New to ED - Exploration or Mining

[Spooky]

So im new and im looking to start a career in Exploration or Mining. Im not sure which is more newb friendly. I just bought a Cobra MK3 and im not sure what i would need to get started as far as my ships loadout goes. I know Cobra is a Multiclass ship, ill buy a more specialized ship once im ready to commit to one career or the other.

[Tokfan]

Just bought a Cobra? Exploration hands down.
If you want to be fancy about it grab a surface scanner.
Slap on an 4A FSD and D-rate the rest fit whatever fuel scoop you can afford and off you go.
There's this thing called "road to riches" which yields a bunch of money. If you couple that with the surface scanner you'll be making plenty.

I wouldn't recommend going into mining before you can get something that can hold a few asteroids - your cobra has about 50-ish cargo capacity.
I'd say explore around until you can fit an Asp explorer (note: explorer NOT the scout!) before you go out explodifying rocks.
Here's a quick build;
https://s.orbis.zone/1hiw
Price tag lands at 24,7 million, which should be a night or two exploring or *cough* *cough* ~2 hours with road to riches if not less.

As for your cobra, aim for something like this;
https://s.orbis.zone/1hiy
You can ofc skip a bunch of cash downgrading the 4A to a 4B. Just a word of caution, try to stick with the smallest A-rated power plant since they have the best heat efficiency compared to the D-rated ones. Besides the 2D power plant will only give you 0,07 Ly range extra.
Build above with 4A scoop - 5,2 million but with 4B scoop - 3,05 million and the only difference between the two are 6 seconds of scooping.
Do bring that heat sink, you never know when the game decides to drop you in between two stars in a binary system or you snooze off and steer into a T-star exclusion zone.

[van Leeuwenhoek's mustache]

@Dreth

You've posted the same thread twice, delete the other one.

Also, you'll find these guides useful:
Popular guide to mining [docs.google.com]

Ast' Cracks: A visual guide for deep core mining

Mining 3.3

[Spooky]

Originally posted by Tokfan:

As for your cobra, aim for something like this;
https://s.orbis.zone/1hiy

I can understand needing the Fuel Scoop and Surface scanner, but from what my newbie mind tells me is that some of the standard core interals of the Cobra are better then what you listed.

Also, are the rating of the Fuel Scoop/Surface scanner 100% nessecary? My current station doesnt have surface scanners for sale and doesnt have a 4A Fules scoop(2A is thew best). or will i be fine with ones i can aquire now?

[Tokfan]

The standard listed is E-rated.
The definition of what is better or worse depends on the usage of said modules;
A-rated have generally higher performance but same weight as E-rated, A-rated power plants runs much cooler when scooping.
B-rated weigh a LOT more but comes with more integrity/durability.
C-rated is kinda in-between A and E, and honestly I cannot figure out one reason to use one of those.
D-rated are stripped down and weigh less than an E and has marginally more efficiency.
E-rated are the standard, poor performance, bad efficiency.

When we're going out exploring we want to decrease the weight as much as possible, hence the D-rated modules BUT A-rated Frameshift Drive then downsized D-rated thrusters (not avaliable for the Cobra but for the bigger ones it is) and a downsized A-rated power plant.
So we get to jump as far as we can while not being weighed down by heavy modules while trading a small margin of jump range for safe scooping.
And then there's the power distributor, you COULD downsize it to 1D and not being able to boost but the gain is only 0,07 Ly.

If you read what I wrote above for the rating of the fuel scoop;
"Build above with 4A scoop - 5,2 million but with 4B scoop - 3,05 million and the only difference between the two are 6 seconds of scooping."
If you fiddle around and try a few different scoops you can see how much power draw they have and refuel time. If you're just going for a short trip (as in anything below 2k Ly) then a max sized B rated is "good enough" and the refueling time is marginal. But if we're talking about a trip to the core or colonia... well... debatable.
Also worth noting; Once you get better at scooping consider a B-rated power plant for extra integrity and slap on armored on it. You can always repair every other module and ship integrity while out and about but your power plant needs to be repaired in a space dock - which there are only a few of out there. Unless you fly a Kruger ship, then you need that thermal efficiency or you'll drive yourself mad.

And the surface scanner only comes in one variant and it will boost your income by A LOT if you bother scanning the planets with probes.

A 2A fuel scoop will take you 3½ minute to refuel. I wouldn't take that. 4B will take 54 seconds, 3A will take 1½ minute, 3C will take 2 minutes.
There's a nice site called Roguey that you'd probably want to book mark;
https://roguey.co.uk/elite-dangerous/equipment/internal/fuel-scoop/
After consulting coriolis what fuel scoop you want head over there, click where to buy, punch in your system and see where the closest reseller is.

[ExtremelyMift69]

Fit your Cobra out with A rated everythings. Fit the fastest fuel scoop you can afford and a DSS. Set off into the Black and scan every system you pass through. You can get an invite to Prof Palin if you travel 5000+Ly from origin. You ship will take some wear & tare from a long journey. Personally I would use my Cobra to build my bank balance & buy an AspX, it's built for exploration and it has a far better jump range. Fly safe Cmdr. o7

[Tokfan]

Originally posted by ExtremelyMift69:

Fit your Cobra out with A rated everythings.

What good is A-rated Life support, Sensors, power distributors and thrusters when you're chilling super cruise?

[fnberger]

Please let me add that an exploration-fitted hauler will have over 10% more jump range at a total price lower than the fuel scoop needed for a Cobra (compare the build Tokfan linked). So my suggestion would be keeping the Cobra in your favourite station and take the Hauler for exploration. Yes, the Hauler is a better first exploration ship than the Cobra: https://s.orbis.zone/1hiy

[Luckyleol]

Well if you can do some deep core mining done properly you can make 25ish million credits for one asteroid, which is around 15 chunks. You are going to need a seismic launcher(size 2 only) a dss, pulse scanner, prospecting limpets(maybe collectors), abrasion cannnons, and ofcourse enough cargo. Check some mining tutorials for more info, and mining for now you don't need to go too far.
Edit: almost forgot you need a refiner aswell.

[ZombieHunter]

Skip the sub surface missile. Not worth the module slot.

[Spooky]

So ive started trying to explore using the Road to riches just until i can aford a better ship and im a bit confused on some things.

The Discovery scanner, its suppose to show me what worlds i should scan for the biggest payout but i have no clue how to use it. i have it set to a fire group but it constantly tells me wrong cockpit mode, along with the detailed surface scanner, even though it seems to works when i have a planet targeted, and it has ammo that i have no clue how to use. Google being completely out of date doesnt help, every article is atleast a year old... lol

[Kittenpox]

When it comes to fuel scooping, you *could* get by with a 1E scoop if you have to.
But using bigger+better scoops will drastically improve the rate at which you refuel from KGBFOAM stars, so use whatever best fits your ship+budget.

While it can be important to have a fuel scoop - which one you choose is entirely up to you.

But If you're doing dedicated exploration, you'll want the best you can safely afford so that you're not AFK at a refuel star for 15mins at a time. :-p (and possibly a spare fuel tank in your optional internals, so you don't have to refuel as often.)

[Kittenpox]

Originally posted by Dreth:

The Discovery scanner, its suppose to show me what worlds i should scan for the biggest payout but i have no clue how to use it. i have it set to a fire group but it constantly tells me wrong cockpit mode, along with the detailed surface scanner, even though it seems to works when i have a planet targeted, and it has ammo that i have no clue how to use. Google being completely out of date doesnt help, every article is atleast a year old... lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hBzGV6XcjE

[fnberger]

There are different types of scanners involved. The built in discovery scanner will automatically find everything close to you, while you still need to manually activate it to get a reading of the whole system in order to use the FSS. If your ship tells you you're in wrong cockpit mode, hit key M to switch from combat to analysis mode. Then use the DSS ("honk"), then open the FSS (look up the correct key in your options) and scan for celestial objects, tuning the frequency by your cursor keys (or A+D). If there's a earthlike, ammonia or waterworld, target it, fly over and do a surface scan by firing probes on it. profit.

[Spooky]

Originally posted by fnberger:

There are different types of scanners involved. The built in discovery scanner will automatically find everything close to you, while you still need to manually activate it to get a reading of the whole system in order to use the FSS. If your ship tells you you're in wrong cockpit mode, hit key M to switch from combat to analysis mode. Then use the DSS ("honk"), then open the FSS (look up the correct key in your options) and scan for celestial objects, tuning the frequency by your cursor keys (or A+D). If there's a earthlike, ammonia or waterworld, target it, fly over and do a surface scan by firing probes on it. profit.

Well thats super helpful, do i need to fully map a planet to get the full payout or can i just drop 1 probe and take off? also, how do i mo9ve my camera in DSS mode? i cant seem to move it at all

[Tokfan]

Originally posted by Dreth:

Well thats super helpful, do i need to fully map a planet to get the full payout or can i just drop 1 probe and take off? also, how do i mo9ve my camera in DSS mode? i cant seem to move it at all

Your choice here, either the scanner by distance and move on or fully map it, no in betweens.
It seems that if you log out or crash your mapping progress resets. You only need 90% though as soon as you hit 90 it magically goes to 100.

I strongly advice to go unlock the engineer called "Juri Ishmaak" to make the mapping progress easier with extended radius probes.
He's unlocked after Felicity Farseer so you can't start with Juri. Felicity however is also suuuuper useful with grade 5 frameshift drive upgrades and grade 3 thrusters (hint: clean drives for explorer vessels makes you stay cooler while scooping and nothing beats dirty drives when it comes to combat and or hauling goods). grade 5 thrusters will take you a while to unlock.
Felicity will require you to travel to the Maia system to Darnielle's progress to buy them or go explore around the pleiades for alien life.
That chain (to thrusters) starts with Elvira Martuuk which also does grade 5 FSD upgrades but requires 300 Ly travelled and 3 Soontill relics (bought in Ngurii - Cheranovsky City).

So you basically can't start the engineering process and get your better scanners before heading out far, so my advice to you is set sail for Maia and ofc I forgot how far it is so once you get there check your codex how far you've travelled and keep going for a little bit if necessary, now you've done the leg work for unlocking two of the most useful engineers for a new player.

While it may sound like it's a super big investment with engineers at first remember you do not need to rush them and see it as an investment of time to save time later. See them as unlocking one every month as a good goal that way you won't feel overwhelmed or stressed or burned out.
Do start with Elvira & Felicity though... every ship benefits from FSD range (besides parked combat & anti-xeno ships ofc).

And finally while this might not make any sense what so ever right now for you but it will later.
Every new engineer in the chain needs the former engineer to have a rank of 3.
Every upgrade you do makes them a bit better at their job.
Most engineers accept exploration data and this will push the progress ahead (also worth noting that minor factions i.e. not Empire or Federation have permit locked systems that can be gotten this way faster than running missions).
Sometimes you upgrade a module but then the progress is stopped and you cant reach the next tier, that's because the engineer is crap at its work (or dont trust you) so you need to do some more upgrades on another module or overwrite your current upgrades with another kind.
You can pin a recipe to engineer at any big station so you don't have to travel to them, HOWEVER! Their progress will not increase while doing remote engineering nor will you be able to put in those nifty extra experimental effects. So if you want to unlock higher upgrade you'd better travel there but some you couldn't care less about after reaching rank 3 (hello Marco Qwent).

Again sorry if that was incomprehesive jibberish but do go out to Maia and have a look at the black hole and make sure you don't turn around before 300 Ly.
Edit: I actually totally missed that black hole and the first one I saw was Sagittarus A*, some 25 000 light years away and I went there because I knew there was one there and couldn't find one on the galaxy map. (and ofc got super disappointed)

Also keep your eyes on the galaxy map, when your route turns to a dotted line that's you running out of gas and you can't scoop from every star OBAFGKM stars is scoopable (pretty easy to remember since that's the order they are in the galaxy map). Do take care near the purple stars, their circle of doom is bigger than you think and have a tendacy to not show up straight away instead look top right if it says anything with red text or not.
If you do get stuck switch to "economy mode" on the route plotter or if you feel it's way too many jumps switch to "fastest route". Just remember to scoop early and scoop often.