Exploration
All about exploring the Persean Sector.
Mechanics
Sensors
Much like fleets, salvageable objects have sensor profiles, these profiles are added to a players sensor strength to judge whether a player can see an object or not. This means that although a player may have a detection range of 2000su (1000su = 1 map grid square) they can detect objects more than 2000su away, this information should be considered when choosing a course between points of interest in system to maximise salvageable objects found.
| Object | Detection Range |
|---|---|
| Domain-Era Probe | 1700 |
| Domain-Era Survey Ship | 2700 |
| Domain-Era Survey Mothership | 3500 |
| Cryosleeper | 3500 |
| Standard Caches | 1700 |
| Small Caches | 1200 |
| Research Station | 2200 |
| Mining Station | 2200 |
| Orbital Habitat | 1700 |
Logistics
Exploration can be a particular strain on logistics due to long distances and potentially infrequent chances to resupply.
A dedicated fuel tanker is a practical requirement for almost all fleets, unless making excessive use of Auxiliary Fuel Tanks on combat freighters.
Supplies can often be salvaged in large quantities so cargo considerations are usually focused on a sufficient stockpile between salvage, relative to cargo space for loot.
Crew can be particularly problematic. Cryo Pods can be salvaged for additional crew but in limited amounts. A small Colony could be a good source but requires 1000 crew to begin with.
Care should be taken regarding typical drains on crew levels such as salvage & survey accidents, hull damage in combat or crewed fighter losses in combat;
- Ensuring sufficient Heavy Machinery & avoiding higher accident risk salvage operations
- The Blast Doors, Additional Berthing and Recovery Shuttles
- The Skills Carrier Command level 1, Fighter Doctrine level 1 and Safety Procedures level 1
- Using uncrewed fighters instead, such as Mining Pod Standard Wing, Wasp Interceptor Drone Wing or more exotic choices.
- Bring extra crew
Tips & Tricks
- Taking Exploration Missions before a trip will help cover costs as well as direct the player to a system guaranteed to have some form of salvage & hints on where exactly it is.
- Bringing some otherwise hard to find Transplutonics to build Makeshift Comm Relays in the outer reaches can pay for itself by letting you pick up extra missions during exploration.
- Low level Beacons have good chances at better salvage possibilities. The low level Remnants found inside can either be fought with a tiny fleet of capable combat ships, or ignored with a larger fleet or hunted down if you have at least one burn 11 ship to force combat.
- The "Fuel Range" button (2) in the map allows a player to easily check the range of their fleet. Inner, darker circle shows range for two-way trip, while outer, lighter circle shows range for one-way trip.
- Be wary of Scavenger fleets while in the Outer Worlds. Scavengers can have huge fleets & often become desperate enough to resort to piracy. Seems the fleets with same or bigger strength to player may turn pirate when they'll see the player.
- High Resolution Sensors is a useful hullmod for exploration as often derelict ships & various caches are not near any point of interest that the player may be attracted to. Increased sensor strength also boosts the range of Remote Survey.
- The Neutrino Detector is invaluable for exploring vast areas of space without sacrificing mobility. It can point to you towards objects of interest and a little skill will help you negate its flaws.
- Bringing extra crew to ensure any salvaged vessels can be used without additional supply usage is important, however many debris fields and derelict ships contain cryo pods with additional crew, so staying below maximum crew is recommended.
- A small Colony with a Waystation can be useful as a reliable source of a lot of crew.
- Neutron Stars have a far higher chance of containing Research Stations in particular close to the star however they will not contain habitable planets, unlike main sequence stars.
- Black Hole systems also have high chance of containing Research Stations, generally near the black hole or a Gas Giant in that system.
- Transverse Jump can help reduce the danger of Neutron stars as well as providing additional entrances to star systems that have hostiles on the other side or opportune exits from hostilities within star systems.
- It is possible to use Emergency Burn to get to other side of Neutron Star. Often best using it then flying right "through" the heart of the star.
- Space junk in orbit of planets indicates the presence of ruins, with the bigger amount of junk indicating better ruins.
- Exploration Missions will create things to salvage even once the entire sector has been cleared. If the player takes a salvage mission for a derelict in a system they have fully explored a new derelict will generate.
- Potentially outdated
- Game concepts