What Might Exploration Be Like in Star Citizen? | Star Citizen 4K

Showing footage of different places in Star Citizen, this video considers the what an exploration gameplay loop might look like, and whether dreams of discovery might hold true.
#StarCitizen #4K
00:00 Introduction
00:59 Exploration Now
02:33 Exploration in the Future
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[@ronkrueger-capt_koron6112]

Greetings my friend. Sorry I haven't commented much lately, as I've been dealing with some health issues lately. This video touched on a subject that is near and dear to my heart. The first thing I looked at for my purpose in the game is just this, Exploration. Most of my ships in the game are designed with it in mind. My first ship was a one man explorer, and my biggest ship, the Carrack is just for that. A couple of the sights that you mentioned, like Benny Henge, and the crashed Javelin are two of the sights I had to find and see. I've even taken friends to see them myself, with the hopes that it might inspire them to explore too. I really appreciate your video on the subject, and enjoyed it. I know a lot of it was speculation, but without it there is no curiosity to explore. Thank you for the video, and please keep making them. I will keep watching them. Take care my friend, fly safe, and I will see you in the verse.

[@andyandreson3989]

Hopefully we’ll be able to set location markers for others. That’s my biggest hope.

[@durtyred86]

This will easily tie into data running. Explore and find locations if interest. Sell them to a data runner or run it yourself then flip and sell again. That's the whole purpose of MSR and Herald. Most ships have small databases that they can save coordinates and such on but the MSR has a whole room dedicated to storing the digital cargo.

[@timpe-]

I do recall them talking about exactly that in recent SC Live show, confirming that setting markers is definately scheduled, at least for your friends/org. They went on talking that they have to investigate preventing exploits when allowing QT to those markers. Not sure how far they are with implementing, but they're working on it :)

[@heru_ur6017]

Accept exploration mission, fly to location, point exploration beam at target, collect aUec.

[@guynamedmaggi5520]

Sounds like good tier 0 gameplay to me for the next 10 years

[@Agraael]

I fear this is exactly what it will be.

[@timpe-]

I think they could just hide many POIs by default whenever we have multiple systems and more planets. Then an explorer could be kind of a cartographer and sell that information to other players or Quanta. And if outposts dynamically changed (like becoming abondoned, or opening a shop with rare goods) maps get outdated at some point, so the loop would be kept intact after everything has been explored. Also information on minerals (which can also change over time), and ideal locations for base building could be valueable information sold by explorers.

[@pewjackman]

An idea for exploration could be missions with places to visit and scan to “update existing data” like a scavenger hunt or a list in game for each planet like the “collections” gameplay of the old Star Wars Galaxies. When the player has visited or scanned each one the player gets a reward of a physical souvenir/trophy or simply a data package to sell for credits.

[@rixxy9204]

Agreed. They can make missions in the game right to "Collect" something at the site. I guess we have that in Delivery missions but they expand on it to include more interesting places.

[@ALEX_JOTA]

I truly hope someday Star Citizen have tons of places to go out there and discover. Marvelous uncharted sight seeings. I always wanted to do the exploration game loop. It's my main meta in Star Citizen.

[@slipshft1]

The datamining aspect has created a limitation to the possibilities of exploration. Should CIG find a way to hide things from the dataminers view, that would open the game up for actual exploration. Would it be great to finding a place that has not been seen by other players, absolutely! I just find that it get ruined by those that "have to know" what new things are in the game and then broadcast that around. That is what limits my viewing of videos. So, since Farrister limits the information about things in game, I will continue to watch his channel. Thanks to Farrister for his videos!

[@Graupunkt]

To be honest, only a few things have been discovered by data mining. The search for the javelin took hundreds of people around two weeks. And after a planet tech change it had to be found again. There is so much stuff that had been found without data mining. Picoballs, Pico cave, grim hex hidden hab, bennyhenge, crashed satellites, sketto rock, tears of fire, Xmas campfire, ins Jericho, all these have been found without data mining first. The only thing I could remember was the rivers, and that location was discovered in an isc video before it was even in the game files.

[@rixxy9204]

Exploration kind of already exists in the game, just flying around and touring new sites is actually quite chill and fun but its not for money-making. It's definitely something I do with the Constellation Phoenix, one of the nicest ships imho because it's really got beautiful window views, and although its a large ship it's not very large like a 600i. Fly to a place I've never been to, loot everything I find, then fly away to an empty zone and land & drive around to explore the landscape... just to take in the views. Go back to ship, hang out, warm up, eat and bed logout. It's really fun!!

[@Biggerfoot]

I think your voice is the best star citizen content out here, because of you i spent god awful amounts of money in the game, We can keep hoping i guess but we all know how this ends man, we all know how this ends.

[@MrDashpilot]

With over a 100 systems planned and the ability to add more I’m hopping that there will be a chance to discover new jump points and see new systems for the first time. There’s even a chance that they could have unstable jumppoints that move from time to time that must be rediscovered.

[@Runic-Raven]

I hope they will implement Stuff that actually IS undiscovered. In Starfield for instance, every Planet already has some kind of buildings on it so it has already been discovered. It never felt like "I found something before anybody else". There cannot be Discovery if everything is already discovered.

[@cameronreed1411]

This is one of the features that makes No Man's Sky such a great game. It's not as realistic as SC, but because star systems are procedurally generated, you can discover and name star systems that are undiscovered, name planets, moons and even build bases on them that other players can visit and find. People have done archaeological excavations on old player bases and sites.

[@Graupunkt]

There is already stuff only a few people know about. I would call it mostly Easter eggs, because in best case it's a small area only. There excist secret places with static rate loot spawns or just funny stuff hidden by the devs.

[@CodeBlue18]

I got into Star Citizen mainly for exploration (read sightseeing), but I'm still waiting for them to create interesting locations which do not feel like the Earth, Moon or Mars. I'd also like to see something like the anomaly investigation missions from Stellaris, scenarios that can be spawned on the existing planets or in space.

[@JFrombaugh]

At one point Dan Trufin mentioned wanting to make a quantum probing system that would work similar to EVE - you send out quantum-traveling probes to find signatures of procedurally generated POIs that can basically be anything from resource-rich asteroid fields to a fleet of ships, and you can then either jump there, record this data & return with a ship more suited to what's there, or pass it on to someone else. But this feature dropped off the roadmap and hasn't been talked about since. ;( I really, REALLY hope that now that we have the new Starmap we get some form of Exploration/Survey gameplay soon. All along I have felt that this is the single biggest gameplay loop SC's competition has that it doesn't have, and I think it would easily put SC above the likes of EVE, Elite Dangerous, NMS, & Starfield for me.

[@Jezato]

This...1000 times this. The use of Procedurally generated areas that could be anywhere out in the black. Clumps of asteroids, gas clouds, ship debris fields, EM/Radiation anomolies etc etc. CIG would do well to provide the playerbase with a continaul source of explorable content, that will in turn lead to science, mining, trade and combat gameplay.

[@PaxSequoia]

I was coming in here to comment that it would probably have to be something procedurally generated, otherwise there's not much "new" about things. Once something has been found, it's added to the starmap and it's not new for anyone else. But for something procedurally generated, that's a new experience every time.

[@geofftuck8979]

I like the idea of discovering valuable resources and relaying it. Do you wonder if they will create wandering npcs who hand out quests or goodies? A loot box full of VALUABLE goods of the sorts, and you can only stumble across them, no mission boards.

[@gareth0412]

I imagine exploration would revolve around new jump points. Ships like the carrick and expanse will spearhead followed by galaxy and pioneers for base building and ore/fuel refining. The larger ships will need to set up foundations for smaller ones to follow. It will be the large coordinated orgs that get to boldly go where no one has gone before. Solo/small groups will comb the planets. This is all very far away if it ever happens. Seems like the logical way to do it since the ships exist with the abilities.

[@alexthebassist23]

I'd love to see the discovery of timed jump points, that will collapse after x amount of time/transits. Maybe something that is stable for only hours, or days. You could sell the information to get a toll on each player/ai using this (for example a temporary, highly profitable quick shipping route) or maybe sell it secretly to a pirate org so that they could do a huge raid on an unprepared system...

[@simonkane42]

I'm hoping for a system similar to Eve where we'll be able to scan for temporary jump points to other systems, then exploit those before the collapse

[@NandxHDpc]

Maybe going to a set location explore it and performe tasks. Also cave exploration could be a thing.

[@snaggletoof1927]

I wonder if there are currently any locations that have yet to be discovered (or at least are know of by very few people) in game? Exploration tugs at the heart of every space traveler.

[@Graupunkt]

There are quite some I bet people don't know about. One of my rarest findings is a long dead npc holding a Pico in an escape pod.

[@verpine3534]

If CIG doesn't provide explorers the opportunity to discover the undiscovered, it's not really exploration. It's just traveling, and that will be gloriously boring for any players heart-set on true exploration.

[@saleseng]

Interesting topic, the ships drive everything in this proposed 24 hour live dynamic real time universe.. CIG has no choice, but to build out the rest of the environment in which the ships they have sold us are designed to accel at which means going far into the depths of the still undeveloped galaxy and the many worlds that await!

[@CelticHen]

They could do something like find the old settlement and collect the data as to what happened

[@Ocularkn1ght]

Haha, I've come to realize that your videos calm me for some reason, Am I the only one?

[@reamoinmcdonachadh9519]

Most of that to which you refer Farrister, is all post 4.0 and Pyro. And seeing as 4.0 is devoted (for the most part it is) to Server Meshing, with little else on offer, I feel it will be the Pryo Expansion, and it's effects on the Stanton System that will provide the most valuable data on 4.0's performance with players really noticing. And that performance will be what will underpin any player's 'experience' of what they consider Exploration Gameplay across both Systems.

[@MrGadfly772]

I'm not sure if this is even feasible buy perhaps in the future one could use exploration as a way of generating new planets for gameplay. A mechanic would have to be placed that would make it a multi-step process. Finding a new planet could be a process in itself, then conducting multiple surveys, each unlocking new possibilities. The last stage would be on the surface exploration. In game terms I see this as taking months to unlock a new planet with countless efforts by a huge swathe of players.

[@ChanTheman-fe3wf]

This is the dream, exploration would open the game up to a ginormous group of players. And for me it beats all other categories of play! Unfortunately i dont think its achievable with the current game model. The whole thing needs a re think with some real exploration to be had. I hope they can think of something.

[@guynamedmaggi5520]

I think I read that exploration won't be seeing new worlds entirely since we're 900 years in the future unfortunately they shouldn't have made it so far ahead in the future.

[@user-vi5wv9ht8l]

I think you could bundle it all into exploring for corporations to sell them a mining contract for the location or for yourself or your org,Sending the Orion to that location after it's found.As far as homesteaders contract for colonizing any breathable clean hospitable safe location should be worth a lot of credits.Or possible a place that's got what you need but requires a little terraforming on a planetary level with the right basics of water air and elements say a moon or planet in the goldilocks zone because thats what its all about in one way or another.Even finding a great location for the military base on a planet or moon or orbiting location that's preferable for fleet restocking,repair or movement of supplies.So many possibilities for game contracts.love the topic and the engaging thoughts please keep them coming and maybe we can all sway the CIG planning peeps our way lol.

[@noideas439]

Nice job on the new Astro historian video!

[@unknowngreen7640]

There is No copyright on that type of videos! He doing his own take with opinions and take on the concept

[@hooperj11]

@@unknowngreen7640 Ummm... I think that was a genuine congratulations. Farrister had a voice acting part in the Astro Historian video on Anvil Aerospace.

[@SianiAnne]

I'm hoping for true discovery type exploration, rather than surveying worlds that haven't been visited yet have installations on them. Places with no known jump points...I have ships that are supposed to do just that. To me it isn't really exploration if I go somewhere and there are distribution centers, cities, etc. unless they are alien rather than human. Unknown, that's the ticket. I have doubts that will ever be realized.

[@InquisitorEuro]

It'll be years before we have true exploration. I know apparently we're getting 4.0 with server meshing and Pyro by September but extra systems are likely years away. I'd wager we won't get any additional systems until 2028 and even then it'll just be 1 or 2.

[@laylaschu]

W video, love these

[@AccidentalFriendlyFire]

I've gotta say, seeing this video makes me realize i can't wait for a Drydock on the Ironclad. :-D BUT, will it be one video... Or two?

[@Farrister]

Hopefully just one!

[@cmdkaboom]

Exploring will be like walking in your spaceship you'll fall through the bottom floor but in this case you'll fall through the planet. 😂

[@j.d.4697]

I don't have too high hopes for exploration. It's super difficult to make good exploration in games because you have to create the "infinite and unknown", which is obviously impossible and until someone actually comes up with some ingenious methods of combining manual labor and powerful proc gen, I think it will always be super lacking.

[@zeroxception]

It will probably b the last game loop to be added in maybe 2027+

[@MrLuchador]

Hopefully it’s not as shallow as Elite Dangerous

[@TheeEducator]

If they implement AI, they could have a procedural generation and let AI make custom lore/NPCs/locations

[@xXE4GLEyEXx]

Waait why am I not subbed? Let me fix that real quick :D

[@marinosbitter]

Without procedural generation you'll need a way to make it interesting to search for places even after another player found it first. Maybe data rot (due to hacking, viruses or solar flares) might erase old data so players have an incentive to search for a lost location again.

[@vik12D]

Exploration...for mats! Need to feed the fabricator.

[@tamberello1966]

You're damn right I'm first. lol

[@paulakers143]

Area 18 ?shimbu? mine 5 on lyre is my gaming experience after 3 years

[@teambattleground9076]

Without procedural generation or something like it exploration would be boring. Because once a handful of people visit a location it gets out on KZbin and everyone knows about it.

[@asog88]

They can generate places on planets to find, like roaming settlements and caves/ ruins that are covered up by harsh environments

[@guynamedmaggi5520]

Imagine special places only you know about and might make making new systems be faster but with the way star citizen is moving with gameplay it might be 5-10 more years till this happens. We have so much tier zero gameplay still😭

[@asiftalpur3758]

procedural generation is garbage in every single game it has sneaked into. Handcrafted stuff may take longer and not be viable but nothing is dumber then proc gen things.

[@Empty12345]

Procedural? Are you out of your mind? Take a look at Starfield. Did you find the exploration interesting in it?

[@LucidStrike]

Not every location is even worth a KZbin video. You find an ore outcrop. Sell the data. Ore gets mined. You move on. Y'all are thinkin' way too grandiose about exploration. But to your point, Tony Z already said harvestables should deplete but eventually replenish. So there you go.

[@OnlyTakk]

more farister O_O

[@born2biscuit]

it will be pointless nerds will 100% map every inch of the game within 3 minutes of the full release (if that ever happens)