If it's any consolation, I got one drop out of 9 settlements. After weeks of fruitless searching. I am currently resisting the urge to go Postal.
Again!
Again!
Engineers Medium Security Settlement List and Guide for Modified Embedded Firmware
- Thread starter Devari
- Start date
If it's any consolation, I got one drop out of 9 settlements. After weeks of fruitless searching. I am currently resisting the urge to go Postal.
Again!
From my experiences doing MEF runs (which were mostly prior to the 2.1.05 changes) it was not uncommon for me to run into stretches of 6-8 settlements with no MEF, then see it drop from the next 1-2 bases. I'm not sure exactly why it tends to drop in "clusters" but I suspect it's due to a poorly-optimized RNG for the data drops. Since the 2.1.05 patch I've ran though 12 settlements in total and 5 bases dropped a total of 6 MEF units which each counted 3X for a total of 18 MEF. That gives me a drop rate of 42% of bases dropping MEF but with each drop actually giving 3 MEF the yield of MEF per base works out to an overall yield of 1.5 MEF/base visited on average. Prior to 2.1.05 I saw an identical drop rate with 42% of bases dropping MEF on average but each base gave an average of 1.7 MEF for an overall yield of 0.7 MEF/base visited on average. So my yield of MEF/base has roughly doubled from 0.7 MEF/base prior to 2.1.05 to 1.5 MEF/base after 2.1.05. The drop rate itself doesn't seem to have changed in terms of the chance of a base yielding MEF (around 42%) but the total of MEF "units" that drop per base has roughly doubled. In addition the new blueprints in 2.1.05 only require 1 MEF for a Grade 5 roll so the MEF now goes twice as far. The end result of all of this is that effectively means that you get double the MEF per base and your MEF goes twice as far, meaning you only have to do 25% as many base runs to make a single Grade 5 overcharged roll.
This still doesn't help the issue of the long stretches where you get no MEF at all, but it does mean that on average the MEF grind isn't as bad as it used to be prior to 2.1.05.
Starting the hunt for MEF's and this is looking like a great way to start.
Question though:
Am I being incredibly dumb (possible), blind (probable) or just careless (likely) but I can't seem to see a key for the maps explaining what the symbols are.
EDIT: Turns out a combination of all three. Found them.
Question though:
Am I being incredibly dumb (possible), blind (probable) or just careless (likely) but I can't seem to see a key for the maps explaining what the symbols are.
EDIT: Turns out a combination of all three. Found them.
Last edited:
Devari, take a look on the "prospecting" spreadsheet ("stats" and "copy of stats" pages). With growing number of samples the overall picture becomes a bit more clear.
- The original theory about security level as main factor for materials rest valid.
- However, security level in conjunction with size also have some influence not only on quality, but also on quantity of materials.
- with bigger security AND size you get better chances to get more material "seeds"
- grade 4 mats available in low.sec settlements only of "large" sizes
- I start to assume that either "function" can also "selectively" influence drop rates of particular materials or there is some "hidden" "real" scale for materials "rarity". Someone here says about too long runs for MEF's, and I only can say that they are lucky and the possible runs are not as bad as it can be for someone searching "CLF" - classified scan fragment (not used by any engineers at this stage). Besides, CLF and MEF both have the same grade of rarity - 5.
For anyone searching the same info - there are at least two variations of valid map legend:
Also, the "welcome" page of the maps spreadsheet contains a big set of links to all related resources with brief descriptions.
Last edited:
Ok, so I've calmed down a bit now. You're right, data storage was inadvertently maxed out with rubbish. I may give it a bash at another site tonight.
Again, thanks for the help
Until they increase the Mat storage, which is long overdue in my opinion, I suggest limiting all your materials to no more than 20 each. I've done a lot of Engineer upgrades of late and I've never had need for more than half of that amount to accomplish whatever upgrade I am trying to complete.
At least do this with the more common materials, but personally I stick to the 20 max rule and that tends to insure that I always have some space available for something new.
That makes sense and explains some of the patterns about the trends of larger/higher security bases dropping more MEF even after 2.1.05. The lack of MEF showing up might well simply be from the replacement of MEF with other Grade 5 mats, which even though they are "useless" for our modding purposes are still just as "valuable" from a drop rate perspective. I still don't know why the MEF tends to "cluster" but this makes me think that there are two RNG processes, one for "grade/quantity" and another for "type" and it may be that the clusters of MEF occur due to RNG issues at the seconds step (assuming this is how their overall RNG process works). I always assumed that for simplicity their RNG table would simply be a single step but there's no particular reason that it can't be a more complex process.
![[VR] Mad Mike](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/27/27910.jpg?1553527108){kind=avatar}
also, i think i am right in saying some of the new Engineers in 2.2 want to have a large number of specific mats to get to level 1.
Yep, I've heard something about request for CSD (classified scan databanks). But this is the one that drops pretty well from settlements - even can make concurrence with TEC and UEF (Oh, and we will be lucky if they will not change this to "classified scan fragment=) )
So far looks like the most tricky to get from planetary bases are MCF, CIF and CSF (the last one doesn't needed by any of the engineers at the moment). MEF yield is much more stable and predictable than for those three.
Also, I want to say many thanks to commander LIY for his participation and providing data for materials yield statistics
For all commanders who wants to contribute:
As an alternative (but not the easiest way), but you can PM me (on discord) screenshot of your inbox message window after successful scan + info on the settlements layout code/type (copy of the description part in the list?), so I can add them to this spreadsheet. You can add system/settlement name if this base is not already listed.
preparing my inventory for 2.2. i took out your guide and spreadsheet --- amazing work, cmdr! the maps are so-so great! feels like i bought some valuable database from a shady dealer...
i have found a minor mistake in the database (a base having a different type then noted), how do i send in such a correction?
i have found a minor mistake in the database (a base having a different type then noted), how do i send in such a correction?
Thank you!
Yes, occasional bugs can be present - as human factor as always works when copying/updating, and google sheets are not the best approach.
There are different ways to inform - comments are normally open for listing spreadsheets, also PM on discord (@Dja at "EDCD", "Elite Dangerous", etc).
I think that you can post any issues in this thread, also there is a thread related to settlements - with my complete guide - on the russian branch of the forum (here). I hope that I'll translate it in english in future (cannot promise about nearest).
Also, pay attention that I'm updating maps and lists frequently (some major steps marked on the "log" page of main mapping spreadsheet).
Also I'm planning to assemble links to the maps on some page to make them more accessible from the outside (and by third party apps), as a walk around about map versions problem.
About a week, but it's apparently not exact.
Haven't study this in detail. So far for me (tested) - more than a week, but less then two. I'll be glad to know if anyone have more accurate info.
I just went to one and on doing my first scan, it told me I'd already scanned it, which I assume is me going back within the "respawn" time frame then?
Last edited:
Two weeks and they should reset. The reset is only triggered for data points that you actually scanned, i.e., the data point scans and the CDT are separate scans, and if you scan the data points, then go back a week later and scan the CDT, each will be on its own 2 week reset timer.
Two weeks! OK...
I was unaware of this game feature until I read these posts. I'm having a go but I am not having much luck - I'm pretty clueless at this, to tell the truth!
Anyone direct me to an idiot's guide as to what to do on these bases?
EDIT - OK I got a Core Data 600K Credit package - but I was looking for Engineers data?!?
Anyone direct me to an idiot's guide as to what to do on these bases?
EDIT - OK I got a Core Data 600K Credit package - but I was looking for Engineers data?!?
Last edited:
If you want me to talk you around one, PM me. I can take you around one tomorrow evening...