Hi,
I'd like to suggest this revision to exploring. I took a poll on the main forum, the results of which can be seen here. The idea is as follows:
There's 400,000,000,000 stars out there, and right now exploring is it's own reward - which is another way of saying it pays a pittance.
The "known" systems are counted in the few hundreds, maybe low thousands. Yet whereas they may not be in *your* ship's database, they are in someone else's...and therefore "discovering" them has been done. That's not exploring, that's updating your map. Yes, someone will pay a bit for that data, but it's not really worth a lot.
Now, a system that's never, ever, ever been mapped before, by anyone? THAT'S worth something! Or, at least, should be.
Here's my proposal:
Two types of exploration data.
The first is data that is from "already explored" systems. They would be listed in your galaxy map as "unknown". Someone would've already been there. The data is only worth something to systems that aren't local and, much like rare trading, would be worth a lot more to systems further away. A premium is paid at systems 150+ly away, increasing to 200+ly (max) like rare trades do currently. Prices are better than are currently paid (because it needs a "buff", to use the vernacular), but not silly money.
The second is data from systems that have never, ever been explored. They would be listed in your galaxy map as "unexplored". No one has ever been there. The data is worth a lot, to any system. (Perhaps richer systems would pay more than, say, a refinery system with one outpost). The further out you go, the more the system data is worth (again, following a rare-trading pattern, but with much larger distances). A full scan of a new system would be worth, say, 100kCr if it was "near" to populated space, and 1Mcr if it was 500 ly away. A round-trip of 10-20 brand new systems would now be worth the time and trouble. (Numbers to be adjusted so that that last statement is true).
FAQs:
Q: Great idea! But what happens if everyone else explores systems before I do / before new players?
A: With 400 billion systems, you should be safe for a while. With the 1000ly jump route coming in 1.1, it might also be helpful if you can search for unexplored systems.
Q: Wouldn't this allow you to do a mahoo-sive round trip and come back a millionaire?
A: Yes, absolutely...but risk vs reward, eh? The further out you go, the more danger you have of a mishap, a screen crack, and 15 minutes of life support left at 1200ly range.... A trip to a 500ly area, plus scanning of 10 systems in detail, plus flying back = what, 4 hours? Should easily pay 10Mcr, like trading but with a lot more risk.
The numbers might need tweaking but the idea is popular.
So what do you think?
I'd like to suggest this revision to exploring. I took a poll on the main forum, the results of which can be seen here. The idea is as follows:
There's 400,000,000,000 stars out there, and right now exploring is it's own reward - which is another way of saying it pays a pittance.
The "known" systems are counted in the few hundreds, maybe low thousands. Yet whereas they may not be in *your* ship's database, they are in someone else's...and therefore "discovering" them has been done. That's not exploring, that's updating your map. Yes, someone will pay a bit for that data, but it's not really worth a lot.
Now, a system that's never, ever, ever been mapped before, by anyone? THAT'S worth something! Or, at least, should be.
Here's my proposal:
Two types of exploration data.
The first is data that is from "already explored" systems. They would be listed in your galaxy map as "unknown". Someone would've already been there. The data is only worth something to systems that aren't local and, much like rare trading, would be worth a lot more to systems further away. A premium is paid at systems 150+ly away, increasing to 200+ly (max) like rare trades do currently. Prices are better than are currently paid (because it needs a "buff", to use the vernacular), but not silly money.
The second is data from systems that have never, ever been explored. They would be listed in your galaxy map as "unexplored". No one has ever been there. The data is worth a lot, to any system. (Perhaps richer systems would pay more than, say, a refinery system with one outpost). The further out you go, the more the system data is worth (again, following a rare-trading pattern, but with much larger distances). A full scan of a new system would be worth, say, 100kCr if it was "near" to populated space, and 1Mcr if it was 500 ly away. A round-trip of 10-20 brand new systems would now be worth the time and trouble. (Numbers to be adjusted so that that last statement is true).
FAQs:
Q: Great idea! But what happens if everyone else explores systems before I do / before new players?
A: With 400 billion systems, you should be safe for a while. With the 1000ly jump route coming in 1.1, it might also be helpful if you can search for unexplored systems.
Q: Wouldn't this allow you to do a mahoo-sive round trip and come back a millionaire?
A: Yes, absolutely...but risk vs reward, eh? The further out you go, the more danger you have of a mishap, a screen crack, and 15 minutes of life support left at 1200ly range.... A trip to a 500ly area, plus scanning of 10 systems in detail, plus flying back = what, 4 hours? Should easily pay 10Mcr, like trading but with a lot more risk.
The numbers might need tweaking but the idea is popular.
So what do you think?