Scanning and Exploring...

[Spiggs]

I don't think there is one single DDA thread with all the info you're looking for although this one deals with exploration in general, this one deals with scanners (scanning and targeting other ships specifically) and this one deals with mining and prospecting.

All three together pretty much say what you've written.

Hi Bob, Yeah you're right, and they touch on, or allude to different aspects of what I'm rambling about, but I don't think they bring all those elements together as a cohesive whole, or as a career path, or as a possible foundation for a POS and a hub of activity.

Sorry, I know I'm talking about jet planes when we're just barely looking at the blueprints of the “Wright Flyer”, I just got a bit carried away!

*Wanders off to find the Valium...... Again!

 

[Bob_H]

heh true.

The problem is that most of what you're talking about is exploiting the natural resources on planets when the planets expansion is at least a year away and probably only got as far as a fairly rough design document right now. I can't see planetary exploration/scanning/mining being 'that much' different to scanning down and exploiting asteroid resources. Planets and asteroids are pretty much the same thing but on different ends of the scale, after all. What's in those DDA threads will pretty much hold true for, or at least provide the basis for, the planetary exploitation game mechanics.

 

[Spiggs]

heh true.

The problem is that most of what you're talking about is exploiting the natural resources on planets when the planets expansion is at least a year away and probably only got as far as a fairly rough design document right now.

Aye, lets learn to tie our shoe-laces before we start running.

 

[GeordieMarv]

From what I understand based on poking around various DDA threads, reading between the lines and channelling mysterious forces, each POI (whether it's planets, asteroids or noteworthy features such as mineral deposits(?)) will generate a tradeable piece of exploration data when discovered.

So the more time you spend surveying a system the more pieces of data you'll discover. Anything you miss can be discovered by someone else and sold separately.

I have no idea how accurate this is, but that's how I think it'll work. No doubt firmer info will come out in due course.

I hope it does work like this too tbh. The more you scan a system/planet the more info you'll get. I like having to put effort into getting things in Elite. It always took hard work and a bit of elbow grease!

 

[Ayo]

What I would really like to know is can we measure the mass of celestial objects? The extent of their magnetosphere? The make-up and extent of it's atmosphere? It's age? It's surface temperature?

Just install the appropriate scientific scanner and do some real scientific exploration.

Methane on a volcanically inactive planet? Maybe it has life!

 

[JeffRyan]

The problem is that most of what you're talking about is exploiting the natural resources on planets when the planets expansion is at least a year away and probably only got as far as a fairly rough design document right now. I can't see planetary exploration/scanning/mining being 'that much' different to scanning down and exploiting asteroid resources. Planets and asteroids are pretty much the same thing but on different ends of the scale, after all. What's in those DDA threads will pretty much hold true for, or at least provide the basis for, the planetary exploitation game mechanics.

That's part of my concern, I hope that exploration generally will give a decent guide as to what's where. And planetary landings as far as exploration goes is more a case of dotting the is and crossing the ts rather than having to re-explore all the systems again. Difference between spy-plane and on-the-ground recon. Both are valuable but one doesn't negate the other but rather compliments. So I'm hoping the 'non-PL-exploration' we can do planetside DOES give a decent starting point for the later planetary explorers to follow through on.

PS. Didn't expect much on this, came back to find a nice thread going, nice convo guys!

 

[Spiggs]

PS. Didn't expect much on this, came back to find a nice thread going, nice convo guys!

I think you just happened to toss a well placed stone into a particularly deep pond!

 

[Bob_H]

Yep, agreed Ryan. I would have though a fairly detailed scan of a planet from orbit would give you at least a good idea of what minerals are available at the surface and provide a good basis for some basic open cast or strip mining. But to get a good idea on what's below the surface for deep shaft mining, gas & oil drilling, etc. you would need to take down some good siesmic survey equipment and do detailed surveys of selected areas based on the orbital data.

The various aspects should be complementary and not a replacement. i.e. Explorer finds the hyperspace route to system X and does a preliminary scan of any and all planets. Based on those scans, further detailed surveys from orbit are carried out. The explorer then either takes those scans back and sells them to the authorities for further action by whichever faction the explorer is dealing with or the explorer keeps those scans for themself in order to return with planetary survey and mining equipment at a later date.

 

[Leo Sagan]

FWIW: we did very little on this subject in the DDF. I do not expect much even by the gamma release. The impression I got was that FD were genuinely surprised by the number of people who said they just wanted to explore.

Actually, if this is true, it genuinely surprises me.

I always thought David Braben understands the explorers wannabes. Really, when Cryptic launched Startrek Online (I was in the BETA), I saw a lot (really a lot) of the players leaving when they realized the game was all about pewpew and definitely not about boldly go anywhere.

What I need is a niche game where one can explore and trade, fight and build, without being griefed and without being bored. And a modern, network ready Elite, is exactly that in my imagination.

There are many players out there who want to explore endlessly, chart, find stuff and so forth. Granted, there are probably more pewpew addicts, but this is precisely what a niche game is done for : to cater for "unusual" customers.

Make it so, sir Braben, and you'll have my gaming money for the ten next years to come.