Exploration

Exploration

Compared to the Operations feature that allows you to preview the rewards, the Exploration feature tends to be more random. That is to say, you don't know what will happen and what kind of rewards you will get.

 

This feature includes Exploration quests, exploring wormholes, and exploring with scanners. You can have a rough idea of what you will get based on their descriptions.

 

The following paragraphs will give details about Exploration quests and Scanner quests. For more information about exploring wormholes, see the Wormhole article.

 

Exploration quests

 

Exploration quests mainly provide you with minerals. You may also get weapons, attachments, supply cases containing implants, contraband storage cases, and credit vouchers. There are different kinds of Exploration quests. What you will get depends on the quest you complete.

 

To find the location of an Exploration quest, you must use an item called Encrypted Cache. You can get encrypted caches by completing encounter quests, or purchasing them from other players in the Trading Post.

 

Next, you need to decrypt the cache to find out the map data. Use the item in your warehouse to start decrypting.

 

Rotate the sphere to make the projection coincide with the image on the screen. Difficulty of decryption depends on the quality of the encrypted cache. If you feel it hard, you can use Auto Complete.

 

When done, a quest is added to Ops. Now you can set out to complete it.

 

Scanner quests

 

Scanner quests provide you with minerals, Credits, and items for training Recruits. There are three kinds of scanners, which allows you to detect three different types of signals. What you will get depends on the signal type.

 

Use a gravitational wave scanner to locate a rich asteroid belt in the current solar system. You will find raw ores which can be refined into minerals.

 

Use an EM wave scanner to locate a pirates' training base in the current solar system. You will find items used for training Recruits.

 

Use a radio wave scanner to locate wreckage of a ships. Wreckage can be sold in Mall.

 

All these devices are tactical devices. You can use them in space to scan the solar system. After activating the scanner, you will go to the map of the current solar system. You can check the result on the first tab.

 

You'd better pay attention to the location accuracy. When your scanner's scan strength is lower than expected, the location accuracy is below 100%. You can still warp to that area, but you may not be able to find the correct location. In the case, the signal disappears.

 

You can use an advanced scanner to increase the location accuracy. But remember, you can only scan a solar system once per day. For example, if you have used a scanner in a solar system, you cannot scan this solar system again within 23 hours.

 

In addition, the more Scanner Quests you complete, the less rewards you get in the next few Scanner Quests.

 

Conclusion

 

The Exploration feature includes Exploration quests, exploring wormholes, and exploring with scanners. They provides you with minerals, blueprints, and other items. You can have a rough idea of what you will get based on their descriptions and choose the one that best meets your need.

 

Exploration quests require you to decrypt caches to find out map data and complete the quests in the target location. You can get encrypted caches through Encounter quests and the Trading Post.

 

Scanner quests require you to locate signals with scanners. You can only scan a solar system once in 23 hours.