Fractal Softworks Forum

Starsector => General Discussion => Topic started by: NinjaPirate on April 27, 2017, 11:51:50 PM

Title: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: NinjaPirate on April 27, 2017, 11:51:50 PM
I've been remote scanning systems but I'm not sure how to turn that info into credits?

How does one profit from this?  Also do you gain much money from performing planetary surveys?  Hopefully a lot as it takes a ton of resources to do. 
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: Serenitis on April 28, 2017, 12:21:09 AM
"Remote Scanning" only completes a preliminary survey - which is really just telling you what you need in order to look over the place properly. It's worth nothing on it's own. (Tbh, this skill is not all that useful.)
In order to get money you need to go to a planet and survey it, and then sell the data you generate.
Class I = ~1,000cr
Class II = ~5,000cr
Class III = ~20,000cr
Class IV = ~50,000cr
Class V = ~150,000cr

The higher the stability of the market, the more money you get, and vice-versa.
So basically; scan stuff, sell the results to Sindria.

When surveying it also helps to have several ships loaded with survey equipment (hullmod) to reduce the costs. Shepherds get this built in, and civilian freighters/tankers can usually carry it easily with no loss in utility.
Shuttles also work if you have nothing else available.
With enough survey equipped ships the costs for scanning each planet go down to 5x each machinery & supplies. (Machinery is a requirement rather than a cost.) Crew requirements never change.
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: NinjaPirate on April 28, 2017, 03:44:30 AM
"Remote Scanning" only completes a preliminary survey - which is really just telling you what you need in order to look over the place properly. It's worth nothing on it's own. (Tbh, this skill is not all that useful.)
In order to get money you need to go to a planet and survey it, and then sell the data you generate.
Class I = ~1,000cr
Class II = ~5,000cr
Class III = ~20,000cr
Class IV = ~50,000cr
Class V = ~150,000cr

The higher the stability of the market, the more money you get, and vice-versa.
So basically; scan stuff, sell the results to Sindria.

Thanks for the tips.  However this doesn't sound like the best way to earn scratch. 

When surveying it also helps to have several ships loaded with survey equipment (hullmod) to reduce the costs. Shepherds get this built in, and civilian freighters/tankers can usually carry it easily with no loss in utility.
Shuttles also work if you have nothing else available.
With enough survey equipped ships the costs for scanning each planet go down to 5x each machinery & supplies. (Machinery is a requirement rather than a cost.) Crew requirements never change.
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: Serenitis on April 28, 2017, 03:53:42 AM
Thanks for the tips.  However this doesn't sound like the best way to earn scratch. 

It's probably the easiest way of generating money early game. It doesn't seem to be too difficult to find a handful of class III and IV worlds in the core areas.
Far easier than bounty hunting or wreck scanning anyway, as it doesn't require huge amounts of travelling.
It does however require an investment of skill points (depending on how far you want to take it) in order to survey effectively. And since surveys are one-time-only those skills eventually become useless.
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: StarGibbon on April 28, 2017, 07:48:33 AM
Get enough survey tool mods in your fleet to lower the supply cost for most planets to 5 supply. Survey mods on my mid size tanker and large freighter were enough to do this for me. Avoid scanning "giant" planets, , because they don't tend to get their supply costs reduced enough even with considerable survey mod investment, and yet they don't pay off at any greater rate than the other planets.

Wait until you have a few class 3 surveys or better, and only sell them to faction capitals ( the profit there is considerably greater), and only to the black market (a 30% tarriff on the kind of money you can make from a class V survey is painful). A single class IV or V survey found in the early game, is enough to instantly overhaul your entire fleet, and let you start flying around in ships you want, rather than trash.  

Other than the ability to rapidly jumpstart your game with an early cash infusion, they are best looked at as a way to pad your profits from costly trips to other starsystems during missions, and can turn a low profit mission into a massive payday.
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: ChaseBears on April 28, 2017, 07:49:35 AM
Does anyone else find it strange that survey data is tariffd...?
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: Igncom1 on April 28, 2017, 08:06:38 AM
I do.

You would think there might be some kind of faction specific officers who are looking for that information, as it is most likely the future of the sector, no matter how low tech everything has become.
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: Gothars on April 28, 2017, 08:08:58 AM
Doesn't make sense to make special rules for a placeholder mechanic *shrug*
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: cjuicy on April 28, 2017, 09:45:20 AM
Sindria
Just sell them to Sindria. They pay double before tariff.
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: Igncom1 on April 28, 2017, 11:53:17 AM
Cheeky dictator looking for expansions?
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: Ubik on April 28, 2017, 01:11:14 PM
Sindria
Just sell them to Sindria. They pay double before tariff.

You forgot to add to sell it at the Sindria black market, patrols can't find anything and the only penalty one might get is a -1 rep hit for 300k per class 5 survey data  ;)
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: Igncom1 on April 28, 2017, 01:17:23 PM
Doesn't make sense to make special rules for a placeholder mechanic *shrug*

It is? Fair enough I suppose.
Title: Re: How to profit off of exploration data?
Post by: Talkie Toaster on April 29, 2017, 01:30:19 AM
Does anyone else find it strange that survey data is tariffd...?
Not really, you can be charged VAT on buying access to an academic paper from a journal. Just because the good you're selling is digital rather than physical doesn't mean it wouldn't be taxed.