Exploration

Exploration in General

Exploration is a pretty interesting way to make a pretty good amount of ISK if you are willing to take some risk. Early on, you will most likely be limited to whatever tier 1 exploration frigate that your chosen race has available to it. You will want to use these due to their bonuses to hacking and virus strength of data and relic analyzers. The basic gist of exploration is to use scanning probes to locate data or relic sites from cosmic anomalies which apear as red circles on the solar system map. From there you will center your blue cube on a dot and slowly make the search radius small enough to the point where you can warp directly into the location. This is generally the easy part. (Pro-tip: Generally, data sites have less ISK worth of loot and it takes up more storage in your cargo hold. You can swap your data analyser for a cargo scanner and avoid data sites altogether. Relic sites are much better.)

Now that you have reached a data or relic site, you need to locate the various loot containers in the area, which can be found in the list to the right of your screen, and then approuch them so thta you are within 5000m of them. Then you want to lock the target container and activate your relic/data analyser by clicking on it. You will be greeted by a grid of lines and dots. Slowly, click through the dots. (Note that the numbers signify the number of dots away from the next point of importance which can either be viruses, useful hacking tools, or the core itself.) If you hit a useful tool which can be picked up by right-clicking, hover over it to see what it does. If you hit a virus which will have a special deisgn and several number on the top, try to kill it by right clicking until it goes away. If you are succesful, you will reach a green core symbol that, when cleared like a virus, gives you access to that ships valuables. One big thing that needs to be said is that exploring without a cloaking device will make it much easier for people to kill you and take your hard-earned loot. In that case, designate a location where you can store your loot safely, that way if you die, you will have enough money to buy another ship.

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