Engineers Medium Security Settlement List and Guide for Modified Embedded Firmware

I had a noob moment yesterday even though I've been playing Elite for ages. I got so frustrated trying to do these timed base runs in the SRV. I always overpowered on the straight stretches, hit something and span wildly out of control. I decided to look at the settings for the SRV and thought I'd have a go with drive assist off. SOOO much better! Give it a go if you are an old slow-witted duffer like me, makes control in those tight spaces so much easier and now i can do the runs easily. (Also set your yaw and pitch on your boost to get yourself out of upturned situations when you boost) I'm guessing most people know this already but I didn't.
Yep, somewhere in this or similar thread I've mentioned about "never use drive assist in an srv around a settlement". So far I use it only when I what to create some videos in solo mode=)
 
Hi,

Please excuse my ignorance but what is a CDT Terminal?
"Core Data Terminal" as it states. Introduced in 2.1. Present in all "security" variations of the real Large bases (i.e all "+++" + M5x), and in high-sec. variations of all medium (++) size bases.
Scanning one results in not so negligible "Data Vaucher" transaction task, that can be converted to credits on any station (550K at least)
Also has some bug-like(read - cheat) influence on the normal process of DAP scanning (works like a "pause" button).
Looks like this:
I24pfR2.png
 
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For some reason the SRV has more traction going backwards than forwards (despite having double wheels on the forward end) and I was eventually able to get my way up using gradual "runs" where I would see-saw back and forth using backwards traction.

(Not specifically to do with MEF, but...)

It's because as far as I can tell the front wheels of the SRV aren't driven wheels, or if they are they only get about 10% of the total power at best. The middle and rear wheels are the ones that have the majority of the power. That in turn means that overall power delivery is biased quite heavily towards the rear of the SRV and is in turn one of the reasons that it spins out so easily. If it wasn't for the fact that most of the weight appears to sit over the driven wheels it would be even worse.

It's similar to the differences in handling between a front wheel drive car, a rear wheel drive and an all-wheel drive. Not identical because the SRV's wheels are all independently driven so you don't have axles to take into account but it's still much easier to oversteer and spin out in a vehicle which delivers most of its power through the rear wheels. Personally I'd like some ability to adjust it in a future release. RWD is probably more fun as long as you're on a flat surface because you can get some awesome drift going on but for difficult terrain in a fairly heavy vehicle it's a bit of a dodgy choice.
 
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Thanks for the effort in posting this but I totally give up. I hate driving the SRV and these settlements just confuse the hell out of me. I scan this or that and everything goes haywire and eventually lose my SRV. Its just not worth the effort.
 
Thanks for the effort in posting this but I totally give up. I hate driving the SRV and these settlements just confuse the hell out of me. I scan this or that and everything goes haywire and eventually lose my SRV. Its just not worth the effort.
Sorry to hear about this.
However, I haven't saw here any advice about scanning "this or that" - scanning without proper understanding of what you are doing is the shortest way to get in trouble inside a settlement. There are some basic rules to respect in order to evade them.
Also, using maps provided and the new base locations list with filtering capabilities (with, btw, "no jumps" option) you can always find some base for your own taste that doesn't require any advanced srv-driving skills. All the links are in my signature. Depending on what material you are searching for I can advise you the most comfortable layout types.
And yes, turn drive assist off.
 
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Lol - I love blasting about in the SRV in these bases, including the jumps! No motion sickness for me. :D I've collected quite a bit of MEF's and other data, even from the small + bases... just all medium security.
 
Fine, settlement hopping is probably the most efficient way of gathering data. Can modified embedded firmware be found in + or ++ settlements, or do I have to visit +++ or higher settlements to have a chance?
The SIZE of the settlement doesn't affect drop rate after 2.1.05, it is affected by SECURITY LEVEL.

For MEF you need Medium Security Bases
 
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Engineers is total bull. I can't imagine the time and effort needed to find materials for decent upgrades. I gave up on Engineers. I have over 600 items (materials) in my cargo and only two are usable for some low end 1% upgrades. I feel like I'm collecting trash in my cargo for no apparent reason.
 
Engineers is total bull. I can't imagine the time and effort needed to find materials for decent upgrades. I gave up on Engineers. I have over 600 items (materials) in my cargo and only two are usable for some low end 1% upgrades. I feel like I'm collecting trash in my cargo for no apparent reason.
Sorry, but it seems to me that your post is really off-topic.
And yes, you have many chances to collect some trash-level material during your journey in ED universe. So discard them. I'm also not really fond of "the Engineers" and RNG, nor really interested in material collecting - but this have nothing in common with this thread (now I'm obliged to discard all materials I've got from bases as my data/materials holders are plenty long ago).
 
(Not specifically to do with MEF, but...)

It's because as far as I can tell the front wheels of the SRV aren't driven wheels, or if they are they only get about 10% of the total power at best. The middle and rear wheels are the ones that have the majority of the power. That in turn means that overall power delivery is biased quite heavily towards the rear of the SRV and is in turn one of the reasons that it spins out so easily. If it wasn't for the fact that most of the weight appears to sit over the driven wheels it would be even worse.

It's similar to the differences in handling between a front wheel drive car, a rear wheel drive and an all-wheel drive. Not identical because the SRV's wheels are all independently driven so you don't have axles to take into account but it's still much easier to oversteer and spin out in a vehicle which delivers most of its power through the rear wheels. Personally I'd like some ability to adjust it in a future release. RWD is probably more fun as long as you're on a flat surface because you can get some awesome drift going on but for difficult terrain in a fairly heavy vehicle it's a bit of a dodgy choice.

That's extremely annoying, I always assumed that the oversteer was primarily a consequence of lower traction on low-g planets combined with the SRV's high centre of gravity, but if it's an issue where they actually have it performing as a RWD vehicle that's the worst possible setup I can think of for an ATV. It's one thing to force us to adjust to driving on planets with low gravity and rough terrain but to make the job harder by giving us a vehicle completely unsuited to off-road tasks without proper AWD is another issue entirely. If anything an electric vehicle with independent power to each wheel plus the massive low-end torque curve (essentially 100% of maximum torque is available from a standing stop) should make it an ideal off-road vehicle if it had a proper traction control and AWD system. It seems like one of those issues that FD has made harder than necessary for a "challenge". At this point I've gotten used to driving the SRV so that I can handle it fairly well but it's rather disappointing if they "nerfed" the design on purpose.
 
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That's extremely annoying, I always assumed that the oversteer was primarily a consequence of lower traction on low-g planets combined with the SRV's high centre of gravity, but if it's an issue where they actually have it performing as a RWD vehicle that's the worst possible setup I can think of for an ATV. It's one thing to force us to adjust to driving on planets with low gravity and rough terrain but to make the job harder by giving us a vehicle completely unsuited to off-road tasks without proper AWD is another issue entirely. If anything an electric vehicle with independent power to each wheel plus the massive low-end torque curve (essentially 100% of maximum torque is available from a standing stop) should make it an ideal off-road vehicle if it had a proper traction control and AWD system. It seems like one of those issues that FD has made harder than necessary for a "challenge". At this point I've gotten used to driving the SRV so that I can handle it fairly well but it's rather disappointing if they "nerfed" the design on purpose.

I'm sure that everything you mentioned is also a factor, especially the centre of gravity and low gravity affecting the handling. I'm as sure as I can be that the drive bias is at least strongly towards the middle and rear wheels with no drive to the front though. There's one classic test for RWD that seems to suggest it is:

Go somewhere with a steepish crater or mountain on a moderate G world, say anything from 0.5 to 1.0. Drive up the crater wall/mountain in a straight line until you find a bit where you just about come to a stop spinning your rear wheels, but that looks like you could actually get up it (i.e. not a vertical wall.) Do a 180 and go up it in reverse. I bet you get further up. :)

Back to modified embedded firmware, had to post this. Funny thing is I wasn't specifically looking for it, I was actually hoping to snag some specialised legacy firmware because something weird seems to be going on as far as degraded/encoded emissions around earthlikes is concerned and I haven't found a satellite for ages. I'll take this though, I don't need them right now but I will at some point:

1879b29385.jpg
 
Back to modified embedded firmware, had to post this. Funny thing is I wasn't specifically looking for it, I was actually hoping to snag some specialised legacy firmware because something weird seems to be going on as far as degraded/encoded emissions around earthlikes is concerned and I haven't found a satellite for ages. I'll take this though, I don't need them right now but I will at some point:

http://i.imgsafe.org/1879b29385.jpg
Hmm, and I'm - as always - very interested in the base type you got all this "precious treasures". Can you supply this info? Or you can make a little contribution to this data prospecting list yourself=).
 
OK! I'm being a numpty or something. So I'm sitting here at the first datapoint, and I can't scan it!

I'm in my turret view, fire 1 fires my turret and fire 2.... does nada... I've tried targeting it over and over. Left and rejoined... Nothing... What gives?
 
OK! I'm being a numpty or something. So I'm sitting here at the first datapoint, and I can't scan it!

I'm in my turret view, fire 1 fires my turret and fire 2.... does nada... I've tried targeting it over and over. Left and rejoined... Nothing... What gives?

you have to key bind the scanner. It's a different setting in control options. Way down there. Mine was not binded by default.
 
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OK! I'm being a numpty or something. So I'm sitting here at the first datapoint, and I can't scan it!

I'm in my turret view, fire 1 fires my turret and fire 2.... does nada... I've tried targeting it over and over. Left and rejoined... Nothing... What gives?
As I'm pretty sure you are not kind of a newcomer, i.e you know how to use the SRV scanner - so it's more a technical problem.
Check usual list - keyboard bindings, "deploy hardpoints on fire", correct firegroups and recent bug reports - or create a new one.
Sometimes there is something strange with built-in scanner.

PS: Ok, glad that this issue is resolved
 
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As I'm pretty sure you are not kind of a newcomer, i.e you know how to use the SRV scanner - so it's more a technical problem.
Check usual list - keyboard bindings, "deploy hardpoints on fire", correct firegroups and recent bug reports - or create a new one.
Sometimes there is something strange with built-in scanner.

PS: Ok, glad that this issue is resolved

It was bound to some crazy fire button... For the life of me I couldn't find the bind.
 
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