Understanding "Unexplored" vs "Discovered by"

[fetis]

Read some guides about exploration but still don't have the answer why I see all objects as Unexplored even they were already discovered by some commander?
Why I have unexplored objects in inhabitant systems and I'm able to download all info from Nav Beacon without actual exploration. Why exploration data is not shared between systems? I suppose it's vital for humans

 

[newman1702]

Unexplored just means, unexplored by you. If objects have "discovered by.." tags that means someone else already scanned them and returned home to sell the data (tags are awarded to the first person who returns home and sells the data). If an object reads as "unexplored" and has no discovery tags on them, it means you're likely the first one to discover it (at the very least it means nobody else sold the data on it just yet).

 

[Mr T]

....Why I have unexplored objects in inhabitant systems and I'm able to download all info from Nav Beacon without actual exploration...

Scanning the Nav beacon is something new that was added in one of the updates (I forget which) to make it easier if you're in a rush. The upside is you can get the info without individually scanning each of the bodies, the downside being you can't sell the newly acquired data for explorer reputation or credits.

 

[Khelder]

I really wish they would change the tag to something like "DATA UNAVAILABLE".

They keep using this word ("Unexplored"). I do not think it means what they think it means. [hehe]

 

[fetis]

Unexplored just means, unexplored by you. If objects have "discovered by.." tags that means someone else already scanned them and returned home to sell the data (tags are awarded to the first person who returns home and sells the data). If an object reads as "unexplored" and has no discovery tags on them, it means you're likely the first one to discover it (at the very least it means nobody else sold the data on it just yet).

I stll don't get the point. If system data was already explored (and sold to station), then this should be accesible for everyone. It does't make sense to rediscover it again. Same as you cannot discover America again

 

[Khelder]

I stll don't get the point. If system data was already explored (and sold to station), then this should be accesible for everyone. It does't make sense to rediscover it again. Same as you cannot discover America again

You can (most of the time) buy it for nearby systems on the Galaxy Map.

 

[Qohen Leth]

I stll don't get the point. If system data was already explored (and sold to station), then this should be accesible for everyone. It does't make sense to rediscover it again. Same as you cannot discover America again

No, it doesn't make much sense that 'Universal' Cartographics is actually, save for inhabited systems, absolutely local. The tag thing is universal, but the discovery status is personal. Same nonsense as the fact that it's impossible to save data in a black box to prevent losing all if one crashes, or to beam it to a computer in a station from time to time. It's not like FTL comms weren't possible in 3303, since everyone can chat in real-time with people 85,000ly from them...

But let's not go down that slope again

 

[Dregory The Crow]

I stll don't get the point. If system data was already explored (and sold to station), then this should be accesible for everyone. It does't make sense to rediscover it again. Same as you cannot discover America again

From the other hand station paid for that data. Why they should give it to you for free? While docked in station you can buy exploration data from nearby systems. However, no one sells data for deep space systems.

 

[Jaiotu]

I stll don't get the point. If system data was already explored (and sold to station), then this should be accesible for everyone. It does't make sense to rediscover it again. Same as you cannot discover America again

You can purchase data on discovered systems using the Galaxy Map. Do this and then the planets / stars won't show up as "undiscovered". It would be nice if you could purchase all discovered systems in one fell swoop (expensive!) but right now you have to purchase the data one star system at a time ... which makes it a pretty useless feature for explorers (not that bad for traders though).

 

[Qohen Leth]

From the other hand station paid for that data. Why they should give it to you for free?

Accessible doesn't mean free

 

[Lucius-Darcia]

Read some guides about exploration but still don't have the answer why I see all objects as Unexplored even they were already discovered by some commander?
Why I have unexplored objects in inhabitant systems and I'm able to download all info from Nav Beacon without actual exploration. Why exploration data is not shared between systems? I suppose it's vital for humans

Even in 3303 nothing works without money. You don't get cartographic data for free only some more important systems share most of their data for free.
If you are docked at a station, you have in the galaxymap the possibility to buy system data from surrounding systems, but usually only inhabited ones except some others.
The other option is, to go to the nav-beacon in inhabited systems and catch the data from there. It's a really need for all sorts of business to work.

However, this way you don't get data level 3!! For the detailed surface scan including mats and so on, you need to do the work yourself because there is no possibility to buy them!

 

[Dregory The Crow]

Accessible doesn't mean free

Yes, you are right.
I was thinking about deep space systems and the fact, that you can't buy data from them.

I don't think I would buy data for some faraway system. And making already discovered system explored (full data about that system) for everyone isn't a good idea, IMO. You cannot discover America again, but you can explore it.

 

[Qohen Leth]

Even in 3303 nothing works without money. You don't get cartographic data for free only some more important systems share most of their data for free.
If you are docked at a station, you have in the galaxymap the possibility to buy system data from surrounding systems, but usually only inhabited ones except some others.
The other option is, to go to the nav-beacon in inhabited systems and catch the data from there. It's a really need for all sorts of business to work.

1) See my comment just above.
2)

Why I have unexplored objects in inhabitant systems and I'm able to download all info from Nav Beacon without actual exploration. Why exploration data is not shared between systems? I suppose it's vital for humans

Show me a Nav Beacon in the middle of nowhere.

 

[fetis]

1) I don't mean it must be accessible for free. But it must be option to buy it. When you go from Europe to Japan you buy the map, but you don't create your own by visiting every city. That's the difference. Currently it's not possible to buy data for already known systems, only for some nearby, but that criteria is absolutely not clear for me.

2) I can understand the reason why superpowers don't want to share data between each other for security and political reasons. But inside the superpower I think data must be common. Otherwise it doesn't make sense for superpower. BTW, this may bring us a new set of quests: like explore Federation systems, being Empire loyal.

p.s. What're the data level 3 information? Where I can read about this.

 

[Qohen Leth]

1) I don't mean it must be accessible for free.

That's what I was answering the other peeps, cause they were assuming you wanted it for free.

2) I can understand the reason why superpowers don't want to share data between each other for security and political reasons. But inside the superpower I think data must be common. Otherwise it doesn't make sense for superpower. BTW, this may bring us a new set of quests: like explore Federation systems, being Empire loyal.

I bet there is no criteria at all. If I had to guess, the ability to buy data for nearby systems was simply intended as a trading tool, cause it takes nothing in account, except your location, and the data you buy is just enough to be able to navigate the system from point A to point B.

p.s. What're the data level 3 information? Where I can read about this.

Level 3 is the most detailed info, such as materials on a surface. The fact that it's not included in the data one can buy makes me think the purchasable data is intended for a navigation use only, not for sheer knowledge of the system.

That's why I stressed 'exploration' data when I quoted you above. The purchasable data looks like a limited gameplay feature, but the lack of it for systems that have been explored and sold by other Cmdrs seems to me to be a real lack of consistency.

 

[fetis]

Level 3 is the most detailed info, such as materials on a surface. The fact that it's not included in the data one can buy makes me think the purchasable data is intended for a navigation use only, not for sheer knowledge of the system.

Well, then this feature is completely broken. Me, as a Miner, want to buy a full system data and start mining, and the person who will provide this info -- the Explorer. I don't want to explore for hours and mine after. This make economical chains: exploration ->mining -> resource trading

That's why I stressed 'exploration' data when I quoted you above. The purchasable data looks like a limited gameplay feature, but the lack of it for systems that have been explored and sold by other Cmdrs seems to me to be a real lack of consistency.

There're 400 bln system here, do you really think we run out of exploration some day? Even we run out some day this can be a really SuperGoal for community

 

[Qohen Leth]

I think you should pay more attention to what's written.

Well, then this feature is completely broken. Me, as a Miner, want to buy a full system data and start mining, and the person who will provide this info -- the Explorer. I don't want to explore for hours and mine after. This make economical chains: exploration ->mining -> resource trading

Not broken. I *think* this feature was intended for a particular use, which is not the one some people (you, me, others) want. Or, for uninhabited systems, it's simply missing. Not broken.

There're 400 bln system here, do you really think we run out of exploration some day? Even we run out some day this can be a really SuperGoal for community

I don't understand the relation with what I said.

 

[newman1702]

I stll don't get the point. If system data was already explored (and sold to station), then this should be accesible for everyone. It does't make sense to rediscover it again. Same as you cannot discover America again

Don't shoot the messenger, I don't pretend to understand Frontier logic, I'm just telling you how they set it up Also, give it 4-8 years and you might have to rediscover America all over again

 

[fetis]

Not broken. I *think* this feature was intended for a particular use, which is not the one some people (you, me, others) want. Or, for uninhabited systems, it's simply missing. Not broken.

About what feature we're speaking now? Buying cartgoraphic data - yes, you're probably right.

Exploration? I think it's broken, because you re-discover systems over and over again, without any affect on game knowledge about it.

I don't understand the relation with what I said.

You said it's limited resource. So, if FD made once discovered system stay discovered for all, then eventually we'll discover them all. But there are 400 bln systems. I think it would take a loooot of time.

 

[marx]

Automatically sharing discovered systems info between all players would put an incredible strain on both servers and clients, even if it were something as simple as only showing what systems have been visited. It's just not technically feasible.
However, it would entirely be possible for Commanders to have info on all inhabited systems in the bubble, and to receive detailed surface info when you buy system data. I'm not sure why both these are the way they currently are.