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Guide / Tutorial Nutter’s explorers guide to the Galaxy
- Thread starter Nutter
- Start date
For exploration it depends whether you're happy to run without shields - a Hauler makes an excellent cheap explorer with a huge jump range and the Eagle has a very good view out the canopy. The Adder is a cheap ship which can explore without needing to compromise. Cobras are good and you can also use a Type 6 Transporter as an extemporised explorer.
It also depends on your intent, whether you're out for cash or whether you're motivated by going places and finding odd things.
I was trying to fit a Viper for exploration earlier but... just... no.
So how long do you need to hold on objects for it to scan cause i ran scans in a system LTT 7453 and went to the next system to rest and looked at the steller catographics area and it didn't show up? Did that mean i messed up with the basic discovery scanner or if i had been there before did and sold that data make it impossible for me to get any more scan data from it?
I believe the first trip to Sagittarius A at Galactic centre was done in a Sidewinder.
With a basic scanner, it takes about 30 seconds to scan a star or planet (which, in my view are the only things worth scanning for the amateur). Forgive me if this is too basic, but starting from the beginning - Select 'Unexplored' in the nav screen, on your HUD the image of the object to be scanned will show up. You then point your ship at the target. You may well have to fly closer to begin the scan. You know the scan has begun because in the target détails part of the HUD a little scan icon begins to spin (like the hour glass in Microsoft programmes). I usually reduce speed to zero when that starts. It also plans a little sound.
As I mentioned, that takes about 30 seconds or so to run. At the end of which, the target détails screen will update to read the name of the star or planet, the system name, status, etc... whatever is relevant. Most stuff I have scanned thus far is worth 500 crédits or so - but it is much less for clusters. I note someone above references that rewards may have gone up a little in the recent release. Last night I got 28k for scanning a single planet in a system (with other bodies in the system at the normal price). Not sure why, but it is perhaps related.
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I realise it must have been an earth like planet, for which 28k is the going rate, now I think about it.
Finding the second star in a binary system
Commander Nutter,
Thanks for the thread. I’m trying to follow your video “Easy way to find a Binary Star”. In it you choose the unexplored item which is furthest away, stating that will obviously be the other (unexplored) star.
I know very little about space so can you explain this in better detail? The penny hasn’t dropped for me yet so I’m struggling to follow the tutorial and find the second star.
Thanks for any help!
Crumb
Commander Nutter,
Thanks for the thread. I’m trying to follow your video “Easy way to find a Binary Star”. In it you choose the unexplored item which is furthest away, stating that will obviously be the other (unexplored) star.
I know very little about space so can you explain this in better detail? The penny hasn’t dropped for me yet so I’m struggling to follow the tutorial and find the second star.
Thanks for any help!
Crumb
Hi Crumb,
You'd know what he meant if you were in a system with a binary star. If you want to join a Wing let me know, I'm happy to give you some pointers.
If not, first things first, the Scanners.
There are 3; Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. A better name for them would have been Short, Medium and Long Range because that's the only difference.
Short is 500Ls, Medium 1000Ls and Long, the entire star system you're in.
In plenty of systems you will only see half of the bodies with a Short or Medium range scanner (I've been in systems where the binary twin is well over 190,000Ls distant).
The other difference is price - the advanced coming in at 1.5 Million Cr. This is the one you want though.
In the meantime, it is possible to "spot" the binary twin by looking for unusually bright stars that track across the sky when you're moving in frame shift. If it's moving, it's in the system. You won't be able to lock on to it, but you can point your ship at it and just fly.
Don't bother scanning asteroid belts, they're not worth anything.
So you've got a system scanned. You will only get the money for it by returning to a station more than 20Ly from that system. So scan a few.
Detailed Surface Scanner - this is how you make bigger bucks, by fitting one of these it automatically scan any planet you are already scanning with your normal sensors and retrieves more detailed information that nets you more money. I would fit this to help save up for an Advanced scanner.
This scanner cost about 500,000.
These are all you really need to do it, but raising that amount of credits doing solely exploration is going to take a very lo-o-o-ong time and you'll probably get space-sickness and want to fly your ship into a sun.
Fuel Scoop - this is essential for deep runs, refuelling as you go is the only way to explore successfully.
Other things - nice to have and make your ship as light as possible to et the best jump range.
The best power distributor you can afford, the more engine boosts you can do, the more likely you will be able to outrun a pirate.
Buy a power plant that has a low tonnage but will still run everything -you don't need to power weapons - I took none last time I went out.
FrameShift drive, again balance the cost against weight and range.
Thrusters - not really necessary to upgrade, but if you can shed some tons and improve them, go ahead.
You should apply this rule to every module you have fitted.
Final tip - if you do get interdicted by a pirate just zero the throttle and let him pull you out of frame-shift, you can run away easily as long as you can engine boost at least three time in a row (I don't carry weapons when exploring). I'd rather do that than potentially lose the interdiction battle, which will damage the ship and also extend the frame-shift drive cool down period.
You'd know what he meant if you were in a system with a binary star. If you want to join a Wing let me know, I'm happy to give you some pointers.
If not, first things first, the Scanners.
There are 3; Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. A better name for them would have been Short, Medium and Long Range because that's the only difference.
Short is 500Ls, Medium 1000Ls and Long, the entire star system you're in.
In plenty of systems you will only see half of the bodies with a Short or Medium range scanner (I've been in systems where the binary twin is well over 190,000Ls distant).
The other difference is price - the advanced coming in at 1.5 Million Cr. This is the one you want though.
In the meantime, it is possible to "spot" the binary twin by looking for unusually bright stars that track across the sky when you're moving in frame shift. If it's moving, it's in the system. You won't be able to lock on to it, but you can point your ship at it and just fly.
Don't bother scanning asteroid belts, they're not worth anything.
So you've got a system scanned. You will only get the money for it by returning to a station more than 20Ly from that system. So scan a few.
Detailed Surface Scanner - this is how you make bigger bucks, by fitting one of these it automatically scan any planet you are already scanning with your normal sensors and retrieves more detailed information that nets you more money. I would fit this to help save up for an Advanced scanner.
This scanner cost about 500,000.
These are all you really need to do it, but raising that amount of credits doing solely exploration is going to take a very lo-o-o-ong time and you'll probably get space-sickness and want to fly your ship into a sun.
Fuel Scoop - this is essential for deep runs, refuelling as you go is the only way to explore successfully.
Other things - nice to have and make your ship as light as possible to et the best jump range.
The best power distributor you can afford, the more engine boosts you can do, the more likely you will be able to outrun a pirate.
Buy a power plant that has a low tonnage but will still run everything -you don't need to power weapons - I took none last time I went out.
FrameShift drive, again balance the cost against weight and range.
Thrusters - not really necessary to upgrade, but if you can shed some tons and improve them, go ahead.
You should apply this rule to every module you have fitted.
Final tip - if you do get interdicted by a pirate just zero the throttle and let him pull you out of frame-shift, you can run away easily as long as you can engine boost at least three time in a row (I don't carry weapons when exploring). I'd rather do that than potentially lose the interdiction battle, which will damage the ship and also extend the frame-shift drive cool down period.
Can't really do that to be honest if you want the best jump range possible, A is hands down the best choice. Different thing if you can't afford it though. I mean, you lose ca. 5 LY if you drop from A to B in a hauler which is huge.
Distributor isn't that important after you get farther away. You get lesser jumping distance with A but, as you said, you can outrun pirates. But it's not a problem when you're far out.
My advice: everything else to D other than FSD which is A. No weapons, no shields (if you're comfortable doing that). Something like this: http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60V,,2-3m3m3I2C2C2C22,mpT4zM2jw2UI
Basically: FSD A, everything else D. Tinier fuel store means more LYs. I use the bigger one though.
Oh and this is just my opinion, that was/is my first explo ship. Still on the same trip and it's working fine
FSD depends on what you're trying to do, as well. I'm stopping along the way to scan every system I come across during this first jaunt, and the more the merrier. So jump range isn't really a priority at this point. Now, if you have a specific goal thousands of light years away and aren't stopping to map every system, then yeah, go for it.
I'm somewhere between 1200 and 1500 LY below the galactic plane in my good old Cobra with a 25LY jump range. The star field is so much sparser down there but there are still enough to get around without a souped up Asp (although I will probably be upgrading to one when I get back. Mainly because after all these weeks of living in it, there is a smell that I don't think I'm going to be able to get rid off.. )
But yes, an A-grade drive is as essential as a a top line Disco-S as far as I'm concerned.
anyone who hasn't been down there yet, go and have a look. It's a special place. I don't think I've felt a feeling of isolation like it in a game before.
) But yes, an A-grade drive is as essential as a a top line Disco-S as far as I'm concerned.
anyone who hasn't been down there yet, go and have a look. It's a special place. I don't think I've felt a feeling of isolation like it in a game before.
InMemoriamSirocco
Banned
I'm somewhere between 1200 and 1500 LY below the galactic plane in my good old Cobra with a 25LY jump range. The star field is so much sparser down there but there are still enough to get around without a souped up Asp (although I will probably be upgrading to one when I get back. Mainly because after all these weeks of living in it, there is a smell that I don't think I'm going to be able to get rid off..
But yes, an A-grade drive is as essential as a a top line Disco-S as far as I'm concerned.
anyone who hasn't been down there yet, go and have a look. It's a special place. I don't think I've felt a feeling of isolation like it in a game before.
That's encouraging to those who want to go explore in a Clipper
EDIT: What do you think about this setup?
[Imperial Clipper for Exploration]
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 5D Power Plant
TM: 5D Thrusters
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 5D Life Support
PC: 5D Power Distributor
SS: 5D Sensors
FS: 4C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 16)
7: 7D Fuel Scoop
6: empty!
4: 4B Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
4: 4B Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
3: 3D Shield Cell Bank
3: 3D Shield Generator
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
2: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner
25+ ly jump range.
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Hi Afro,
Thanks for the advice. I read the first few pages of this thread and watched the videos so I'm fine with the scanners and selling the data. I'm still in a Sidewinder at the moment but I did a few mods until I can afford something nicer.
I should have been a bit more specific in my first post though. What I was/am really confused about is Commander Nutters tip for finding the twin star in a Binary system. In his video, in the navigation window he chooses the unexplored item furthest away (326,000ls) and then goes in to the System map and hovers his cursor over the second, unexplored star saying "this is the one obviously 326,000ls away".
I am quite ignorant in this area so would anyone be able to explain why it's obvious? I've been in a few binary systems now and cannot work out how to find the second star. I've got the basic scanner currently.
Thanks,
Crumb
That's encouraging to those who want to go explore in a Clipper
EDIT: What do you think about this setup?
[Imperial Clipper for Exploration]
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 5D Power Plant
TM: 5D Thrusters
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 5D Life Support
PC: 5D Power Distributor
SS: 5D Sensors
FS: 4C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 16)
7: 7D Fuel Scoop
6: empty!
4: 4B Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
4: 4B Auto Field-Maintenance Unit
3: 3D Shield Cell Bank
3: 3D Shield Generator
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
2: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner
25+ ly jump range.
Opinions differ on the worth of heat sink launchers and repair units. I have neither. Didn't see the need before I left. Since then, of course, the repair units have been changed so you can fix thrusters so I might take one with me next time. Maybe.
A smaller fuel store doesn't mean more light years. A 16T tank with 8T of fuel in it gives exactly the same range as a full 8T tank. A small tank just means you are forced to fuel scoop more often.
A small class A power plant is usually preferable to a larger class D one. A's have better heat efficiency which makes fuel scooping easier and also less risk from binaries. eg a 2A plant puts out more power for less heat & even has less mass than a 3D!
Also turn off unnecessary items like the power distributor & any shield you have once you are outside NPC range - again, helps the ship run cooler.
If you check from ED shipyard and do some tests, you can see that you get more LYs if you switch to smaller fuel store. Granted, it's only like 0.4Ly in a hauler but you can squeeze that extra bit if you want to. Imo, it's unneccessary.
Changing the subject a bit... I've scanned like 1100 systems and still haven't found an earth like planet, I'm already giving up on it
. I've been basically only trying to find one from the beginning of february but it's like looking for a needle from a galaxy sized hay stack.
According to the Shipyard, a stock Hauler with a 1C fuel tank does 10.46 LY with a full tank (1T of fuel). The same ship with a 2C tank at half capacity (ie also 1T of fuel) does 10.46 LY. It's the amount of fuel in the tank that determines the range, not the tank itself.
So I've set out on a new trip to try to get as far out of the galaxy as i can, with this in mind I've decked out an Anaconda for the extra jump range. I've only gone about 2k LY's so far and I really miss my Asp!
I've kitted the Anaconda like so -
This gives me a jump range of 39-41 ly's depending on fuel load, however to get to this jump range you have to make some sacrifices. The Anaconda needs ALOT of power to boost and the smallest power distributor you can boost it with is an A5 which is 20 tons and knocks that range down quite a bit, so I decided to sack off the ability to boost and take a small shield instead which has saved me 17 tons so thats quite a compromise.
Other things I don't like about it are that it has a very restricted view which means that I am much less aware of my surroundings, like where i am exactly in relationship to that neutron star that i just jumped into and sit 0.2 ls away from, or when you jump into a system with 2 very close together stars you get a good eye ball on them in the asp as you swoosh in, but in the Conda you are alot less able to get a fix on these things.
It also handles very sluggishly , scooping is very fast with the huge scoop but lining up the next star or just turning between planets for scans is painful.
Lastly, the cockpit is very bright when you have a bright star shining into it, so bright that the UI is very difficult to see in fact you lose the compass point completely, perhaps different UI colours would fix this but then every patch overwrites them anyway and its all rather a nuscience to set up soo...
Overall, I don't reccommend this ship for exploring, its only asset is the huge jump range, which I hope i can reach a point where i need it and even that comes at a cost.
Looks good though, here I am last night at Veil West with Veil east and Sadr in view as well.
Now if this thing could carry a Sidewinder to take out on system scans, like is hinted at in its description then that would change things totally!
I've kitted the Anaconda like so -
This gives me a jump range of 39-41 ly's depending on fuel load, however to get to this jump range you have to make some sacrifices. The Anaconda needs ALOT of power to boost and the smallest power distributor you can boost it with is an A5 which is 20 tons and knocks that range down quite a bit, so I decided to sack off the ability to boost and take a small shield instead which has saved me 17 tons so thats quite a compromise.
Other things I don't like about it are that it has a very restricted view which means that I am much less aware of my surroundings, like where i am exactly in relationship to that neutron star that i just jumped into and sit 0.2 ls away from, or when you jump into a system with 2 very close together stars you get a good eye ball on them in the asp as you swoosh in, but in the Conda you are alot less able to get a fix on these things.
It also handles very sluggishly , scooping is very fast with the huge scoop but lining up the next star or just turning between planets for scans is painful.
Lastly, the cockpit is very bright when you have a bright star shining into it, so bright that the UI is very difficult to see in fact you lose the compass point completely, perhaps different UI colours would fix this but then every patch overwrites them anyway and its all rather a nuscience to set up soo...
Overall, I don't reccommend this ship for exploring, its only asset is the huge jump range, which I hope i can reach a point where i need it and even that comes at a cost.
Looks good though, here I am last night at Veil West with Veil east and Sadr in view as well.
Now if this thing could carry a Sidewinder to take out on system scans, like is hinted at in its description then that would change things totally!
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