Back in 2016 and 17 I dabbled in exploration with the diamondback explorer kitted out for exploration, and since then they added quite a few features including new scanners, and things to find of the surface of planets. I looked at the wiki for exploration but couldn't figure out what is absolutely nessesary for modern explorers. I had the best discovery scanner and detailed surface scanners i could get at the time. So what i need to know is, are planetary probes nessesary for truly profitable exploration, And are land rovers required? Planetary bodies are still the money makers from what i understand but are ruins and alien structures now a important and profitable part of exploration?
Old explorer Returning
- Thread starter Sonoskay
- Start date
Should be fine to carry on with your current gear - they got upgraded etc for you - so you should have a Detailed Surface Scanner. DBX is still OP as an explorer - though you'll have a couple of extra slots so you can do even more. Take an SRV if you want, but still optional - none of the added alien stuff is for profit, so you can ignore.
Edit: Welcome Back! \o/
Edit: Welcome Back! \o/
SRV is only "mandatory" if you consider it to be. 
It will still be far more useful for gathering materials than anything else, and the surface biology/geology can be scanned with the ship if you prefer, though it's a little more awkward. You can get a tiny amount of money from this, but not enough to really matter.
But yeah, most of the money-making will still come from scanning things in space, and the discovery scanner is now built into the ship. The Surface Scanner is optional, but makes huge amounts of cash, and yours will already be converted over as Factabulous said.
It will still be far more useful for gathering materials than anything else, and the surface biology/geology can be scanned with the ship if you prefer, though it's a little more awkward. You can get a tiny amount of money from this, but not enough to really matter.But yeah, most of the money-making will still come from scanning things in space, and the discovery scanner is now built into the ship. The Surface Scanner is optional, but makes huge amounts of cash, and yours will already be converted over as Factabulous said.
Can never hurt to carry an AFMU and repair limpet controller (+ some small cargo racks to hold the limpets), so you can repair modules/hull respectively. SRV is needed mostly just to gather materials to effect said repairs, and also to acquire jumponium if you're getting into distant systems or accidentally get stuck somewhere and can't jump out. DSS to map planets is still the most profitable way to make money (Earth-likes, Water Worlds, anything terraformable), but for everything else just FSS it.
Anything else is optional really, though heatsinks and a mining laser never hurts.
Anything else is optional really, though heatsinks and a mining laser never hurts.
Welcome back, CMDR!
I think the biggestchange out in the black will be to get the FSS set up (controls) and learn how use it while doing that. The remaining exploration gameplay you know basically hasn't changed, except for the addition of stuff to look at in orbit and down on the surface.
I think the biggestchange out in the black will be to get the FSS set up (controls) and learn how use it while doing that. The remaining exploration gameplay you know basically hasn't changed, except for the addition of stuff to look at in orbit and down on the surface.
That's simply a question of personal taste.
If you're not going to some extremely distant system every ship can be used to explore.
Personally I have an Anaconda, but it's stored because I really dislike it's supercruise handling. My ASP - to me - feels much better in supercruise. And since I'm not going to far away systems the loss in jump range is no problem.
Did jump ranges for ships used to go that high? My Daimondback right now has a jump range of 35 and could have sworn that was some of the higher rages possible. But in my current state, I cant afford something bigger at the moment. Granted i haven't gone and done any of the special engeniering stuff or acquired a guardian FSD booster, both of which i would assume costs in the millions.'
I am going to stick around the bubble for one more week to try to achieve something specific in powerplay before going out to explore.And i usualy do some tradiing while doing powerplay stuff. so ill have some more money to throw around after. I can Probably just go look at the wiki to figure it out and will probably do so after work., but if someone has the inclination to explain how engeniering works, That would be appriciated.
I am going to stick around the bubble for one more week to try to achieve something specific in powerplay before going out to explore.And i usualy do some tradiing while doing powerplay stuff. so ill have some more money to throw around after. I can Probably just go look at the wiki to figure it out and will probably do so after work., but if someone has the inclination to explain how engeniering works, That would be appriciated.
Here is how the jump range of a same kind of Asp Explorer build has changed throughout the game's updates. Not the Diamondback (it wasn't there at launch anyway), but should be some good reference.
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Ok well, 35ly feels nightmare to go to Orion for example (had some tourists to there) as system is locked and you must find a hole ... which adds around 3500ly to 1 end.
Then I had ASP with 50. That is ok to go somewhere to Crab Nebula. Still takes long (couple days).
With Krait phantom & Anaconda you will have repair stuff on board so can heavy use NS jumps, this means Crab Nebula there and back will take less then a day. Something like 4 hrs if you're in rush.
However, Anaconda takes 4 times more repair potential + longer range. That makes it perfect for true long trips, like fly around Galaxy.
Currently I do such a round trip on Anaconda-72. Well, it's like moving home. You just see somewhere nice star on map and just go there, no bothers about anything. Hit a planet on landing? Who cares - have repair limpets.
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This is a plus doing NS jumps. Can supercharge even by 1 finger - it's just stable in beam. And any way you don't need to maneuver a lot in deep space.
There are multiple engineers dotted around that each specialise in modifying different modules. You get invites from a few to start you off, which gives you their location, but to unlock them you have do something for them, whether it's bring them specific commodities, cash in bounties/bonds, trade with black markets or gain rep with specific factions. If you check your right panel you'll see an option for engineers, which will show you which ones know of and what you need to be doing to gain access to them. Once you have unlocked them you can go to them and start crafting upgrades for whatever it is they specialise in, on any modules you currently have on your ship. These upgrades come in up to 5 grades, though some engineers might only be able to take you so far in certain areas. The more of these upgrades you craft, the higher the grade you will gain access to, allowing you to craft better upgrades.
Crafting requires materials, either found on planets or mined from asteroids/rings (if they're just basic elements) or from any number of other activities if they're manufactured. The system map will tell you what elements can be found on each planet, but the wiki is your best bet to find anything else. You can also trade materials with material traders in certain starports, so if you end up with a ton of useless stuff you can trade it in to get higher level stuff, or vice versa, which can really help cut down time spent searching aimlessly for specific bits.
For exploration purposes, your best bet is to hit up Felicity Farseer, in the Deciat system. To unlock her you need to bring her a single meta-alloy, which can either be acquired from thargoid barnacles on planets, or bought in the Maia system. Felicity has a number of useful options, including up to grade 5 FSD boost.
The other thing to go after, is the Guardian FSD booster, which is separate from engineering and may or may not be more work. To get it, you need to find yourself a Guardian outpost, specifically one that can give you a Guardian Module Blueprint (there are 3 types of blueprint, and different Guardian sites will give only a specific type). Go to one of these, land, clear out the site of Guardian drones in your SRV, collect all the tech, and then unlock the altar by raising up and shooting all the pylons dotted around the site, then deposit an Artifact (found on top of a pillar somewhere at the site) in front of the main altar, then scan the big ball that pops up. You need 1 blueprint, some variety of Guardian materials, and some other stuff you can buy from markets, then finally take all this stuff to a Technology Broker and hand it in. You will now forever be able to buy an FSD booster from any Tech Broker. They come in 5 grades and give a flat jump bonus, with the class 5 giving you another 10lys.
You will almost certainly need to check the wiki for more specifics on exactly what materials you'll need for all of these things, and to locate good sites for barnacles/blueprints. You can also see the entire list of engineers and what they all do and need to unlock.
I remember going the whole way round the galaxy in a 27ly Mk III.
Young people today, mutter mutter mutter
I didn't play that time, started 9 months ago, 3 of them was bannedI remember going the whole way round the galaxy in a 27ly Mk III.
Young people today, mutter mutter mutter
Possibly I would go too. But now - thank's not.