Surface scanning ringed planets.

[Setu]

I have discovered that if you approach a ringed planet in the same plane as the rings, (I.e. so they appear as an almost invisibly thin line across the planet), then you can surface scan the whole planet from one position - you won't have to move to get at an unreachable bit.

 

[varonica]

I have discovered that if you approach a ringed planet in the same plane as the rings, (I.e. so they appear as an almost invisibly thin line across the planet), then you can surface scan the whole planet from one position - you won't have to move to get at an unreachable bit.

That wouldn't surprise me, however I usually approach orthogonal to the ring and that seems to work fine 99.99% of the time and makes scanning the ring easy as well.

 

[Setu]

If you are sideways on, hitting the ring is still easy - fire far enough off target that it misses the back side and hits tge ring - you don't need to move for that either!

 

[Wily Rites]

Oh awesome, nice tip! I've just come here as I'm scanning a ringed gas giant, and have a bit of an issue with leaving the scanning mode and then not being able to see my previous probs work. But dang, for the next one, this is a no brainer; Thanks!

 

[Northpin]

My solution is even simpler - dont DSS ringed planets unless it's a landable that has ExoBio or something else that makes DSS mandatory
It just works for me

 

[Wily Rites]

My solution is even simpler - dont DSS ringed planets unless it's a landable that has ExoBio or something else that makes DSS mandatory
It just works for me

I'll likely be applying such filters in the future, still learning the ropes for now, amazing what you can do in a sidewinder though! Any tips on getting the scanned surface to show back up after it not being drawn when the state has been changed?

 

[Northpin]

I'll likely be applying such filters in the future, still learning the ropes for now, amazing what you can do in a sidewinder though! Any tips on getting the scanned surface to show back up after it not being drawn when the state has been changed?

Switch the cockpit from Analysis back to Combat - unfortunately there is no other way

 

[Wily Rites]

Switch the cockpit from Analysis back to Combat - unfortunately there is no other way

Seems that there is a bit of a bug in the code, just noticed when returning after refuelling, that the entire planet shows as being fully scanned, but when mid scan there is a bit of a funny behaviour. All that aside, man: I have been so badly nerd sniped by this aspect of the game, can't get over just how cool it is. Am really enjoying finding fuel economic routes through the solar systems to scan all the planets on the way. On a bit of a surveyor buzz, so it would seem odd not to scan them all. I'd not noticed the fuel consumption dynamic when using the FSD until now, what an amazing extra depth to the game!

 

[GrandAdmiralThrawn]

I tend to fly pretty close to the planet at an angle of 20-30% to the rings and then shoot the probes in a way so they pass the ring on the inside. This is often possible with ringed gas giants, as the rings are usually not too close to the surface. The downside is that your ship's speed will be lower when flying closer to the planet. For me, 3-4 Mm/s are still fine though.

When approaching the planet on the orbital plane of the rings, wouldn't you hit the edge of the ring system and get pulled out of supercruise? At least with relatively wide rings...​

 

[Setu]

I tend to fly pretty close to the planet at an angle of 20-30% to the rings and then shoot the probes in a way so they pass the ring on the inside. This is often possible with ringed gas giants, as the rings are usually not too close to the surface. The downside is that your ship's speed will be lower when flying closer to the planet. For me, 3-4 Mm/s are still fine though.

When approaching the planet on the orbital plane of the rings, wouldn't you hit the edge of the ring system and get pulled out of supercruise? At least with relatively wide rings...​

No, as you fly towards the planet, come in at 20-30 degrees above the rings, angling down, and if you aim for the left or right hand edge of the rings, you can fly down and pull out as you get edge on, and you never quite fly directly towards them. You end up with the planet and rings on your left (or right) and the rings are no obstacle at all to scanning. In fact the biggest challenge can be scanning the rings themselves!

 

[GrandAdmiralThrawn]

Alright, got it. Sounds as if it was quite a bit faster than what I am doing. And I don't really need to scan the rings, as I am purely an explorer with no mining equipment or interest in those resources. I even forsook the life-saving mining laser.

(I still scan the rings though... because completionism.)

I'll try that method next time I get to scan some less common ringed gas giants.​