Planets with Bones or Scrap - how to find

[Mr_PeaCH]

I started a new game recently (already have 50+ hours in it; had 300+ last year my first game) since the introduction of buried loot like the Bones and Salvage Scrap. Toward the start of my game, first systems, I regularly came across systems that had one or the other; sometimes both.

Recently I've been able to make longer and longer jumps and for no particular reason am headed toward the center. I took to only jumping to Wealthy systems and constructing longer and longer trade loops. Anyway, I can't remember the last time I encountered either Bones or Scrap. I finished enough loops and began going to systems according to Star Colors not concerned about Wealth and lastly to Unknown / Uninhabited systems. Still no Bones or Scrap.

Have I missed something? Cant understand what happened to them.

[Dirak2012]

The game is very random, you are just having bad luck.

[Lobster]

When I find a system with bones or scrap I rename the planets in that system that have those things either bone or scrap. Then I always know where to go. I just teleport from a station and poof I'm there.

[Katcher]

Use your scanner whilst in space. When you scan a planet it's generated name will be displayed along with info on materials and stuff you may find. Bones/Scrap will appear as the Salvageable Tech icon but yellow in that list. All you have to do then is land and use your analysis visor to seek them out in the same vain as Salvaged Technology.

I'm not familiar with bones and how to tell which rarity you'll get but for Salvageable Scrap you'll find containers under and sometimes partially above ground. It comes in three tiers. Tier 1 you'll find the Salvage Container with 2 cylindrical pods attached to it(Bog Standard Blue but profitable). Tier 2 is the same as Tier 1 but also has one of those mining hole things on it(Purple items. Goodish money. Tier 3 are the ones you are on the look out for the most. These have all the same parts as Tier 1 and 2 but have a 4th sort of radar dish looking thing attached to the container. These give out the yellow items and can net you up to 3mil.

[Finite Monkeys]

Originally posted by Mr_PeaCH:

Toward the start of my game, first systems, I regularly came across systems that had one or the other; sometimes both.

Look back through your discoveries list and you should be able to find one of your earlier ones and teleport there. As Milo said previously, renaming the planets to reflect what rare item they have makes this much easier.

[Johnny in the Clouds]

If you have a Fleet of frigates, it is possible the Exploration frigates will point you to planets for salvage. Landing on the exploration frigates you can ask them to scan for stuff. They point you to ruins and stuff for salvageable items. That may also increase chances of finding planets with fossils to find. Maybe having more than one exploration frigate may increase chances but not sure about that.

[Asmosis]

When you bring up the galactic map, without changing your view you can see hundreds (maybe even thousands) of stars. About half of them have those things, it's just bad luck your selecting systems that are probably adjacent to ones with bones or scrap.

[Mr_PeaCH]

Thanks all. But I'm really having a hard time believing it's just random - It's been SO MANY systems visited since I've found any. Unless I was super lucky finding multiple planets with Bones or Salvage early on. What would you say is the percentage of systems that you've encountered having one or the other?

In fact, I did rename a couple of systems from earlier to be able to find them again; so, sure, I do know where a couple are. But I don't want to go backwards, know what I mean? I am wondering why I don't find any moving forward. And I can remember actually stopping naming systems with Bones or Salvage/Scrap early on since I was finding them very regularly I stopped seeing the need. And while you do see it on the list after you scan a planet from space that information about Bones or Salvage does not appear when you check again on your list of visited systems and planets - which is why it is important to re-name those systems, natch.

I mean, the Bones, the Salvaged Scrap; it's all just flavor. Nothing that anyone needs. I guess I'm missing them now that I'm not finding them. You all are probably right but it just seems to me to be beyond random chance to have not found any in dozens and dozens of systems in a row.

Mostly, I was wondering if anyone has figured anything out about any tells when you are using the Galactic Map to plot a route to the next system. I know how to tell what 'color' a star is by the first letter in the 'code' (and if a system has a planet or planets with substantial oceans it will list "Water" too) but after that I got nothing.

[Dirak2012]

Most people think that random is more like an evenly distribution, but true randomness can give you the same result a million times in a row.
Yes, you were extremely lucky at the beginning.

[Asmosis]

In a game like this, you usually find what your looking for when your not looking for it.