Usually when I come into a system I scan the star, refuel, then scan for planets, but what should I really be scanning? Is it worth scanning the star? Is it worth scanning the every planet?
What should I be scanning?
- Thread starter BrentTheLeeBTL
- Start date
Or more profitably go into a neutron star zone and just scan the neutron star in front of you and jump to the next one. They're only a few LY apart so you only need to refuel every 100 jumps in a half decent asp. I've done about 500 so far. At this rate I'll get to 1000 when I get to the great annihilator then pop to sag A and come home for riches and glory!
That I could have made in a week if trading in the type 7...
If you get bored there are usually lots of white dwarf and a few black hole systems too.
I generally check the system map in case there's a WW as well - not found one yet ��
That I could have made in a week if trading in the type 7...
If you get bored there are usually lots of white dwarf and a few black hole systems too.
I generally check the system map in case there's a WW as well - not found one yet ��
Depends on what you want from the trip? High credits per hour, high systems per hour or seeing interesting sights?
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=141785 may be useful to see the credit values of all scans and first discoveries of different bodies. Decide for yourself
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=141785 may be useful to see the credit values of all scans and first discoveries of different bodies. Decide for yourself
My modus operandi:
Jump to system, honk.
Scan the following:
Gas giants that are within 1200 ls of the star (meaning a short trip until the sensor kicks in at maximum range)
Any other bodies close enough to scan from the star.
All ELW, WW, AW
BH's and Neutrons if theyre not some ridiculous distance from the main star.
If Im taking my time Ill scan everything but ice, rock and riceballs.
The profit difference is enormous if you take your time and scan everything PER system, but I think Dommarra's method of scoop honking until you hit something interesting probably has the best return/time ratio. That said literally almost every other activity in Elite pays considerably more than exploring.
Jump to system, honk.
Scan the following:
Gas giants that are within 1200 ls of the star (meaning a short trip until the sensor kicks in at maximum range)
Any other bodies close enough to scan from the star.
All ELW, WW, AW
BH's and Neutrons if theyre not some ridiculous distance from the main star.
If Im taking my time Ill scan everything but ice, rock and riceballs.
The profit difference is enormous if you take your time and scan everything PER system, but I think Dommarra's method of scoop honking until you hit something interesting probably has the best return/time ratio. That said literally almost every other activity in Elite pays considerably more than exploring.
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The neutron fields are actually reasonably good. You ought to be able to do ~45 systems per hour without pushing too hard, which would give around 2.5m per hour without any other honking or valuable income. That's pretty close to what you'd get in anything except trading. The downside is the ~10 kly to get to the field in the first place.
You dont have to go 10 Kylie for lots of NS. Go +/-2000z in most arms and there are plenty, normally only about 2 jumps apart.
Having said that NS farming is dull, and hardly counts as exploring. As a cash generator on your way to somewhere else, OK. As an end in itself ? Might as well be trading.
Having said that NS farming is dull, and hardly counts as exploring. As a cash generator on your way to somewhere else, OK. As an end in itself ? Might as well be trading.
I agree pure farming is dull, but if you go to a neutron field and act the same as exploring everywhere else then you'll get a much better payout and a similar experience. You'll probably drop down to whatever your normal rate is (mines about 20~30 systems per hour) - but even then you are still making much more than you would with the usual Ms etc, and 1~2m per hour is pretty good for most early-mid game players.
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