Question about ship integrity...

[ferus]

I'm currently set out for exploration and so far I am in populated systems so there is no problem to repair my ship.
However, I noticed that even though all my modules and the hull can be at 100% and yet the ship integrity slowly decreases...

Is it possible to repair it "on the run" and what happens if the integrity drops all the way down to 0?

I'm afraid that once I get to the vast and empty systems there will be no means how to repair ship integrity... Will that be fatal?

[Edelweiss ✿]

Integrity must be repaired at a station, repair parts will only fix modules that are damaged. Say your ship has 100% hull, and 0% integrity, your hull will likey fall down to about 70% hull, so it can damage your ship, but integrity alone wont kill you. It can even actually look kinda cool, I've seen a 0% integrity python and it got all rusty

[Sapyx]

As I understand it, low "hul integrity" makes your ship slightly more vulnerable to damage, either from enemy fire, or accidental damage (eg. ramming into the space station wall). A hull at zero integrity can still fly perfectly fine, just be a little more careful with it as it's more easily broken.

It's why I plan to install shields when I go into the deep black, just a small lightweight generator will do. I'd hate to spend weeks collecting exploration data only to get stuck in the cattle grid because I'd forgotten how to dock, and low integrity and no shields means my ship pops open at the seams.

[ferus]

Thanks for clarifying this. Now I can fly to the pitch black universe and feel relatively safe.

[Agony_Aunt]

Yeah, when it comes to exploration it doesn't matter too much. Just be aware AMFUs can't repair the powerplant, so take care. If your powerplant gets damaged then it increases the heat of your ship (reduced efficiency), so don't skimp too much on the quality of the planet.

Generally its better to take an A grade powerplant of a smaller size than a D grade of a higher size. You get about the same power, weighs about the same, but the A is more efficient and dissipates heat better.

And heat is the most likely cause of damage when out exploring, especially if you get caught between contact binaries.

If you do get caught between them, don't panic! (well, a little panic is normal). They are extremely rare, but when you get caught, one of two things can happen.

If you are outside the exclusion zone (most likely scenario) your head will start rising rapidly. Full thrust and quickly turn to escape from between them. You might take some damage, but you should survive.

If you are inside the exclusion zone, you will get pulled out of SC (not happened to me so far, but have heard of it). At this point you have 3 choices.

1) Try and get back into supercruise and head away. If you have heatsinks, drop them to keep your temp down as you charge your FSD. This isn't great, because once in SC you are still gaining heat, even though you will charge your FSD quicker than if you try and jump to another system. But once in SC you can't drop more heatsinks.

2) Go for a jump to another system. Again, if you have heatsinks, drop one quickly, select another system from left panel (any, your aim is to get out) and charge the FSD. Drop heatsinks until you start jumping. This is the safer solution.

3) Kind of cheating, but "combat" log. Rip out your network cable or reset your router or kill the ED process. Depends on whether you can justify "cheating" like this to yourself. When you return, it should place you a decent distance from the star and all should be well.

Also, general tip, never (safely) log off in close range of a planet, star, or belt. The game will remember where your last location was and respawn you there.

Remember, the planets and rocks and everything move. That location where you logged off, after some time, might be where a planet or asteroid is now. Then your ship goes boom.

[ferus]

Wow, again thanks for all the tips :)

I am in a Cobra, fitted with the standard exploration stuff (in addition to the usual equipment) - Advanced Discovery Scanners, Detailed Surface Scanner, shields, AFM unit, heat sinks and no weapons.

I am quite looking forward to the unexplored parts of the universe but the integrity was bugging me a little.
But as long as 0 integrity is not fatal then I should be fine.

And I will try to remember as much from these tips as I can :)

[Agony_Aunt]

Another tip, there is a bit of a bell curve distribution when it comes to finding earthlikes and other interesting worlds. Hot F types have a higher chance of finding earthlikes and water worlds that any other types. F types are also one of the higher paying of the regular stars.

Use your map filter to select just these if you are interested in this and select just the star types you are interested in.

Also, if you didn't know, KGB FOAM or Oh Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me. Two good mnemonics that help you remember which stars are scoopable.

And if you do run out of fuel, turn off all non-essential systems and call the Fuel Rats

http://fuelrats.com/

[ferus]

Originally posted by Agony_Aunt:

Another tip, there is a bit of a bell curve distribution when it comes to finding earthlikes and other interesting worlds. Hot F types have a higher chance of finding earthlikes and water worlds that any other types. F types are also one of the higher paying of the regular stars.

Use your map filter to select just these if you are interested in this and select just the star types you are interested in.

Also, if you didn't know, KGB FOAM or Oh Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me. Two good mnemonics that help you remember which stars are scoopable.

And if you do run out of fuel, turn off all non-essential systems and call the Fuel Rats

http://fuelrats.com/

I am still light years away from a proper unexplored part of the galaxy and I'm in the "SCAN ALL THE UNEXPLORED THINGIES!" state. So I don't really care for now. But I guess at some point I will start to pick my planets for scanning.

So far I am enjoying just flying, scanning and wondering what life would be on an outpost near such and such planet.

And I am definitely bookmarking the fuelrats website :)

[Agony_Aunt]

Good luck CMDR, and fly safe o7

[Doc Roley]

Good luck ferus & @AA some darn good tips you posted there cheers!