Possible Spoilers for Evochron Mercenary

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 1:51 am

I've been exploring the Andromeda galaxy (EM) for a couple of days now. I managed to find a planet not too far from where you arrive in the galaxy, but that was about it within the vicinity there. I searched, roughly, a 2000 sector grid centered on the arrival sector. I then began moving towards 0 on the X and Y axis, and am currently moving towards the center of Andromeda, with approximately 24000 sectors to go. I estimate my flight time to be about 6-7 hours, plus another 2.5-3 hours for approximately 12 refueling stops (deploy constructor). So, about 9-10 hours total flight time to the center of Andromeda. My intent is to post what I find, but I'd like to know if anyone has already checked it out? I know that, in real life, we are interested in the middle of Andromeda, as we believe there to be a relatively young star cluster there, but I wonder if the developer programmed it there..... I'll post when I know. So far, at X0, Y0, Z24150, I've run into nothing but a few Vonarians, and one friendly Phoenix passing me on my way a few jumps ago.

[Edited on 4-18-2016 by Red2]

[Edited on 4-18-2016 by Red2]

Post by **Marvin** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 1:55 am

Did you find a planet or was it a moon?

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:28 am

I found what seemed to be a cloaked planet, as it did not show on the scanners. The ONLY reason I found it was because I just happened to look to the right between jumps and notice the very edge of some ice rings as I was passing by on autopilot. I stopped, turned, an lo! I was very surprised to NOT have run into it! It was a beautiful sight, and I spent a couple hours on the surface (ship/terrain walker). It was worth it.

[Edited on 4-18-2016 by Red2]

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 4:56 am

UPDATE: Stopped near SX0,SY0, SZ22100 after being passed by multiple ships over the course of a few jumps (Mantis drive, BTW). I attempted to construct a sensor station and was successful! Search patterns have lead me to the vicinity of SX-263, SY0, SZ22192. Currently scanning the area, as successful sensor station deployments reveal a LOT of traffic, but still no star system. Mostly friendly Navy, Guild, and Energy factions. Some yellows. Haven't seen Vonari in a looong time.

[Edited on 4-17-2016 by Red2]

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 5:22 am

Gave up the search and back on track to center.

Post by **Marvin** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 6:16 am

The key when searching for a new planet or star system is the name in the upper-left corner of the navigation console. It is always the name of the closest planet ... which is why SeeJay's Planet Finder works. If, for example, you're in the area of that planet you accidentally found, its name is almost certainly Andromeda. And, if the name in the upper-left of the map remains "Andromeda" ... then you're not getting closer to a different planet.

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 7:49 pm

Nearing SX0,SY0,SZ19000 and refueling. Lots of autopilot today. Hoping to make it by late tonight. So much traffic here in Andromeda, along the axis...

[Edited on 4-17-2016 by Red2]

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 11:10 pm

At SX0,SY0,SZ17520, nav indicates I am in RiftSpace.

[Edited on 4-17-2016 by Red2]

Post by **Marvin** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 2:32 am

Do you remember if there was a planet in RiftSpace?

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 3:04 am

I've only used RiftSpace for the wormholes located there, though I've read there is a planet out there somewhere. Kind of disheartening to find I've been exploring RiftSpace this whole time, and not Andromeda. For most of the first half of my expedition to Andromeda's center, nav has indicated "Andromeda." I only noticed I was in RiftSpace since the coordinates I mentioned above. Currently, I'm refueling at SZ13200, still headed for center. I've run into nothing but other ships along my way so far, but I'm not making many pit stops to explore. Just wanna get there and see! I'm hoping for a black hole or some other way back to a home system. Otherwise, it's 28000 sectors back to the Andromeda wormhole to Pearl :\\

[Edited on 4-18-2016 by Red2]

[Edited on 4-18-2016 by Red2]

Post by **Marvin** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 5:52 am

Thanks for the screen shots ... otherwise, I never would've realized you were talking about Evochron Mercenary.

Post by **DaveK** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 6:58 am

Also it makes me wonder if a deploy refueller would work in EL Andromeda - it would give the chance of a proper exploration

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 12:27 pm

That is what I've been using every 2000 sectors. If I find no quick way home near my destination, I will make a proper exploration on my way back. If I'm going to have to jump 28000 sectors back to space I already know, I might as well make the most of it! 180 degrees down the Z axis has been rather boring, though, so far. Just passed SX0,SY0,SZ12000 and still not much out here within scanning range as I go. Nav now indicates I'm in Vonarion space.

[Edited on 4-18-2016 by Red2]

Post by **DaveK** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 2:42 pm

This isn't intended to be a spoiler, but it's frustrating to spend a lot of time achieving little so ...

I've been out to SZ 300K - en route there were a few ghost planets, lots of Talons and some odd nebula cloud ghosts. Rumour has it though that the various ghost items have disappeared

The most interesting thing was that my Nav screen suggested that I flew cyclically through the core systems several times, but no planets or stars or asteroids appeared (through the windows or on the nav svreen.

It's posted on the forum under Blog of a Deep Space Explorer and reproduced with illustrations in The Mercenary Short Story Collection (all the fanfic about the Evoverse) which you can get on SeeJay's site ...

http://junholt.se/evochron2/Stories/Mer ... ionV04.pdf

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 4:46 pm

At SZ9000 still "nothing" visually or by scanners. Angle and hue of light from the nearest star has changed from 45 degrees and white to 180 degrees (straight ahead) and redish. Nav still indicates Vonari system.

[Edited on 4-18-2016 by Red2]

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 6:18 pm

I enjoyed your log. It seems you circled Evochron, though, and I'm moving through Andromeda. The last time I was in Evochron, I refueled at Orion and headed for RiftSpace. Once there, I took the wormhole to Vonari, then through the Vonari black hole to Andromeda, where I've been traversing the Z axis for days now, headed to Andromeda's center (XYZ=0). Along the way, nav has indicated Andromeda for most of the trip. Somewhere around Z17500 I noticed nav indicated I was in RiftSpace. At Z12000 nav indicated Vonarion, and remains so at Z8360. Getting closer..

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 8:09 pm

Z6720. Nav still indicates Vonarion, and I have Vonari reds on the scanners now to back that up. System reputation has changed from Good to Hostile. Also, space is no longer so black. A rust-colored nebula has come into view.

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 8:42 pm

Nervously refueling...

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:54 am

Ah ha... I'm back on the quadrant map and have been heading for Sapphire this whole time

I was under the impression Andromeda was a separate galaxy altogether. Wah, wah, wahhh. Well, at least I'm finally home! Time to drum up another exploration idea...!

PaulB · Post by **PaulB** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 1:52 am

From post: 187700, Topic: tid=12640, author=Marvin wrote:Did you find a planet or was it a moon?

Was that planet invisible on the Nav Map?

Been a long time simce I went there but as I recall it was invisible (I had read a story inthe forum about andromeda - and a Cloaked planet.)
I only found it when I turned to face it in the Forward cockpit view.

If you didn't find it there is also a 'crashed' space station on the surface of the planet - visible from orbit once you locate it - but I could never determine if it was just for visual effect or if there is supposed to be something on it that you access.

I didn't do much more exploring so I don't know if there is more stuff that I missed or not. I seem to maybe recall there there is a asteroid field that has an object in that that you must use your tactor beam on.

Is anyone still doing any MP on the EM server???
I guess Orion Sigma is still the only one left which is to bad. I do not dislike Orion Sigma but I get very high ping times because it's in Spain and I'm inthe US and on Mibile Wireless to boot.
I kinda just gave it up cause no one is ever on

[Edited on 4-19-2016 by Marvin]

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 1:07 am

Yes, the planet does not show on scanners. I did not come across the wreck! I'm almost to Sierra, and then taking the gates back to RiftSpace, Vonarion, Andromeda and go check it out again!!!

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 4:15 am

You'll be looking for this (courtesy of the H2GE):

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 11:45 pm

Ayyyyy! You beat me to the punch!!! Took a while, but finally found it

Red2 · Post by **Red2** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 12:04 am

As I left the planet straight up from the station wreckage, I noticed a stationary block of what turned out to be platinum. You can mine it with your tractor beam. Not sure why or how it's there.

Post by **Marvin** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 12:20 am

I see you had a TW. Did you try exploring the object?