Straight Dope Message Board

[Skywatcher]

Woot! 33K bounty in a single kill! 51

[Battle Pope]

Originally Posted by Skywatcher

Woot! 33K bounty in a single kill!

Nice

I started exploring last week, stripped down the Cobra and headed out towards the California Nebula on a 'shake down' cruise, past the Perseus Dark Region and the a little towards the North American Nebula before heading home. About a 2000 Ly trip, netted just under $1mil credits and scored 60 or 70 first discovery tickets (CMDR Seaton if you're out that way).

After that I removed the pair of lasers I was carrying and the cargo bay giving me a 26ly jump range. Yesterday I departed on my second exploration mission headed for the Cave Nebula (3000Ly away) and if my ship (the "Gom Jabbar") is still ok I'll keep going, heading for the Heart and Soul nebula's (another 4000Ly past the Cave Nebula) 52

[Precambrianmollusc]

How long did that take? 53

[Battle Pope]

Originally Posted by Precambrianmollusc

How long did that take?

Hard to say, I spent a few nights just exploring, I drop into a new system, scan the local star/refuel and scan the system. If there is some interesting stuff - other stars, lots of gas giants or water worlds suitable for terraforming showing in the system map I'll stay and do detail scans of those.

If the system has already been discovered or it's all just small rocky planets I'll move on.

Sometimes I'll spend 20 minutes in the game, scan one or two systems and then log off. Adding it all together....maybe 12 - 15 hours of game-time? 54

[Precambrianmollusc]

Cool, I didn't think the exploration would add up to much, but it appears I am wrong. Haven't logged on for a couple of months so need to update and get back at it. 55

[Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by Precambrianmollusc

Cool, I didn't think the exploration would add up to much, but it appears I am wrong. Haven't logged on for a couple of months so need to update and get back at it.

You need a discovery scanner and a detailed surface scanner to get the most out of exploring.

Couple nights ago, I dropped the pair of 4-space cargo racks in favor of an intermediate discovery scanner & detailed surface scanner and started some rares runs, exploring as I go. 56

[Battle Pope]

Originally Posted by Precambrianmollusc

Cool, I didn't think the exploration would add up to much, but it appears I am wrong. Haven't logged on for a couple of months so need to update and get back at it.

You won't get rich exploring - I have a standard rare's run that will net me 600k in a circuit so I could be making more in an hour of rares trading than I could in a week of exploring.

There is an undeniable thrill when you drop into an unexplored system to find binary stars with a dozen gas giants, a water world suitable for terraforming or even an earth-like world. 57

[Skywatcher]

I'm exploring to offset the fuel costs during my rares runs. Had been filling out my cargo racks with the help of Thrudds tools but have entered an area in which they have virtually no station data. So I've been adding stations and commodity data there as well. 58

[Skywatcher]

USS (Unidentified Signal Source) encounters are becoming more interesting. Dropped into one last night and nearly flew up the exhaust of a Type-9!

Then there are the kamikaze pirates. No idea if it's a fluke or a deliberate tactic but I've encountered two of these recently. First one nearly took both of us out! Destroyed himself and knocked me below 20%. Second one was right after dropping into a USS; took out my shields and 32% of my hull. Easily won anyway, me and about three cops against a Sidewinder and a basic Cobra.

Recently got 22K out of a Python that interdicted me. Pretty much an even match there, both of us were below 33% when the local police showed up. I boosted the hell out of there and let the cops beat on him for awhile then went back in and opened up. 59

[That Don Guy]

Am I missing something obvious in terms of trading?

How do I get information on the buy/sell prices for commodities in systems other than flying to them, docking, and pulling up the commodities screen? Do I really have to poke around a number of galaxies in order to find a profitable route, or is there an easier way? 60

[Skywatcher]

Thrudd's Trading Tools, originally linked in Post 36.

Use the Calculator to fill out your racks when running missions, Lists to find the closest station selling a commodity needed for a mission, Trades to find the best standard trade route within a certain distance from your current system, and Search to find which nearby stations have a repair facility, black market, etc.

You only need to register there if you want to update system, station and/or commodity data. 61

[Skywatcher]

And here's a neat little thing for planning rares routes. Just heard about that one during my lunch hour today. 62

[Knorf]

Now that this game has been out for a bit, yet continues to pique my curiosity, I just have to ask: do you genuinely need to have a HOTAS (lame acronym if you ask me) or whatever? Would it be possible to succeed with mouse + keyboard? 63

[Skywatcher]

I'm doing just fine soloing with keyboard and a 360 controller. 64

[Skywatcher]

Granted, I've remapped pretty much all of the 360 controls. Left & right shoulders are down & up throttle increments, left & right thumbs are variable throttle controls, left stick is pitch & yaw, right stick is roll, D-pad is thrusters, A is fire primary, X is fire secondary, B is engine boost, Y is targeting, select is toggle hardpoints, left stick button is toggle cargo scoop, and right stick button is toggle freelook. 65

[unwashed brain]

I'm doing fine with keyboard and mouse. Mainly been exploring and mining, however. 66

[That Don Guy]

One thing that keeps confusing me; the commodities prices are listed as "buy" and "sell", but those are in terms of me doing the buying and selling. Pretty much everywhere else, "buy" and "sell" refer to the prices at which they are buying and selling (i.e. "We buy from you for..." and "We sell to you for...").

I might do better at this game if the computer wouldn't keep locking up while I'm playing it. I'm pretty sure it's a core or CPU temperature problem, but the computer is only a year old, and it's not always being triggered by massive processing (like when I am trying to cut a Blu-Ray image file from videos). 67

[Skywatcher]

Heck with this rares trading. Been having these weird accidents ever since picking up that supply of Vidavantian Lace. First, my Cobra somehow explodes on a station's interior wall immediately after entering the airlock. Then, my computer reboots while I was trying to dock at an outpost and crashes me. After another airlock problem took out the canopy and 85% of the hull, next outpost I landed on I ended up exploding into upon launch due to a stupid mistake.

Going back to Hanggardi where it's safe. 68

[Skywatcher]

That was interesting. Still hanging around Lalande 30271 to get back a bunch of lost exploration data, again, and picked up two units of Motrona Experience Jelly dropped by a crook. 69

[amanset]

Originally Posted by That Don Guy

One thing that keeps confusing me; the commodities prices are listed as "buy" and "sell", but those are in terms of me doing the buying and selling. Pretty much everywhere else, "buy" and "sell" refer to the prices at which they are buying and selling (i.e. "We buy from you for..." and "We sell to you for...").

Pretty sure that's how it was with the other/older versions of Elite. Maybe a bit of nostalgia kicking in. 70

[Anon01245]

I finally manage to master docking. I think that is a huge bonus since I have been having difficult with that in the past. Made some good money from that. 71

[Skywatcher]

To anyone reading this thread who wants to play the game on something other than a Windows-based PC: Mac and Xbone versions are expected sometime this year. 72

[Anon01245]

Originally Posted by Skywatcher

To anyone reading this thread who wants to play the game on something other than a Windows-based PC: Mac and Xbone versions are expected sometime this year.

Cool. This sounds interesting. I wonder, will it come to PS4? 73

[Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by Anon01245

Cool. This sounds interesting. I wonder, will it come to PS4?

Apparently they plan to start on a PS4 version after the Xbone version goes into beta.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Mac & Xbone versions out in tine for Christmas this year and PS4 for Christmas next year. 74

[Skywatcher]

Oh, nice change in 1.2! Unidentified Signals are now separated into Weak Signals (cargo) and Strong Signals (ships, presumably). 75

[Skywatcher]

Have yet to investigate a Strong Signal to verify. Bought a Type-6 outfitted for mining last night and docked the Cobra.

Oh, I did see one Unidentified Signal so some continue to exist. 76

[BrianJ]

Originally Posted by Battle Pope

Hard to say, I spent a few nights just exploring, I drop into a new system, scan the local star/refuel and scan the system. If there is some interesting stuff - other stars, lots of gas giants or water worlds suitable for terraforming showing in the system map I'll stay and do detail scans of those.

If the system has already been discovered or it's all just small rocky planets I'll move on.

Sometimes I'll spend 20 minutes in the game, scan one or two systems and then log off. Adding it all together....maybe 12 - 15 hours of game-time?

I'm just curious. When you say already discovered, does that just count in the MMO portion of the game? Can I discover everything myself laying solo?

Or am I sharing a common galaxy with the MMO even in solo mode? 77

[Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by BrianJ

Or am I sharing a common galaxy with the MMO even in solo mode?

This.

Although the heaviest traveled parts of the galaxy have already been discovered, plenty of objects have yet to be scanned up close. A detailed surface scan can be worth 5K to 15K per system, enough to be useful if you're passing through on a mission or trade run. 78

[BrianJ]

Originally Posted by Skywatcher

This.

Although the heaviest traveled parts of the galaxy have already been discovered, plenty of objects have yet to be scanned up close. A detailed surface scan can be worth 5K to 15K per system, enough to be useful if you're passing through on a mission or trade run.

OK, thanks. I'm still thinking about whether I want to try this game. 79

[TimeWinder]

Originally Posted by Skywatcher

Although the heaviest traveled parts of the galaxy have already been discovered, plenty of objects have yet to be scanned up close. A detailed surface scan can be worth 5K to 15K per system, enough to be useful if you're passing through on a mission or trade run.

So if I'm understanding this correctly, the longer I wait before playing this game, the harder and less profitable it will be to explore (probably the thing I'd do the most), because the galaxy is getting explored now even for the solo players?

That pretty much rules out my ever getting it. 80

[Knorf]

I'm starting to think that, too. I know that there are billions of star systems, but the unexplored ones are going to be harder and harder to reach, one assumes. 81

[Skywatcher]

I imagine hardly anyone bothers to explore far outside the realm of habited systems. Get fuel scoops and head out that way, skimming fuel from the local stars. 82

[Skywatcher]

Here's a neat wallpaper someone made as an exploration aid. 83

[Skywatcher]

Holy crap! 101K bounty from an Imperial Courier at a Resource Extraction Site! 84

[Skywatcher]

This was right after nearly losing my ship on the way to the site by submitting to a pirate's interdiction. Damn thing was a Python which blew my canopy along with 99% of the hull. Went to one station with my oxygen down to about 3 minutes but they didn't have a repair shop, so I had to settle for topping off the fuel & oxygen tanks and head over to the other station. 85

[Skywatcher]

Spent the past couple hours patrolling Resource Extraction Sites in LTT 18486. Got 700K, minus fuel, reloading, and some minor repair expenses. 86

[duality72]

I'd stay clear of the LV systems if I were you. And be careful out there. 87

[Skywatcher]

Having much better luck with the rares this time, except for the one station which fined me 38K for illegal Biomorphic Companions. Have seven different rares and will soon add another.

Think I'll sell off everything by the time I get to Leesti, stock up on all the rares in that area, then head for the edge of inhabited space, sell everything again when I get good prices, and outfit for exploration.

Speaking of which, once upgraded detailed scanners are available for purchase, there should be a race to get better detailed scans around inhabited space. 88

[Skywatcher]

Huh. They've released the game on Steam.

Did not see that coming. 89

[Knorf]

Originally Posted by Skywatcher

Huh. They've released the game on Steam.

Did not see that coming.

Uh-oh. The time for me to cave and pick this one up is drawing ever nigh.

RMH 90

[Skywatcher]

Hm. Apparently I evaded the Feds once too often and made them hostile. After losing my Type-6 twice while trying to get back in with them, I docked the third one, bought a Viper, and fought for the Feds in a nearby warzone. I hadn't even destroyed my first rebel when the Feds decided I'm not so bad after all.

Only now the rebel faction will shoot on sight. 91

[Skywatcher]

On my way from HR 4373 to the Witch Head Nebula. Only a couple hundred light years out from 4373 and already encountering systems which have not been fully discovered, if at all. 92

[Jabaski]

The Steam release was the final straw for me to pick up this game. And the past week has been absolute joy. Did some exploration until I could crawl my way to a system with pristine metallic reserves and mining platinum/palladium. When the mining game got a little too robotic, I refit my cobra and started taking on bandits. Thinking of getting into rare trading and really exploring the galaxy. One great aspect of this game is the many roles you can partake in. In the meantime I'm still deciding whether I should go Fed to visit sol or Emp to get the Clipper. Choices choices choices. 93

[Skywatcher]

Hey, found me a candidate for terraforming!

No Earth-like worlds yet. A few water worlds and a bunch of gas giants, occasionally with a metal rich ring, though. 94

[That Don Guy]

I just got blown out of space by an enemy that I never even got a look at. No matter how I maneuvered, it was as if he was always behind me. 95

[Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by That Don Guy

I just got blown out of space by an enemy that I never even got a look at. No matter how I maneuvered, it was as if he was always behind me.

Open play, right? Lazy commander with an aimbot. 96

[Teuton]

Originally Posted by Skywatcher

Open play, right? Lazy commander with an aimbot.

That sort of thing is why I never play in Open, and it's a problem they'll need to solve if they want people to. 97

[That Don Guy]

Originally Posted by Skywatcher

Open play, right? Lazy commander with an aimbot.

Perhaps, but you would think that if I pulled the equivalent of an Immelman, I could turn and face him, but I never seemed to be able to get him in front of me. 98

[Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by That Don Guy

Perhaps, but you would think that if I pulled the equivalent of an Immelman, I could turn and face him, but I never seemed to be able to get him in front of me.

From what I've read, an aimbot is basically an autopilot to keep any given target in a commander's sights. Assuming the commander's ship has the maneuverability to keep up with the target. 99

[Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by BrianJ

I'm just curious. When you say already discovered, does that just count in the MMO portion of the game? Can I discover everything myself laying solo?

Or am I sharing a common galaxy with the MMO even in solo mode?

Originally Posted by TimeWinder

So if I'm understanding this correctly, the longer I wait before playing this game, the harder and less profitable it will be to explore (probably the thing I'd do the most), because the galaxy is getting explored now even for the solo players?

That pretty much rules out my ever getting it.

Originally Posted by Knorf

I'm starting to think that, too. I know that there are billions of star systems, but the unexplored ones are going to be harder and harder to reach, one assumes.

Now that I've done quite a bit of exploring, AFAICT how it works is thus:

Each body discovered is worth a certain amount of credits when turned in at a station; each body type has a base amount, which increases in proportion to the body's mass. Planets which can be terraformed also get an increase.

These credits are awarded whenever discoveries are turned in, even if someone else already discovered them, unless a detailed surface scan has been performed. It's like rediscovery without the detailed scan confirms any previous discoveries and the detailed scan commits it to cartographic memory.

The first to discover any given body gets a nice bonus when turned in. Commanders who stick around to perform a detailed surface scan, of which only Level 1 is currently available, also get a nice bonus. Detailed scans at levels 2 and 3 are nothing more than placeholders for the time being, presumably they'll be worth even more when implemented. 100