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EVE New Citizens Q&A

 
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So, this exploration thing...
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Hawx Mulder
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2015-05-02 17:37:49 UTC
Looking at this game, exploration really calls out to me. I've learned pretty quick that the riskier the area of space, the more lucrative the stuff I get from data sites and relic sites. I'd really like to venture into nullsec, but I don't want to risk getting blown up if my skills aren't good enough to scan down the sites there... Because I've noticed the more lucrative sites are hard to scan down.

To all you veteran players, what would you say are the minimum skill requirements to scan sites in nullsec?

Right now I have astrometrics 3, working on getting lvl 4 so I can train all of the astrometrics skills up at least a couple levels.

Thanks!

The truth is out there.
Paranoid Loyd
#2 - 2015-05-02 18:17:28 UTC
You will be fine, I have rarely come across sigs I can't scan down and my skills are about the same as yours.

The harder to scan down sigs can usally be scanned down by manually moving the probes closer together once you have it scanned down to the .25 AU level.

And don't worry about being blown up, it happens even to the best of us, all you lose is what you are carrying, in the grand scope of things, it will be chump change that you lose.

"There is only one authority in this game, and that my friend is violence. The supreme authority upon which all other authority is derived." ISD Max Trix

Fix the Prospect!
Hawx Mulder
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#3 - 2015-05-02 18:21:01 UTC
Cool beans, thanks for the advice. :)

Yeah, I got podded the other day, but that was a loss of maybe 600k isk, when I had made like 5mil in lowsec. Gains outweigh the losses, right?

The truth is out there.
Deck Cadelanne
CAStabouts
#4 - 2015-05-02 18:46:40 UTC
Getting your scanning and hacking skills to 4 gives you a solid foundation for most exploration.

Think also about the ship you will fly. If you are serious about heading into null, a covops is your best friend, so you also need to train up the skills for the ship and the various fittings (especially the covops cloak).

Situational awareness will really help you manage the risk. Check the starmap for the area you are considering; how many players active/docked? How many ship/pod kills in last hour? How many jumps? The busier the numbers, the higher the risk will be. Getting into and out of low/null is often the most dangerous single thing you might do. Getting familiar with the area, bookmarking safes and tacticals off the gates you use...once you get these things worked out, the risk will become generally very manageable.

Check your d-scan regularly. If someone else is in local, check it every few seconds. If you suddenly see a bunch of core scan probes, they are probably zeroing in on your site. Combat scan probes usually mean they are zeroing in on you. Don't be afraid to back off from the cans, cloak up and wait for things to quiet down again.

You are going to get blown up. It's part of the fun Cool Don't take it personally, don't get upset and learn from it every time it happens.

Good hunting!

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

- Hunter S. Thompson
Silvox Lunae
Perkone
Caldari State
#5 - 2015-05-02 19:35:25 UTC  |  Edited by: Silvox Lunae
Hawx Mulder wrote:
Looking at this game, exploration really calls out to me. I've learned pretty quick that the riskier the area of space, the more lucrative the stuff I get from data sites and relic sites. I'd really like to venture into nullsec, but I don't want to risk getting blown up if my skills aren't good enough to scan down the sites there... Because I've noticed the more lucrative sites are hard to scan down.

To all you veteran players, what would you say are the minimum skill requirements to scan sites in nullsec?

Right now I have astrometrics 3, working on getting lvl 4 so I can train all of the astrometrics skills up at least a couple levels.

Thanks!


The bare minimum would be Survey 3, Hacking 3, Archaeology 3, and Astrometrics 3. I have been running null sites with these skill levels with minimal losses, though some will say you should bump Archaeology to 4 for the sake of better chances in the null relic sites.

Also, Cloaking is an absolute must. Do not go into wormholes or nullsec space without a cloak.
Forum Posts
Doomheim
#6 - 2015-05-02 20:36:29 UTC  |  Edited by: Forum Posts
Silvox Lunae wrote:
Hawx Mulder wrote:
Looking at this game, exploration really calls out to me. I've learned pretty quick that the riskier the area of space, the more lucrative the stuff I get from data sites and relic sites. I'd really like to venture into nullsec, but I don't want to risk getting blown up if my skills aren't good enough to scan down the sites there... Because I've noticed the more lucrative sites are hard to scan down.

To all you veteran players, what would you say are the minimum skill requirements to scan sites in nullsec?

Right now I have astrometrics 3, working on getting lvl 4 so I can train all of the astrometrics skills up at least a couple levels.

Thanks!


The bare minimum would be Survey 3, Hacking 3, Archaeology 3, and Astrometrics 3. I have been running null sites with these skill levels with minimal losses, though some will say you should bump Archaeology to 4 for the sake of better chances in the null relic sites.

Also, Cloaking is an absolute must. Do not go into wormholes or nullsec space without a cloak.



What he said.

I've done it all with 3's across the board in a bonused ship (Incursus, Astero), lose the occasional can. Ive only come across one I couldn't scan down, and I had to use an odd custom probe pattern to get it.

As far as cloaking, I did daytripping into WH space without one, but yes, I got blasted a couple times. Had an Astero before I touched null.
Lost Greybeard
Drunken Yordles
#7 - 2015-05-03 00:47:35 UTC
Train basically everything to 3 to explore in a ship with actual scanning bonuses.

The advantage of training beyond that is that you can do it in partially bonused (e.g. rigs and implants) ships pretty easily, and at the point where everything's at 4 or 5 you can, essentially, just stick sisters probes in a bay on any ship you want and not worry about it beyond that.

Of course, the more time you're willing to spend micromanaging your probes to find each site the lower the gear bonuses you'll need, too. There are a lot of ways to mess with probe strength, skills are just the one that simplifies the problem.
Evi Polevhia
Phoenix Naval Operations
Phoenix Naval Systems
#8 - 2015-05-03 00:54:45 UTC
Hawx Mulder wrote:
Yeah, I got podded the other day, but that was a loss of maybe 600k isk, when I had made like 5mil in lowsec. Gains outweigh the losses, right?


This right here. This. Never lose this thought and you will do well.

There was a time I feared the loss of cruisers and battlecruisers. Then I realized how much ISK they made me. There are MANY ships in EVE that even when flown not terribly well can recoup the cost of the ship before it inevitably pops. Always make sure when you lose X that you gained X+1 and you can take the rest of the game at your leisure.
Shiloh Templeton
Cheyenne HET Co
#9 - 2015-05-03 14:24:26 UTC
For an explorer toon, I like astrometric 4, astrometric acquisition 2, astrometric pinpointing 3, astrometric rangefinding 3. When you come across a lot of sigs it's nice to be able to get through them more quickly.

This Eveeye tool will let you see the effect various skills, modules, implants will have on your scanning strength.

Getting a cov-ops ship is next priority which requires cloaking 5 and a frigate 5.

Then I really think archaeology 5 and hacking 5 are well worth it for a dedicated explorer despite the long train. Once you have them you'll be glad you do.

Evasive Maneuvering 5 will make you a lot harder to catch.

Sabriz Adoudel
Move along there is nothing here
#10 - 2015-05-04 00:01:41 UTC
The most dangerous part of tripping to nullsec is getting there.

Have you considered wormhole exploration? Find a quiet area of high, probe down wormholes, and jump your exploration ship through.

Or, find a busy area of highsec, probe down wormholes, and jump a combat-fit ship with probes (T3 destroyers work well for this) and go and murder your competition and take the loot they found in *your* sites.

I support the New Order and CODE. alliance. www.minerbumping.com
Serah Rivia
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#11 - 2015-05-04 02:32:40 UTC
Greetings my fellow Explorer.

I had my troubles too,but i managed to adapt. Let me tell you this: Your best weapon against anything is the Save Location utility.Then a Covert ops Cloak and you re set to learn how to survive in null.

As for scanning,if you have 82 points in Scan Str. ,its quite enough.You wont be able to scan down everything,but trust me when i tell you,you dont really care about the stuff you cant scan with that. Tip: C. Signatures are always within a range of 4AU from a celestial body.
I suggest you get Archeology to 5.It is well worth it,and it will take a lot of stress out of hacking.Focus on Relic first,settle down and make a lot of Safespots around dangerous gates (Such as crossroads and paths high to nullsec) . Keep visiting the same place ( i used to go to Ismolder) .
I dont know if you want to hack Data sites too,personally.rarely,but you can kill it after Archeology.With a skill of 3 you can hack down both,but its going to be trouble some.You will need luck and easier sites.

Good luck,and feel free to Mail me in-game for any questions that i might be able to help with
Kashadin
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#12 - 2015-05-04 05:37:42 UTC
Never underestimate the ease and speed that bringing your hacking/archeology skills to 5 and using a T2 module will make in your life.

Also, like someone else said. Try looking at day-tripping into WHs, as long as you stick to the NS sites (identified by having a name of a pirate organization attached to the site) you can make good ISK because there are only so many people who will find the site before you do and they are generally the "better" sites that can spawn. Just keep a eye on D-scan since there is no local in WH space.
Lan Wang
African Atomic.
Dreadnought Diplomacy.
#13 - 2015-05-04 09:30:25 UTC
Fly a frig in null and learn to mwd/cloak and you will make yourself near impossible to catch by those pesky sabres

Domination Nephilim - Angel Cartel

Calm down miner. As you pointed out, people think they can get away with stuff they would not in rl... Like for example illegal mining... - Ima Wreckyou*
Hawx Mulder
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#14 - 2015-05-04 13:56:43 UTC
Thanks for all the advice everyone! So wait, are there relic/data sites in wormholes too? For some reason I thought they were only in known space. Sounds adventurous though.

Oh wow... Yeah I'm looking at the difference between the t1 and t2 hacking modules. I think I'll be going for level 5 in those skills for sure.

The truth is out there.
Kashadin
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#15 - 2015-05-04 21:02:11 UTC
Hawx Mulder wrote:
Thanks for all the advice everyone! So wait, are there relic/data sites in wormholes too? For some reason I thought they were only in known space. Sounds adventurous though.

Oh wow... Yeah I'm looking at the difference between the t1 and t2 hacking modules. I think I'll be going for level 5 in those skills for sure.



There are actually a lot of relic/data sites in WH spce, you just have to be careful that you don't go into the ones that are for the sleepers because they actually have hostile NPCs that will try and kill you if you go to them. Tho if you get up to it you can eventually use a T3 cruiser and run the sites then swap fits to do the relic/data sites, tho you will make more out of the blue loot than you will out of the cans.

If you fit up a cov-ops frig and hunt for WHs that connect to HS space you can end up in the lower classes of WHs, tho all the different classes (C1-C6) have a chance to spawn NS sites in them. If you stick to the NS sites you can run them just like you could in actual NS except there is a higher chance of them being untouched by other explorers and you can make some decent ISK pretty fast. The down side is that you have to be a bit more aware of D-scan because there is no local in WH space so someone could potentially sneak up on you and kill you.

WH exploration can be a dangerous game sometimes but as long as you remember to BM your way home and keep a eye on D-scan the payout can be well worth it.
Mr Mieyli
Doomheim
#16 - 2015-05-07 09:21:49 UTC
Kashadin wrote:


If you fit up a cov-ops frig and hunt for WHs that connect to HS space you can end up in the lower classes of WHs, tho all the different classes (C1-C6) have a chance to spawn NS sites in them. If you stick to the NS sites you can run them just like you could in actual NS except there is a higher chance of them being untouched by other explorers and you can make some decent ISK pretty fast. The down side is that you have to be a bit more aware of D-scan because there is no local in WH space so someone could potentially sneak up on you and kill you.

WH exploration can be a dangerous game sometimes but as long as you remember to BM your way home and keep a eye on D-scan the payout can be well worth it.


I believe that the nullsec sites only spawn in C1-3 wormholes, also one addition to your advice at the end is always always make sure you have enough probes with you. Wormholes collapse and you may find that the wormhole one of your bookmarks led to is gone and you're now stuck.

This post brought to you by CCP's alpha forum alt initiative. Playing the eve forums has never come cheaper.
Kashadin
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#17 - 2015-05-07 16:30:42 UTC
Mr Mieyli wrote:
Kashadin wrote:


If you fit up a cov-ops frig and hunt for WHs that connect to HS space you can end up in the lower classes of WHs, tho all the different classes (C1-C6) have a chance to spawn NS sites in them. If you stick to the NS sites you can run them just like you could in actual NS except there is a higher chance of them being untouched by other explorers and you can make some decent ISK pretty fast. The down side is that you have to be a bit more aware of D-scan because there is no local in WH space so someone could potentially sneak up on you and kill you.

WH exploration can be a dangerous game sometimes but as long as you remember to BM your way home and keep a eye on D-scan the payout can be well worth it.


I believe that the nullsec sites only spawn in C1-3 wormholes, also one addition to your advice at the end is always always make sure you have enough probes with you. Wormholes collapse and you may find that the wormhole one of your bookmarks led to is gone and you're now stuck.



Unless you disconnect with probes out your probes will always auto-recall and can be used over and over again. If you are flying with a normal launcher you can carry 2 sets of probes and reload the launcher and always have a set ready to go when you get to the next wh/system tho.

Personally I use a expanded launcher to be able to fit combat probes and have like 3-4 sets of normal probes in it at any given time so I can go a few systems w/o reloading to keep my time uncloaked to a minimum, but that us just personal preference and you can definitely do a easier fit for your ship if you use a normal launcher.