Exploration - a finite activity?

[AhSoul]

So forgive me, but do exploration gains come from going to new systems, scanning etc and selling the data?

If so won't all systems be explored quite rapidly once the game is released for real, so unless you're at the edge of the expanding exploration bubble (so in it at the start) there won't be anything new to scan? Or would that only apply to 'Open' mode (as if you start your own group game you get to do all the exploring)?

Obviously if there were actually 400 billion systems then it's not so bad but isn't the actual number at launch 55 or something? That'll be explored in the first day.

Apologies if I'm missing something - I'm new to the game and I'm trying to get a feel for how it all works.....

 

[Bobbydylan]

How fast do you think 400 billion systems will be explored?

 

[Sundiver]

There's 400 billion in game already not 55.

 

[shreddog]

Obviously if there were actually 400 billion systems then it's not so bad but isn't the actual number at launch 55 or something? That'll be explored in the first day.

Gamma already have the whole galaxy included.

 

[SharkH]

As I know you will be able to scan systems even if they have been already explored by others but the value of the data will be less. And no there won't be 55 system limitation that was in beta 1 we will be able to go "anywhere".

 

[AhSoul]

Hmm the webpage says

PRE-ORDER THE MERCENARY EDITION

RELEASED 16TH DECEMBER 2014

• 55 star systems covering 29,000 cubic lightyears

 

[Pille]

Design Archive for Exploration: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6418
Right now exploration is really limited in mechanics and scope (as is smuggling, trade and mining). I hope they add more features and get close to the DDA really soon, not in 6-12 months.

 

[NEUTRAL]

How long to complete entire scan of 400 Billion systems per 1 million players:

If there are 400 billion systems and 1 million players, then:

400,000,000,000 systems / 1,000,000 players = 400,000 systems per player



If each system requires 30 minutes to scan, then

In Minutes:
400,000 systems * 30 minutes = 12,000,000 minutes per player

In Hours:
12,000,000 minutes / 60 minutes = 200,000 hours per player

In Days:
200,000 hours / 24 hours = 8333.333333333333 days per player

In Years:
8333.333333333333 days / 1 year (365 days) = 22.8310502283105 years per player

So approximately 23 years to scan 24 hours continuously per player (at a rate of 30 minutes per system),
if there are 1 million players.

Hope this helps
Cheers!

 

[Hekantonkheries]

If there are 400 billion systems and 1 million players, then:

400,000,000,000 systems / 1,000,000 players = 400,000 systems per player



If each system requires 30 minutes to scan, then

In Minutes:
400,000 systems * 30 minutes = 12,000,000 minutes per player

In Hours:
12,000,000 minutes / 60 minutes = 200,000 hours per player

In Days:
200,000 hours / 24 hours = 8333.333333333333 days per player

In Years:
8333.333333333333 days / 1 year (365 days) = 22.8310502283105 years per player

So approximately 23 years to scan 24 hours continuously per player (at a rate of 30 minutes per system),
if there are 1 million players.

Hope this helps
Cheers!

well, if they plan on keeping ED running as long as there are players, adn its the last elite game, they better plan on having the factions building massive gates or something to get to the clusters around the galaxy, or other galaxies, because in 24 years were gonna need more room for the 300million players

 

[Colonel Kenney]

I hope they add level 3 exploration soon.. that involves us getting close and spending time with each planetary body. Some sort of photographic and spectral analysis .. surveying the planets in detail that would allow us to make big money.

 

[SharkH]

If there are 400 billion systems and 1 million players, then:

400,000,000,000 systems / 1,000,000 players = 400,000 systems per player



If each system requires 30 minutes to scan, then

In Minutes:
400,000 systems * 30 minutes = 12,000,000 minutes per player

In Hours:
12,000,000 minutes / 60 minutes = 200,000 hours per player

In Days:
200,000 hours / 24 hours = 8333.333333333333 days per player

In Years:
8333.333333333333 days / 1 year (365 days) = 22.8310502283105 years per player

So approximately 23 years to scan 24 hours continuously per player (at a rate of 30 minutes per system),
if there are 1 million players.

Hope this helps
Cheers!

And with that math you are expecting everyone exploring different systems one by one without overlaps.

Funny that there was a thread about a month ago where the OP was confident with his math and he had the concern that there won't be anything left to explore after the first "two" month: I told him his math must be ridicilously flawed without starting my own math.

 

[CrazedHatter]

I've already visited 120 systems, that leaves 399,999,999,880 to go... there is definitely more than 55 systems to start.

 

[LunarJetman]

They intend to expand the exploration system beyond just finding new systems and seeing what kinda planets and stars they have. Or at least they talk about it.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6561

 

[Jarek Storm]

Hmm the webpage says

PRE-ORDER THE MERCENARY EDITION

RELEASED 16TH DECEMBER 2014

• 55 star systems covering 29,000 cubic lightyears

That was referring to the beta test bubble.

Trust us, it's 400 billion in the gamma and final release. It's literally our entire galaxy. In fact, it'll most likely never be fully explored.

 

[AndrewF]

Hmm the webpage says

PRE-ORDER THE MERCENARY EDITION

RELEASED 16TH DECEMBER 2014

• 55 star systems covering 29,000 cubic lightyears

I think this may be old info... The store currently shows the Mercenary edition as having the full 400 billion.

.
Ninja'd

 

[Watcher]

Irrespective of the total number of available systems I think there is a case to answer in terms of how viable exploration will be career wise for people starting later on.

If the start positions remain more or less the same and pretty central then the surrounding areas will be well scanned and it will take an increasingly long time to get to the edge of the exploration bubble.

Unless credits gained from scanning a system are fully independent of the total number of people having done the scan previously then this will be an issue. That or you can have an 'explorer' start position that puts you out in the sticks somewhere.
If rescanning a system gains you a flat rate regardless of the number of commanders who have previously scanned the system but entirely newly scanned systems get a bonus you still have an issue. If the amount you get is dependant on the total number of rescans done you exacerbate it. Either way a bit thorny.

Having a gradually shifting explorer start position might be the best way in the end. This would still mess people up who only get to play occasionally though..

 

[EAGLE 5]

That was referring to the beta test bubble.

Trust us, it's 400 billion in the gamma and final release. It's literally our entire galaxy. In fact, it'll most likely never be fully explored.

Trust me some nerdy kid with a penchant for classical gaming will seal that quest in about 218 years.

Thank you Mr. Braben

 

[adoredtv]

Unless they nerf the advanced scanner by a lot it'll take a lot less than 30 minutes to scan a system on average. More like 30 seconds.

 

[Watcher]

I'm possibly wrong on this point but the advanced discovery scanner only detects objects, it doesn't scan them fully.
It will still take some flying around and scanning time to get the full data set for a system even once you know where everything is.

 

[digiminer]

I hope they add level 3 exploration soon.. that involves us getting close and spending time with each planetary body. Some sort of photographic and spectral analysis .. surveying the planets in detail that would allow us to make big money.

Interdiction will totally ruin that