Some people find relaxation in making pixels explode in space. They long for the challenge of proving their superiority by making other players blink off the map and return to a cloning bay on some distant station. Some find it relaxing to exhale the stress of their lives in each statement made in fleetcoms.
For me, my enjoyment in Eve comes from exploration.
I set my sites on some system, lock in some waypoints, and go see what there is to see. It's proven not only lucrative, but a lower-stress way to prepare other aspects of the game (such as the vaunted PVP). It's also lead me to Wormholes, which I find to be amazing for adding a level of paranoia and attentiveness.
So how does it all work?
First, get comfortable with the Map found in your Neocom menu. Not only can this help you plan your routes, but it has options to do things like seeing the average number of players in space, average players in the system, and average deaths in the system for the areas where you're going. If your goal is to avoid combat (and if you're in an exploration ship, your goal is almost always to avoid combat), then learning to use your map is a must.
Take some time to get to know the map and learn what settings work best for you. You may find that it needs to be customized to meet your needs. Take a look at EveUni's Star Map entry as well this Reddit post for some ideas on how to get set up.
If you would prefer to use out-of-game resources in a browser, then consider something like Evemaps on Dotlan. This will give you similar functionality but in an interface that some prefer, and the ability to manipulate data a little better. There are pros and cons to each approach, and like everything in Eve, no matter what advice you get, you're going to have to pick what works best for you.
After some experimentation, I find it best to right click systems individually and choose the option of "Add Waypoint." This gives a more granular control to your route and lets you get around settings you might otherwise have in place for mission running routes or something. It'll also let you select the shortest path to an end goal, whereas the auto-mapping feature might default to taking you through the most high-sec systems by default.
Next, decide what you want to explore; this will help you set the destination and let you know what you want to research. You'll also need to decide what your limits are, and to do this you'll need to know your risks. Are you willing to go into low-sec? Null-sec? Wormholes? Each has their own reward and risks, and whether you should enter one will entirely depend on what you're trying to do.
While you probably won't make a lot of ISK doing so, traveling New Eden for no other reason than learning the area is its own reward. If you want to see all there is to see, but you're unwilling to do it without purpose, consider taking the time to set up bookmarks for yourself. This will give you a little more reason to visit new systems, just in case you ever need to have safes and gate scanning points set up.
Another activity you can do for pure site-seeing is set up scavenger hunts. If you're part of an exploration-focused guild or SIG (Special Interest Group) inside an alliance then you could use this to create content for your friends. Travel around, note strange and unique aspects of the region around you, and then slap together a hunt!
The short of it is this: you'll scan down wormholes like any other anomaly. Once you have it scanned, warp to the wormhole, right-click (or use the radial menu) and view the info for the wormhole. You'll get the wormhole name, which you can then match up for properties using various websites; you'll get a rough idea of how long it will live; and you'll get an idea of where it leads (wormhole space - also known as J-space or W-Space; or Known Space - k-space such as high, low, or null-sec). If the wormhole is K162, then it means someone came out from the other side. Most likely what's beyond is either a trap, someone's home system, or a place that's already been cleared of interesting things and you should move on.
When scanning wormholes, you can go from one to another to another in short order. One hole can take you dozens of systems away (I was exploring earlier in the week and one wormhole took me 26 systems away from where I started), or next door. Due to its size and position, wormholes are more likely to appear in Amarr space than anywhere else.
Because of their nature of being connectors, those that live in or like to explore wormholes will usually use some form of mapping software/website to help them. If this sounds interesting to you, then be sure to check out two of the most popular such sites: Siggy and Tripwire.
It's also worth looking at EveScout. This website serves the purpose of helping people find a way to Thera, a massive wormhole system held by NPCs for everyone to use.
If you enjoy methodically approaching each system in a similar way, the sound of probe movement, and the static of hacking, then exploration is for you. If any of these activities get on your nerves, then check back next week for another suggestion on how to make some ISK, because exploration might not be for you.
For me, my enjoyment in Eve comes from exploration.
I set my sites on some system, lock in some waypoints, and go see what there is to see. It's proven not only lucrative, but a lower-stress way to prepare other aspects of the game (such as the vaunted PVP). It's also lead me to Wormholes, which I find to be amazing for adding a level of paranoia and attentiveness.
So how does it all work?
Fun and Profit
Exploration in New Eden can be done for both fun and profit. There are some shared aspects between the two and I'd recommend a few lessons to keep in mind.First, get comfortable with the Map found in your Neocom menu. Not only can this help you plan your routes, but it has options to do things like seeing the average number of players in space, average players in the system, and average deaths in the system for the areas where you're going. If your goal is to avoid combat (and if you're in an exploration ship, your goal is almost always to avoid combat), then learning to use your map is a must.
Take some time to get to know the map and learn what settings work best for you. You may find that it needs to be customized to meet your needs. Take a look at EveUni's Star Map entry as well this Reddit post for some ideas on how to get set up.
If you would prefer to use out-of-game resources in a browser, then consider something like Evemaps on Dotlan. This will give you similar functionality but in an interface that some prefer, and the ability to manipulate data a little better. There are pros and cons to each approach, and like everything in Eve, no matter what advice you get, you're going to have to pick what works best for you.
After some experimentation, I find it best to right click systems individually and choose the option of "Add Waypoint." This gives a more granular control to your route and lets you get around settings you might otherwise have in place for mission running routes or something. It'll also let you select the shortest path to an end goal, whereas the auto-mapping feature might default to taking you through the most high-sec systems by default.
Next, decide what you want to explore; this will help you set the destination and let you know what you want to research. You'll also need to decide what your limits are, and to do this you'll need to know your risks. Are you willing to go into low-sec? Null-sec? Wormholes? Each has their own reward and risks, and whether you should enter one will entirely depend on what you're trying to do.
Selecting a Ship
Now that you're comfortable with the star map, you'll need a ship to do your exploration with. Even if you're capable of a larger vessel, a frigate is often still preferred. They are quick, fast, align well, and are cheap to replace. Exploration is one of the few areas of the game where bigger and harder hitting is not the preference (most of the time... some of the more combative aspects might still leave you wanting a bigger ship).
You should already have access to an exploration frigate. Each race has its own (for Minmatar it's the Probe, for Caldari the Heron, for Amarr the Magnate, and for the Gallante it's the Imicus. You can identify the appropriate ship by opening the Ship Tree from your neocom and looking for the frigate that comes with bonuses to Core and Combat Scanner Probes and Relic/Data Analyzer virus strength. There are a few variations to each of the racial frigates, but for the most part, the differences don't matter. They're all roughly the same for our needs.
If you do not already own one of these scouting ships, then take the time to find the Exploration Career Agent nearest you and complete their five mission arc. Not only will they gift you with a ship appropriate for exploration, but you'll also get a crash course in how scanning down a cosmic signature works. I cannot recommend enough: use the career agents to get free ships.
Fit a probe launcher to one of your high slots; put a data and a relic analyzer in two of the mids. Load some core probes into your probe launcher. Congratulations, you now meet the minimum requirements for exploring.
For a little extra, you can add an After Burner (AB) or Microwarp Drive (MWD). If you can fit a cloaking device, throw that in your other high, or a salvaging unit. You're pretty much not worried about DPS because you're exploring, not fighting. It's about not being seen, and about getting away when you are.
Profit
Now that you have your ship, let's talk about the profit side first. as Exploration is one of the Careers that the game helps you prepare for. There are several reasons you might explore for profit and ways to go about it.
When most people in Eve hear about someone doing exploration, they think about hacking Relic and Data sites, scanning down cosmic signatures, and maybe attempting a ghost site or sleeper location. These are the activities that will net you the most ISK. As a fledgling explore, I'd recommend ignoring the ghost and sleeper sites; these will require you to bring in larger, combat-capable ships most of the time.
In order to run data or relic sites, you'll need to scan down the cosmic anomalies found in each system. Once you get the anomaly to 25%, then it'll tell you the type of site it is. Get it to 100% and you'll be able to warp in. Take a moment to watch this video if you want to know more about the mechanics of scanning a site down.
Once you've located a site, you'll warp to it (often warping near it and doing a d-scan first to make sure no one else is around), and then use your relic or data analyzer on the cans (containers) located there. This will present you with a challenge similar to the old Minesweeper game in windows where you click nodes, reveal numbers, and use those numbers to determine where you'll click next. Sometimes it's just another number, sometimes a helpful utility, and sometimes it's a defensive system that will kick your ass.
Of course, you might also find an ore or a gas site... and then you'll realize you're not equipped for that and need to come back in a different ship if that's your thing. Or call in a teammate. After all, Eve is a social game.
The result of all this hacking and scanning? You'll fill your cargo hold with parts, scraps, and blueprints that can be sold on the market and used by Industrialists. It's from Data and Relic sites that you'll find the pieces needed to make the modules others are holding in high demand. Some of the parts will sell for a pittance, and others will bring in big money. As a general rule of thumb, the more dangerous the space is (ie, wormhole and nullsec > Low-Sec > High-Sec), the more money you'll bring in per site.
When most people in Eve hear about someone doing exploration, they think about hacking Relic and Data sites, scanning down cosmic signatures, and maybe attempting a ghost site or sleeper location. These are the activities that will net you the most ISK. As a fledgling explore, I'd recommend ignoring the ghost and sleeper sites; these will require you to bring in larger, combat-capable ships most of the time.
In order to run data or relic sites, you'll need to scan down the cosmic anomalies found in each system. Once you get the anomaly to 25%, then it'll tell you the type of site it is. Get it to 100% and you'll be able to warp in. Take a moment to watch this video if you want to know more about the mechanics of scanning a site down.
Once you've located a site, you'll warp to it (often warping near it and doing a d-scan first to make sure no one else is around), and then use your relic or data analyzer on the cans (containers) located there. This will present you with a challenge similar to the old Minesweeper game in windows where you click nodes, reveal numbers, and use those numbers to determine where you'll click next. Sometimes it's just another number, sometimes a helpful utility, and sometimes it's a defensive system that will kick your ass.
Of course, you might also find an ore or a gas site... and then you'll realize you're not equipped for that and need to come back in a different ship if that's your thing. Or call in a teammate. After all, Eve is a social game.
The result of all this hacking and scanning? You'll fill your cargo hold with parts, scraps, and blueprints that can be sold on the market and used by Industrialists. It's from Data and Relic sites that you'll find the pieces needed to make the modules others are holding in high demand. Some of the parts will sell for a pittance, and others will bring in big money. As a general rule of thumb, the more dangerous the space is (ie, wormhole and nullsec > Low-Sec > High-Sec), the more money you'll bring in per site.
Sightseeing for Fun
I would be very remiss if I didn't mention this fantastic blog. The Eve Travel Blog lists some of the greatest sightseeing opportunities in the virtual galaxy. Here you can find the journeys of the author documented with screenshots, and with it an idea of places that you should go see as well. You can find beautiful locations, lore-important locations and everything in between.While you probably won't make a lot of ISK doing so, traveling New Eden for no other reason than learning the area is its own reward. If you want to see all there is to see, but you're unwilling to do it without purpose, consider taking the time to set up bookmarks for yourself. This will give you a little more reason to visit new systems, just in case you ever need to have safes and gate scanning points set up.
Another activity you can do for pure site-seeing is set up scavenger hunts. If you're part of an exploration-focused guild or SIG (Special Interest Group) inside an alliance then you could use this to create content for your friends. Travel around, note strange and unique aspects of the region around you, and then slap together a hunt!
Wormholes
Wormholes are worth bringing up at this point. They are a unique aspect of Eve, providing both a source of income, a place to live, and a quicker way to transit between distant points than you would normally have. Wormholes come in several classifications, and each holds some properties that set it apart from others. If you want to know more, in depth, then head over to Eve Uni and read their Wormholes entry.The short of it is this: you'll scan down wormholes like any other anomaly. Once you have it scanned, warp to the wormhole, right-click (or use the radial menu) and view the info for the wormhole. You'll get the wormhole name, which you can then match up for properties using various websites; you'll get a rough idea of how long it will live; and you'll get an idea of where it leads (wormhole space - also known as J-space or W-Space; or Known Space - k-space such as high, low, or null-sec). If the wormhole is K162, then it means someone came out from the other side. Most likely what's beyond is either a trap, someone's home system, or a place that's already been cleared of interesting things and you should move on.
When scanning wormholes, you can go from one to another to another in short order. One hole can take you dozens of systems away (I was exploring earlier in the week and one wormhole took me 26 systems away from where I started), or next door. Due to its size and position, wormholes are more likely to appear in Amarr space than anywhere else.
Because of their nature of being connectors, those that live in or like to explore wormholes will usually use some form of mapping software/website to help them. If this sounds interesting to you, then be sure to check out two of the most popular such sites: Siggy and Tripwire.
It's also worth looking at EveScout. This website serves the purpose of helping people find a way to Thera, a massive wormhole system held by NPCs for everyone to use.
Combat
This wouldn't be an Eve Online blog if we didn't talk about how to weaponize something. Exploration has great combat potential too, and if you're someone that enjoys that aspect, then here's how to combine the two activities.
Fleets seeking out PVP might well need scouts to help them find someone to fight on a roam, or to help them avoid other fleets if they're trying to move from one system to another unseen. As a scout, you'll fly in a quick, cloak-capable ship from system to sytems, either going a jump or two ahead of the flight or flagging behind by a similar distance. Your goal is to ensure that your fleet doesn't get jumped at a gate, and to hunt down content for them.
You might do this kind of thing in the same ships as mentioned above. If you do, then you'll probably use your mid slots for tackle - a webifier, warp scrambler, etc. If you're a little better off in terms of skill and ISK, then something like an Interceptor might be a better ship choice.
Fleets seeking out PVP might well need scouts to help them find someone to fight on a roam, or to help them avoid other fleets if they're trying to move from one system to another unseen. As a scout, you'll fly in a quick, cloak-capable ship from system to sytems, either going a jump or two ahead of the flight or flagging behind by a similar distance. Your goal is to ensure that your fleet doesn't get jumped at a gate, and to hunt down content for them.
You might do this kind of thing in the same ships as mentioned above. If you do, then you'll probably use your mid slots for tackle - a webifier, warp scrambler, etc. If you're a little better off in terms of skill and ISK, then something like an Interceptor might be a better ship choice.
Flying Safe
Do not think for a moment that just because you're flying in a defenseless ship that the average PVPer in Eve is going to let you zip by without harassment. Exploration ships might be scouts, or more likely are just hauling around a lot of ISK worth of materials. Either way, when you take up exploration you become a bit of a target.
There are tricks you can use to keep yourself alive, and I've found that following these things will make the career less deadly to you and your wallet.
- Use D-Scan (Directional Scan) frequently. You can check out Pandemic Legion's video for a half hour tutorial on this, or search YouTube for quicker guides if you want the down and dirty only.
- Use bookmarks, and whenever you arrive in a system, make a safe perch and scan from there. Here's a video for setting up safes and bookmarks.
The Downside
Exploration isn't for everyone. While it's one of the activities that I've enjoyed the most in New Eden, it can be highly frustrating. I've spent two hours flying through systems either coming up with nothing worth exploring or making very little ISK for the amount of time I have invested. Sure, usually if I push another hour I make a decent payout, and on average it's been a profit maker, that's not always the case.
As stated earlier, most exploration will be done in a frigate. If you're after flying around in a bigger ship, then this probably isn't for you. While some exploration will be done in a cruiser, most of it's in a frigate.
And last, but not at all least, you're going to be a target. You'll be a bigger target if you're flying around in a blinged out Astero, too! So if you don't like watching your back and using D-Scan to check for enemies...
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