likely end the material grind for nearly everyone (or those who focus on getting AAA grade items). It would take the sting out of the double gated RNG aspect (RNG collect / RNG results). It would also be a good way to make money as a scavenger, and that drop rates could remain unchanged.
Missions rewards should be selectable to offset the above problems. Going to my local allied faction I have 27 missions each, but the materials offered are the same pre 2.4. so it does not help a cursed commander like me. I appreciate that Elite is primarily about the long game, but the engineer genie pushes many (PvP mainly) to get the best and it distorts the game as a whole as people seek to find the shortest route to get randomly spawning items.
After hearing about a scan point that resets if you relog, I thought I'd do a small experiment to see what data drops I'd get.
I did 100 scans, and the pool of data drops was out of 6 types: specialised legacy firmware (SLF), Cracked Industrial Firmware (CIF), Modified consumer firmware (MCF), Classified scan databanks (CSD), Unusual encrypted files (UEF) and Tagged Encryption codes (TEC).
Each scan could have a minimum of 1 drop and a maximum of 3 drops, so there would be 300 chances for a material.
So, the results (I'm not the best at maths, so go easy!):
CIF was dropped 10 times (30 data) used in nearly 20 high end blueprints G3 - G5 (mainly G5) 10% drop rate
CSD were dropped 30 times (90 data) used in 5 G3 blueprints (wide angle scans) 30% drop rate
MCF was dropped approx 9 times (27 data) used in 50(!) blueprints G2 - G4 10%ish drop rate
SLF was dropped 39 times (117 data) and used in 19 G1 - G3 blueprints
UEF dropped 40 times (120 data) used in 2 blueprints: long range and wide capture arc G1 - G2
TEC dropped 27 times (81 data) used in 2 blueprints: long range and wide capture arc G2 - G3
Conclusions / suggestions:
Scanning datapoints is a poor way to get CIF and MCF. From my own experience the drop rates are very low and its painful hearing about CIF 'raining' down for some people using this method. This test was done under 'grind' conditions so if I was doing the base raid method, I would have exhausted the commonly used lists twice over, and would then need to wait a week for a data point reset. I have done this several times 'for real' and gained very little.
Engineering materials need to be either rebalanced or culled, as from the above a lot of data drops often for little or no purpose (2 blueprints for a material that drops 40% of the time?) that simply clog up the 500 storage.
CIF needs to be more common, its in the same group as CSD (standard 3) but drops are much less likely to happen (10% v 30%)
Ironically MCF might be even harder to find using base scans and it is used much more often and is rated as common (2), one below CIF!
CIF needs to be more common as the main use is for Palin and G5 dirty drives- since you never lose rep with him, once you get G5 unlocked there is no reason to go any lower again, but the data drops restrict you.
A material broker like the Salvage contact would most likely end the material grind for nearly everyone (or those who focus on getting AAA grade items). It would take the sting out of the double gated RNG aspect (RNG collect / RNG results). It would also be a good way to make money as a scavenger, and that drop rates could remain unchanged.
Missions rewards should be selectable to offset the above problems. Going to my local allied faction I have 27 missions each, but the materials offered are the same pre 2.4. so it does not help a cursed commander like me. I appreciate that Elite is primarily about the long game, but the engineer genie pushes many (PvP mainly) to get the best and it distorts the game as a whole as people seek to find the shortest route to get randomly spawning items.
Last edited:
