Exploration Log - The Test Flight
As some of you already know, I've been fine tuning my Asp config over the last few weeks while trading to make the money to pay for it. Here's the final configuration I settled on:
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=50g,0mI0Wg0Wg0mI,304s6u7_6u6u8S8I,52C7Q40Ke0Ke0Ke2UI2jw
I took it to the edge of the core last night intending to pop into deep space for the evening, then return to the station before shutting down for the night. I wanted to test the systems and make sure everything worked as it should before firing myself into the big black. However, events conspired to dramatically change those plans as I shall explain.
First, while sitting on the outpost pad, I opened the galaxy map to choose a star at random 250 LY away. I avoided all nebulae and areas where I knew others had been. I simply plotted an economical course into a cluster of stars. There was nothing special about the one I chose. The name was almost identical to the dozens surrounding it and I could see nothing special. It just happened to be where I clicked.
Launching off the pad, I knew I was leaving civilization behind, but felt little trepidation as I knew I'd be back soon enough.
My first experiences were somewhat harried. There must have been a sale on Vipers that I missed because almost every system I hit past "civilized space" had one. To be fair, there were numerous sideys, Adders, Pythons and even an Anaconda as well, but the Vipers stood out due to numbers. If I spotted a fighter, I jumped away, but I did suffer several interdictions. While the Asp engine proved excellent to out-run pursuers, the small shields I'd fitted were a godsend. They took the impact of the few shots that did land and my hull took no damage at all. These were all NPC's. Luckily, I have not met another CMDR yet.
Still, in-between the harassment, I did survey quite a few systems. It became obvious that others had been this way as most of the "low hanging fruit", primary stars and nearby planets, had all been discovered by others. This left the outer planets and other suns at further distance, but from reading other posts I kept the supercruise to a minimum and simply went to the next system.
In time, I got a little frustrated with not being able to find any undiscovered systems. The inner stars were all claimed and outer planets were too far away. There were a few systems where all of the planets and moons were explored and I acknowledged those as noble efforts. Dropping into a system, blowing the fog horn of discovery, then scanning the star and moving on is like exploring London from an Underground carriage. I decided if I found a system I would try to cover as much of it as I could.
That being said, I could only stop in every third system because of the fighter presence. I left weapons off my Asp deliberately so I would not be tempted to fight. For several hours, I kept checking system maps to find that everything convenient had been claimed. I was about to turn around, tired of the evasions and lack of progress. Then it happened. I dropped into a system within a cluster of stars that had all been explored. I hit the discovery scanner and found a trinary star system right in the middle of them. The three stars had not been discovered and there were numerous worlds. "Yes..." I think to myself, then I see a sidey hovering. I was about to leave, but stuck around to see if I could at least scan the stars when the sidey moved away from me. Startled at this, I took the opportunity to scan the two closest stars. The sidey kept its distance so I began on the planets. I scanned at least nine heavy metal worlds mixed in with some ice planets and frozen rocks. As I moved toward the planets the sidey kept it's distance. The cherry on the cake was the last planet which turned out to be a water world.
That changed everything moodwise. I spent several more hours finding more and more systems. The fighter numbers dropped off as did the names of discovering CMDR's on the systems. I'm now out in a region of space where few have been before.
I finally reached the target star I had set to navigate too. It was nothing special and the inner planets had all been discovered by others. I clicked on the only unexplored planet, a gas giant. Seeing it was 165K away I decided to head back to civilized space. However, a quick review of my ship showed me everything was still at 100% and on the spur of the moment I decided to go see it before turning for home.
It only took 6-7 minutes and I ended up beside a blood-red Class I Gas Giant. I circled it a few times and made sure to scan it although I was sure no one would ever go out there again given it had been claimed. I would probably be the only person to ever see this in the game and that made the trip worthwhile. This had been my own personal pilgrimage and I named it the Red Pilgrim Gas Giant in my head.
I opened the galaxy map to return back to the station and paused. I would have to make my way past those fighters both back in and then back out again. I looked in the other direction and saw endless stars. With my ship still at 100%, I turned for the big black and kept going.
Now I wish I could end on such a high and positive note, but I was later navigating around a star to get to an unexplored inner planet when I saw a flash of glare from the right side of the screen. I put that down to the cockpit side light which flares every now and then (Please let us turn these lights off FDevs). Just as I think, "This exploring lark is easy" temperature alarms go off and I turn to see I'm right beside the star. Firing off a heat sink combined with fast maneuvering limits the damage.
Now my hull is down to 98% thanks to my hubris. I shall endeavour to not repeat that stupidity. I do have a plan and intend to follow it. We'll see where I end up. I'll update this thread as I go. Thanks to everyone who answered my noob questions and gave advice on my Asp load-out. It is very much appreciated.
Distance from Sol.
My first unexplored ringed world.
The Red Pilgrim Gas Giant, >165K out.
As some of you already know, I've been fine tuning my Asp config over the last few weeks while trading to make the money to pay for it. Here's the final configuration I settled on:
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=50g,0mI0Wg0Wg0mI,304s6u7_6u6u8S8I,52C7Q40Ke0Ke0Ke2UI2jw
I took it to the edge of the core last night intending to pop into deep space for the evening, then return to the station before shutting down for the night. I wanted to test the systems and make sure everything worked as it should before firing myself into the big black. However, events conspired to dramatically change those plans as I shall explain.
First, while sitting on the outpost pad, I opened the galaxy map to choose a star at random 250 LY away. I avoided all nebulae and areas where I knew others had been. I simply plotted an economical course into a cluster of stars. There was nothing special about the one I chose. The name was almost identical to the dozens surrounding it and I could see nothing special. It just happened to be where I clicked.
Launching off the pad, I knew I was leaving civilization behind, but felt little trepidation as I knew I'd be back soon enough.
My first experiences were somewhat harried. There must have been a sale on Vipers that I missed because almost every system I hit past "civilized space" had one. To be fair, there were numerous sideys, Adders, Pythons and even an Anaconda as well, but the Vipers stood out due to numbers. If I spotted a fighter, I jumped away, but I did suffer several interdictions. While the Asp engine proved excellent to out-run pursuers, the small shields I'd fitted were a godsend. They took the impact of the few shots that did land and my hull took no damage at all. These were all NPC's. Luckily, I have not met another CMDR yet.
Still, in-between the harassment, I did survey quite a few systems. It became obvious that others had been this way as most of the "low hanging fruit", primary stars and nearby planets, had all been discovered by others. This left the outer planets and other suns at further distance, but from reading other posts I kept the supercruise to a minimum and simply went to the next system.
In time, I got a little frustrated with not being able to find any undiscovered systems. The inner stars were all claimed and outer planets were too far away. There were a few systems where all of the planets and moons were explored and I acknowledged those as noble efforts. Dropping into a system, blowing the fog horn of discovery, then scanning the star and moving on is like exploring London from an Underground carriage. I decided if I found a system I would try to cover as much of it as I could.
That being said, I could only stop in every third system because of the fighter presence. I left weapons off my Asp deliberately so I would not be tempted to fight. For several hours, I kept checking system maps to find that everything convenient had been claimed. I was about to turn around, tired of the evasions and lack of progress. Then it happened. I dropped into a system within a cluster of stars that had all been explored. I hit the discovery scanner and found a trinary star system right in the middle of them. The three stars had not been discovered and there were numerous worlds. "Yes..." I think to myself, then I see a sidey hovering. I was about to leave, but stuck around to see if I could at least scan the stars when the sidey moved away from me. Startled at this, I took the opportunity to scan the two closest stars. The sidey kept its distance so I began on the planets. I scanned at least nine heavy metal worlds mixed in with some ice planets and frozen rocks. As I moved toward the planets the sidey kept it's distance. The cherry on the cake was the last planet which turned out to be a water world.
That changed everything moodwise. I spent several more hours finding more and more systems. The fighter numbers dropped off as did the names of discovering CMDR's on the systems. I'm now out in a region of space where few have been before.
I finally reached the target star I had set to navigate too. It was nothing special and the inner planets had all been discovered by others. I clicked on the only unexplored planet, a gas giant. Seeing it was 165K away I decided to head back to civilized space. However, a quick review of my ship showed me everything was still at 100% and on the spur of the moment I decided to go see it before turning for home.
It only took 6-7 minutes and I ended up beside a blood-red Class I Gas Giant. I circled it a few times and made sure to scan it although I was sure no one would ever go out there again given it had been claimed. I would probably be the only person to ever see this in the game and that made the trip worthwhile. This had been my own personal pilgrimage and I named it the Red Pilgrim Gas Giant in my head.
I opened the galaxy map to return back to the station and paused. I would have to make my way past those fighters both back in and then back out again. I looked in the other direction and saw endless stars. With my ship still at 100%, I turned for the big black and kept going.
Now I wish I could end on such a high and positive note, but I was later navigating around a star to get to an unexplored inner planet when I saw a flash of glare from the right side of the screen. I put that down to the cockpit side light which flares every now and then (Please let us turn these lights off FDevs). Just as I think, "This exploring lark is easy" temperature alarms go off and I turn to see I'm right beside the star. Firing off a heat sink combined with fast maneuvering limits the damage.
Now my hull is down to 98% thanks to my hubris. I shall endeavour to not repeat that stupidity. I do have a plan and intend to follow it. We'll see where I end up. I'll update this thread as I go. Thanks to everyone who answered my noob questions and gave advice on my Asp load-out. It is very much appreciated.
Distance from Sol.
My first unexplored ringed world.
The Red Pilgrim Gas Giant, >165K out.
