Returning Player, need some advice on Exploring

[AirBear]

Until this week I haven't played for 12-18 months. I think I started ED back in 2015. I have just about all the ships in the game and my Fleet Carrier "Divine Treasury". I'm sitting on 8.2B credits so that's not a problem. This week I threw some $$$ to Frontier and bought the Mandalay, Type 8, and Beluga with the G5 pre-engineered SCO FSD. (I sold my old Beluga).

I want to go out into the black and explore, mostly looking for ELW's but also wanting to get some bio data (I've never done that before).

Questions:

1. Do I take the FC and have to mine tritium or take the Mandalay which currently has a 70LY jump range. I can probably do some more engineering to raise that some. I'm leaning towards the FC since I can take all my stuff with me. I have a Cutter setup for all kinds of mining and last night I did the grind to get the pre engineered mining lasers from that permit locked system. I have 4 of them on the Cutter's fuselage. I watched a video with a player using them and his Cutter was mining with amazing speed.

So how much of a hassle is it to mine the tritium? That's the main thing that's holding me back. I don't know how much tritium per LY the FC uses so I don't know how often I'll have to mine.

2. Is it worth it to equip the FC so I can sell my stellar and bio data to the ship, or should I use that space for more tritium and just sell everything when I return?

3. Where to go? I did my last major trip into the black 3 years ago with my AspX. I went to Colonia and then the Cat Nebula and wound up finding 11 ELW's. But this was before mapping was done and by the time I returned to the game after that most of my finds were already mapped because I posted them on these boards.

I have read some posts today and it seems like it's best to go vertical before heading to the edge of the Galaxy. I could use some suggestions, system names would be nice. Then I can just load them into the FC Router website.

4. I could use some suggestions for equipping my character for scanning bio data on surfaces. I have never done that.

Assuming I take the FC I'm planning on a short trip just outside the bubble to practice mining tritium and scanning bio stuff. I want to be far enough out the NPC pirates don't harass my Cutter. I need to practice with the FSS as I've only used it a few times when it first came out. I have watched a couple of videos so I think I understand it.

I probably forgot a few things so any other advice would be welcome.

 

[Ashnak]

I'm planning on a short trip just outside the bubble to practice mining tritium and scanning bio stuff

You won't even need to go out of the Bubble for that - but yes, if you want to avoid the NPC pirates, better do.
When I tried it (ok, that was at least a year ago), I found it to be too cumbersome - but YMMWV

Question: what do you have on your carrier that you don't have on your Mandalay? And don't tell me "repair and resupply" - with the DSSA fleet throughout the Galaxy, you can always reach one of their carriers should you really need it.

 

[GroG79]

1) Do not mine Tritium. Buy tritium with the credits from mined goods if you feel like it. Laser mining Platinum brings the best credit/hour
FCs are very slow. I would leave the FC at home. It lags behind you all the time.
For a cutter you just need 3 mining lasers in the center of the ship. The long range ones add nothing. Only fragments that fly all over the place

2)Id sell to a station. But taking the Vista Genomics if you bring the FC is a good idea

3) Just anywhere but in the direction of close by nebula's SagA and Colonia. Go ~1000ly up/down the plane when you start

4) Bring the arti suit. Sprint and jump are nice engineering mods for exploring. I also have night vision but that one might take a while to obtain

 

[K Olley]

Redemption, Carto and Vista will only cost you 340 ton on your carrier so well worth getting and using.

Tritium is not hard to mine but is slow, it could be better to just load up some spare tritium in your carriers cargo space before leaving. I only use a T9 for mining out in the black.

You will need a Artemis suit for getting Bio samples.

As for where, as long as you are more than 5-600ly from civilisation NPC's are no problem, I would suggest just for a practice run heading North of the bubble about 2 - 3,000 ly and then going up or down on the plane a bit and then search systems close to your carrier, there are plenty of either undiscovered or unmapped systems and a lot of undiscovered Bio.

I am only about 2k out mapping the HIP's and doing the odd bit of mining, and I am earning 2+bill a week just from Bio.

 

[Razzerman]

So how much of a hassle is it to mine the tritium?

It's a pain. Very slow; best bet is sub surface mining for tritium in a low temp diamonds hotspot, and aim for the glowy rocks. Or laser mine a trit hotspot.

 

[AirBear]

You won't even need to go out of the Bubble for that - but yes, if you want to avoid the NPC pirates, better do.
When I tried it (ok, that was at least a year ago), I found it to be too cumbersome - but YMMWV

Question: what do you have on your carrier that you don't have on your Mandalay? And don't tell me "repair and resupply" - with the DSSA fleet throughout the Galaxy, you can always reach one of their carriers should you really need it.

That's why I need to do a test run with the FC and find out how it is. I know the Mandalay will be similar to the AspX and the one they sell is equipped for repair. But I'm lazy and doing the 500LY jumps with the FC and watching videos or catching up on social media while I'm waiting (I have a 3 monitor setup) appeals to me.

 

[K Olley]

If you work from a carrier just covering the close area around the carrier it gives you the security of being able to bank as you go, some of these Bio's with first footfall bonus are worth almost 100mil apeace and I have had several systems that have been worth over a billion with first footfall.

 

[AirBear]

That's a consideration. I'd hate to do something stupid and die while I'm far from home in the Mandalay and lose all those credits.

 

[oblivionmanman 2476]

i have my fc full of trit its all i have dont use it to sell goods etc,its my bug out bag realy,20000t + of trit ,couldnt be botherd to mine it tried once ,hrs of mindless mining for a few hundred tons forget it.fill up to the brim before you go,use the mandy to chase after it,exploring on the way,i use my python as a rule,or asp better for landing small areas.but each to there own,good hunting 07.

 

[Valije]

Buy a decent amount of tritium to do the trip you want to do. Carry a mining ship just to be able to mine some trit in an emergency.

For exploring bring a small ship that it is easy to park in tight spaces. My choice is the hauler. Some bios only grow in mountains and it is hard to land sometimes. Then carry the usual explo ship and maybe a high maneuverability one to change the pace and have some fun. That's the good thing about carriers: you can carry enough ships to break the boredom of doing always the same with the same ship over and over.

Of course carry the repair, refuel, astrometrics and genomics carrier modules. The credits will not be a problem and you don't need to get back to the bubble to get them.

 

[AirBear]

I did my 1st 500LY jump just to the bottom edge of the galaxy. I flailed around some (didn't really learn how to use the FSS until the next system). I found a Gas Giant with rocky rings and located a tritium hotspot. I took my Cutter outfitted for laser mining with the 4 special mining lasers with 2.5km range along with two class 2 standard mining lasers. I'm wishing I had bought a 5th 2.5km laser, they're that good. Keeping in mind I haven't mined in over a year I spent about 4 hours in the hotspot, used 480 of 500 limpets, and mined 310T of tritium along with another 20T of other stuff that may prove useful once I'm back in the bubble. I used 10% tritium as a threshold to mine or not, maybe I should have gone higher.

BTW, trying to jump the FC in system was a PITA. I finally figured it out and got it near the hotspot. The SCO is so nice I may use my T8 to mine with even with the smaller loadout. It has plenty of hardpoints. With a mining setup I can carry 256 limpets, two instead of three 5C Collector Limpet controllers, one 5A Prospector Limpet Controller, a 4A refinery, a DSS, and docking computer. I thiink I have mats to cover one more G5 upgrade to the SCO Here's a link to the build on Coriolis:

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous

s.orbis.zone

The SCO is SO nice. I switched from a smaller exploration ship to the Mandalay after droning around in SC. I'm considering buying the Cobra Mk V or else buying a SCO drive to put in the Diamondback.

I have not landed on a planet yet. The 2nd system I jumped the FC to has 13 bodies, all of which are small rocky worlds. This is where I finally figured out the FSS.
I only mapped two of them before I had to quit for the night.

Question: how do you know if there's biological stuff you can scan on foot on the surface? I did not see anything but maybe I was in the wrong mode or something.

 

[K Olley]

Question: how do you know if there's biological stuff you can scan on foot on the surface? I did not see anything but maybe I was in the wrong mode or something.

When you a system, when you map each planet on the info panel under features it will tell you if there is biologicals and how many.

After 'ing a system if you look at the system map you can see if the planets are landable and if they have an atmosphere, if you click on a planet and look at the planetary information it will tell you how many biologicals there are, you then need to go to the planet and DSS it, you will them be able to see where on the planet the bio is located, you then need to land and scan 3 samples of each bio.

When you look at a planet on the system map it will tell you if someone has landed previously, an unscanned bio has a X4 bonus.

 

[AirBear]

When you a system, when you map each planet on the info panel under features it will tell you if there is biologicals and how many.

After 'ing a system if you look at the system map you can see if the planets are landable and if they have an atmosphere, if you click on a planet and look at the planetary information it will tell you how many biologicals there are, you then need to go to the planet and DSS it, you will them be able to see where on the planet the bio is located, you then need to land and scan 3 samples of each bio.

When you look at a planet on the system map it will tell you if someone has landed previously, an unscanned bio has a X4 bonus.

Thanks for that info, I was able to figure it out. I've forgotten a lot about the game despite having played it since December 2014.

On the system I'm currently in I scanned around 6 planets getting bonuses for using fewer probes, and I got "First Footfall" on about 6 planets. Now these are only 1,000 LY from the bubble so had already been discovered. When I went back to the FC I only received 45K credits for all of that???

 

[GroG79]

You do not get any credits for first footfal

45k. Much have been a dusty or icy system. Many systems are worth very few.

 

[K Olley]

On the system I'm currently in I scanned around 6 planets getting bonuses for using fewer probes, and I got "First Footfall" on about 6 planets. Now these are only 1,000 LY from the bubble so had already been discovered. When I went back to the FC I only received 45K credits for all of that???

No bonus for first footfall, the bonus is for first discovery of a Bio which gives a total of 5 times Bio value, if a planet with Bio present has had another player get first footfall then there is a high chance that they have found and claimed the bonus, there are some that only bother with the high payout bio so it is possible to gain some bonus if another player has been before you.

If you go to Exobiologist and under the section "Sample Values & Details" there is a table (you will have to [EXPAND] it, this gives the base values for the bio's, still a decent payout for an up and coming player and not to be sniffed at while you get a bit of experience, but obviously the serious money is where no player has been before.

There are 3 different payouts at different places you can claim, Carto - you know that, Codex discoveries - scan each bio on each planet from your ship or SRV - payout is minor, and then your on foot 3 samples which is paid out in Vista.

 

[AirBear]

Yes, this system was all Icy and Rocky worlds, not worth a whole lot. I forgot about that. Next I'm going to leave my FC where it's at and start jumping to nearby systems and see what I find. I'll be more selective on what I spend time mapping. And thanks for the info on "First Footfall", I had assumed it paid something. So far after I've mapped these planets there have been no bio signs showing up on the system map info.

One more question. I have the Artemis Suit. When I was doing 1st footfall I kept getting alerts that it was too cold outside. Does the suit not protect against that?

 

[K Olley]

One more question. I have the Artemis Suit. When I was doing 1st footfall I kept getting alerts that it was too cold outside. Does the suit not protect against that?

Most of the time it's nothing to worry about, although I have had problems with heat but that was on non atmospheric worlds getting Anemone.

 

[DjVortex]

You don't really need a fleet carrier for exploration. Sure, it might be convenient to be able to immediately sell your exploration data, but personally I think it's actually more rewarding when you come back from a really long trip and sell everything at once.

You can easily equip a Mandalay with everything you need for exploration, and get a jump range of over 80 Ly (especially if using a pre-engineered SCO FSD.)

As for interesting systems to visit, here are a few ideas:

• On your way out of the bubble, make a visit to the Hen 2-215 system. You'll see why even by zooming on it in the galaxy map.
• Skaude AA-A h294: Big amount of unusual stellar bodies, including a ringed neutron star (try dropping on the ring near the star).
• Eeshorks BA-A g2179: Gorgeous neutron star and black hole pairs. I think there even is a tourist beacon to scan there with some info.
• Mynoaw AA-A h26: Another system with an unusual amount of stars, also including a ringed neutron star (which is a must visit. Also drop on the ring near the star.)
• Wepue AA-Z e4448: Cool nebula.
• Wepue AA-Z e1744: Another nebula very close to that.
• Scheau Prao MI-B e2252: An absolutely gorgeous nebula near Sagittarius A*.
• CSI+46-20087: A wolf-rayet star that has a really unique planet orbiting it: A thin-atmosphered landable planet with one of the highest surface temperatures in the entire galaxy. (Try approaching it from the night side, with the star just above the horizon.)

 

[AirBear]

You don't really need a fleet carrier for exploration. Sure, it might be convenient to be able to immediately sell your exploration data, but personally I think it's actually more rewarding when you come back from a really long trip and sell everything at once.

You can easily equip a Mandalay with everything you need for exploration, and get a jump range of over 80 Ly (especially if using a pre-engineered SCO FSD.)

As for interesting systems to visit, here are a few ideas:

• On your way out of the bubble, make a visit to the Hen 2-215 system. You'll see why even by zooming on it in the galaxy map.
• Skaude AA-A h294: Big amount of unusual stellar bodies, including a ringed neutron star (try dropping on the ring near the star).
• Eeshorks BA-A g2179: Gorgeous neutron star and black hole pairs. I think there even is a tourist beacon to scan there with some info.
• Mynoaw AA-A h26: Another system with an unusual amount of stars, also including a ringed neutron star (which is a must visit. Also drop on the ring near the star.)
• Wepue AA-Z e4448: Cool nebula.
• Wepue AA-Z e1744: Another nebula very close to that.
• Scheau Prao MI-B e2252: An absolutely gorgeous nebula near Sagittarius A*.
• CSI+46-20087: A wolf-rayet star that has a really unique planet orbiting it: A thin-atmosphered landable planet with one of the highest surface temperatures in the entire galaxy. (Try approaching it from the night side, with the star just above the horizon.)

Three years ago I went out to Colonia in my AspX and discovered 11 ELW's and saw some cool stuff on the way. So I'm familiar. I just like the lazy way of using the FC.

K Olley, you were right. I quit scanning low value planets. I just did a couple of systems that had a lot of metal rich worlds and even one ELW. And I finally found a world with some biology. I flailed around but finally figured out how to scan three samples of biology. I got 4M credits for the system data, but 19M for the biology!

 

[DjVortex]

I quit scanning low value planets. I just did a couple of systems that had a lot of metal rich worlds and even one ELW.

The only planets that are worth DSS-scanning are ELWs, Ammonia Worlds, Water Worlds, and any planet that's marked as "candidate for terraforming" (bonus credits if a WW is marked as such).

Unfortunately the FSS scanner won't tell you itself if a planet is a candidate for terraforming. You'll have to check that either from the system map, or by using a third-party tool (such as Elite Observatory).