My First Real Exploration Trip - Help me Choose a Destination!

Obnoxious_Gamer · Sep 1, 2016

Hellhawk666 said:
All good advice. It's still possible to find unexplored systems quite close to the bubble, and conversely you can be a very long way out and find yourself following someone else's trail. Not long ago I was out at NGC6199 and decided to head from there to Jaques. Almost immediately I was coming across systems already explored by 2 other pilots. I detoured about 100ly at a tangent and then set heading for Jacques again and bingo - no previous discoveries.

So I just realized, duh-hurr, that Jacques is closer than Sag* A.

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askavir said:
The ideal first trip is Barnards Loop.

Lots of awesome points of interest on the way, and its still just 1 hour away from the bubble in case the OP finds out not liking the experience.

Bubble -> Betelgeuse -> WitchHead Nebula -> Rigel -> Orion Nebula -> Barnards Loop -> Horsehead Nebula.

Going towards the center in the first trip may be demoralizing for first timers who may not like exploration, as there is a near 2000ly gap just as you leave the bubble area without any major POI.

Like I said, I've already been 5K LY out, and the only reason I self-destructed was because "muh G5 dirty drives for muh clipper."

Helfar · Sep 1, 2016

My first trip out was to the Witch head nebula, and took Betelgeuse in on the ay there. Betelgeuse is worth a trip, is not far and is cool when you get in system. I suggest picking a close(ish) target like the Witchead, as if you get bored, it is only 1K LY to get back.

Erimus Kamzel · Sep 1, 2016

Obnoxious_Gamer said:
Well, this is it - my first 'real' exploration Trip! 'Real' implying that I won't just self-destruct once I hit 5K light-years out because, unlike last time, I'm not doing this for Palin. Anyway, I need a destination! I'm heading out 820 LY above the bubble to see if I can hit an unexplored spot, and after that I have no plans. I don't want to go quite as far as Jacques, maybe as far as Sag. A but not something so generic. Any ideas?

The Scenic Route to the Galactic Core

Rosander · Sep 1, 2016

If you want to clame systems head to the Eafots region, right by the hear and soul nebulae. Plenty of unclaimed systems, and right by two nebula for sceenies. And the bubble nebula is not 'that' far from them either.

kalniel · Sep 1, 2016

Obnoxious_Gamer said:
Well, this is it - my first 'real' exploration Trip! 'Real' implying that I won't just self-destruct once I hit 5K light-years out because, unlike last time, I'm not doing this for Palin. Anyway, I need a destination! I'm heading out 820 LY above the bubble to see if I can hit an unexplored spot, and after that I have no plans. I don't want to go quite as far as Jacques, maybe as far as Sag. A but not something so generic. Any ideas?

If you need a destination.. then I fear exploring may not be for you. It's a very different kind of play style to the usual do something->reward that most games and indeed other activities in Elite: Dangerous provide. Even with the wonders available to you, it's not unusual for people to arrive at one and go 'oh pretty.. now what?' while getting frustrated with the hours put in to get there.

Exploring is at it's most enjoyable when it's not goal-driven. Spend some time (which it sounds like you have already) getting your ship nice and comfy/kitted out how you like - you will be spending a LOT of time in it.

Sapporo · Sep 1, 2016

Bubble Nebula. Fairly close and nice to see.

Ashnak · Sep 1, 2016

Obnoxious_Gamer said:
Huh. I might check out the Bubble nebula. I'm already in undiscovered systems. One question, though; If I just "honk" and don't do a planetary scan, will it still say I discovered the planets and such?

No. You need to do a surface scan (with or without DSS, with gives more money) in order to get the recognition as "discoverer".

Ashnak · Sep 1, 2016

... and if you're still looking for a goal to your trip, you could also join the exploration of the Formidine Rift.
I only read the book after being halfway to the core, and decided that this time, I'd go to the core (and Jaques) first, then decide on what I'm going to do afterwards.

Adept Geraden · Sep 1, 2016

Obnoxious_Gamer said:
I don't want to go quite as far as Jacques, maybe as far as Sag. A

Hate to be "that one", but I would like to point out that Sag A is actually slightly further than Jaques current location.

EDIT: read page 2. Ninja'd.

goemon · Sep 1, 2016

some "closer", amazing targets:

veill nebula (1400 ly) - most beautifull nebula
hypergiant x-carinae (7000 ly), eta carina nebula (5500 ly)
hypergiant theta muscorae (13 000 ly) ... that direction and arm of the galaxy is full of unexplored sectors.

Obnoxious_Gamer · Sep 2, 2016

kalniel said:
If you need a destination.. then I fear exploring may not be for you. It's a very different kind of play style to the usual do something->reward that most games and indeed other activities in Elite: Dangerous provide. Even with the wonders available to you, it's not unusual for people to arrive at one and go 'oh pretty.. now what?' while getting frustrated with the hours put in to get there.

Exploring is at it's most enjoyable when it's not goal-driven. Spend some time (which it sounds like you have already) getting your ship nice and comfy/kitted out how you like - you will be spending a LOT of time in it.

I just figured I'd want an arbitrary direction to head in. So far, I'm a few thousand LY out, taking an ellipse from bubble -> past Sag. A* -> Jacques. While lazily derping around last night, I got about 1/10th of the way to Jacques over a few hours. I don't "need" a destination per se, just wanted a direction with some sightseeing along the way. And yes, I took an FSD-modded, stripped-down Diamondback Explorer with a 50.75LY range on a full tank. I think the AspX might be a better choice, technically, but I've already spent enough time in it to drive me insane. I've barely flown the DBX at all.

Zambrick · Sep 2, 2016

Has anyone suggested Uranus yet? I kid I kid.

Just Nebula are fun things to shoot for however the best ones are now locked up behind system permits. The California nebula looks awesome when you are flying around in it. Maybe Monkey head if you are feeling adventurous. Past Monkey head nebula is the great unknown on the outer edge. Not much been mapped out there on the fringe.

Hellhawk666 · Sep 2, 2016

askavir said:
The ideal first trip is Barnards Loop.

Lots of awesome points of interest on the way, and its still just 1 hour away from the bubble in case the OP finds out not liking the experience.

Bubble -> Betelgeuse -> WitchHead Nebula -> Rigel -> Orion Nebula -> Barnards Loop -> Horsehead Nebula.

Going towards the center in the first trip may be demoralizing for first timers who may not like exploration, as there is a near 2000ly gap just as you leave the bubble area without any major POI.

^^^
This. The area rimwards of the bubble has many interesting nebulae in fairly close proximity. The Crab is a nice far destination to aim for and there is a good circuit taking in Barnard's Loop on one side, then the Crab, then back via the North America. Take a detour and head as far out towards the rim as possibe and take in the view looking back to the core.

Red Anders · Sep 2, 2016

Rosander said:
If you want to clame systems head to the Eafots region, right by the hear and soul nebulae. Plenty of unclaimed systems, and right by two nebula for sceenies. And the bubble nebula is not 'that' far from them either.

Nice choice. The Heart and Soul are probably going to be the initial destination for my next trip out, I was originally intending doing a loop that included them when I headed to the Bubble nebula but then Jaques was found and I headed in to visit instead of looping back around.