Exocrafts?

[jcode]

What is the point with Exocrafts? Why can´t i just load it in my ship? Doesn´t make sense.

I have to always be carrying extra stuff to make the Exocraft pad. And i have to return to the pad and destroy the pad so i can get my resources back?

When exploring i always use my visor scan and leave my ship...run around and scavenge...then i call my ship to appear just in front of me and can leave immediately. I really don´t see the point with Exocrafts at all.

[Subquake]

They haven't done anything with Exocrafts since they were first introduced into the game. In my opinion half baked idea and I hope that they will expand the functionality of them beyond simple racing stuff. Also they don't have any tech slots and you don't have any variations between the 3 types of exocraft compared to starships/freighters/frigates

[terryt3535]

Protecting you from the environment seems to be the primary use. Get a mod to speed up running and you will see even less use for them. They have slightly better scanners than the ship, but they still don't see every building that you would on foot.

[Subquake]

Originally posted by terryt3535:

Protecting you from the environment seems to be the primary use. Get a mod to speed up running and you will see even less use for them. They have slightly better scanners than the ship, but they still don't see every building that you would on foot.

Yeah I wish they would have same level of scanning capabilities as your multi-tool scanner and more.

[Oceansize]

I'm using mine plenty, but only on my home world. I was thinking they were impractical for using anywhere else, but now that you mention it, they do seem designed to be used similarly to our other portable tech, such as picking up our portable refiner as soon as we're done using it, so maybe I'll just get in the habit of picking up the pad before going off to explore another planet. That way I can easily drop the pad on the new planet without having to gather mats for it first.

I'm using it more and more at my home base because the longer I'm there, the more I've used up all the resources around me, and am having to explore further and further away to get everything I need. The exocraft is great for getting outside the perimeter of land I've already scoured.

The main reason I like it for intra-planet exploration is that it doesn't use Launch fuel. I hate summoning my ship to me knowing it's going to use one, if not two, doses of Launch fuel.

[Subquake]

P.S. You can increase the inventory sizes for exocraft with the save editor ;)

[Phosphorescence]

From what i understand its sole reason for existance is for Speedy Exploration and added protection. It gets its best usage on planets with enviromental hazards as you can move around and mine without worry Too much of dieing and you dont have to waste your launch fuel to move your ship around as you scurry around the planet. and a car is generally faster then walking so thats always a plus.

[sh3llshΩck]

Originally posted by Blue★BeatBreak:

From what i understand its sole reason for existance is for Speedy Exploration and added protection. It gets its best usage on planets with enviromental hazards as you can move around and mine without worry Too much of dieing and you dont have to waste your launch fuel to move your ship around as you scurry around the planet. ,b]and a car is generally faster then walking [\b]so thats always a plus.

With 6 x S movement modules equipped I move waaay faster then the current state of the exocraft. I basically fly and sprint everywhere now.

Also, the planet I made my current base on has so many lakes and islands that it makes it impractical to drive it anywhere.

However, I did not know i could just pick up the pad and drop it somewhere. I thought it had to stay at the base. If it is mobile then I'll probably take it with me because there are some harsh planets that it makes sense to drive it around.

[...👑 JOST AMMAN 👑...]

Originally posted by jcode:

What is the point with Exocrafts? Why can´t i just load it in my ship? Doesn´t make sense.

I have to always be carrying extra stuff to make the Exocraft pad. And i have to return to the pad and destroy the pad so i can get my resources back?

When exploring i always use my visor scan and leave my ship...run around and scavenge...then i call my ship to appear just in front of me and can leave immediately. I really don´t see the point with Exocrafts at all.

Honestly you don't make any sense either... the reason to use an exocraft is the same as in the real world. Why do you use a car when you can walk?

Walking is tiring and the car gives you extra cargo space + it's a safe place to go to and rest.

Also as someone else said, calling the ship every time consumes much more fuel and the starship cargo is limited or used for other things.

On top of that the Exocraft has the depot scanner and you can mine directly from inside your vehicle. If you install a cannon you can also attack sentinels and be relatively safe from their reaction since the exocraft shields are much better than your personal one.

And last but not least it's cool to drive! :-]

[MechWarden]

Exocrafts are surprisingly good for wandering around a planets surface. It is faster and safer than foot travel, plus their sensors can help with finding a few extra things.

I do agree that it needs developing. With how few upgrades it can get, and lack of appearance customisation, it kind of feels mostly tacked on. I hate to say it, but the scanner steps on the toes of the signal booster, making it pretty obsolete; along with the Nav data items. Ironically, despite it being able to scan for important things, it totally nerfs your sometimes better personal scanner. Also the lack of a shield, resorting in using your personal shield instead, even when in the Colossus, seems rather uninspired and kind of indicates how quickly it was made and shipped out.
(don't get wrong, I like exocrafts, but the figurative seams and welds are obvious and rough)

But on an extreme environment planet, they are invaluable to exploration, and makes sense to use. You still get a sense of exploration while driving around while protected by the elements; hopping out from time to time to check stuff out or to get your barings on something.

[Sanginius]

One thing not mentioned is that when the Exocraft first appeared, i dont think you could just call your ship and have it apper, you needed to find a landing pad and use a bypass chip to summon it. This was also before the terrain manipulator, so you couldnt just dig a cave to hide from storms. So you needed the exocraft to get about and explore hostile planets. Nomad for planets with lots of water, Roamer for Exploring, and Colossus for gathering .

[Paradokz]

Exocraft are really handy but, I'd prefer to be able to build one Geobay and summon any of the craft to it rather than seperate geobays for each craft........And we need a BOAT (please)

[Sanginius]

why a boat, the nomad hovers above water, Its what i used to use for collecting things underwater. unfortunately its got a tiny storage.

[Oceansize]

Originally posted by sh3llsh0ck:

Originally posted by Blue★BeatBreak:

From what i understand its sole reason for existance is for Speedy Exploration and added protection. It gets its best usage on planets with enviromental hazards as you can move around and mine without worry Too much of dieing and you dont have to waste your launch fuel to move your ship around as you scurry around the planet. ,b]and a car is generally faster then walking [\b]so thats always a plus.

With 6 x S movement modules equipped I move waaay faster then the current state of the exocraft. I basically fly and sprint everywhere now.

Also, the planet I made my current base on has so many lakes and islands that it makes it impractical to drive it anywhere.

However, I did not know i could just pick up the pad and drop it somewhere. I thought it had to stay at the base. If it is mobile then I'll probably take it with me because there are some harsh planets that it makes sense to drive it around.

There is a hole in my plan. I do not know if the pad can be built on land that hasn't been claimed by a base computer. Will have to find out during my next sesh.

[Bubba Fett]

Exocraft pads can be built anywhere. I'm pretty sure you can just delete the pad and get your materials back after you spawn the craft and have the craft remain but I haven't tried it since next.
If that's still the case, you could just use a pad to spawn an exocraft when you land your ship, get your materials back and leave them in your ship, then explore with the exocraft.
When you're done, you summon your ship and abandon the craft till you build the next pad.

They're not actually separate craft. It's the same ones with the same loadout and inventory contents that you summon to each pad.
In fact, summoning a colossus and filling it's inventory is a good way to move resources back to your base.

[Paradokz]

Originally posted by Bubba Fett:

Exocraft pads can be built anywhere. I'm pretty sure you can just delete the pad and get your materials back after you spawn the craft and have the craft remain but I haven't tried it since next.
If that's still the case, you could just use a pad to spawn an exocraft when you land your ship, get your materials back and leave them in your ship, then explore with the exocraft.
When you're done, you summon your ship and abandon the craft till you build the next pad.

They're not actually separate craft. It's the same ones with the same loadout and inventory contents that you summon to each pad.
In fact, summoning a colossus and filling it's inventory is a good way to move resources back to your base.

Yes! And that's what I do...create the Geobay then delete it, the Exo stays behind fort you to use.