Newcomer / Intro How do you know a truly undiscovered system?

[Rubblemaker]

… before you jump?

So you see that the little solar system label on the next system in your journey is red not grey, so 'great' you think and jump in. Then everything there has already been discovered by someone first. So why was it red before you jumped? Is it because those named didn't sell the data/make it back alive/actually scan the individual bodies in there? if so how are their names on display? They must have sold the data. But then the system would be grey. Or does it only go grey once everything in there has been scanned and sold? Does red mean there is still something left to scan or discover? If so why do all the systems I visit that are red already have 'first discovered by' on absolutely everything in them?

I ask this because a) I am stupid b) I am lazy and can't be bothered to look elsewhere c) I like the friendliness and willingness to help in this community so I want to ask it here and d) because every single damn system I jump to that is red before I jump has always got someone else's name plastered on every single celestial body in it.

I want to find my own system

Can someone give me the low down on how this works in laments terms?

Much obliged in advance.

 

[Riedquat]

Its red because you either havent purchased the exploration data for it, or you havent been there yourself.

I know there are lots of white systems when you begin the game, I dont know 100% why that is , I just assumed that these are well known systems.

I have been making f'first discoveries' the past week or so , only around 400k away from SOL, they are out there, keep looking.

 

[Rubblemaker]

Its red because you either havent purchased the exploration data for it, or you havent been there yourself.

Well thats a bummer. Makes sense but still a bummer I guess you have to go a very very long way before you start to find systems that no-one else has been to. Or at least leave inhabited space behind you. I suppose what I'm looking for is a way to know how to find those systems no-one else has been to on the galaxy map. But as there doesn't seem to be any iconography in the game that lets you know that when looking at the galaxy map you just need to get on out there, hope to get lucky (as you won't know until you get into the system and look at your freshly scanned system map) and eventually you'll go far enough to start finding places no-one has been. Is that about right?

 

[Ophion]

If the system is red, there's no way for you to know if somebody has discovered it before you. You must jump in, scan and see if there is a name on it. If not, when you sell the data, you'll have your name on it, except if someone sells that data before you do.

 

[Rubblemaker]

yeah, like Riedquat said, the fact that a lot of systems are grey (or white depending on how you see that colour) when you start is a bit misleading as you wouldn't have visited or bought data for any of those systems.

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If the system is red, there's no way for you to know if somebody has discovered it before you. You must jump in, scan and see if there is a name on it. If not, when you sell the data, you'll have your name on it, except if someone sells that data before you do.

Cheers, yeah this makes sense. I still think a new coloured icon for an unvisited system is in order. Imagine salivating over all those unvisited 'purple' solar system labels as you scanned the galaxy map…..

 

[Ophion]

yeah, like Riedquat said, the fact that a lot of systems are grey (or white depending on how you see that colour) when you start is a bit misleading as you wouldn't have visited or bought data for any of those systems.

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Cheers, yeah this makes sense. I still think a new coloured icon for an unvisited system is in order. Imagine salivating over all those unvisited 'purple' solar system labels as you scanned the galaxy map…..

There were requests like this but if you think about it, you don't need that. Exploration is about finding some interesting and beautiful systems out there for you to see and enjoy and there are 400 billion of them. If you want to put your name on it, it's easy, do as Riedquat said, travel 400-500 LY from Sol and scan, but avoid routes to nebulae because lot of people go there and scan on the way.

 

[Evyl Minkey]

That would make it a little too easy wouldn't it? Its frustrating but kind of interesting when you are far out and see someone has got there first. Makes you wonder where they went, what they do now? And hunting for the undiscovered system is part of the fun.

I'd like to think in 5 years someone will be happily scanning, exploring miles from anywhere and will find that system I decided only to scan one of the moons of the gas giant and wonder why I would go to all that trouble.

 

[cmdr lowest]

You're not going to find new discoveries in populated space. That's pretty logical as someone has been there already, named it, and constructed starports etc.

You have to get out about 500-700LY to start seeing truly undiscovered systems. When you are there every single jump is undiscovered. Of course, every single jump is also completely unpopulated so don't expect to see anyone, any starports, any interdictions or USS/WSS etc. Take a BIG fuel scoop!

 

[HarlequiNQB]

You're not going to find new discoveries in populated space. That's pretty logical as someone has been there already, named it, and constructed starports etc.

You have to get out about 500-700LY to start seeing truly undiscovered systems. When you are there every single jump is undiscovered. Of course, every single jump is also completely unpopulated so don't expect to see anyone, any starports, any interdictions or USS/WSS etc. Take a BIG fuel scoop!

Not strictly true, since I found my first undiscovered about 100LY in from the border of populated space. It's obviously much more difficult to find something unexplored (and less and less likely all the time), but not outside the realms of the possible. That said, to reliably find an undiscovered system you really do have to make a fair trip, and avoid heading for the tourist traps (IE: anything clearly visible from 500 LY+ away, the centre of the galaxy, the great devourer and so on).