Exploration and the Star Map

[toppy69]

I have been doing exploration for a while, and I have an issue with it...

The Advanced Scanner scans an entire system, and shows what sort of planets are about.. Surely it should just show that there are planets there, and then you have to scan them to see what sort they are?

The other (bigger) problem is that you can look at the star map and identify the best rewarding systems to head to (you explorers know which ones get you the most credits, and you can filter the start map based on this). Shouldn't the 'unexplored' systems just be stars? which you don't know what sort they are? that would make exploration worthwhile, rather than the 'jump into a system, scan, only rocky worlds, get out'!

Make exploration a bit more meaningful please.

 

[drkaii]

Good points.

 

[Surly_Badger]

I don't like that idea because all it does is makes exploring more tedious. Now, if there were some reason why we'd not be able to tell what we were flying into, then it'd be worth it - if our scanners occasionally didn't pick up something and we could slam into a rock, or whatever.

If there was some kind of rewarding mini-game around more detailed exploring, or there was a reason to not just go zooming over to the most valuable-looking object, then I could see it.

I think the problem with exploring is it's too safe and predictable, not that it needs additional pointless safe and predictable tasks.

 

[Fen Harel]

Personally, I think the main problem is with exploring is not in how its done, its what we find. I agree with Mr. S. Badger that changing things to make it more tedious is the wrong way to go.

From an astronomy point of view, it makes sense to have some idea as to what stars, in terms of class and whether they are single or binaries, etc., are in front of you. That I find believable.

What I would really like would be for them to add more variety to the things we scan. Just little additions of text, for curiosities, odd patterns, weird life forms, whatever. Just something to make it less jump-scan-jump-scan.

 

[Ravenstar]

Why? From Earth we have cataloged stars and even exo-planets in detail. And even behind a telescope we can determine a great deal about planets within our own solar system just from observation. Why should an advanced scanner be able to do what it does from within a star system. Heck if anything I'd appreciate if the surface scanner had more range and was omni directional so I could at least do a fly-by while scanning.

 

[Krepose Gavayne]

The game just doesn't do this at all well. There is talk about being an explorer, but then the game tells players that they're discoverers, when they plainly are not. Then, if you bother to do actual exploration and check system objects you get diddly squat for scanning some objects which i) could have significant value - and I include such things as ice planets here*, and ii) should have variable worth based upon individual specifics.

* I'm not yapping on as to why as I think it's pretty obvious, but the game is too restrictive at present.