Question From a New Player About Exploring

Pops612

P
First Post so if I’m doing this wrong or to long winded please let me know!

Is it possible to explore without any engineering or guardian upgrades? I have an ASP Explorer that with very minor engineering I’ve gotten to 33.13 unladen jump range and everything I need for exploring and some minor maintenance. I guess what I’m getting at is it possible to use this to explore, and hopefully/safely find unexplored systems? I’m not planning on trying to find the end of the Galaxy. Just get outside the bubble a little bit, go in one direction for 2,200ly+ and hopefully find some new systems/planets once I’m out there. I completely understand that it’s not the smart move to go without upgrades (trust me I rarely make those anyways so it’s not new) and I know it’s going to take me a gazillion jumps, but can I use this build to explore?

In about a week I’ve run from mostly penniless to Trade Tycoon through loop trading, and I am bored out of my mind. I’d be just fine not docking for the next month. This is my 2nd Account, first one was on PS4 and I couldn’t swap it to Xbox. Exploring was why I downloaded the game to start with, and the void is calling to me lol.

This is my build, as it is, and critique is appreciated!
Note Engineered Modules:
5A Thruster w/Clean Drive Tune (lvl1)
5A FSD w/Increased FSD Range (lvl1)
5D Sensors w/Light Weight (lvl 1)

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
coriolis.io coriolis.io
 

Pops612

P
dysonl said:
In the early days, a Cmdr got to the other side of the galaxy in a Sidewinder. You should be fine with a 33LY range, especially going to the center.
Good Exploring Cmdr.
o7
Click to expand...

This is the exact kind of encouragement I needed! I will eventually build a Super Explorer with all the bells and whistles, but for now I just want to get my name on some stars/planets/moons/etc. for being the first to discover/scan! Lol After reading up on exploring it just seems like everyone heavily pushes for upgrading first.

thanks commander!
 

M00ka

M00ka
Welcome Commander and no, your post isn't long winded, it was in fact great. You clearly framed your question and provided what information is required for the rest of us to provide advice. I just wish more new posters were as succinct. Well Done!

As others have Commander Dysonl said above, you shouldn't have any problems with a 33ly jump range. Many have explored will far smaller jump ability. Just make sure that you set the Route Planner to (well at least try to) jump to only scoopable stars, they are KGBFOAM stars. Your build looks good, you have all the necessary modules.

All I can say Commander is I hope your path is filled with new discoveries and scoopable stars - have fun exploring.
 

Florenus

Florenus
It's pretty good build.
Engineering is really not needed at all. It would just help you get places faster if you're in a hurry (and ofc high jump range is mandatory to get into some remote regions of the galaxy, where stars are sparse), but otherwise, when exploring, you shouldn't jump as far as possible, but rather look for closest interesting star, so you're good.
 

Zieman

Zieman
Pops612 said:
First Post so if I’m doing this wrong or to long winded please let me know!

Is it possible to explore without any engineering or guardian upgrades? I have an ASP Explorer that with very minor engineering I’ve gotten to 33.13 unladen jump range and everything I need for exploring and some minor maintenance. I guess what I’m getting at is it possible to use this to explore, and hopefully/safely find unexplored systems? I’m not planning on trying to find the end of the Galaxy. Just get outside the bubble a little bit, go in one direction for 2,200ly+ and hopefully find some new systems/planets once I’m out there. I completely understand that it’s not the smart move to go without upgrades (trust me I rarely make those anyways so it’s not new) and I know it’s going to take me a gazillion jumps, but can I use this build to explore?

In about a week I’ve run from mostly penniless to Trade Tycoon through loop trading, and I am bored out of my mind. I’d be just fine not docking for the next month. This is my 2nd Account, first one was on PS4 and I couldn’t swap it to Xbox. Exploring was why I downloaded the game to start with, and the void is calling to me lol.

This is my build, as it is, and critique is appreciated!
Note Engineered Modules:
5A Thruster w/Clean Drive Tune (lvl1)
5A FSD w/Increased FSD Range (lvl1)
5D Sensors w/Light Weight (lvl 1)

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
coriolis.io coriolis.io
Click to expand...
Pretty good. Remember to stare hard at the void, especially after it starts staring back! ;)

One point though: Asp is not an acronym. :)
 

VR jefranklin18

VR jefranklin18
My first exploration trip was in a 20LY Cobra so your build will be fine. Personally if it were me is I would D-rate your thrusters to get the lighter weight and just be careful about landing on high G planets, lower rate your shields and disable one of your AFMUs (I tend to use only one) to lower your power plant further. Also lose the shield booster. All the shield reduction assumes you will be actively avoiding combat (and keeping away from gankers if playing in open).

If you were playing on PC, I would recommend downloading ED Explorer to run alongside but note it is on console.
 

Dogg

D
Contrary to popular belief, exploration does not require mahoosive jump ranges.
It just may take a while to get to where you want to explore.
Head well above or below the galactic plane for a better chance of finding first discoveries.
Happy hunting CMDR o7
 

GloatingSwine

GloatingSwine
Yes, you can do exploration with minimal engineering.

There are a couple of tricks you can do which will help you squeeze a little more out of your build:

Fit 4D Thrusters and a 3D Shield Generator. You'll spend 99% of your exploration time in Supercruise where your thrusters don't matter, and your shields only exist to stop your hull getting scratched by careless landing or mailslot posting.

Drop your distributor to a 3D and lose the mining laser. Without refinery, prospectors or collectors you aren't going to get any value from it.

Go into your power management and turn both of your AFMUs off. That will let you run the ship on a 2A Armoured 1 powerplant. If you ever need to use the AFMUs you're undoubtedly going to be repairing your Thrusters anyway, so just turn those off first and turn them back on at the end.

Then all you need to do is to engineer the FSD as much as you can tolerate. Even getting it to grade 3, which is pretty easy and materials cheap, will get you to 45ly range.
 

Navigare Necesse Est

Navigare Necesse Est
It sure is. It's what I did. None of the power creep was around at the time. No neutron stars. We got jumponium late in my career but it was impossible to find (so everyone went to the handful known places where someone got lucky - in a galaxy of billions of stars)
Round trip to Heart and Soul Nebula. Not far maybe for current standards but who cares. Prepare for inordinate amounts of jumping. It's the worst thing about it. It is not as bad on the trip to destination, it is terrible on the leg back.
So bring long range ship. No Vulture. Maybe look at Neutron Star boosting, but they are not always available close. I can't recommend jumponium - it is a pain in the rear to gather and pressing "J" a hundred times and watching the jump screen is already worse enough without grinding some rare metal for random chances or travelling a load of ly to farm it.
Consider having a destination on back trip, too. Several places to see shortens the route since it cuts down on the tedious parts.
Or try your luck for strange things randomly. Low chance for success but you get the odd apple in between and gives some variety to just pressing one key and do the refueling procedure.
 

GloatingSwine

GloatingSwine
Dogg said:
Contrary to popular belief, exploration does not require mahoosive jump ranges.
Click to expand...

As time goes by and the explored zone around the bubble expands, having a high jump range makes more and more sense for an explorer.

If you want juicy firsts you want to be able to get about 5-6000LY out in any direction, and then you need to get it back again. So the further you can go per jump the faster you'll get out, find some things, and come back to get the credit.

Unless you decamp to Colonia, where it's super easy to get firsts even a few hops away from Jacques. But then again you want some range to get to Colonia in a sensible amount of time too.
 

Zieman

Zieman
GloatingSwine said:
Drop your distributor to a 3D and lose the mining laser. Without prospectors or collectors you aren't going to get much value from it.
Click to expand...
Mining laser might be a lifesaver. Not likely, but has happened.

End of the Road

I've messed up. I am less than a thousand light years out from Beagle Point beginning a slow-boat journey home. Using the new feature in the galaxy map which highlights previous systems you have visited, I was retracing my jumps back and made a 50% boost into a system. It has one landable...
forums.frontier.co.uk forums.frontier.co.uk
 

M00ka

M00ka
Look the OP is about to embark on his first long range journey. It is evident he has done his research and put together a ship fully capable of what he wants to achieve. Lets not overwhelm him with builds and what modules to bring and what engineering he needs to do. He is heading out on a 2,200 ly journey, so I would guess he already knows his destination. Now we know that 2,200lys is really just a jaunt to us now, but to him it is a momentous journey, so how about we let it him be and just wish him a tremendous first exploration journey into the black. He is smart enough that if he wants more information he will ask for it.
 

Northpin

Northpin
Pops612 said:
First Post so if I’m doing this wrong or to long winded please let me know!

Is it possible to explore without any engineering or guardian upgrades? I have an ASP Explorer that with very minor engineering I’ve gotten to 33.13 unladen jump range and everything I need for exploring and some minor maintenance. I guess what I’m getting at is it possible to use this to explore, and hopefully/safely find unexplored systems? I’m not planning on trying to find the end of the Galaxy. Just get outside the bubble a little bit, go in one direction for 2,200ly+ and hopefully find some new systems/planets once I’m out there. I completely understand that it’s not the smart move to go without upgrades (trust me I rarely make those anyways so it’s not new) and I know it’s going to take me a gazillion jumps, but can I use this build to explore?

In about a week I’ve run from mostly penniless to Trade Tycoon through loop trading, and I am bored out of my mind. I’d be just fine not docking for the next month. This is my 2nd Account, first one was on PS4 and I couldn’t swap it to Xbox. Exploring was why I downloaded the game to start with, and the void is calling to me lol.

This is my build, as it is, and critique is appreciated!
Note Engineered Modules:
5A Thruster w/Clean Drive Tune (lvl1)
5A FSD w/Increased FSD Range (lvl1)
5D Sensors w/Light Weight (lvl 1)

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
coriolis.io coriolis.io
Click to expand...

Looks good and i hope you applied the experimental mass manager for FSD at least.

As you've been already advised, go at least 5000 ly from your starting system - maybe a bit more to be sure

And several more advices:
Go abit above or below the galactic plane, and if you see something that might look interesting (a nebula or the likes), dont go there if you want first discoveries (someone else already did it probably long time ago)
Go towards the inner parts of the galaxy, but not directly towards the SagA or Colonia - those paths were well beaten
And lastly, do not set the plotter to KBGFOAM stars. Do not avoid the more exotic stars, the ones outside the main sequence. For example i found some really nice stuff in Herbig Ae/Be systems and black hole systems can be interesting too.
Careful with Neutron Stars and especially with White Dwarves - hitting the exclusion zone while being in the cone can be deadly.
 

Chrystoph

Chrystoph
Totally unengineered build, and this is better, range wise, than I flew during Distant Worlds 1.

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
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Range really only matters for travel unless you go into areas of stellar scarcity (high, low, edges of the galaxy or the areas between arms) or the Brown Dwarf/Neutron/White Dwarf fields. Even in the fields, there is usually a fueling star within a single jump with this kind of range.

Most people tend to travel more or less horizontally, which really means they stay in the thick band of the galaxy; if your goal is to get your name in the history books, I recommend heading up or down about 500 LY before you head out, and don't head Directly for anything famous such as Colonia, Sag A* or Beagle Point. The direct routes are the most explored.
 
Last edited:

Kenneth McGrew

Kenneth McGrew
Pops612 said:
First Post so if I’m doing this wrong or to long winded please let me know!

Is it possible to explore without any engineering or guardian upgrades? I have an ASP Explorer that with very minor engineering I’ve gotten to 33.13 unladen jump range and everything I need for exploring and some minor maintenance. I guess what I’m getting at is it possible to use this to explore, and hopefully/safely find unexplored systems? I’m not planning on trying to find the end of the Galaxy. Just get outside the bubble a little bit, go in one direction for 2,200ly+ and hopefully find some new systems/planets once I’m out there. I completely understand that it’s not the smart move to go without upgrades (trust me I rarely make those anyways so it’s not new) and I know it’s going to take me a gazillion jumps, but can I use this build to explore?

In about a week I’ve run from mostly penniless to Trade Tycoon through loop trading, and I am bored out of my mind. I’d be just fine not docking for the next month. This is my 2nd Account, first one was on PS4 and I couldn’t swap it to Xbox. Exploring was why I downloaded the game to start with, and the void is calling to me lol.

This is my build, as it is, and critique is appreciated!
Note Engineered Modules:
5A Thruster w/Clean Drive Tune (lvl1)
5A FSD w/Increased FSD Range (lvl1)
5D Sensors w/Light Weight (lvl 1)

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
coriolis.io coriolis.io
Click to expand...

you could always make a beeline for a nebula outside of the bubble, that's what got me started on travelling over 9 million LY IIRC so far.

then there are the objects out in deep space...

heres a flavour


if it were my ship i'd change it to this for better jumprange and to be able to interact with stellar phenomenon;

Ship build here

but of course feel free to outfit it however you want (the empty 5 optional slot is for a guardian frame shift drive booster should you unlock it).
 
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