Science Officers' Scanning Radius for Planets & Stations

XB7 · Post by **XB7** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 5:01 am

I've been trying to locate this in the forum and strategy guides. Is it known how many sectors out a Science Officer's max sensory visibility is?

As I'm exploring, I'm just curious at what sector intervals I should establish the jump point to get a 100% POD of new planets and stations.

Sinbad · Post by **Sinbad** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:47 am

One sector. The science officer only tells you about things in the sector which you are currently in. If there is something to be found you'll get an alert each time you enter the sector. The navigation officer increases your radar range for containers (purple blips) but I'm not sure by how much. Hidden planets and stations will mostly (though not always if they are cloaked) show up on your Nav Map regardless of your science officer.

XB7 · Post by **XB7** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 3:44 pm

Thanks! That helps alot. Since that's the case, it will take a bit of time to search through a system.

[Edited on 8-7-2011 by XB7]

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 4:48 am

Yes, at a sector at a time......

:P:P:P:P:P:P

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 7:42 am

When I explore I keep the Nav Console (F1) open and max zoomed out when I fly.
That way you will see a much larger area when searching for planets, asteroid fields etc.

There is also a container finder available at my site if you search for containers as well.
Thats what the Science Officer help you to spot as well.

Another way of finding planets/systems is to use Atollskis NavData program.
It uses Trilateration to figure out where they are. This works on great distances.

XB7 · Post by **XB7** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 4:11 pm

From post: 112081, Topic: tid=7843, author=SeeJay wrote: Another way of finding planets/systems is to use Atollskis NavData program.
It uses Trilateration to figure out where they are. This works on great distances.

I downloaded Marvin's instructions from your site and read about using the Trilateration to establish boundaries of uncharted systems. Afterwards, I was totally confused exactly what that options does.

[Edited on 8-8-2011 by XB7]

Post by **Marvin** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:10 pm

From post: 112081, Topic: tid=7843, author=SeeJay wrote:When I explore I keep the Nav Console (F1) open and max zoomed out when I fly.
That way you will see a much larger area when searching for planets, asteroid fields etc.

My one wish for an addition to the game would be to have a repeater display of the nav map as part of the toggle on the right side cockpit monitor. So I could see where I was going (outside) while seeing where I was going (on the map).

There is also a container finder available at my site if you search for containers as well.
Thats what the Science Officer help you to spot as well.

It also works well when triangulating the two bearings in the Quset for Peace.

Another way of finding planets/systems is to use Atollskis NavData program.
It uses Trilateration to figure out where they are. This works on great distances.

Sorry if my instructions are confusing ... ask specific questions and I'll try to answer them.

XB7 · Post by **XB7** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:06 pm

My one wish for an addition to the game would be to have a repeater display of the nav map as part of the toggle on the right side cockpit monitor. So I could see where I was going (outside) while seeing where I was going (on the map).

That would be an awesome edition!

Sorry if my instructions are confusing ... ask specific questions and I'll try to answer them.

Not at all. You're instructions made perfect sense.

Another way of finding planets/systems is to use Atollskis NavData program.
It uses Trilateration to figure out where they are. This works on great distances.

This is what confused me. After reading your instructions, Marvin, I got the impression that the Trilateration feature was for establishing boundaries in the database. I guess I'll have to play around more in a system with an unknown planet to understand how I might use the Trilateration option in Atollski's program to determine the planet's position.

[Edited on 8-8-2011 by XB7]

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:12 pm

You can have the map on your other monitor using EvoMetric. Activate the tracker.

It works like a GPS and updates every 2 seconds.

[Edited on 2011-8-8 by SeeJay]

XB7 · Post by **XB7** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:28 pm

You can have the map on your other monitor using EvoMetric. Activate the tracker.

It works like a GPS and updates every 2 seconds.

Yeah, speaking of which, I've just networked another computer and have setup EvoMetrics there as well. Very cool!

I guess I'm just curious about step #17 under Finding New Star Systems in Marvin's directions.

17. Make note of the coordinates generated by the program. They will be listed as a "Possible Location" for objects in the new system. They will also be listed as waypoints in your in-game Log.

With such a vast area, how NavData mathematically pinpoint possible locations of planets using only it's own database? It seems that some systems, like Pearl compared to Oasis for instance, are variable sizes.

[Edited on 8-8-2011 by XB7]

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:31 pm

You must jump across the borders a bit apart, and it calculates it. At least three points needed.

Post by **Marvin** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:36 am

From post: 112129, Topic: tid=7843, author=XB7 wrote:With such a vast area, how NavData mathematically pinpoint possible locations of planets using only it's own database? It seems that some systems, like Pearl compared to Oasis for instance, are variable sizes.

Atollski's program takes advantage of how and when systems are displayed on the nav map: the map uses whichever planet is closest to your current location. When you cross from one system to another, you're actually at the midpoint between the two planets.

If you cross over into an "unknown" system, you're midway between the known planet and the unknown planet. If you can find at least two places where you cross, Atoll's program then "draws" a line from each crossing point back to the known planet ... then "draws" perpendicular lines through the points of crossover.

The unknown planet should be somewhere near the intersection of the perpendicular lines.

XB7 · Post by **XB7** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:48 am

What a great tool for exploring then! I'll be putting that prog to great use. Thanks!

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:35 am

From post: 112145, Topic: tid=7843, author=Marvin wrote:If you can find at least two places where you cross, Atoll's program then "draws" a line from each crossing point back to the known planet ... then "draws" perpendicular lines through the points of crossover...The unknown planet should be somewhere near the intersection of the perpendicular lines.

Correction. The program draws a line between the two crossover points ... and then a second line from the known planet, perpendicular to the first line, extending the second line an equal distance beyond the first line.