Exploration....The Meaning of Unexplored?

[SirGirard]

I am pretty new at exploration and thought I would give it a go a couple of weeks ago. Can anybody explain what "Unexplored" really means in ED? Countless times I have gone into a new system, I have used the advanced scanner to discover "NEW" bodies. I have then detailed scanned some or all of those new bodies. Within a few hours, usually, I sell these "Discoveries", but whenever I return to those systems and I have done this hundreds of times, I find they were discovered by somebody else????

Clearly that means somebody else got to the system before me and/or sold their data before me! That being the case, why does the system remain "Unexplored" to me? I can understand this happening sometimes, as maybe the previous visitor had not sold their data at the time I visited the system...............but that does not explain every single instance? So I conclude that the term "Unexplored" is completely misleading! Or am I missing something?

 

[Jon flint]

Unexplored just means your cmdr hasn't discovered that particular system yet. And your navigation computer has no data for that system. With some systems like Sol, everyone has the system data automatically. Others you can buy system data for.

You're only the first to discover something if the system has no "discovered by" tag in the system map. Very occasionally I come across a system that has been only partially discovered due to a cmdr only using a basic or intermediate discovery scanner. In that case I would get "discovered by" credit for anything that 1st cmdr missed (usually bodies furthest from the star).

I usually check the main star in the system map right after I honk, if it's already tagged I know I'm probably not getting any 1st discovery bonuses for that system. Although I will still get paid for a scan of the system.

 

[SirGirard]

Thanks for that, now I know.

 

[Snarfbuckle]

It would be nice with updated information about explored systems though.

Found a system where X CMDR had explored all the planets but ONLY with regular scanner and not a surface scanner.

That system had 41 bodies in it and netted quite a haul in credits.

So unless a COMPLETE exploration has been done by a CMDR there should be an added disclaimer about not fully explored or a percentage like 43% explored or something.

 

[SirGirard]

I agree with LP, Or at least show a tag "Partially" explored. I certainly found it misleading. I thought if I went to systems that there was no data on (and you could not buy any) it would have not been explored by anybody??

 

[Kalpa]

Unexplored means unexplored to you. You haven't scanned a body yet in great detail, and get only very basic information about them with your basic/intermediate/advanced discovery scanner. You need to point your nose towards them and scan them in greater detail (either with or without detailed surface scanner) to be eligible for 'first discovery' tags when you eventually return your data.

First discovery tags are object-based, not system-wide. So each object can have a different first discoverer. Asteroid belts do not count.

 

[SirGirard]

Unexplored means unexplored to you. You haven't scanned a body yet in great detail, and get only very basic information about them with your basic/intermediate/advanced discovery scanner. You need to point your nose towards them and scan them in greater detail (either with or without detailed surface scanner) to be eligible for 'first discovery' tags when you eventually return your data.

First discovery tags are object-based, not system-wide. So each object can have a different first discoverer. Asteroid belts do not count.

The system may have been visited and explored by a another CMDR and Data Sold, however your CMDR can will still discover new bodies and be able to do a detailed surface scan on all so called "Unexplored Bodies"! What is misleading IMHO, is that whilst the system has been explored previously, it still is "unexplored" to you, hence your name will not get on it! This is true even if you detail surface scan all the bodies you have discovered!

 

[DMFW]

The terminology is confusing. IMO the game should use two different words to identify the two classes of object. I'd like it if "unexplored" really meant a genuine first discovery that had not been scanned by anyone (or at least where the data was not yet sold) and where you could get a first scan bonus. Some other word/phrase would be good for the lesser level which just means you haven't scanned it yourself. Maybe just "survey needed"? But you do get used to looking at the map before hand in the end...

 

[tiger61378]

Hmm...I actually like the idea of having "Unexplored" mean that there's no data, and something like "survey needed" means that someone has beaten you to it, so you just need the data for your own computers.

 

[TieKnee]

I like it the way it is now ... so you have to work for your data... you need to have the right equipment on your ship to determine whats in the system.