Beta testing begins on Oct 30...

Loving the mining part of the trailer...that looked pretty slick.


Anyone still playing?

The Chapter Four content reveal livestreams will be on the following dates:
Exploration, Codex and Visual Improvements – 18 October (19:00 BST)
BGS and Scenario Interactions – 25 October (19:00 BST)
Squadrons – 30 October (19:00 GMT)
Mining – 01 November (19:00 GMT)
The Ships – 8 November (19:00 GMT)

Not played for a while but this update may change that.

Yep, I'm also away for a bit, but eagerly looking forward to the mining and exploration updates.

I'll play again when they update the game in a way to make piracy against human players viable again--preferably when they force all the mobius chickens out of PvE.

Looking forward to the update today. Looks like exploring (my favourite thing to do) is getting a nice re-work.

Managed to play for a few minutes after the server upgrade. No idea what's happened to my exploring but I can't seem to get anything to work. Keeps saying I can't use the module in this cockpit mode. Anyway,there are now issues and I can no longer get in game

*Update* OMFG how complicated have they made discovery now? Seems I need to bind a load of keys just to get it to work. I'm too tired and pissed off about the server crashes to even try to figure this out right now.

Yep the typical post patch disconnects... give it another 12 hours for the servers/FDEV to get things smoothed out. In regards to the exploration changes... yes, it's a lot different and yes, you need to bind a bunch of new keys, but... once you get the hang of it, it's faster and not nearly as complicated as it seems when you first start figuring it out. I played it in the beta and after the initial headache of setup and figuring out what to do, it was a breeze. I haven't downloaded the patch yet, but I don't expect that they've changed much from the beta. I think that Obsidian Ant put out a quick overview of the new exploration mechanic a few hours ago, with more detailed ones to follow. It's completely new, so try not to get too frustrated before you get accustomed to the new mechanic Do something fun while you wait... check out the latest demo of the F14 Tomcat from Heatblur for DCS... that puts a smile on my face anyways.

Yeah,I was watching Obsidian Ant on Twitch last night because he was going to go through exploration but he was having problems connecting and when he did he got booted after a while. It was a frustrating evening all told.

Today I will sort it out,get the keys bound and try again. Perhaps you can tell me,do you no longer have to visit every object in a system to detail scan it?

*Update* Wow. Exploring is totally ruined for me at least. This new system is just awful. I was quite happy with the old way,slowly trundling through each system,doing detailed surface scans. Quite honestly,I'm not sure I want to play this anymore

Any detail Chucky on how it's changed? What changes have ruined it for you? Like what steps/procedures do you have to do now?

Binding the keys is the toughest part of the new exploration. What I've bound to get functionality:

Toggle FSS: This opens/closes the FSS scanning display.
Zoom In: focuses the FSS reticle on a signal source.
Zoom Out: Obviously, the opposite!
Tuning Up/Down: I put these on two keys, one for tuning left and the other right.

The FSS is dual-use, it does discovery scanning AND does scans for POI sites in systems now (and the POI have longer persistent times for easier interaction).

Basic process for FSS use:
1. Arrive in-system and fire the "Ping" to gather system data.
2. Enter FSS mode.
3. Take a look at the detected frequencies. This seems weird and disconnected at first, but actually tells you a good deal of information. You can see at a glance if certain planet types are present (for those who are seeking Earth-like, or Ammonia worlds, as example).
4. Tune the FSS frequency to the desired area for what you want.
5. Now pan the FSS reticle around, and you'll see the signal marks surrounding the reticle come in/out of central focus. Maybe fiddle with tuning, to get the target to fully highlight.
6. Zoom in.

Upon fully zooming in on a target, you have collected 100% of the data which the FSS can gather on that star or planet. This means the "First Discovered By" tag is yours, and the Credits bonus, all that stuff. The same as when you flew out to the target with the old DSS exploration method.

Now simply zoom out and repeat. Seeing it typed out, it seems a mess. But it's fast, fast, fast. I've fully scanned systems with 40+ bodies in just 2 or 3 minutes (instead of a half-hour+ before in SuperCruise). The FSS HUD gives you a display telling you when you reach 100% complete on the system scan.

Worth noting... The old Discovery Scanner module (all three variants of Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced) are now gone from the game. If you owned any, you got the full price back as a refund in credits. Now this new FSS takes the ADS module place, and is built into each ship, taking up *no* module space.

If you want to take your Exploration a notch higher, you can still fit a Detailed Surface Scanner. Bind keys to open/close, and fire probes. Use it as follows:

1. SuperCruise to a celestial body and slow to idle speed.
2. Open DSS HUD
3. Pan targeting reticle.
4. Fire Probes.

Probes are infinite, and are affected by gravity. You can slingshot them using gravity around to the far side of the planet, no need to fly all the way around. Once your probes have landed and cover about 80% to 90% of the body surface, the mapping is completed. You now get another Credit bonus, and a new "First Mapped By" tag on the body after you sell the data.

Hope this is useful. I'm gearing up for an exploration trip in my next few sessions. There are all kinds of unique things added to discover now, from Lagrange Clouds, to organic and inorganic phenomenon. The new Codex logs things other CMDRs have reported, which can give some clues as to what and where you might find some of these things.

So looks like ED is giving out free 'condas? I got an email today with a code to redeem.

I think it's just a skin pack on offer. You have to own the Anaconda already, unless I misunderstand.

Thanks so much for that explanation Adlabs! Hopefully DBond,he's answered your questions too.

The issue is that I was very happy doing it the old way,even if it was a longer way of doing things. I don't care about credits,I have all the ships I want and money spare.I think I just need to get to grips with it,the alternative is I move on to something else (X4 maybe?)

I only did exploring,trading and running (non-combat) missions with exploring being the thing I did most. To see it revamped in such a way had me looking up and shaking my fist in anger at nothing in particular. Yes,I'm old and set in my ways and I don't like change.

*edit* I see from your last bit of info I can still visit planets and map them with probes? That might fit the bill.

Yes, the probes are a new redesign of the DSS module.

And you can fire probes into rings, to get mining "Hotspot" data, and even fire probes to map non-landable planets, too.

Yes, he did Chucky, and thanks Adlabs for the detailed and rather moderately obfuscated explanation of things, which is no reflection of the sender, rather the receiving end.

Who is playing these days? This forum dried up for 6 months. Any other noteworthy changes or developments?

My business shuts down for a month starting around Christmas. I might have to use that time to revisit Elite and maybe finally get some of those long term goals done.

I did stop playing for a while,patiently waiting for this new update.

I've just spent 30-40 mins trying to get to grips with the new exploration mechanics and it's just not happening. Why oh why make it so overly-complicated? Maybe it's just my age and stubbornness to accept change but I think I'm done here. I'm so annoyed.

Well that's troubling. Is it that bad really?

Back when they announced the exploration stuff I seem to remember that there were plans for giving the player more detail in game about his discoveries. Has anything been added where you can see where you've been, how many systems or bodies you've discovered and those sorts of info/stats?

It troubled me,but I'm in the minority here.

Someone else will have to answer that second question DBond

I had another go last night and this morning. I'm still struggling but I feel I'm at least getting better. I need to do something about the mouse sensitivity on that one screen though,it's horrible.

I didn't realise I could use keys for the new scanner modes that I had already assigned to other things so I'm going to re-do all my assignments soon.

*Update* Now I think I'm getting there! Do you guys find it easier to deploy the probes the closer you get to the planet?

That's encouraging

Indeed it was. My eagerness to continue with the game overcame my resistance to change

Maybe this section will come alive a little now. I do have X4 waiting to be played but that has a steeper learning curve than E:D in my opinion.

Yep, I do. Easier to sling the probes around to the far side of the planet.

I just realised that the new orrery view was something that I mentioned on here some while ago that I would really love to have. Now I have it! I wish I hadn't had such a downer on this patch now,I made my feelings clear on the official FD YouTube channel as well I might go and delete that now.

I was in a similar spot, Chucky.

The new FSS and Exploration, I got on with right away. But the new mining I felt Frontier went in the wrong direction. But at the end of the day, a good many players are enjoying the new mining. That's the important thing. And the new mining does work for me, something I'll do plenty of, no matter what I otherwise hoped it could have been.

The best thing about the X series is you can build a business empire that earns credits for you, so you don't have to waste time doing mundane tasks like trading or mining or running missions. But then you have to manage fleets and that can be a pain in the ass. If only you could control X like an RTS game, then it'd be perfect.

I’ve been getting back into the game as well. The new core mining is really cool and insanely profitable! I’ve been making ~50m/hr and having fun doing so!

Station rescue was another fun and profitable activity (though not new to this patch). The environment and the sense of urgency it gives was quite enjoyable.

The little bit I tried of exploration was (to me anyway) more interesting than the old “honk & scoop.” With my newfound liquidity, I’m feeling like the game is becoming a bit more “accessible” in that I can get the ships I want to use to try out the various bits of content I find interesting without the feel of the grind.

So I wound up mining my way to Elite Trade rank! I now have over 1B in the wallet, and for my next adventure I plan on doing some engineering of my AspX and my mining Python. Once I get those cranked up. A bit, I’m going to fit out a combat ship and try my hand at combat (probably a Fer-de-Lance).

Deep core mining is really profitable with a little legwork (where to sell), there are a handful of mined materials that will give you either close to or over 1 million per ton. I just sold 105 tons of void opals that I harvested from the Ibor system at BD+47 2112. This is a big bonus for me... I love the Deep Core mining activity of blowing up the asteroids... I love flying my Krait through the asteroid fields and the suspense pirates in the asteroid fields and of trying to make it back to the port to sell my haul. I'll typically get interdicted once or twice on the trip to market.

I haven't tried the rescue missions yet, but that's next on the list.

Congrats on the Elite Trade rank. That would be my next goal once I come back to Elite. I'm dabbling in SC but the experience isn't great at the moment.

Void Opals are definitely the one to look for, you can get ~1.6m per and i usually get about 15 per asteroid I crack. You are right, the core mining gameplay is very engaging and fun. Not to mention you get a nicely satisfying explosion when you bust open a rock!

I haven't gotten tired of seeing the shock wave coming rolling out and disrupt my shields. The dust cloud while you're moving around the broken pieces are a pretty cool effect... once and a while I'll get some screen icing if I hit a really cold pocket after splitting an ice asteroid. Overall, I'm really enjoying the visuals in the last content update. The lighting changes that are done during this update have added a lot too. I was doing some scavenging in an SRV and it was so impressive, to me, I ended up taking some screenshots... which I don't typically do.

Yes, I got alot of icing while blasting deposits as well. I also tend to bounce of the rocks as I'm moving around, I've taken a good bit of damage in the process!
I plan on getting out of the bubble and doing some exploration at some point, and getting some SRV time in as well. I hope I find some views that are screenshot-worthy!

Johnny,
When you’re ready to dive into combat, I’d suggest winging up with someone. Bounty hunting in a wing is much more profitable. Not to mention safer. There are several of us SimHQ-ers that usually run together most everyday. My in game name is Utumno, if you see me on and want to wing up gimme a message in comms.
<s> bo

Has someone setup a SimHQ squadon yet?

Hey thanks for the offer! I mainly play in Solo for now, as play time is somewhat limited. If I get the itch for some PVP, you're on!

No pvp here, we run in a private group.

Meh. What's the point of being a bounty hunter if you don't hunt the real criminals in Open?

Had my fill of griefers and gankers. The nice thing about E:D is that you don’t have to deal with it if you don’t want. Just my opinion, of course.

Well I’ll admit that’s a lot more appealing! I’ll definitley hit you up at some point. What do you use for comms?

We use TS as a rule. A while back when there were issues with the SimHQ TS server, we did use the in game comms as a back up. I should be on later tonite after work, 21:00-ish.

Johnny,
The_Nephilim sent you a friend request just now in game. Since the private group is his, you will need to accept it so he can add you to the group.
Bo

Ok, will do and thanks!