Looking for a easy to read exploration paragraph guide about what to scan.

[redmantab]

Commanders,

I have gone into the guides forum area and have clicked on the exploration guides. These 25 minute videos mostly talk about ship set ups rather than what to find, take forever to watch, and are helpful in their own right. Buuuut. I am looking for some help.

I have the ship all set up and am 500 LY out with all the right equipment. Just need to know a quick 3 sentences or so of help.

Something like...

1 - Look on the Galaxy map for x or y and once you see it fly to that system.

2 - Scan the something planets once in the system and you will do well with coin.

3 - Sometimes if you see a certain x or y in the navigation menu those are your best bet.


Currently I am just aimlessly scanning and jumping about 500 ly out from civilized space. Should I be thoroughly scanning EACH system all the way though??? Any tips such as 3 sentences to point someone in the right direction?

Thanks!

 

[DaveL]

Arrive at the star, scan it (if its B and above), fire the D Scan simmlateniously, look at the system map and if its blue-ish (with clouds) scan it with Adv Scanner

 

[Surly_Badger]

Scan the star nearest you. Hit the discovery scan while it's doing that. Maybe scoop at the same time.
Then look at the local map and if you see planets that look earth-like, fly over to them and scan them.
If you see a black hole or neutron star, fly over carefully and scan it.
Leave.

That's the short form. Longer form: some explorers like to scan everything but I don't because sometimes you'll have 30 minute flying-times between stars and you'll spend a huge amount of time scanning rock belts. Make sure when you lock a target that it's not a rock belt, and learn to recognize what the surfaces in the HUD may indicate about the planet type. Sometimes I scan gas giants if they're in the right zone, or other stars if they are close. Black holes and neutron stars pretty much look the same once you've seen your first; I approach as close as I have to to scan and no closer. When you wrap up for the night, make sure you're parked away from the star, near some planet in the system, so you don't have heat issues charging your FSD (when you log back in you'll be in normal space) when it's time to leave.

There you go: exploring in a nutshell.

 

[Putok]

Personally, I also tend to scan most gas giants (unless they're stupidly far away), companion stars (unless they're stupidly far away), and planets with clouds or anything.

 

[Lord_Itchybum]

Have a look at this visual guide. It will really help you identify anything worth scanning in the system map after you have used your ADS.
http://i.imgur.com/nsI1V08.jpg

I generally only surface scan the entry point star and anything within range without me having to move. However, earth likes are definitely worth a few minutes in SC and should always be scanned.