The Formidine Rift: Are we wrong?

[Macros Black]

Think we are safe; unless it flies to SOL and bites us in the back, we will never find it. The galaxy, even The Formidine Rift is simply too big. It took a very specific hint from FD pointing to a very specific system and hundreds, maybe thousands of CMDR's to actually find the hidden Barnacles.

However, we shouldn't stop looking

 

[Allitnil]

Yep, that's one of the main problems with a game that spans a whole galaxy. It's just too big! And when coupled with not knowing what we are looking for before it is found, it's too much like looking for a needle in a mega-haystack where each straw is itself a haystack (recursed several times). If, for instance, it required noticing a signal source then most long distance explorers - including myself - could have visited the system but not noticed it because we typically jump in, optionally scan the main star whilst refuelling, check the system map and jump out. Unless the system map showed some reason to explore further then any signal source would almost certainly be missed. Which is one of my main issues with how common artificial POIs are on planet surfaces: we all end up ignoring them because we expect them to be totally mundane...

It's also very hard to run a coherent storyline in a multi-player universe that is actually involving for individual players. I for one, largely gave up on the UA 'story' when Michael Brookes in effect told us that "someone (unknown) had done something (unknown) which had an (unknown) effect". That may well be realistic but it's not compelling gameplay and no different from some deus ex machina plot device since we didn't have a clue about who, what or the outcome. I also cannot suspend my belief enough to accept that an entity such as the UA is fundamentally affected by external software updates. Object should be fully realised when introduced and behaviour should only depend on interactions that could have been done when they were introduced.

I'm pleased to see that the Formadine Rift mystery was apparently solvable with the initial release. I also expect that the solution will be pretty obvious (or at least logically consistent) when finally discovered. Drew's training exercise of the dots & dashes => EB,P => Right On, Commander is no doubt germane to the solution. Once revealed it was suitably in the "oh, of course" category even though I hadn't a clue how to solve it myself. But I can't help getting back to the needle in the mega-haystack issue... Clues that don't lead to a specific system are just too imprecise

 

[Alkibiades]

Yep, that's one of the main problems with a game that spans a whole galaxy. It's just too big!

no not at all. today i went to -15,300 and everywhere i looked your name was allready on it XD

anyway.. i dont think that whatever it is, is actually inside the rift. you'd need an exploraconda to reach certain spots. thats just highly unlikely because the barnacles / pleiades can be reached with just 20ly jump range. i think its going to be accessable for basicaly everybody and not just the crazy explorer elite with jumpranges above 35ly.

 

[Eisen]

anyway.. i dont think that whatever it is, is actually inside the rift. you'd need an exploraconda to reach certain spots. thats just highly unlikely because the barnacles / pleiades can be reached with just 20ly jump range. i think its going to be accessable for basicaly everybody and not just the crazy explorer elite with jumpranges above 35ly.

I'm not so sure if the Formidine-Rift-mystery is intended to be solved by the masses (no offence intended)... unlike the UAs and Barnacles and whatever comes next within the normal players comfort range. Remember, it's been in the game since it was released and Drew has confirmed the Rift to be where Erimus put it in the map. I've been in the rift for some time and beyond and even with that low star-density there are still more of them than we could possibly visit within our lifetime. So the needle in the haystack, thats within another haystack and so on puts the dilemma quite well.

 

[IAM GROOT]

I'm not so sure if the Formidine-Rift-mystery is intended to be solved by the masses (no offence intended)... unlike the UAs and Barnacles and whatever comes next within the normal players comfort range. Remember, it's been in the game since it was released and Drew has confirmed the Rift to be where Erimus put it in the map. I've been in the rift for some time and beyond and even with that low star-density there are still more of them than we could possibly visit within our lifetime. So the needle in the haystack, thats within another haystack and so on puts the dilemma quite well.

Cmdr Eisen, stay safe out there on DW, I am on my own expedition to the Formidine Rift, this is the second trip out here, this time I am determined to follow in other fellow CofR Cmdrs footsteps to cross the rift. Any suggestions or advice is more than welcome. Leaving the NGC 7822 nebula tomorrow as I head towards the H & S nebula and the rift.

 

[CMDR BeanSeller]

Drew has confirmed the Rift to be where Erimus put it in the map.

Hate to sound like I'm beating a dead horse, but where did drew confirm this? Didn't he just confirm we don't know where it is?

 

[IAM GROOT]

Hate to sound like I'm beating a dead horse, but where did drew confirm this? Didn't he just confirm we don't know where it is?

Not 100% certain but Cmdr Erimus has received several pms and repped posts which confirm the location. Probably worth asking him.

 

[Jaiotu]

Not 100% certain but Cmdr Erimus has received several pms and repped posts which confirm the location. Probably worth asking him.

I'm currently heading toward the core... and beyond. Perhaps I'll even catch up to the DW expedition. Once I've returned I hope to press into the Rift myself. Fly safe Commander!

 

[EddyRockSteady]

So the needle in the haystack, thats within another haystack and so on puts the dilemma quite well.

From where I'm sitting, it feels more like a needle in a needlestack lol

 

[Ian Phillips]

From where I'm sitting, it feels more like a needle in a needlestack lol

Ah, you've found it then?

 

[Sir Reginald Barthold III]

Cmdr Eisen, stay safe out there on DW, I am on my own expedition to the Formidine Rift, this is the second trip out here, this time I am determined to follow in other fellow CofR Cmdrs footsteps to cross the rift. Any suggestions or advice is more than welcome. Leaving the NGC 7822 nebula tomorrow as I head towards the H & S nebula and the rift.

Ah, Commander Groot ol' bean.

I am some few light years ahead of you there. Just reached the Formadine Bridge the other day. Will be pushing on through in a few days' time.

Perhaps we may co-incide at some point along our respective journies.

R.

 

[IAM GROOT]

Sound good Cmdr, feel free to add me, Cmdr Iam Groot. I am at least 5000 LYs behind you by the sound of it. I am going to attempt to cross at another point before the Formidine bridge but I'll see how that works.

 

[Eisen]

Sound good Cmdr, feel free to add me, Cmdr Iam Groot. I am at least 5000 LYs behind you by the sound of it. I am going to attempt to cross at another point before the Formidine bridge but I'll see how that works.

It works, but you should have at least 34 ly range to be able to cross, and even with that you will find a lot of dead ends. The plotter will only let you plot 2-3 jumps at a time so you have to look for possible routes for yourself. Last year it took me several hours to find a way through that jump-maze. I went straight to the Rift from Heart and Soul.

 

[Zenith]

Maybe the Formidine Rift... is actually us.

That's deep.

 

[stocko1111]

Just passed the Heart and Soul nebula now in my 24ly Cobra MkIII. Have plenty of Jumponium so going to try to head straight over the rift and to the other side, see you there commanders!

 

[IAM GROOT]

It works, but you should have at least 34 ly range to be able to cross, and even with that you will find a lot of dead ends. The plotter will only let you plot 2-3 jumps at a time so you have to look for possible routes for yourself. Last year it took me several hours to find a way through that jump-maze. I went straight to the Rift from Heart and Soul.

Is that at the bridge? I have a 32 ly ASP with lots of 40ly jumps, 48ly and one 64 ly jump. Already discovered I couldn't fly direct from NGC 7822 to Heart and Soul, route plotter would only go a few jumps so I remember last time I came this way, I had to back track a 100 LYs and now I am well on my way to H and S.

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Just passed the Heart and Soul nebula now in my 24ly Cobra MkIII. Have plenty of Jumponium so going to try to head straight over the rift and to the other side, see you there commanders!

Getting to H and S is very possible with that build but from here on out the rift will put that to the test, I had to turn back last time with a 30ly Asp but no jumponium obviously. I can see situations where you will always be able to search for more on the way.

 

[Eisen]

Is that at the bridge?

No, it's 1000-1500 ly west of the bridge, just south of Heart and Soul Nebula. Took the most direct route to the outer arm. With your available boosts you should be o.k., I think. I was there before Horizons.

 

[stocko1111]

Here's where I am at the moment. On the way to the H&S nebulas I needed a FSD boost twice but by going under the plain, the density of stars seems much higher. Not doing too badly since passing the H&S nebulas, as you can see, star density is still really high but it'll definitely thin out as I start to move upwards but hopefully I should be quite a ways across by then. Not needed to use another FSD boost since moving on from the nebulas but will let you know how it goes from here. I'm still a good 12,000ly away from the Bovomit sectors but have a couple of days free now to work on getting closer.

I thought it would be quite dull out here away from the core but it's actually really beautiful. There's an amazing system that's a blue supernova with a black hole, you're literally jumping into the remnants of a supernova, quite spectacular, and there's so many bright blue A and O stars out here that really make the trip worth seeing.

 

[Jorki Rasalas]

Hi guys. I'm pretty new to this game, a few weeks, and exploring is what i've decided to dedicate myself to for now. Pretty much everything about this post sounds awesome. I play on xbox one and in my very limited experience it seems like there are no truly unexplored areas left in space.

The thrill of having billions of stars that were tens of thousands of light years away and were practically unreachable is what drew me in. but as ive learned more i see that every system has already been discovered, many people have visited the galactic core, the outer rim or the far side of the galaxy, and everything in between.

This post makes me think maybe everything hasnt been seen already after all.

I'm currently like 1000 ly from civilized space but using lowly equipment and not really knowing what i'm doing. I could probably be of more use somehow searching for stuff like this, how could i go about that?

Check out some guides; Cmdr Kat's site is excellent (https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=210881) & contains links to others. Watch Cmdr Josh Hawkins' vids (https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=224034&highlight=josh+hawkins), also Cmdr Erimus', & Obsidian Ant's. Look at the galactic mapping site (https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=116450&highlight=formidine). There are useful third party tools listed here (http://edcodex.info/); I am using EDDiscovery (trilaterate every 10 -20 systems or so to keep a track of your progress via the 3D map) & ED Toolbox, but no expert in either. Look at the EDD 3D map- there are plenty of systems yet to be discovered! Take photos & arrange an exploration album, keep a log of where you've been with comments on interesting things to see/avoid. Don't forget to have fun!

 

[Rudolphus]

I crossed the bridge with a 32,34 Ly asp and had no problem to cross it it was easy to do, I don't use fed boosts

Is that at the bridge? I have a 32 ly ASP with lots of 40ly jumps, 48ly and one 64 ly jump. Already discovered I couldn't fly direct from NGC 7822 to Heart and Soul, route plotter would only go a few jumps so I remember last time I came this way, I had to back track a 100 LYs and now I am well on my way to H and S.

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Getting to H and S is very possible with that build but from here on out the rift will put that to the test, I had to turn back last time with a 30ly Asp but no jumponium obviously. I can see situations where you will always be able to search for more on the way.