Elite Explorers - How is your desire?

[raymazoida]

So recently I realised that I kinda lost my exploring mojo.

Was a time when I'd be in the bubble for a month or two, then go exploring for a month or two, after 2 months in the bubble I'd just "get an itch" to go out, and I'd drop whatever I was doing and just hit the road.

But I realised it's April. And tonight I'll be heading to see some brain trees, thats the furthest I'll have been since Sol all year, then I realised I got back of my last trip in November, so it's actually more than 4 months since my last trip. Double my normal time, and I haven't once "had the urge" to go. And I realised that last trip also coincided with me getting my final 9% I needed for Elite explorer.

So I was wondering if any other Elite Explorers have lost their desire to explore since hitting Elite? Have you reduced your exploration time? Dropped it all together? And why is that? Is there more to do in the Bubble with engineering perhaps? Or CGs (I've done lots of both) Or maybe you are the opposite and even increased your exploration time?

Would love to here from you about your experiances post Elite Rank.

note: If you aren't an Elite Explorer kindly sit this one out so wee can keep to the topic, thanks :)

[Agony_Aunt]

Desire is still there, but i usually take a few months between expeditions.

Silly Ships 2 is coming up in May. Feel free to come along.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/335807-Silly-Ships-2-So-Long-and-Thanks-for-all-the-Fish

You do need a Saud Kruger ship to join though. Exploring is always more fun with others.

[raymazoida]

Originally posted by Agony_Aunt:

Desire is still there, but i usually take a few months between expeditions.

So pre elite were you exploring more regularly than now? Or is it about the same?

[Oku]

This: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvmo9nZUxf39nOvSG4mv9Q5ZHCxWyWz3C

Making timelapses is tons of fun. I love finding new vantage points and planets to record from, and because I'm looking for things on the planet surface level, exploration becomes much deeper and more fun. I'm not just flying out to another neutron star or black hole or earthlike world, I'm hunting for that perfect spot on a gorgeous world with unique terrain in a pretty spot.

I'm ACTUALLY exploring. ACTUALLY finding stuff people have never seen before and am showing the beauty of the game from these spots in ways not many people do.

And there's TRILLIONS of planets out there that are potential spots for me to record from.

[raymazoida]

Yes I am not much of a video maker, but I do like finding cool shots from planets srufaces for pics.

With Geysers at least there are some new stuff on said surfaces since I went last out which is a consideration

[Mythenmetz]

exploring was the top priority for me at the beginning of journey through the ED universe.
with my last trip, which took about 7 months, i did hit the elite rank.
the payouts allowed me to afford an A-rated Anaconda for... yeah... delivery missions, making more money to be able to outfit a Fed. Corvette.
Now i'm at 40% post captain... but still... i feel the need to get out there and do more exploring...

edit: the more i think about it... exploring in this game is somewhat special... you are out there, feeeeling very alone and isolated... no shortcut to return "back home"... yeah, very special atmosphere for me at least.

[Fork_Q2]

Only a few percentages off getting that Elite rank. I think I'll only do week long trips for CGs and the like, after i get my rank. I really want that badge on my ship.

[raymazoida]

Originally posted by Fork_Q2:

Only a few percentages off getting that Elite rank. I think I'll only do week long trips for CGs and the like, after i get my rank. I really want that badge on my ship.

When I cracked my Asp out for the first time in a long time yesterday it was very nice to stick "Elite" on all the badges upgrading from "Pioneer" (Ships I have dedicated builds for have all decals related to that build, or depending on skin less if I don't like the clashing etc with the paint job)

[Ofan]

Planning to go get a billion or so exploring in the next month or two. Just waiting for some story movement probably after this event at eom to see if I need to take guns with me.

[Agony_Aunt]

Originally posted by mrraybaker:

Originally posted by Agony_Aunt:

Desire is still there, but i usually take a few months between expeditions.

So pre elite were you exploring more regularly than now? Or is it about the same?

No no, always the same more or less. Explore for a few weeks then back to the bubble for a few weeks or months, then back off out into the black. Last year was a little different as Distant Worlds took up 4 months solid, but that was special, and i took an extra long break after that.

[raymazoida]

Originally posted by Ofan:

Planning to go get a billion or so exploring in the next month or two. Just waiting for some story movement probably after this event at eom to see if I need to take guns with me.

Since 2.1 I always took guns, shields, heat sinks chaff etc, mostly for the return as I've been interdicted a few times (by NPCs) and they've saved my life...well not the guns, but they just make you feel better haha....

In all honesty any aliens that you can take on in an exploration fitted ship with a few pulse lasers are really not going to be a threat to anything with a "shielded trader" type loadout anyway.

But we are getting slightly sidetracked into outfitting....though I am considering my next trip....hmmm....

[raymazoida]

I considered doing this about 6 months back actually:

http://messier.seds.org/more/mw_m.html

Visiting every Messier object in the Milky Way, I'm imaging many of the "open clusters" or globular clusters won't look that impressive (would be interesting to hear from any who has visted them) if I can even locate where they are in game (I'm pretty sure there is some tool where you can convert RA Dec into where to go in Elite) but some of these should be prety decent.

Well thats motivating me a tad lol

[Ofan]

Originally posted by mrraybaker:

Originally posted by Ofan:

Planning to go get a billion or so exploring in the next month or two. Just waiting for some story movement probably after this event at eom to see if I need to take guns with me.

Since 2.1 I always took guns, shields, heat sinks chaff etc, mostly for the return as I've been interdicted a few times (by NPCs) and they've saved my life...well not the guns, but they just make you feel better haha....

In all honesty any aliens that you can take on in an exploration fitted ship with a few pulse lasers are really not going to be a threat to anything with a "shielded trader" type loadout anyway.

But we are getting slightly sidetracked into outfitting....though I am considering my next trip....hmmm....

More for human and human npc aggro, I suspect story progression will add npcs in far away places, also becasue I will pass via COlonia after exploring the easter permit locked regions.

As for exploration drive , I'm like Agony; I have a huge trip then need to debrief for a few months to regain "stamina". Next trip has been building in my blood for a few months now.

[raymazoida]

Originally posted by Ofan:

As for exploration drive , I'm like Agony; I have a huge trip then need to debrief for a few months to regain "stamina". Next trip has been building in my blood for a few months now.

Yes this was how I did it till I got back from my mapping trip at the end of november...just haven't been motivated since

[jasonbarron]

My recent motivation was based on the fact that since 2.3 my frame rates in Open have rendered combat unplayable. So I thought to myself it might be a decent time to decompress from my PvP stuff, repair my finances and see if there is anything new to be found outside of the bubble. My trip is worth almost 200 mil in passengers, not sure what to expect from the honking data. I'm buckyballing on the way out to Sag A* and then taking my time on the way back. I brought 2 SRV's to go dune hopping, too.

On the whole I have to say my motivation to explore has withered since returning from the DWE; there simply isn't enough compelling gameplay to make it worthwhile​

[Turd Ferguson]

I've been out a few time but spending most of the time scoop-jumping is kind of monotonous. Wish there was more to getting around than scoop-jumping... maybe some kind of long distance SC-like flying around gravity wells rather just scoop. jump. wait. repeat.

I don't mind how long it takes. just wish it was more interactive and less repetitive and monotonous getting there.