Newcomer / Intro What I saw last on Elite Dangerous...

Since there is a Thread concerning "What are you up to" that covers basically what are you doing currently in the Galaxy, I thought I would start one that covers "What you Commanders saw or did the last time you were playing that you thought might be of interest to others"

I know that being a new player (less than 3 months or so I guess for me), there is still a Type 10 load of stuff out there that is new (to me anyway). I just thought that others might have stuff to add that they have come across and want to share, or something that they experienced in game that they had questions about. I see that the "What are you up to?" thread has 143 pages, with over 3,000 replies and 56,000 views. Just wanted to give others a place to put stuff that might not really apply to that thread.

So, I'll start it off.

Last night I was doing some surface exploring of a moon in the 10 Tauri system. Looking for certain rare mats to buff up my numbers for when I head to Deciat and get my FSD's range engineered. Anyway, this moon had no Geo Sites so I was just free mining the area. I am finally getting the hang of interpreting the scanner screen. It has an incredible range that reaches out for easily 800 to 1000 meters or more. Mind you, you don't see the item until you are within about 200 meters or closer (depending on size) but the Scanner lines for that item appear on the scanner LONG before it ever comes into range. In the past I had seen these lines but as nothing appeared within a short time, I assumed I was just seeing background scatter. So I was able to find my first Outcrop by just trusting the scanner and continuing onward until something popped up on the screen.

Second, last night I found my first Human made artifacts on a moon. First one was a crashed satellite (data point) that I scanned. Then I came across what looked like a Nav Point. As I approached it, a Skimmer popped up and I got a warning I was within an exclusion zone. I circled the item, and finally moved into the zone and stayed. The Skimmer did something Odd. It slowy lowered to the ground, and then clipped though the surface to then be underground...but it was still buzzing, and still followed my around the Nav Point. I tried to shoot it, but of course nothing. I finally drove away after scanning the point. Then I came across a pile of items (Canisters and Mats). 4 Skimmers popped up and started the whole buzz around like bees thing. I circled the area, then triggered the Zone and moved off from the site with the Skimmers following for a distance. I slowly worked my way closer to them, using the terrain to mask my SRV. I was at extreme range but by taking potshots at the Skimmers, I was able to defeat 3 of them, then move in to take out the final one at closer range. My reward was a Canister each of Platinum, Palladium, Gold, and a Couple of Mats (don't remember what they were now).

So for new Commanders:

  • Trust your SRV scanner. It may look like static on the screen, but they do work. Just remember that they can pick up the item at a MUCH farther range (800 - 1000m +) than you will see on your screen (150 - 200m).
  • If you are wanting to take out skimmers, it appears that they will only go so far from their trigger area then stop. They still target and attack you, but at a decent range you can potshot them and take them out one at a time instead of getting rat packed by the whole group at once.
  • Free Canisters (Make sure they are NOT listed as Illegal) on a planet can give you a nice little bonus from just cruising around looking for stuff.
That is all for this one...Take Care and Check Six Commanders! o7
 
Something I've only done once before - go to a USS. If its a high grade emission, I'd suggest checking it out, especially if it's a "threat zero". High level materials could well be your reward ;)
 
Something I've only done once before - go to a USS. If its a high grade emission, I'd suggest checking it out, especially if it's a "threat zero". High level materials could well be your reward ;)
Just be slightly careful about the threat levels. They are tagged "at the time of scan", which means that after you enter, anything can happen.
I've been attacked by a wing of Vultures in "Threat 0" USS, and I've also dropped into "Threat 4" only to find a floating wreckage and nothing else. :)
 
When you next find a Crashed Nav Beacon.... try listening to it.
If you can identify whats happening, you will not only have done something very cool, but will qualify you to join Canonn (well, anyone can join, but this would give you a gold star on your application form)
 
Just be slightly careful about the threat levels. They are tagged "at the time of scan", which means that after you enter, anything can happen.
I've been attacked by a wing of Vultures in "Threat 0" USS, and I've also dropped into "Threat 4" only to find a floating wreckage and nothing else. :)

Didn't realise that. I just went crashing in with my size twelves. One finger on the boost button from now on then!

As to what I saw last, it was a new man mat - and there was I, in my arrogance, thinking I had them all...
 
In picture form
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What I did at Star Camp last night...

Hail Commanders! Last night I was doing some Mat Farming at a High Sec Res site about 1.5 ls from Ohm City in LHS 20. For the new Commanders who are looking to gather items needed for doing Engineering runs, this is a nice, simple way to gather some Mats while also making a few credits at the same time.

THIS IS FOR COMMANDERS WHO ARE PLAYING IN SOLO - IF YOU ARE PLAYING IN OPEN, DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Human Commanders don't always play with the same ideas that you have and may blast you just because it's a day that ends in "y"...

1) Find a High Security Resource site. If your system has no ringed planets, look at the different systems that you travel to and in the Nav screen you can find the Resource Site (High) there if they are present. I say a High Sec site because you are going to be attacking pirates, so you might as well have some help with it. It also helps keep you a bit safer, just in case you are not outfitted in a Combat purposed ship. Also, DO NOT have any cargo in your holds. You WILL be scanned by pirates, and if you have Cargo, you will get attacked or Extorted.

2) As to your ship load out. As long as you have a laser or two to "Help" the Sec Boys take out the Pirates, you are good to go. Shields of course as you will be in a Combat area and may be flying around inside the ring system. Nothing puts the damper on your day like flipping around and becoming Wiley Coyote on the side of a rock. IF you want to have all the other stuff (ECM, Chaff, etc) that is fine, but unless the Sec Boys get their butts handed to them, and you don't notice it as you are blasting at the bad guy, you won't need them. Remember, you are here gathering Mats and grabbing a few Bounty Bucks...Brave Sir Robin is a perfectly reasonable response to the Pirate turning the tables, taking out the Sec Boys, and then coming after you. It doesn't happen often, but I have seen it once (luckily I had withheld firing on the pirate so he didn't come after me).

3) Once you get to the site, look for concentrations of ships. If you have enough Rep with the people in the system, you will see Green and Yellow targets. Now, this was what happened to me and it may not be the same for all, but after a time in a system, the ALL Yellow targets started to become Yellow and Green. So I can't say for an absolute fact that this is the case in all cases, but it did in my experience. Anyway, look for the ships and start to scan them. You will see the Sec Boys and Everyone Else. Once you see who is the Bad Guy, wait for the Sec Boys to start pounding them. Target the ship that is getting blasted, wait for their shields to go down (or not), and then when his Hull starts to drop get in some hits. He will turn Red, and from this point on, be careful of the Pointy End of the ship. Join in the fun until the bad guys explodes and you get a Bounty Bucks Notice.

4) Hit The Brakes! Once the bad guy dies, he will leave behind Manufactured Materials that you can pick up. These will be indicated as White boxes on the screen. Go to Nav, then over to Contacts, At the bottom of the contacts, you will see the Materials listed. Target one, Make Sure your Cargo Scoop is open (yeah, you forget sometimes) and in the lower left of the screen next to your Scanner Circle will be a rectangle that is the targeting box for your scoop. Approach the item slowly, keeping the targeted item in the center of the rectangle. If you approach too fast, it will be harder to keep lined up and you can miss it. Also, Watching it through the Cockpit Canopy isn't always best as the view there doesn't always match up with the targeting box. Once you get close to the item and it gets picked up by the ship, you will get a confirmation message. Now Repeat for the rest of the Mats. Remember, that they degrade over time and will disappear after a period of time (Not sure how long exactly). If you don't get them all scooped up, you might lose some. Look on INARA or other sites to find the Mats that have the Highest Rating. I always try to target the Highest one first, and then work down to the lowest quality. That way you are ensured to get the better mats, that can be traded down for Lower Quality Mats if needed.

5) Don't Pick Up Cargo! You might see Cargo Containers floating around out there...Leave them. One, they are probably marked Illegal as they were cargo of the pirate(s). Two, If you pick up the "Purina Pirate Chow" you will be like a diver wearing a fish chum wetsuit in shark infested waters. If there is a LOT of stuff floating around close by and it gets confusing, I will destroy the Cargo Containers to get rid of some of the radar clutter. Also, they will degrade and disappear after a time too.

6) Don't worry about getting blown up while picking up mats. The Bad Guys are more concerned with NOT getting blown up by the Sec Boys. They may scan you, but as you are not carrying cargo, they will insult you and then fly off. Once you have picked up all the Mats that appeared after you helped destroy the pirate, you can go on and help out again. Note: If you don't get shots in on the Bad Guy, NO materials will appear after he blows up. I can confirm this from several sessions of doing this. The mats will only appear at the sites of ships you helped destroy.

7) After the Action...Head back to a station and go contact the Authority Contact. Turn in your bounties, and there you have it! Bounty Bucks from a Material Gathering Trip

Take Care and Check Six Commanders! o7
 
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