Some tips for hidden systems, planets ?

Raynor · Post by **Raynor** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 12:18 am

Miaz's explanation about stars glare changed my whole perspective on exploration. Now i love it. I mean i had wanted to explore before but thought it was just a complete crapshoot. Within 2 hours last night i found three hidden systems (which amount to like 5 planets).

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 3:17 pm

Cool, there are over 640 planets I estimate one third of them are known, so you have about 400 more to find!....

:P

Bobofet · Post by **Bobofet** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 3:53 pm

Ive been messing around with the sun reflection thing, its helped alot when ive flown for an hour in a random direction and want to get back without looking up locations online.

Ive noticed also if you fly at a nice looking backdrop cloud, it eventualy disapires and a new one apires....Im guessing this meens Ive entered a different region.

My question is how far does one suns light last? For example...I fly out towards a backdrop...backdrop disapires....can I then use the sun light to find a new star, or will I still be picking up the light from the last star I passed?

Sorry if this is a little hard to understand the question, I duno how to explane it any better tho:/

MiaZ · Post by **MiaZ** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:04 pm

From post: 132813, Topic: tid=9019, author=Bobofet wrote:Ive been messing around with the sun reflection thing, its helped alot when ive flown for an hour in a random direction and want to get back without looking up locations online.

Ive noticed also if you fly at a nice looking backdrop cloud, it eventualy disapires and a new one apires....Im guessing this meens Ive entered a different region.

My question is how far does one suns light last? For example...I fly out towards a backdrop...backdrop disapires....can I then use the sun light to find a new star, or will I still be picking up the light from the last star I passed?

Sorry if this is a little hard to understand the question, I duno how to explane it any better tho:/

I know what you're getting at here.
I think the closest star will change faster then the backdrops changes, at least in the inner systems.
Just guessing this on the fact there are sometimes many star systems within a relatively short range at times and would mostly likely share the same nebula backdrop.

You should be able to tell if its a new star when the neb backdrop changes.
If the direction or color of light reflections change at the same time as the backdrop changes. Then yes.
If not, it is most likely the same star you were on before.

[Edited on 3-10-2012 by MiaZ]

Post by **Marvin** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:20 pm

For the most part, backdrop nebulas are defined as part of a "chunk" of systems ... as are the definitions for global reputation and types of ships you're likely to encounter. The stars and planets are then defined as sub-sets of those chunks. In other words, the systems are inside the chunks, in much the same way as planets and stars are found inside a sector. In Legends, the "chunk" definitions looked something like this:

-Local Nebula Backdrop And Reputation
NebBackXLow=-14000
NebBackXHigh=26000
NebBackYLow=-18000
NebBackYHigh=24000
NebBackZLow=50000
NebBackZHigh=60000
NebBackText=environment\\milkywayUB.bmp
ReputationID=1
Reputation=1
-EndNebBack

-Local Ship Types
ShipsXLow=-14000
ShipsXHigh=26000
ShipsYLow=-18000
ShipsYHigh=24000
ShipsZLow=50000
ShipsZHigh=60000
ShipsTypeMin=7
ShipsTypeMax=10
ShipsGunMin=7
ShipsGunMax=13
-EndShips

Both stars and planets would be placed inside those "High-Low" coordinates.

Munshine · Post by **Munshine** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:18 pm

i was training in the Sirius system for my Explorer exam but I wasn't aware that NG440 was 900 sectors away on the SX and SZ axis from Sirius until I read again the instructions . And then you have to go back. That's nuts.

Wow congratulations Marvin. Being an Explorer is a tough job.

I will start again in the Orion system though.

Post by **Marvin** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 6:58 am

Nine hundred sectors is about average (give or take a couple hundred) for the distance between uncharted star systems.

Bobofet · Post by **Bobofet** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 5:44 pm

Thanks folks, some great tips there. Its helped me alot wondering around Vonarion B

Post by **Marvin** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 10:31 pm

Vonarion B is part of the Quest for Peace ... but don't go there without taking along a science officer.

TJJ · Post by **TJJ** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:10 am

From post: 132578, Topic: tid=9019, author=Maarschalk wrote:Cool, there are over 640 planets I estimate one third of them are known, so you have about 400 more to find!....:P

Over 658!

:P

Alaric · Post by **Alaric** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 2:47 pm

Havin a hell of a time using the light method. It seems like the only light I ever get are from discovered systems. I have not found one single planet/star yet. I dont wanna get mods but its lookin like they are my only option. Im not done trying to do it mod free yet.
Is there a little rule of thumb for determining where the center of an undiscovered sector is? Like I found a system M445 I think it was. I checked Seejays (you rock btw) map site just to see if he had any info on it. His map said there was a planet but I could not find it for the life of me.

Munshine · Post by **Munshine** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 5:37 pm

Unfortunately I failed to make working the Atollski mod's Attempt Trilateration function.

I'm too improving slowly with the light method. From the Orion System, I've found many unchartered systems but no star or planet so far. Sometimes galaxy textures are changing completely which is interesting. Perhaps I should go easy with Alt + F2 and instead plot a course according to my guess and engage autopilot.

[Edited on 3-20-2012 by Munshine]

Alaric · Post by **Alaric** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 9:16 pm

well no sooner did I type this than I found 2 planets lol. figgers. 5th times the charm. What Im finding with the light method is you gotta start with a star at your bak and look for a diff reflection on the front. It worked this time but just barely. I coulda missed the planet by one jump.

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:13 am

Now find the star. It will be illuminating the planet ... so head in the logical direction, according to which side of the planet is lit.

Busch · Post by **Busch** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:45 am

Not sure which HUD or view mode it is, but I usually fly with my ship in full view, stern to foc'sle. Miaz "light show" technique works here, as well. Have done the star diving mambo to some small success.

Have left the other methods for those so inclined.

papan · Post by **papan** » Fri May 11, 2012 5:38 pm

Miaz explanation of how to find stars by the cocpit light opened a whole another universe of exploration for me

Haven't been using trilateration yet, I'm saving it for the next "semester" of EM education

Post by **Marvin** » Fri May 11, 2012 7:38 pm

Trilateration is great for when you're serious about exploration. Miaz' method is very useful for those "hey, what's this?" moments.

papan · Post by **papan** » Fri May 11, 2012 7:42 pm

Past 2 weeks have been nothing but those type of moments

From post: 137110, Topic: tid=9019, author=Marvin wrote: Trilateration is great for when you're serious about exploration. Miaz' method is very useful for those "hey, what's this?" moments.

westernnomad · Post by **westernnomad** » Thu May 17, 2012 3:00 pm

I just discovered that you can make long range probes using 25 platinum at a construction station. These will significantly increase the range of your nav map.
For instance, I was able to locate a planet in w116 from the star in f862. Anyone know what the actual numbers are for the range boost?

Post by **Marvin** » Thu May 17, 2012 3:45 pm

How do you deploy a long-range probe?

westernnomad · Post by **westernnomad** » Thu May 17, 2012 3:50 pm

From post: 137301, Topic: tid=9019, author=Marvin wrote: How do you deploy a long-range probe?

Just like a missile.

Post by **Marvin** » Thu May 17, 2012 3:53 pm

Thanks. Platinum I can get. Now if Starbuck will only build a Constructor station in one of IM's boondock systems ...

MiaZ · Post by **MiaZ** » Thu May 17, 2012 3:54 pm

From post: 137296, Topic: tid=9019, author=westernnomad wrote:I just discovered that you can make long range probes using 25 platinum at a construction station. These will significantly increase the range of your nav map.
For instance, I was able to locate a planet in w116 from the star in f862. Anyone know what the actual numbers are for the range boost?

Are you sure about that, did I miss something here?

I can only make standard probes and they don't extend beyond the sector I am in.

westernnomad · Post by **westernnomad** » Thu May 17, 2012 3:59 pm

From post: 137306, Topic: tid=9019, author=MiaZ wrote:
From post: 137296, Topic: tid=9019, author=westernnomad wrote:I just discovered that you can make long range probes using 25 platinum at a construction station. These will significantly increase the range of your nav map.
For instance, I was able to locate a planet in w116 from the star in f862. Anyone know what the actual numbers are for the range boost?
Are you sure about that, did I miss something here?

I can only make standard probes and they don't extend beyond the sector I am in.

The planet in w116 is only two or three warps from f862.
Yes, the name is just "probe".

[Edited on 5-17-2012 by westernnomad]

Post by **DaveK** » Thu May 17, 2012 4:07 pm

This is from a thread from 2009 (EL?)

http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtop ... 7#pid49531

Quote:

Several items aren't triggered until you show up with exactly 25 units of a certain commodity.

Food -> can't be converted.
Medicals -> can't be converted.
Hydrogen -> Shield Booster
Electrical -> Cargo Scanner
Solar -> can't be converted.
Metal Ores -> Armour Plating (1 Armour per 2 Metal)
Diamonds -> can't be converted.
Antimatter -> Fuel Converter (requires 25 units)
Fusion Cells -> Fulcrum Drive
Mechanical -> Repair System
Textiles -> can't be converted.
Platinum - > Long Range Probe (requires 25 units)
Biological Materials -> can't be converted.
Oxygen -> can't be converted.
Gold -> can't be converted.
Silver -> can't be converted.
Water -> can't be converted.
Armour -> can't be converted.

EDIT: Red highlights are mine for clarity!

[Edited on 17-5-2012 by DaveK]