Best place to find large Explorer?

[Rye Encoke]

I want to buy a large Explorer, is my best option at the space station or at a trading post on a planet? Or is it the same chance regardless where I am?

[getbent824]

Same chances, but you'll have more action at a planetary trading post. Space stations run hot and cold; trading posts are more consistent. My opinion, but this is what I see.

[Rye Encoke]

cool thanks, does reloading a save change the ships that land. So say I land, look for a ship for 10 minutes, get nothing, if I reload will the ships be the same or will they be different?

[japp_02]

Clearly at trading posts because more ships are comming in. In space stations, ships will stop comming in at some point. So, stay at space stations and once they stop comming move to a trading post. Visiting more trading posts is not helpful, you will soon see that yourself.

IIt helps if you already know what such an explorer looks like (it's a special design), and you can place yourself to easily scan all ships to see their details.

However: Ship types and designs are limited in a system, and stay the same once you enter it, except exotic ships that come-in randomly. If you stay longer and don't see your ship type, then it's time to change system and look there. It's not so easy to quickly run into the ship you want, but possible.
I don't believe the story that richer systems have better ships, I cannot confirm this, so you need to look just everywhere.

[getbent824]

I have heard many times that richer systems give you a higher probability of S-class ships, but I don't know if it's true or not. I found all my S-class ships at trading posts, staying away from the very poor systems. I don't reload, either -- don't need to. Just be patient.

As for explorers, the ships with the large "turbine-looking" engines tend to be the large ones, with up to 38 slots. But not all systems will even offer a large explorer, so shop around.

[japp_02]

Also to complete what I said above: once you see for example an S-Class ship, or a ship you want later, just take note and return in the system later. You will find it for sure. Except exotic ships that spawn randomly.
I have noticed that the same ships do slightly vary in slot number and slot arrangement. So a 48 slot ship may have only 43,45 slots next time you see it. In this case you need to wait until it returns...Patience...

[DthBlayde]

I got stupid lucky then. Starting the Artemis story arc, and Arty's ship was a wrecked Explorer, 37 slots I want to say. At work right now so I can't confirm, but it was a pretty solid score.

[japp_02]

Originally posted by DthBlayde:

I got stupid lucky then. Starting the Artemis story arc, and Arty's ship was a wrecked Explorer, 37 slots I want to say. At work right now so I can't confirm, but it was a pretty solid score.

Yes, it's a solid score, Explorers can have maximum 38 slots.
(Hawlers 48, Fighters 38, Shuttles 28).

[Kellion]

Does anyone actually own a shuttle? Their "distributed" stats seem to make them mediocre at best. We could get rid of them and have fewer ships to sort through at trading posts.

[DthBlayde]

Originally posted by japp_02:

Originally posted by DthBlayde:

I got stupid lucky then. Starting the Artemis story arc, and Arty's ship was a wrecked Explorer, 37 slots I want to say. At work right now so I can't confirm, but it was a pretty solid score.

Yes, it's a solid score, Explorers can have maximum 38 slots.
(Hawlers 48, Fighters 38, Shuttles 28).

An almost fitting name too :D
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1723499559

[japp_02]

Early in the game it's worth to concentrate on C-Class Hawlers in the range of 30-35 slots. You have a good slot number for your credits, above 35 it gets expensive quick, whichever class.
Explorers & Fighters above 30 slots are rather expensive.
Don't dismiss shuttles too quickly: their average stats makes them more resistant against attacks if you equip them well, nothing spectacular though, they are the weakest in the game for sure - but also the cheapest :)
And exotic ships for what they do, best hyperdrive stats, are surprisingly cheap.

[Ditchinit]

Originally posted by japp_02:

Early in the game it's worth to concentrate on C-Class Hawlers in the range of 30-35 slots. You have a good slot number for your credits, above 35 it gets expensive quick, whichever class.
Explorers & Fighters above 30 slots are rather expensive.
Don't dismiss shuttles too quickly: their average stats makes them more resistant against attacks if you equip them well, nothing spectacular though, they are the weakest in the game for sure - but also the cheapest :)
And exotic ships for what they do, best hyperdrive stats, are surprisingly cheap.

In other words, it's not the size of your ship that matters as much as how you use it.

[Rye Encoke]

thanks everyone for the info. Couldn't find the large but got a really nice medium size one and got the full 29 slots on it. That will do me until I can stumble across the larger one.

Lots of good info given though and appreciate all of it.

[Rye Encoke]

oh well that sucks....had a big hauler worth 65k (hadn't made all the repairs) and exchanged it for an Explorer but didn't get any of the extra money. I thought the lifeform I traded with would make up the difference. I can't remember what the Explorer was worth but it wasn't 30k so I had hoped I would get a boatload of money back.

[flick]

Originally posted by Rye_Encoke:

oh well that sucks....had a big hauler worth 65k (hadn't made all the repairs) and exchanged it for an Explorer but didn't get any of the extra money. I thought the lifeform I traded with would make up the difference. I can't remember what the Explorer was worth but it wasn't 30k so I had hoped I would get a boatload of money back.

FWIW, the creepy Korvak calculators seem to enjoy explorers. You'll see more of them in Korvax systems. So if you're sill hunting, focus on wealthier Korvax systems.