My firsts steps in the game, might need some advices for exploration

CMDR Alonso

C
So, I bought the game trhee days ago and after getting a Adder (was that the name? I don't remember) I started my first expedition, to Sagittarius A*

But I didn't know anything about exploration, didn't know how things worked or how to get the cartographic info to sell it.

I started in Macuayan, a High-tech system near Cubeo, where I made a lot of trading and smuggling to get the credits I needed to buy a 4A FSD and a better Fuel Scoop.

And this is when it goes wrong and the doubts start.

The first 1000 LY I didn't even knew how the Basic Discovery Scanner worked
And I definitely didn't know how to get the cartographic info or how much value it has.

Now I know how to use the scanner and how to get the info. But I just realised that everyone is talking about "Water-Worlds" "Earth-Like" and other stuff like "terraformable planets". But I don't know about that and everything I've been doing (for the last 3000LY) is scanning the system and the star (or stars in case it's a binary system with two stars 5-10Ls away from eachother)
:S
So I have a few questions:

-What am I doing wrong?
-What should I do?
-How do I recognise valuable stuff to scan?
-Assuming I have visited over 200 hundred systems, scanned 150 of them and analysed 150 stars, how much money would I get for that info?
-I started the trip yesterday night (I've played like 11 hours since I started) and I'm already 4000LY away from "home", is that a good speed?

Any tip you can give me will be useful, just remember I won't even consider coming back untill I reach that damn black hole.:D
 
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Ziggy Stardust

Ziggy Stardust
My first piece of advice would be: do your first trip on the doorstep of the bubble (civilization)

Seems that ship has sailed. :)

My second piece of advice would be: buy the advanced disco scanner and the detailed surface scanner. They're a little bit expensive, but with the kind of trip you're planning they are the kind of investment that will pay off big!

Seems that ship has sailed.
smile.png


Having said all this, my third piece of advice.

Turn back, and heed the first 2 pieces of advice :)
 
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YoBuck

YoBuck
Basically what Ziggy said. You will lose out on a shed load of credits without the advance disco scanner (1.5mcr) and detailed surface scanner (250,000cr?)

head back. Get those. Get rich.
 

CMDR QuantumElement

CMDR QuantumElement
Well, for now I recommend saving up cash to get at Least an Intermediate Discovery Scanner, then get a detailed surface scanner, that'll get you more cash per scan. The Discovery Scanner merely detects objects in a system, to scan stuff just lock on to it, and look directly at it. For a star, you can be pretty far and still scan it. For planets, depending on it's mass will determine how far you can scan it, so just head toward until you begin scanning.

Water Worlds, Earth-Like Worlds, and Terraformable Planets are worth a lot. Nuetron Stars are worth 50k (I think). You'll also need the best Frame Shift Drive you can get, and you'll need to drop your mass. Ditch weapons, and if you're feeling bold, shields. Downgrade everything system you can, other than frame-shift, to the lightest one. This'll maximize you're jump range. It is absolutely essential that you get a Fuel Scoop, so get the best one you can. Also, bring along Heat Sinks, they can prevent you from taking heat damage.
What will this cost you?
- Advanced Discovery Scanner, 1,500,000 (Best one)
- Detailed Surface Scanner, 250,000
- FSD, dunno, around 500k?
- Fuel Scoop, go for ones that are around 100 - 200k

Overall this'll cost you somewhere around mil, but that's if you really want to get the most out of your exploration.

150 Stars? I can't venture a guess, each star is worth differently. You've got a Cobra, once fully outfitted for explortion, people say it's a beast. I am running with the Adder, and I am loving this ship. Just scan star systems, class K stars are the more likely to have a Water,Earth-Like, Or terraformable planet, however, Nuetron stars have been noted to have worlds like that.

You seem to be doing great. I am taking my exploration quite slow, the farthest I've traveled is 500 LY, and I made a total profit of 500k.

Good Luck out there, CMDR! I hope I've helped!
 

CMDR Alonso

C
Ziggy Stardust said:
My first piece of advice would be: do your first trip on the doorstep of the bubble (civilization)

Seems that ship has sailed. :)

My second piece of advice would be: buy the advanced disco scanner and the detailed surface scanner. They're a little bit expensive, but with the kind of trip you're planning they are the kind of investment that will pay off big!

Seems that ship has sailed. https://forums.frontier.co.uk/images/smilies/vbsmileys/smile.png

Having said all this, my third piece of advice.

Turn back, and heed the first 2 pieces of advice :)
Click to expand...
I would do it, but there are some reasons, I'm doing some kind of "competition" with a couple of friends and also I'm writting a diary (roleplay stuff) in a forum, so, I'll take your advice for my next trip, thanks

Also I should say that this first trip is more kind of tourism and getting used to explore, anything else I do is only adding more secondary stuff
 

Ziggy Stardust

Ziggy Stardust
To explain, your scanner will only scan a distance of 500ls (I think). So there's a large part of the system you're not seeing. Which means you'll be missing out on Earthlike worlds, water worlds and such.

If you head back and sign up for the CG at Lembava, you'll be paid extra. Maybe that can help you finance your scanners.

Don't rush into it! :)

edit: just read your reply ... ok, in that case, safe travels o7
 
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CMDR Alonso

C
LostElement said:
Well, for now I recommend saving up cash to get at Least an Intermediate Discovery Scanner, then get a detailed surface scanner, that'll get you more cash per scan. The Discovery Scanner merely detects objects in a system, to scan stuff just lock on to it, and look directly at it. For a star, you can be pretty far and still scan it. For planets, depending on it's mass will determine how far you can scan it, so just head toward until you begin scanning.

Water Worlds, Earth-Like Worlds, and Terraformable Planets are worth a lot. Nuetron Stars are worth 50k (I think). You'll also need the best Frame Shift Drive you can get, and you'll need to drop your mass. Ditch weapons, and if you're feeling bold, shields. Downgrade everything system you can, other than frame-shift, to the lightest one. This'll maximize you're jump range. It is absolutely essential that you get a Fuel Scoop, so get the best one you can. Also, bring along Heat Sinks, they can prevent you from taking heat damage.
What will this cost you?
- Advanced Discovery Scanner, 1,500,000 (Best one)
- Detailed Surface Scanner, 250,000
- FSD, dunno, around 500k?
- Fuel Scoop, go for ones that are around 100 - 200k

Overall this'll cost you somewhere around mil, but that's if you really want to get the most out of your exploration.

150 Stars? I can't venture a guess, each star is worth differently. You've got a Cobra, once fully outfitted for explortion, people say it's a beast. I am running with the Adder, and I am loving this ship. Just scan star systems, class K stars are the more likely to have a Water,Earth-Like, Or terraformable planet, however, Nuetron stars have been noted to have worlds like that.

You seem to be doing great. I am taking my exploration quite slow, the farthest I've traveled is 500 LY, and I made a total profit of 500k.

Good Luck out there, CMDR! I hope I've helped!
Click to expand...
I just realised that I was using the Adder, I was about to buy the Cobra but the urge to start exploring took me away from that idea. That was a "typo"
 

Andrew Gaspurr

Andrew Gaspurr
I would also strongly encourage you to heed Ziggy's advice. In any case, though, I recommend havinf the orbit lines in a star system turned on so you can at least guess where those celestials are your scanner just won't pick up. Also, consider a decent fuel scoop and maybe a ton of coffee or two to keep you awake. :D

If you are out 'sightseeing' read some of the exploration diaries or take a screenshot tour in this forum. If it's Black Holes and Neutron Stars you are after, filter your Galaxy map accordingly via the "View" tab. Aim for O and B type stars for those Black Holes!

If you want terraforming candidates or outright earth-like worlds, head for F, G and perhaps K type stars as those tend to have the biggest habitational zones.

If you have concerns, questions or screenshots, post them here. We are a family :D

And as always, fly safe Commander!
 

Jackie Silver

Jackie Silver
Your restricted equipment makes for an interesting challenge.

Your basic scanner will find only those planets within 500ls of your entry point. In order to make the best use of this, you want stars where the valuable planets lie inside this range. The habitable zone for "M" stars is within this range, but you are unlikely to find many valuable planets around "M" dwarfs. The habitable zone for "G" stars starts at about 450ls, so you will miss many valuable planets there. The habitable zone for "K" stars is in the right place, and your basic scanner will pick up most valuable worlds around a "K" dwarf.

In consequence I advise that you enter a "fast travel" route into the route planner, jump along it as normal (be sure to keep adequate fuel, or you'll need to call on a Fuel Rat and that'll mean a long wait!) but each time you happen to jump into a "K" star system, fly to and scan any planets your scanner picks up. You'll soon get the hang of the relationship between what they look like on the system map and on the blue-ball scanner and what sort of planet they are. Earth-like worlds, Water-worlds, Ammonia worlds, Metal-rich worlds, Class II gas giants ("the white ones") and anything terraformable are worth credits.

Also: don't bother scanning asteroid clusters, they don't pay anything at the moment.
 
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CMDR Alonso

C
Thanks you all, but specially this coment
Jackie Silver said:
Your restricted equipment makes for an interesting challenge.

Your basic scanner will find only those planets within 500ls of your entry point. In order to make the best use of this, you want stars where the valuable planets lie inside this range. The habitable zone for "M" stars is within this range, but you are unlikely to find many valuable planets around "M" dwarfs. The habitable zone for "G" stars starts at about 450ls, so you will miss many valuable planets there. The habitable zone for "K" stars is in the right place, and your basic scanner will pick up most valuable worlds around a "K" dwarf.

In consequence I advise that you enter a "fast travel" route into the route planner, jump along it as normal (be sure to keep adequate fuel, or you'll need to call on a Fuel Rat and that'll mean a long wait!) but each time you happen to jump into a "K" star system, fly to and scan any planets your scanner picks up. You'll soon get the hang of the relationship between what they look like on the system map and on the blue-ball scanner and what sort of planet they are. Earth-like worlds, Water-worlds, Ammonia worlds, Metal-rich worlds, Class II gas giants ("the white ones") and anything terraformable are worth credits.

Also: don't bother scanning asteroid clusters, they don't pay anything at the moment.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I needed
 
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