How do you stay sane while exploring?

[Mengy]

I'm trying really hard to see the rewarding side of things too, but it's just hard when you see the same planets over and over again.
But how do you stay sane in all this?

I didn't stay sane, and sadly it's why I stopped playing Elite. After thousands of systems I just couldn't stand doing the FSS dance anymore and I grew to really hate it. Sometimes I try to play a bit and skip using the FSS but it's so mandatory for exploring, it's such a required gateway, that it just doesn't work. There is no way around it.

I had hoped EDO would provide enough new exploring content and new mechanics to make the FSS more palatable to me, but of course that didn't happen.

I hope someday, after a long enough break, I can learn to enjoy exploring in Elite once again. If not I am greatly enjoying exploring in NMS currently!

 

[Gut]

I listened to LOTR on audio book on YTube =-p

 

[SPACEMEDA]

1. I'm usually a miner, a credit hoarder. I miss the homely feel of my carrier.
It was a really weird feeling, last night when I logged off, I got out of SC and just came to a complete stop. In the middle of nowhere. Just cold, dark, empty space. I was watching a movie while flying, so I don't know how far I was away from the star, but it just felt.... serene.
This was the part where I understood people asking for ship interiors. What I wouldn't have given to get up, go to the back, see why I am at 96% hull, do an EVA, fix up that loose rattling plating, sit down, play a game of holo chess (as if we'd get that) and just drift in space (or sit still), just because we can.

2. Someone who gets up, bathroom break, cup of tea, ponders what movie to watch next and won't worry about getting inderdicted?


I think I'll jump my FC down to where I am. The crew must be bored out of their mind, no one to boss them around, tell them to put some trit in the tank, fix up a ship and refuel/rearm.
I'm flying my Asp for a change, as usually i'm in my Conda for exploring, let alone everything else the cutter.

Well i have no idea what is "Elite V" rank in exploration.
If i were you, i will head ~2500ly from the bubble to some flight carrier even in nebulae, then 100-200ly to some spot.
People tend to go to nebulae, but then completely skip it's shadow (when looking at them from the bubble).
From this spot, you can start scanning every single system, you can filter them.

Anything multistar systems gives me 300k per star, anything K , G , F , A , O , B gives variety of planets (high metal content - scan them) + elw/ww, but to be honest i do K,G,A when looking exactly for a shards. If only i have more of Y,L,T,M, WD stars arround.. Where are you?

Going there with your own FC is a waste of time, if you want other ship, just transfer. Anyone's ship has range 30+ ly, so you can jump arround with filters with basically anything.
Dont count how many sytems you visited, just explore,scan for a week or so - then head to your remote base (fc nearby).

I can't do watch movies while in flight, if i do that i will be dead. How can even you and other folks here do that without emergency stops?? I can't afford them.

But yeah, i got it, on the other side i cant stand mining, i did only for engineers and it was pain..

 

[Hawk of Battle]

OP, are you filtering for interesting systems? Sounds like you're hitting a lot of boring iceballs, usually indicative of M class stars. Try only jumping between A, F and G class for a while, filter out everything else.

 

[Rooster Podunk]

Who says I was sane before I started exploring?

I love being out in the black. My ship never once tells me "No gravity. Magnetic Contacts Active!".

 

[CMDR Eryn Liamson]

Stay sane?! Wasn't to start with... it's part of the job description


Serious answer - filter your map to O, B, A, F, carbon, and non-sequence star types. You'll find much more interesting (and valuable) things that way.

 

[Sensei Jacksama]

I stay perfectly sane while exploring. What drives me crazy is when my Bobbleheads wont shut up.

 

[Mr T]

I feel like I'm more sane now when I explore and certainly less anxious about losing my data, now that I take my fleet carrier out exploring with me. I can dock in there whenever I want, do repairs, sell my UC data, it's my safe home away from home. For me it makes a huge difference.

 

[Titler]

I haven't explored since the FSS changes were added. I've gone 2,000ly out to the first partially discovered systems on the way to my simple target (an ELW I discovered) and... the best result for my sanity is to turn around and go straight back again. I'd forgotten just how much wasteful busywork has been put in front of a simple task of just tagging a damn planet.

You used to be able to just honk, then open system map and visually see what was in there. Now you have to honk, then open the FSS, then try and remember which part of the bar is the thing you're looking for. Yes you can slide the bar up and down to actually reveal what it tracks too but that's more time added. Then you have to identify it with the FSS shell game (which seems to have a bug where the controls slowly break the longer you're in there; Odyssey has been a disaster), then you read off that what the values are (or go back to System map) to see if there's anything unusual... or, if you thought you'd seen an Earth-like discover it was actually a water world. Every. Single. Stop.

I just can't face it, even to go put "Mapped by" on some of the special discoveries that might have escaped the forum-list watchers; again, adding a pointless grind which lessens the value of what you've already done? That's FDev for you. So... there's no shame in admitting when the development of the game has made gameplay no longer enjoyable for you as an individual. Exploration remains something ghastly to me. Sanity means I'm turning around and coming back home.

 

[UTU2TM]

I'll ignore the class M systems. That keeps a lot of ice planets out of my sight.

 

[Brian of Earth]

Have more than 1 account (with 1 being back in the bubble)... I made my first Elite in exploring well before neutrons, engineering, fleet carriers and such. Back when rumors that someone had a fully A-rated Anaconda was impressive. Those trips took forever and I could not imagine doing that again. Nowadays you just load up your FC with tritium, pick a spot in the galaxy to go to and that's that.. and get back to the bubble in hours...

GET OFF MY LAWN!

 

[UTU2TM]

Just remembered, when I'm out-n-about, and not specifically going somewhere, I'll flip to specific star types. Sometimes I'll focus on non-sequence stars. My favorite star type is B, they give off that intense blue light, if there is a landable close to the B, I'll land and enjoy the scenery.

 

[osser]

exploration is not for everyone, but it is for me.
I've been out for years at a time on trips but things have changed with fleet carriers.
I come from a long line of grind games:
(everquest / lotro)
but when i stumbled on this game accidentally I was hooked.
A game that i could explore the milky way galaxy?
400 billion zones,, I'm in.
If I showed anyone my bucket list you would have me committed to the white room, but here is a sample:

claim 2k elw's in my name
claim my own glowing green gas giant
visit every nebula in the galaxy (yes planetary and the big ones) {this is gonna be hard because its ongoing}
I'm on record for finding cool stuff but i strive for finding the rarest of the rarest.

How do I stay sane ?
I strive for the "holy grail" discoveries.
every jump has a chance of something special.

Yes I am insane,

music helps

 

[Felix DiCestria]

Explorers don't suffer insanity, they enjoy every minute of it.
Remember the computer isn't out to get you, the coffee machine on the other hand... (I only asked for a cup of tea...)

 

[ArchEmperor]

Explore with friends. And have intermediary goals.

 

[Felix DiCestria]