Modified Scanners - worth it?

duckofdeath

duckofdeath
I did do another comparison with tiny planets (roughly 0.1 EM's), including a binary pair (moon-like scan). With those prerequisites the overall scan times were almost identical between the long range and fast scan. The fast scan was something like 5 seconds faster on the moon-like scan. So, multiplying that by 8 gas giant moons per gas giant makes the fast scanner a big winner there. :D I didn't do an accurate reference scan with the stock DSS on that system as I personally ins't very intrigued by creating gas giant moon records. Though I think, the gains for the modded scanners were somewhat close to the above. Maybe a bit less.
When we get more life in our galaxy we will hopefully get bigger incentives to fly closer and have a look at all the things. :D
 
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goemon

goemon
duckofdeath said:
Sure can do. I made this exact comparison in a reference system. Four planets. Scanned as fast as I could with a long range modded scanner, a fast modded scanner and a stock scanner. I did a suicide between each attempt to clear my scan data.
The long range scanner completed the four scans 42 seconds faster than a stock scanner. A jump-to-jump time is 43 seconds.
Yes, it still feels like it takes forever to get something done, even with the most extreme mods, but you are in fact saving a lot of time.
https://u.cubeupload.com/duckofdeath/EW9KDb.png

Image explanation:
To the left is the accumulated scan times for the four planets indicated in the image. This is a fairly regular small A class system, or similar to a wider F class system. The percentage numbers are, for the long range, the range extension I got with my mod and for the fast scan, the scan speed improvement. Both were fairly great modded grade 5 rolls.
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that's brilliant! thanks for sharing. might have to rethink my fast scanner and use my longrange more often.
 

ejka

E
For GG moons it really depends on how far those moons are spread. If they are all within 10-15 ls, fast scanner is much better. If they are further from each other, long range starts to be better, as with fast you have to move around deep inside gravity well. For scanning planet with single moon/close binary pairs fast is again much better.
 

Straha Yeagar

S
Obviously different scanners benefit different exploration styles. The early conventional wisdom was fast scan being superior, and in some cases, that is certainly true, but from very early on, I pointed out the benefits I saw from long range...benefits to my style of exploration, which I think are fairly common. For most people who are not completionists, especially when it comes to gas giant moons, the long range scanner mod is certainly worth giving a very serious look, and I think it most cases, will be the better option.
 

Rudi Raumkraut

Rudi Raumkraut
duckofdeath said:
Your practice is not the practice of everybody. I don't alt-tab away for ten minutes every time the ship spends 10 seconds scanning.
What I'm referring to is not a theory, it's simple facts. It's that much faster per scan, which means you literally saves that much time per scan. This is not a 0.1 LY god roll hunt, it's a massive time saver for anyone doing long exploration trips. Massive with a capital M.
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You got me wrong, never wanted to say thar your math is wrong. :)
Just gave my opinion to the ops question, cause of my playstyle ;)
 

FredReynolds

F
I find G5 Long Range very much worth it! I have scanned several systems (many are first discoveries) without even leaving the landing point! I scanned on gas giant last night from 3900LS!

I tried G2 fast scan and could not even tell the difference at all. That may be handy if all you do is scan the start then scoop-jump.
 

Straha Yeagar

S
Long Range...

i77lRuK.png
 

Lucius-Darcia

Lucius-Darcia
Traveller_GG said:
I know you can get longer range or quicker scanning scanners, but both come with a weight penalty.

I'm thinking that the faster scanning is the better option (takes not a huge amount of extra time to close the distance) but how much of a weight penalty is it? If you're optimising your exploration build are you going to lose too much on range for the convenience of quicker scanning?
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Since i have tryed both, i feel that the long range mod is the better choice.
The closer you approach a planet, the faster the scan completes. I have the fast scan mod on my anaconda and the long range on my Type-9 (pleiades ship) due to it's bad movement. I've experienced that it goes MUCH faster with the long range mod.
That's the mod i will use in future
 

Red Anders

Red Anders
straha20 said:
Obviously different scanners benefit different exploration styles. The early conventional wisdom was fast scan being superior, and in some cases, that is certainly true, but from very early on, I pointed out the benefits I saw from long range...benefits to my style of exploration, which I think are fairly common. For most people who are not completionists, especially when it comes to gas giant moons, the long range scanner mod is certainly worth giving a very serious look, and I think it most cases, will be the better option.
Click to expand...

I went for the long range for two reasons. The first was I happened to have the materials for it and didn't have the materials for a fast scanner and I'm nothing if not a pragmatist :D The second was that no matter what I'm scanning a long range scanner means I don't need to go as far into its gravity well, which means that when I've stopped scanning it, I waste less time accelerating back out of it.

Have to admit I did feel a bit smug when I was sitting in the corona of an O-type star fuel scooping my Anaconda full whilst scanning its B-type binary partner over 80K LY away. I'm happy with my purchase.
 

CmdrKafka

CmdrKafka
If you want to scan everything, I think it is well worth it to maximize range as the time you save from SC easily makes up for the minor loss of jump range. If you are only scanning the primary star it still makes sense to go for the fast scan. But if your only goal is to get somewhere fast... don't modify it at all. I can do 1,000ly in ~16 jumps on my rescue Conda. No time to scan anyway.
 

Strangepork

Strangepork
Traveller_GG said:
I know you can get longer range or quicker scanning scanners, but both come with a weight penalty.

I'm thinking that the faster scanning is the better option (takes not a huge amount of extra time to close the distance) but how much of a weight penalty is it? If you're optimising your exploration build are you going to lose too much on range for the convenience of quicker scanning?
Click to expand...

I decided no, except for exploration.
 

Codger

Codger
There's been some anecdotal evidence that wide angle sensor mod makes it easier to find USSs like the ones for Unknown Probes. So that may factor in.
 

Traveller_GG

Traveller_GG
Oh by the way - it's very important to NOT mix up your lightweight sensors and planetary scanner. This way you avoid trashing a brilliant G5 roll that took your scanners down to less than 12 tons. Just saying.
 

marx

marx
artigan99 said:
There's been some anecdotal evidence that wide angle sensor mod makes it easier to find USSs like the ones for Unknown Probes. So that may factor in.
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Anecdotal "evidence". Proving this with evidence would require data from measurements and analysis. Also, a similar example: there were also anecdotes earlier that carrying unknown artefacts will make you more likely to be hyperdicted, which was later proven false (by FD). So in lieu of figuring it out ourselves, we could just ask FD. (Although to be honest, I'd be surprised if they answered such a question.)
However, from what I can tell, your ship can spot signal sources outside of your scan angle, be it either your body scan (via DSS) or target scan (via sensors).
 
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