Scavenging Dead Titans for Drives and Loot

[Koma Pahu]

I still hear people say how rare those Titan Drive Components are, but I still keep finding one each time I go looking.
I don't look specifically for that one component though, but collect a lot of other things too, and in the process I think I am covering a lot more ground than others might. Not sure, but I keep finding those parts pretty easily.

Just now I also went to a debris field with another Commander who needed one, and he found his Titan Drive Component right after dropping into the field. I mean, that was obviously luck, but those things are not as rare as people think they are.

Also: There was an NPC pirate who was after the Titan part today. Never happened before actually. He sent a hatchbreaker after me actually.

I do think collecting everything helps force the spawn, and in turn increases the likelihood of finding a TDC.

 

[Tifu]

I still hear people say how rare those Titan Drive Components are, but I still keep finding one each time I go looking.
I don't look specifically for that one component though, but collect a lot of other things too, and in the process I think I am covering a lot more ground than others might. Not sure, but I keep finding those parts pretty easily.

I do think collecting everything helps force the spawn, and in turn increases the likelihood of finding a TDC.

I'll be putting your theories to the test soon. Wish me luck guys

 

[Scienti5t]

My alt had everything but prop elements and TDC on ignore and I got 6 TDCs and 60 something props in about 40 minutes so I’m not sure collecting other bits helps beyond making it feel like you’re getting ahead.

 

[Koma Pahu]

My alt had everything but prop elements and TDC on ignore and I got 6 TDCs and 60 something props in about 40 minutes so I’m not sure collecting other bits helps beyond making it feel like you’re getting ahead.

Quite possibly collecting things doesn’t force the spawn, none of us know what mechanism FDev are using.

All we do know is that it’s not a fixed spawn requiring a new instance to populate the debris field and that the amount that spawns is connected to the number of CMDRs in that instance.

There are plenty of games where you need to despawn something, either by moving away or collecting/killing it, before something else will spawn in.

If collecting everything doesn’t negatively affect anything, then you may as well do it just incase.

Either way, going by when I was last in, 6 TDC in 40mins is quite a lucky run whatever the spawn mechanism. - Although it’s not unheard of for FDev to secretly tweak stuff in the background.

 

[Kira Goto]

Quite possibly collecting things doesn’t force the spawn,

It doesn't specifically, but there is a limit to how much can spawn in one of these instances at a time (at least for a single player, since the spawns go up with more of them around). By picking stuff up you increase the chance and/or speed of new spawns without needing to wait for it to despawn on its own or go outside of detection range (which also makes them despawn).

It's not a guarantee, but it can help.

 

[Neilski]

I've only got 2 TDCs so far, out of (I think) 4 trips, of a little under an hour apiece. (All trips were in a Mandalay.)

I reviewed the videos of the two successful trips.

The first was in Open, without LR sensors. The TDC appeared to spawn somewhere between 5 and 6 km from my ship. I thought at the time that this was limited by my sensors.

The second was in Solo, this time with LR sensors. Again though, the TDC spawned in < 6 km from me, which I found a little surprising. It does make me wonder if the LR sensors add nothing to the success likelihood, but my stats are obviously very poor - has anyone using LR sensors seen TDCs spawn at a longer range than would have been picked up with standard sensors?

On both occasions, I found the TDC less than 12 minutes from starting into the cloud, which again may mean something or nothing

 

[Hugh Jardon]

I've only got 2 TDCs so far, out of (I think) 4 trips, of a little under an hour apiece. (All trips were in a Mandalay.)

I reviewed the videos of the two successful trips.

The first was in Open, without LR sensors. The TDC appeared to spawn somewhere between 5 and 6 km from my ship. I thought at the time that this was limited by my sensors.

The second was in Solo, this time with LR sensors. Again though, the TDC spawned in < 6 km from me, which I found a little surprising. It does make me wonder if the LR sensors add nothing to the success likelihood, but my stats are obviously very poor - has anyone using LR sensors seen TDCs spawn at a longer range than would have been picked up with standard sensors?

On both occasions, I found the TDC less than 12 minutes from starting into the cloud, which again may mean something or nothing

Have you been to Sol. I normally get at least two per 30 minute trip. One time, I got zero. twice I got 5. That's out of about 12 trips.

I wonder how much Titan drive components are going to be worth when the Titan wreckage has gone.

 

[CMDR RAY-ZOR'SHARP]

A little off topic, but if you have not got, or are unaware, you can get a free Cyclops Intercepter Bobblehead, 10 Meta-Alloys and 1 Thargoid Heart, I am working SOL, and there is a Tech Broker in ALTAIR, Solo Orbital, which give's it, also the new SCO, and the 4E Anti-Corrosion Rack.

Module degradation is quite slow, so you should have plenty of time.

07

 

[Tifu]

I am happy to report that I've snagged my second TDC. Following the advice of people here, I kept collecting meta alloys & propulsion elements to speed up the respawn of vital Thargoid components. It seems to have worked, I spotted my first TDC around 15 minutes into Cocijo's grave but unfortunately my limpet malfunctioned and wouldn't enter the cargo hold. The second TDC popped up when I was down to my last set of caustic sinks. Elapsed time ~40 minutes.

I noted that the caustic cloud is smaller but it didn't seem to have affected spawn rates yet. Planning to make another foray for a third drive later today.

Btw, in my timezone it's nearly an hour and a half into the first day of 2025 so a Very Happy New Year everyone!

 

[Koma Pahu]

I am happy to report that I've snagged my second TDC. Following the advice of people here, I kept collecting meta alloys & propulsion elements to speed up the respawn of vital Thargoid components. It seems to have worked, I spotted my first TDC around 15 minutes into Cocijo's grave but unfortunately my limpet malfunctioned and wouldn't enter the cargo hold. The second TDC popped up when I was down to my last set of caustic sinks. Elapsed time ~40 minutes.

I noted that the caustic cloud is smaller but it didn't seem to have affected spawn rates yet. Planning to make another foray for a third drive later today.

Btw, in my timezone it's nearly an hour and a half into the first day of 2025 so a Very Happy New Year everyone!

Happy new year buddy!

 

[Kzak]

I am happy to report that I've snagged my second TDC. Following the advice of people here, I kept collecting meta alloys & propulsion elements to speed up the respawn of vital Thargoid components. It seems to have worked, I spotted my first TDC around 15 minutes into Cocijo's grave but unfortunately my limpet malfunctioned and wouldn't enter the cargo hold. The second TDC popped up when I was down to my last set of caustic sinks. Elapsed time ~40 minutes.

I noted that the caustic cloud is smaller but it didn't seem to have affected spawn rates yet. Planning to make another foray for a third drive later today.

Btw, in my timezone it's nearly an hour and a half into the first day of 2025 so a Very Happy New Year everyone!

If your limpet carrying cargo malfunctions, you can turn the limpet controller off and on again, this will destroy the limpet but leave the cargo intact which you then can scoop up normally.

Happy new year!

 

[Neilski]

Have you been to Sol.

Yeah, sorry I should have mentioned - all of my TDC-hunting trips have been to Cocijo.

 

[Valorin]

I do think collecting everything helps force the spawn, and in turn increases the likelihood of finding a TDC.

I'm under the impression, it's just one of many things that spawn there and if you're getting around a lot the likeliness of finding one is just higher. When collecting things, for example, you often go quite some distance away from the "wreckage". You might not do that if you are specifically looking for that one part.
Especially if you set everything else on "ignore", like some people do, you might stick more to the center of the debris field. All the items you can find there are just scattered in a relatively wide sphere in and around the actual debris.

Sometimes I found parts shortly after dropping in, sometimes after collecting some stuff. And, like last time, when I came there with someone who needed the part, they dropped into the instance before I arrived, and the second thing on the scanner was the drive component...
I am not one who farms or grinds things. I really enjoy my trips to the debris fields because they are atmospheric, spooky, very awesome. Was the same for me with the Guardian ruins, which resulted in me sitting on a pile of materials people think need to be grinded and farmed.

My advice really is, to enjoy the debris field scavenging trip. Look around, take in the atmosphere, all that. Meanwhile keep an eye on the scanner, collect some of the materials there (who knows what elusive hybrid thargoid part comes next and needs some of the stuff), and grab the drive component when it pops up.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

I guess I'm one of the few who dont bother with collector limpets cos I like FLYING my spaceship. Not watching a bunch of drones zip about doing all the work.

it depends on the ship for me. some are FAR easier to scoop in than others.

the FDL however.... I have tried but just can't do it. I don't think it's the long nose after all whilst not ideal I can scoop in my python and even done it in an anaconda. but the FDL I fail every time.

maybe it's the off centre seat I dunno

 

[Brrokk]

One more question about having the FSD requirement. Can I turn in the mats in ship A and use them to get the upgraded FSD for ship B?

Yes, but it seems you can only have one of each size in storage at the same time. I couldn't get past "the module is now available in storage" when I wanted to get several the same size.

 

[Kira Goto]

maybe it's the off centre seat I dunno

Do you have something in the FDL’s C4 hardpoint? That might physically block the cargo hatch and if they happen to be out, putting them back in might help with that.

As my experience with other dodgy manual-scoop ships suggests, however, it’s liable to not be foolproof…

Yes, but it seems you can only have one of each size in storage at the same time. I couldn't get past "the module is now available in storage" when I wanted to get several the same size.

Just exit the tech broker or station contacts interface (one of the two’ll do) and go back in. You can then “buy” another.

 

[Pask]

I have the titan drive component, my bottleneck is getting 16 DATAMINED WAKE EXCEPTIONS

• scan wakes with a Frame Shift Wake Scanner, better in high traffic areas such as station in "Famine Status" systems
• from 18.08 missions provide a high amount of mats reward, but rewards are randomized and you have to find the right mission for mats you need
• Jameson Crash Site (HIP12099 1B) now have 9 point to scan, so you can stock up Adaptive Encryptors Capture (5) and Atypical Encryption Archives (4) in one run (no relog needed), then exchange for what you need at a Material Trader (ex. Datamined Wake Exceptions), nearest Encoded Trader from HIP 12099 is at Gateway in Diaguandri system.

here a forum link to a mini guide for any mats: Engineering (ships): Raw, Encoded and Manufactured materials farming guide

here a discussion in forum section dedicated to tutorial/guides https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/datamined-wave-exeptions.632414/

 

[Koma Pahu]

My advice really is, to enjoy the debris field scavenging trip. Look around, take in the atmosphere, all that. Meanwhile keep an eye on the scanner, collect some of the materials there (who knows what elusive hybrid thargoid part comes next and needs some of the stuff), and grab the drive component when it pops up.

I did enjoy it, but having spent the equivalent of an entire working day circling the same spot, it’s lost its shine.

It’s the exact same thing as the Guardian sites. They’re atmospheric, and even exciting, when you first go. But you end up spending too much time in them trying to get all the mats for the things you need, so they lose their shine.

I do go away and do other stuff when I get bored of circling but the need to return several times just to get my first saps the enjoyment out of the task.

 

[Hugh Jardon]

Here are my thoughts:

All I do is boost around the debris, fairly close to it, and I find plenty of TDCs. One thing did occur to me though. What about sensors? Is that why some people aren't seeing them because they have D-rated sensors? I'm only applying logic, but I would have thought that A-rated sensors engineered for long range are going to be a massive help.

People are using different techniques. If you believe in your technique, it'll work because the spawning is random so all techniques work. That's akin to the myth that putting your throttle in a certain position or using lateral thrusters will help with winning the interdiction mini-game, where all techniques work because those things don't have any influence on the outcome.

 

[SteveWW57]

Currently on a scavenge at Raijin. Phantom, 6D sensors and picked up a drive within 20 mins and 4 propulsion bits.