Newcomer / Intro Exploring: What's actually worthwhile?

Maize

Maize
Okay, so right now when I'm exploring, I'll haul my butt out to some out-of-the-way place and then hop from system to system doing the following:
  1. [Arrive]
  2. Send out an FSS pulse ("Honk")
  3. Go into the FSS and identify all the signals, fly around a bit to get the ones occluded by the star
  4. Visit each planet and map it with the DSS (I have seen lots of articles on which to bother with, but I usually just do them all)
  5. If there are signals, visit some of them (I don't often have the patience to visit them all)
I have a few specific questions:

  • Does visiting, say, geological points of interest on the planet surfaces give you any Cartographics return, or is the only benefit the resources you pick up there?
  • Does mapping planets that have been previously mapped by other things give you anything, or is merely discovering them in the FSS enough if they've already been mapped?
  • When I'm "in transit" (i.e. not actively exploring), I'll often do the FSS pulse anyway because you can do it while you're accelerating and charging up the frame shift drive, and it's usually done before the actual jump kicks in. Does honking without thereafter going into the FSS and 'discovering' the points do anything, or am I just putting pointless wear on my honk button?
 

Maize

Maize
Oh, one more question while I'm at it:
  • After finding a body in the FSS, if the signals list doesn't immediately come back with "None", is there value to waiting for the signal count (i.e. if I just go on to identifying more bodies in the FSS without waiting for it, am I losing out on that data)?
 

Maize

Maize
While I'm at it:
  • Virtually every guide that I've read says to target the main star and then 'honk' it. However, I seem to get the same results whether I target it or not (and as such, I usually just send the pulse out whenever it convenient). Does targeting the star prior to sending the pulse actually do anything, or is it just a habit that people got into and has been passed around?
 

Rustnsawdust

R
Maize said:
Does visiting, say, geological points of interest on the planet surfaces give you any Cartographics return, or is the only benefit the resources you pick up there?
Click to expand...
There's no major value to geo points, but you get a minor explorer rank bonus for time in SRV, I think.
Maize said:
Does mapping planets that have been previously mapped by other things give you anything
Click to expand...
Yes, you get the discovery value - and mapping value if you map - (which is how Roads to Riches works). You don't get 'first discovery' bonuses.
Maize said:
Does honking without thereafter going into the FSS and 'discovering' the points do anything
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You get the discovery value of the stars on first honk. Double-honking gets you nothing extra.
Maize said:
if I just go on to identifying more bodies in the FSS without waiting for it, am I losing out on that data
Click to expand...
I don't believe there's any value to geo/bio PoIs, but they will be 'discovered' even if you don't wait for the scan to complete.

Minor value: any geo/bio PoIs that you map will be added to the Codex for the first time you find them in each galactic region. Those Codex discoveries have a minor value (around 50k, I think), and if you find variations (like two different kinds of braintrees) you get a smaller bonus (maybe 2.5k?) for the variant.

As per the link Codger posted, it's worth honking every new-to-you system you enter because you earn some thousands of credits. It's also worth firing up the FSS to see what's there because you'll also earn the base value for every body you scan. Everything in the Roads to Riches list has been honked and scanned by countless commanders, but you can still earn a billion if you honk and scan them yourself.
 

Para Handy

Para Handy
Maize said:
  • Virtually every guide that I've read says to target the main star and then 'honk' it. However, I seem to get the same results whether I target it or not (and as such, I usually just send the pulse out whenever it convenient). Does targeting the star prior to sending the pulse actually do anything, or is it just a habit that people got into and has been passed around?
Click to expand...

That is from the old system - back in ye olden days we had to target the star and let the scan complete to "discover" it - that is why you find so many systems "out there" with tagged ELWs etc but no "discovered by" tag on the star.


Maize said:
  • After finding a body in the FSS, if the signals list doesn't immediately come back with "None", is there value to waiting for the signal count (i.e. if I just go on to identifying more bodies in the FSS without waiting for it, am I losing out on that data)?
Click to expand...

There is no actual "data" for you to lose, in that there is nothing you can sell nor see on the system map (any more). However, if you are hunting for locations for materials or to get codex credits for discovering new (to you) types in that galactic sector, then you might want to make a note of which bodies have what locations. You can then go map the body and go down to see what the locations have.

BTW - the scan takes a long time for geo locations but this is tied to your fps (if you are on a PC) - so if your FPS is limited by v-sync or a set limiter then the scan takes MUCH MUCH longer than if your FPS is unlimited. (Really daft coding choice there I feel.)

Maize said:
  • Does visiting, say, geological points of interest on the planet surfaces give you any Cartographics return, or is the only benefit the resources you pick up there?
  • Does mapping planets that have been previously mapped by other things give you anything, or is merely discovering them in the FSS enough if they've already been mapped?
  • When I'm "in transit" (i.e. not actively exploring), I'll often do the FSS pulse anyway because you can do it while you're accelerating and charging up the frame shift drive, and it's usually done before the actual jump kicks in. Does honking without thereafter going into the FSS and 'discovering' the points do anything, or am I just putting pointless wear on my honk button?
Click to expand...

I think everything has been answered by others but just in case:

1. Codex credits as stated (plus the kudos of finding something nobody else has yet - maybe)
2. Mapping always gives you more valuable data even if they have already been mapped by someone (see @Codger 's post for link to values)
3. Doing the "honk" will discover every stellar body in the system without FSSing.
 
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