Newcomer / Intro Surface Signals, landing, and the SRV

[HarlinQuinnX]

Hey, Commanders!

I decided to try something new and I ventured out into the black for a 5k LY trip (knocking some engineer requirements out of the way). While scanning systems and mapping planets, I've come across a few with surface signals. Well, more than a few, but I've only tried landing on 3. The first planet was the first time I'd actually used the SRV, so I didn't realize how limited the fuel was. Okay, fine, I'll look for those materials to synthesize fuel along my way. However, that was not my major concern.

The first planet I visited I picked up a nice chunk of materials driving towards the marker (Surface Signals: Geological), however, it seemed that the marker was underground. I found no caves, canyons, or anything else that would take me down to it. This has me a little confused. I didn't particularly notice anything unusual on the wave canner either, but I was learning so, yeah.

The second and third planets were rich in sulfur and phosphorous, so I thought I'd take out the buggy with what little fuel was left and start collecting and synthesizing. Only I couldn't find anywhere nearby to land as every single signal source was in a canyon. I'm in a DBX, so it shouldn't be too terribly difficult to find a landing spot.

Any tips or info here for an exploration newbie?

 

[Factabulous]

The first planet I visited I picked up a nice chunk of materials driving towards the marker (Surface Signals: Geological), however, it seemed that the marker was underground. I found no caves, canyons, or anything else that would take me down to it. This has me a little confused. I didn't particularly notice anything unusual on the wave canner either, but I was learning so, yeah.

The POI shouldn't be underground. sometimes a relog or an update to graphics drivers can help. There's no point to finding the POI, other than to find the nearby mats.

The second and third planets were rich in sulfur and phosphorous, so I thought I'd take out the buggy with what little fuel was left and start collecting and synthesizing. Only I couldn't find anywhere nearby to land as every single signal source was in a canyon. I'm in a DBX, so it shouldn't be too terribly difficult to find a landing spot.

Either try harder - DBXes can land most places - or go somewhere else - geo POIs are not rare

Also: Try scanning things at POI with the composition scanner (you'll probably have to map it into a Fire Group - it can live in the group with the data link scanner).

 

[A C Ender]

I'd be interested in this too, I've yet to step foot on the ground since I started playing a few months ago. My only experience with the SRV is the training mission.

 

[Greasetrap42]

it seemed that the marker was underground. I found no caves, canyons, or anything else that would take me down to it. This has me a little confused.

When you target your desired surface signal make sure it is an orange circle. If grey it is on the other side of the planet.

 

[Alec Turner]

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wavescanner.net

It's a website which shows you what various surface features look (and sound) like on the wavescanner. I guess the most obvious thing to say is that things of human (or Thargoid!) origin show up in the top half of the scan while natural geological things show up in the bottom half.

 

[HarlinQuinnX]

When you target your desired surface signal make sure it is an orange circle. If grey it is on the other side of the planet.

It was definitely on the same side of the planet. It was yellow right up until I got within a few hundred meters in the SRV. I never got any closer to it than that. I do have at least that much of targeting knowledge

Also: Try scanning things at POI with the composition scanner (you'll probably have to map it into a Fire Group - it can live in the group with the data link scanner).

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to try that when I'm flying in some time, or did you mean in the SRV? (I believe I have it linked to a fire group in both anyway)

Either try harder - DBXes can land most places - or go somewhere else - geo POIs are not rare

Yeah, I kept flying around to different ones on the same planet/moon, each time it was deep in a canyon. Mostly I wasn't sure that I could drive all the way in, and didn't want to get stuck there. As for the landing spots, I flew through the canyons ridiculously slow, landing gear down, watching for that landing circle to turn blue at an altitude of about 250-300m.

 

[HarlinQuinnX]

The POI shouldn't be underground. sometimes a relog or an update to graphics drivers can help. There's no point to finding the POI, other than to find the nearby mats.

I'm on Xbox so no driver updates. Relog is so slow... but I've had to do it before so next time I encounter that I'll give it a try.

I was reading up on surface POIs but I couldn't get a clear answer that geological ones didn't have anything special other than nearby concentrations of materials. I was expecting some sort of major vein/outcropping or something, I guess.

 

[Factabulous]

I was reading up on surface POIs but I couldn't get a clear answer that geological ones didn't have anything special other than nearby concentrations of materials. I was expecting some sort of major vein/outcropping or something, I guess.

No veins. The locations can have geysers of various kinds (some use them to get their SRVs into orbit!) and various types of lava spouts.

 

[Para Handy]

........... I flew through the canyons ridiculously slow, landing gear down, watching for that landing circle to turn blue at an altitude of about 250-300m.

You have to be lower than that for the blue to appear - I am sure it is 80m but I might be a bit out.

 

[HarlinQuinnX]

You have to be lower than that for the blue to appear - I am sure it is 80m but I might be a bit out.

Ah, thanks! Makes sense. I just didn't want to be too low.

 

[aRJay]

Ah, thanks! Makes sense. I just didn't want to be too low.

As long as you are above local ground level you are fine, just have the gear down the shields up and take things gently. Thrusters should be mapped to make sliding around to line up easier.

When approaching a geological or biological site I always fly down to find a “flat” spot near the edge of the site and usually at the bottom of the chasm the site is in, it is quite possible to spot the minerals from those locations high on the slope and shoot the minerals down from the there without having to climb the slopes.

As always with planets check the gravity before getting out of cruise realising that it is a 9 gravity world after you are in glide mode is probably going to hurt.

 

[HarlinQuinnX]

As always with planets check the gravity before getting out of cruise realising that it is a 9 gravity world after you are in glide mode is probably going to hurt.

I've been seeing that a lot in posts... and I hate to admit I don't really know where to check it (other than system map). When do we feel we are entering the danger level of gravity? 9?

 

[aRJay]

When the HUD changes to the planetary reticule with angle of attack and altitude on the right hand side at the bottom of that scale there are your planetary coordinates and the local g reading keep in mind that g increases as you get nearer the surface.

Where the g level gets exciting depends on your ship and thrusters but you will begin to see effects above 1g at 2g plus it gets very noticeable and care needs to be taken, after 3g landings require a lot of care. If your ship isn’t horizontal then you will start to lose altitude because your reinforced landing thrusters aren’t pointing straight up or down and thrusting down will cause you not to stop even in Flight Assist on for a long time.
9g landings are doable but inadvisable if you have anything valuable on board as it is very easy to lose your ship and very difficult not to get structural damage as you set down.

 

[Para Handy]

I've been seeing that a lot in posts... and I hate to admit I don't really know where to check it (other than system map). When do we feel we are entering the danger level of gravity? 9?

The trick in higher-g planets is to get stable, horizontal and allow yourself to descend by pulsing on and off your Flight Assist. The higher the gravity, the shorter the period of F A off. Always watch the rate of descent indicator on the RHS of the HUD, if it gets red then get worried. I like to just pulse FA enough to not have more than two "down bars" on the indicator - means more sedate approach but then rather slow than rebuy.

Another point - on take-off, keep horizontal and use upwards thrusters, only transition to a forward motion and angled flight when comfortably high. You will get the hang of these, learning what each ship can do as you play. Just remember your vertical thrusters are remarkably powerful.