Newcomer / Intro Navigation - I don t get this...

[Monsoon]

Hi, noob question
I look at the galaxy map and I do not understand why I can not jump to any system or star that is next to me
What I mean is that for example lets say I am looking at a star/system on one side of my position and there is a route to it. Then I look to the left of my position and at the exact same distance there is another system but I can t get to it. There is no route possible and I can t plot to go to it.

I don t get it. It is the same distance in the galaxy map and it should only use 20% of my fuel only so why the hell can t I target that and jump to it?

I thought to jump somewhere you only needed coordinates and a lock to a star being the biggest mass in that system

Why can t I target that direction in the galaxy map since I know there is a system there with a star there?
Why do I have to go all around and do 15 different junps to many other system and still not be able to get to it?
Why not being able to simply go in any direction?

I want to play to discover places but I have no idea how to do it since I can t seem to go in any direction I want?
Could someone explain the logic of navigation. Thanks

 

[the100thmonkey]

Can you post a screenshot?

Oh yeah - try changing navigation from "economical" to "fastest route". The default is economical, which will try to save you fuel. This often means circuitous but very fuel-efficient routes. It could be that the most efficient route to the star with the single direct jump is... a single direct jump, while the most efficient route to the second star is much longer - the amount of fuel you use per jump does not increase in a linear fashion; it's a ratio of distance and mass, so 10 short jumps can use less fuel than 1 long one.

 

[p.opus]

Hi, noob question
I look at the galaxy map and I do not understand why I can not jump to any system or star that is next to me
What I mean is that for example lets say I am looking at a star/system on one side of my position and there is a route to it. Then I look to the left of my position and at the exact same distance there is another system but I can t get to it. There is no route possible and I can t plot to go to it.

I don t get it. It is the same distance in the galaxy map and it should only use 20% of my fuel only so why the hell can t I target that and jump to it?

I thought to jump somewhere you only needed coordinates and a lock to a star being the biggest mass in that system

Why can t I target that direction in the galaxy map since I know there is a system there with a star there?
Why do I have to go all around and do 15 different junps to many other system and still not be able to get to it?
Why not being able to simply go in any direction?

I want to play to discover places but I have no idea how to do it since I can t seem to go in any direction I want?
Could someone explain the logic of navigation. Thanks

It could be a couple of things.

1. Your setting in your Long Range map is set to "most economical" route over fastest. In elite, small jumps are much more efficient than large ones. The cost of a longer jump in fuel goes up logarithmically. Thus a 9LY jump takes more fuel than 9 1LY jumps. So if you have your Long Range map set to most economical, then you will go the "long way round" to save fuel. Counter intuitive I know, but that's how it works.

2. Your current jump range could be mass limited. Jump drives are designed to move a certain Mass a certain range. This Mass is called the Optimal Mass, and as long as your ship and cargo stay below this optimal mass, then you can utilize the full range of the jump drive. As you add cargo and fuel your mass goes up. Once it goes up pass it's optimal mass, then your range decreases. In some instances, if you plotted a course when you had unloaded your cargo, then loaded up with cargo and fuel, you'll find your plotted course unreachable, and you get an ugly warning when you try to jump to the jump point that was at one time reachable. This usually requires you to either re-plot a more circuitous course using smaller jump distances, or in the worst cases, going back to the station and off loading some of those goods you purchased at a loss. This is why the station allows you to add fuel at only 10% at a time. So that you can squeeze every bit of cargo into your hold and still make that 9.1 LY jump you need to make to your destination without having to go into that Anarchy system between you and your destination.

There is a jump range calculator in your system map that allows you to calculate your jump range based on your cargo loading, but this calculator is based on your CURRENT fuel load. So if you calculate that you can haul x tonnes at y distance using the calculator, don't then fill up on fuel as that might now make your destination unreachable.

The first thing I do when I land is fill up. Then I reload any ammo and perform any repairs. Then I upgrade my ship with any outfitted changes. Only after I have filled up, reloaded ammo and outfitted any upgrades, do I then look at loading cargo.

I use the range calculator to make sure that my longest jump in my route can be handled by a fully laden ship. Then I know it's good.

It takes a couple of times to get a feel for all of the variables, so you will most likely run into the situation at least once where you are not allowed to engage your jump drive because your max T per jump has been exceeded. I don't know all the rules to linking outside links, I'll simply state that if you google "Frame Shift Drive - Elite Dangerous" you will find a nice Wiki that will explian the ratings and class of drives in more detail

 

[John Fairfax]

Could it be that you need a permit to access the system you can't jump to? If it doesn't even display a jump route (not even a blue-ish one), then that's usually the answer.

 

[CMDR Nightjar]

Another possibility is that the OP is misreading the map - the system 'next' to his might be many Lys away on the z-axis.
OP - if you hover over a system, it shows the actual distance to the star. Check that this is less than your jump range.