Horizons Help with Navigation

I have been playing ED now for a long time, since the beginning in fact, though I have never understood the Galaxy map and how to navigate around it. ( other then click on a system and plot the route). I seem to be in a 'bubble' about 300 - 400ly across, surrounded by inhabited systems, but beyond that, nothing, just uninhabited systems. Is this because they are out of range and have no information in the data base, or do I have to travel a vast distance through this void before I come to another inhabited region? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated as I want to get out there!
 
I'm not quite clear as to what you are seeing, but if you want to see the extent of inhabited space (ie 'The Bubble') try licking the PowerPlay map button in the map view in the galaxy map and then scroll out, this will then show you the extent of inhabited space.

Hope this helps. :)
 
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Deleted member 38366

D
I think this comes from the amount of Systems being displayed in the Galaxy Map (when zooming out) being limited due to performance and usability reasons.
Just zooming out will eventually show a bubble with the max. amount of selectable Systems the Galaxy Map preferences will permit.

To plot course to or view more distant Systems, one needs to scroll & pan around in the Galaxy Map.
(I remember this took me a little while to figure out when I began playing myself)

Scroll across the Galaxy Map - Hold Left + Right Mouse button, then move the mouse
Rotate view - hold Left Mouse button and move mouse
Zoom in/out - Mouse Wheel

Other than that (although I rarely use it), the Galaxy Map can be assigned custom Keyboard controls if desired.

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If that's not the issue, could it be that in the GalMap Viewing Preferences something is unchecked?
Depending on Map Filter settings, uninhabited Systems can be "hidden" and won't display for example.

ELITE-GalMap_Filter-1.jpg


ELITE-GalMap_Filter-2.jpg
 
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OK lets put it this way. I'm at Wolf 750. That is in the centre of my 'bubble'. I scroll out till I can see the edges of the 'bubble'. I choose a star on the edge, click on it, and that becomes the centre of the bubble. I repeat this a couple of times until the distance from Wolf 750 is about 175 - 200Ly. Then there are no more inhabited systems beyond, i.e. nowhere to refuel if I go beyond the last inhabited system. So do I have to take a step into the unknown and fuel scoop my way to wherever there is a habited system ( however far away it is) or am I missing something. I know there are systems out there because they show up with engineers symbols and community goal symbols and I can plot a course to them. But when I get there and repeat the process I first mentioned I end up with the same problem.
 
OK lets put it this way. I'm at Wolf 750. That is in the centre of my 'bubble'. I scroll out till I can see the edges of the 'bubble'. I choose a star on the edge, click on it, and that becomes the centre of the bubble. I repeat this a couple of times until the distance from Wolf 750 is about 175 - 200Ly. Then there are no more inhabited systems beyond, i.e. nowhere to refuel if I go beyond the last inhabited system. So do I have to take a step into the unknown and fuel scoop my way to wherever there is a habited system ( however far away it is) or am I missing something. I know there are systems out there because they show up with engineers symbols and community goal symbols and I can plot a course to them. But when I get there and repeat the process I first mentioned I end up with the same problem.

You can filter star systems by government. That should give you a clear overview where civilization ends. Use the filters.
 

Deleted member 38366

D
The easiest way is to zoom out in the Galaxy Map, pan/move it towards the desired Target area, zoom back in and then Plot Route to destination (1000LY current Route Plotting limit, but one can use manual Bookmarks every ~1000LY as a good workaround).

"Highlighted" Systems such as Engineers or CG locations can be selected even when zoomed pretty far out.
So no need to center and re-center the Galaxy Map over and over.

The so-called "bubble" = inhabited Systems actually does "only" spread out to about 400LY in total. Roughly (my estimate) some 20000-25000 inhabited Systems maybe.
There are a few isolated, inhabited Systems beyond that, but essentially everything else outside of these is "Explorer's Territory". Like... over 99.999999999% of the remaining Systems.

So if you were to head 1000LY in any direction - you should see absolutely nothing but uninhabited Systems anymore. Unless you pass by where Jaques Station currently is, you shouldn't see any inhabited System for the next 66000LY, until you reach the very far end of the other side of the Galaxy.
 
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There are a few isolated systems outside of the bubble that are inhabited but the vast majority of the map is unexplored and uninhabited so far. There are hints there may be the races we have not discovered yet likely in some future update they will be found.
Buy a big fuel scoop, advanced discovery scanner, detailed surface scanner, and a repair module and go explore. ......carefully as the NPC are not the only dangers in this game..
 
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