Two questions about exploration data

Aerodeon

Aerodeon
I have a couple of questions about exploration data, particularly about its absence. I wonder if anybody could shed some light as to what's going on. I'm working on the assumption that Universal Cartographics is a central repository for exploration data and any system that has been explored and whose data has been sold is also available to buy from anywhere. That may be my mistake, but it seems reasonable to me.

First of all, I'm in a star system (for the sake of argument, we'll call it Gill). I don't have a Discovery Scanner, but Gill has a docking station that's humming with other ships and I dock there. Universal Cartographics is an option on the station services. I go to the Galaxy Map to buy exploration data for Gill, but the option is red and there's nothing there. Why can I not buy data for Gill in the Galaxy Map and populate my navigation tab with all the planetary bodies in the system?

Secondly, I'm fond of watching other people play Elite: Dangerous on YouTube or Twitch. In some of the videos, I see players scanning systems and selling their data. I go to the Galaxy Map and try to buy exploration data for the system in the video, but again the option is red and there's no data available to buy. How come? The only way I can find out if a system has been explored and who discovered it is to go there myself and ping the system with a discovery scanner. That's a pointless duplication of work.

Is this a bug or is it intended, do you think?
 

Vikinger

Vikinger
You cant buy any exploration data.
If its red out on the galaxy map it means you have not been there and the system is "open" for you to explore.

First player to visit a system and explore it, that return the data and sell it, get his name tag on that system, as well some extra credit bonus for first discovery.
If a player goes to a system that have been discovered by another, they just get credit for exploring the system. No Bonus.
The game only keep track of system you have explored and visited. Not if others have been there. ( Except for the name tag )

Exploring does not serve any purpose atm in the game as the only thing you get is credits. It does not affect the game and the evolving of the galaxy at all.

During Beta we could buy exploration data from the cartography. But they removed that feature for unknown reason.
 
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who?

who?
The ability to buy data is still there (at least it was up to recent versions), but only selectively on certain systems. Not sure which, or why.

Would be nice if the 1st discoverer got a small "royalty" for everyone who buys their data.
 

Aerodeon

Aerodeon
Cheers for your replies, everybody. I certainly didn't know about filtering for local cartographic data on the galaxy map, so definite rep there.

It just seems a little daft to me that I can't avail myself of all the data that everyone who is exploring the galaxy amasses. What's the point of exploring? You get your name stamped on a system and some cash, but nobody else can see your data or that you discovered the system unless he or she goes there too and repeats your work.

Definitely needs some work.
 

Deleted member 38366

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Aerodeon

Aerodeon
azdour said:
Plenty of us explorers love to sight see and post what we find. We've found our own purpose... :)
Click to expand...
I don't belittle that ideal in any way. I would just like to admire your work from afar. I'm too lazy to trek out on a long exploration haul to find out that none of the systems I visit are virgin systems.

And how does my on-board computer know that a system has already been discovered by someone after I ping it and not before? I'm nowhere near an inhabited system, so it must already know. Why can't it tell me in advance? Dumb.

It's just a game; I should really just relax.
 

azdour

azdour
I was replying to Vikingers comment not yours :)

The rest of Vikingers post looks like it answers your questions about the mechanics of exploring as they currently are.
 

Vikinger

Vikinger
azdour said:
That's a bit harsh :)

Plenty of us explorers love to sight see and post what we find. We've found our own purpose... :)
Click to expand...

Iam a vivid explorer my self and you are correct that explorers found their own way.
I meant more that the game it self don't offer explorers anything more than credits.
I wish there was more to it and hopefully the explorers will get some love in a patch like all trigger happy peps have got :)
Nearly every patch since release have been focused around enhancing the combat.
I hoped the powerplay would be the last but then the bomb dropped about the pvp arena.
Some people just enjoy to explore or do some trading but for us pacifist there have not been anything, or very little.
 
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