Exploration

F6 Long distance chart (Zero Map)

New Galaxy: SOTL Altmap

New Game: SOTL Exploration
Prospecting for resources

Hyperspace jumping in SOTL Exploration

To perform meaningful "exploration" in Oolite requires two matters.

• Ignorance about what one is exploring!
• Game modifications enhancing the act of exploration!

Ignorance

Ignorance can be achieved in one of two ways.

• For those not yet knowledgeable about the vanilla eight galaxies, the relevant information can be hidden using OXP's.
• For those who have know too much about The Eight, one can play in other galaxies. These will not share the lore built up around the eight, but they will be new!

Things to do

* Explore the Tionisla Orbital Graveyard (with the three OXP's loaded - and equipped with BroadcastComms MFD to interrogate the monuments). You can throw in the Tionisla Chronicle Array for good measure!
* Explore the Tianve Pulsar (with Tianve OXP loaded)
* Try and find a Generation ship (don't forget to load the oxp first!)
* Visit Aqualina in Galaxy 3 (with Aquatics loaded) 
* Load either FarPlanets or the Strangers World suite and visit some far-out planets (in Stranger's World you can make excellent profits on alcoholic drinks if visiting a distant station!).
* Try and find the HIMSN naval stations (don't forget to load the oxp first!)!

Game modifications

OXP's hiding unexplored parts of the galaxy

• Here be Dragons hides the unexplored systems on the F6/F7 pages (2012-19).

Unexplored systems are still shown on the map but all F6/F7 details of them are hidden.

• Zero Map - Explore the galaxy hides the unexplored systems on the F6 charts: customisable (2016)

Only neighbouring and local systems (within 7ly) are shown on the map (this is customisable). On the F7 screen, vanilla game details are hidden, but details from Smugglers, Diplomancy, Galactic Almanac etc. are still displayed.

• Buyable map (2012) - only works for older versions of Oolite (pre-v.1.82?): not as good as the other two, as the other systems are still there on the map - but their details are obscured and replaced with a nonsensical tag for a high-tech TL1 anarchy!

At the time of writing (June 2022) only Zero Map seems to function on the AppleMac (Oolite v.1.90).

OXP's recording explorational exploits

• Explorers' Club OXP

New Galaxies to explore

• SOTL Altmap - a new suite of 8 galaxies with political regions, uninhabited systems, new commodities and slightly different equipment. Unfinished but playable.

This is a scenario oxp which prevents including other oxp's. You might wish to tweak this to allow loading some of these other OXPs as well as, say, Market Observer. See page for details.

• Galaxy Seeds - essay on creating new galaxies, link to Pleb's Oolite Galaxy Generator (Windows only)

Changing those Galaxies

Different stars, more/different planets, moons, rings, flares, etc.

• See Guide to Ambience OXPs for comparisons of the more far-reaching of what is available
• See Category:Ambience OXPs for a list of what is available

New Explorational Game

• SOTL Exploration - no combat. New galaxy, different hyperspace jump method (which requires steering). Locate resources for your stranded mother ship!

Links

• Geography
• The Eight
• Maps
• Galaxy Seeds

• Oolite as exploration game: Essay by Stranger (author of Here Be Dragons.oxp)
• More/ larger galaxies BB Thread (2013-date)
• Peaceful skies BB Thread (2013) Is exploration possible in Oolite?
• Oolite as exploration game BB Thread (2022)

• Updated Explorers proposal (Elite: Dangerous - Design Decision Forum: 2013)