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Guide / Tutorial Odyssey Biological and Geological Guide
- Thread starter CMDR Sheehy
- Start date
Yeah, but it just destroyed the hypothesis that tussock and shrubs will never be found in the same area.
Well, it's a bit like the Pirates Code. More like guidelines... Usually...
Shrubs love highland areas. Tussock... mmmm. Yes you may be right...
That's just it, these were lowlands (well, compared to their surroundings).
And on another planet, found shrubs in the lowlands (with cactoida) and tussock in the highlands (with osseus)
Foreground is shrub/frutexa, with fungoida next to tussock in the distance (sample is fungoida). This is on a world with 100% ammonia atmosphere, around an F5.
I have a thought that it is not a simple as just highlands and lowlands. I wonder why some planets some life only appears in dips in the ground and I have this thought: Highlands on a 0.05 atmosphere world might match the lowlands on a 0.03 world.
Certainly I have seen exclusive biomes - although on the edges there may be some mixing.
Certainly I have seen exclusive biomes - although on the edges there may be some mixing.
On where to find various flora:
Concha is the one genus that loves the trenches and sometimes bases of hills. Shrubs prefer rough terrain mostly on hills, and Tussock are generally not picky just hard to spot. Because Tussock is so comfortable anywhere that is why you can see some overlap with shrubs. Seeing shrubs and grass near each other was uncommon but not rare for me.
Concha is the one genus that loves the trenches and sometimes bases of hills. Shrubs prefer rough terrain mostly on hills, and Tussock are generally not picky just hard to spot. Because Tussock is so comfortable anywhere that is why you can see some overlap with shrubs. Seeing shrubs and grass near each other was uncommon but not rare for me.
I must admit to having shivers when I glimpsed this. I went back to make sure. Too much Doctor Who. Specifically the episode "Gridlock"...
Thanks to the OP for this guide, very helpful. I looked around in here for info, but I couldn't find anything on what determines the value (in credits) of the biological when you turn it in. Anyone have any idea? Is it random? I noticed some species would give me 800,000 crediits (double if you include first scan), and others as little as 70,000, but it seemed random and not related to genus or color.
Also, if I understand this correctly, if I'm out exploring in the black and dropping into random atmo planets to scan biologicals, it doesn't matter if I scanned a Frutexa whateverus Emerald on the last system, I'll still get the full reward from Vista Genomics if I scan it again on the next system, and so on? Cheers!
PS: Not sure if it's been mentioned, but legacy biologicals (brain trees) no longer drop materials. It's a bug, and it's on the issue tracker (but not confirmed yet).
Also, if I understand this correctly, if I'm out exploring in the black and dropping into random atmo planets to scan biologicals, it doesn't matter if I scanned a Frutexa whateverus Emerald on the last system, I'll still get the full reward from Vista Genomics if I scan it again on the next system, and so on? Cheers!
PS: Not sure if it's been mentioned, but legacy biologicals (brain trees) no longer drop materials. It's a bug, and it's on the issue tracker (but not confirmed yet).
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Great observations!
There's a link at the bottom of the first post (https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/compendium-of-codex-requirements.538300/) with a spreadsheet containing the payouts (among other useful things!)
And yes, you get first submitted bonus for each biological sample from each planet you visit.
I will add the info for legacy biologicals... cheers, that's useful.
Yeah, according to the dev diaries, the new biologicals are supposed to be convergent species. So, unrelated species that just-so-happen to look virtually identical and conform to certain archetypes because the evolutionary pressures of their environments are similar.
The sheer amount of similarity stretches credibility a bit, but not as much as without the explanation, I guess.
Anyway, the logic is, although they look the same, two frutrxa whateverus on two different planets have different genomes, and so each one potentially has something new to science.
In addition to resources already mentioned, Canonn's website has far more comprehensive, but less conveniently displayed, information on the various flora, their values, and any known environmental requirements.
the ;tldr low gravity (<0.27g) high heat (mean >165K) worlds with few exceptions (electricae demand icy planets). Water atmospheres being the best for average total payout per planet imo.
Generally, if the planet has >5 biological life the payout would be high because the planet almost certainly has good conditions for some high value flora (which is why it has so many in the first place is my theory)
Ooh - drop us a link and I will add it to the post...
I have yet to find a landable water atmosphere throughout my wanderings. Either I am very, very unlucky or these are rare. What's your experience?
The end of the OP has been cleaned up and Cannon's and the DSN's resources have been linked!
Fantastic guide! And thanks to everybody making this into a brilliant resource!
I'm out in the Heart nebula at the moment (forget exactly which system as I'm at work and nowhere near my computer), and I have found Osseus, cactoida and tussock so far. I'm nowhere near as accomplished as many of you on here, but I'm sticking what info I have in, in the hope that it can help out.
Kind regards, Rabziggy.
I'm out in the Heart nebula at the moment (forget exactly which system as I'm at work and nowhere near my computer), and I have found Osseus, cactoida and tussock so far. I'm nowhere near as accomplished as many of you on here, but I'm sticking what info I have in, in the hope that it can help out.
Kind regards, Rabziggy.
I used to love the sound of Tussock brushing the underside of the SRV...
...until I came across these:
Those stalks are as tough as iron. If you drive into a field of them, you're likely to get properly stuck...
...until I came across these:
Those stalks are as tough as iron. If you drive into a field of them, you're likely to get properly stuck...
Okay, now that I've hit Elite I'll share what I know about Exo-mightiness so that anyone here that decides to do it won't waste nearly as much time as I did in the beginning when nobody really knew how it worked.
First, a break down of the numbers:
'First discovery' doubles your pay-out but does not count towards your rank boost. Elite requires around 215million in turn ins. Water Atmospheres pay the best and average around 2.5 million per. This means you're looking at visiting at least 100 planets, and scanning for about a half hour on each one. That is less than 5 million per hour (not including exploration) so you're not doing this to get rich quick. Also, that's what almost 50 hours of pure walking around clicking a button looking at the same dozen or so textures.
Water worlds are exceedingly rare. CO2 worlds are the next highest average payout at maybe 1.8mill BUT much more work and aggravation, so, you should be using datamined third party resources to find them. Spansh's body search is my recommendation.
Those are ideal numbers. You are absolutely going to waste MUCH more time than 50 hours doing this. Some water atmo worlds don't have any life on them, others only 5 instead of the ideal 8 or 9. All of them require you fly to the system and do an FSS just to find out.
Bottom line I cannot stress enough how not worth it this gameplay is. It is the epitome of bolted on waste of time just because. It takes everything even remotely worthwhile about exploration and throws it out the window and seems tailor made to bring focus to all the issues with the new planetary tech. It's not relaxing, it's tedious or frustrating. That's it. There is no sense of accomplishment. Only shame. I now have a Scarlet E on my account that clearly displays to anyone that looks at it how low my standards are.
I predict the new meme to replace 'you must be fun at parties' will be 'you seem like you do Elite Exobiology for fun'.
........
Suit Engineering: Not required. Achieved Elite with a Level 3 Artemis suit with no mods. Could runspeed, jump boost, nightvision, and imp. battery mods for the suit help? Sure I guess, but not worth it. If you need NV use your SRV (which also is faster than running or jump boosting would do for you anyways). If you have a weapon with a scope use it I guess. Might help spotting something in the distance when on foot.
How to search:
Try to search on the daylight side of planets with the Star either above or behind your direction of travel. Shadows end up blending some life in with rocks otherwise.
Tussock, Frutexa (Shrubs): they are almost impossible to see from the air. you need to be on foot or scraping the dirt in your ship. Generally I never look for these but if I go to land and start a new flora and happen to find them there I'll do these first then go back to the flora I had originally landed for.
Bacteria, Stratum: in ship at altitude 100-250m up while travelling <100m/s (for my system rock/flora spawn updating stopped at this speed as if it was a hard coded setting). Consider using NV (regardless of lighting) because anything highlighted/shaded green is NOT bacteria which may make it easier to spot when you know what to avoid. Some species colouration may blend in with the NV green anyways so don't always rely on this.
Everything Else: In ship at an altitude around 100m. NV may help to highlight species with low contrast to the terrain.
Traversing the terrain
Because it was taking so long I took the time to do some math to plot out the fastest way to travel to the 3 scans for the various flora and found some general rules. Based on a minimum travel distance of an equilateral triangle the ONLY time travelling on foot is the fastest method (even considering disembark/re-embark, black screen, deploy/recover SRV, and landing times) is for flora with minimal colony sizes of 125m*.
Even then, if you can't get all three scans in that tight triangle (rare) you're still hurting your time. The SRV is the fastest* travel method for all remaining flora except colony sizes >800m (Osseus, Tubers, etc.)* but at the cost of expensive fuel. Frankly a small ship specialized (or an equivalent Adder) for Exobiology with optimized speed, jump range, and ease of finding a landing spot (THE most challenging part of this 'gameplay') is your smartest play here.
* assumes flat, uncomplicated terrain and dense flora distributions (use your ship if you need to search)
First, a break down of the numbers:
'First discovery' doubles your pay-out but does not count towards your rank boost. Elite requires around 215million in turn ins. Water Atmospheres pay the best and average around 2.5 million per. This means you're looking at visiting at least 100 planets, and scanning for about a half hour on each one. That is less than 5 million per hour (not including exploration) so you're not doing this to get rich quick. Also, that's what almost 50 hours of pure walking around clicking a button looking at the same dozen or so textures.
Water worlds are exceedingly rare. CO2 worlds are the next highest average payout at maybe 1.8mill BUT much more work and aggravation, so, you should be using datamined third party resources to find them. Spansh's body search is my recommendation.
Those are ideal numbers. You are absolutely going to waste MUCH more time than 50 hours doing this. Some water atmo worlds don't have any life on them, others only 5 instead of the ideal 8 or 9. All of them require you fly to the system and do an FSS just to find out.
Bottom line I cannot stress enough how not worth it this gameplay is. It is the epitome of bolted on waste of time just because. It takes everything even remotely worthwhile about exploration and throws it out the window and seems tailor made to bring focus to all the issues with the new planetary tech. It's not relaxing, it's tedious or frustrating. That's it. There is no sense of accomplishment. Only shame. I now have a Scarlet E on my account that clearly displays to anyone that looks at it how low my standards are.
I predict the new meme to replace 'you must be fun at parties' will be 'you seem like you do Elite Exobiology for fun'.
........
Suit Engineering: Not required. Achieved Elite with a Level 3 Artemis suit with no mods. Could runspeed, jump boost, nightvision, and imp. battery mods for the suit help? Sure I guess, but not worth it. If you need NV use your SRV (which also is faster than running or jump boosting would do for you anyways). If you have a weapon with a scope use it I guess. Might help spotting something in the distance when on foot.
How to search:
Try to search on the daylight side of planets with the Star either above or behind your direction of travel. Shadows end up blending some life in with rocks otherwise.
Tussock, Frutexa (Shrubs): they are almost impossible to see from the air. you need to be on foot or scraping the dirt in your ship. Generally I never look for these but if I go to land and start a new flora and happen to find them there I'll do these first then go back to the flora I had originally landed for.
Bacteria, Stratum: in ship at altitude 100-250m up while travelling <100m/s (for my system rock/flora spawn updating stopped at this speed as if it was a hard coded setting). Consider using NV (regardless of lighting) because anything highlighted/shaded green is NOT bacteria which may make it easier to spot when you know what to avoid. Some species colouration may blend in with the NV green anyways so don't always rely on this.
Everything Else: In ship at an altitude around 100m. NV may help to highlight species with low contrast to the terrain.
Traversing the terrain
Because it was taking so long I took the time to do some math to plot out the fastest way to travel to the 3 scans for the various flora and found some general rules. Based on a minimum travel distance of an equilateral triangle the ONLY time travelling on foot is the fastest method (even considering disembark/re-embark, black screen, deploy/recover SRV, and landing times) is for flora with minimal colony sizes of 125m*.
Even then, if you can't get all three scans in that tight triangle (rare) you're still hurting your time. The SRV is the fastest* travel method for all remaining flora except colony sizes >800m (Osseus, Tubers, etc.)* but at the cost of expensive fuel. Frankly a small ship specialized (or an equivalent Adder) for Exobiology with optimized speed, jump range, and ease of finding a landing spot (THE most challenging part of this 'gameplay') is your smartest play here.
* assumes flat, uncomplicated terrain and dense flora distributions (use your ship if you need to search)
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Added note to remind peeps that if they are doing this for the credits, it's better to look elsewhere. People should do exploration for enjoyment! Thanks!
I think I'd rather talk to either of those than the "actually fun at parties".