Automated explorer only explores system, but not the ruins

[gazaren]

My automated explorers left several ruins unexplored, even though it explored the system. Any idea why?

Also, I have researched improved phasor cannons, but all my automated designs still have assault blasters. Phasor stats are way better. Shouldn't the automated designs include the best weaponry?

Thanks.

[NephilimNexus]

The prize for ruins only goes to the first person who explores them. Odds are that someone else just beat you to it.

I suspect this is one of the reasons why Pirates can't explore ruins at all, as they'd easily beat every Empire to them.

[gazaren]

ORIGINAL: NephilimNexus

The prize for ruins only goes to the first person who explores them. Odds are that someone else just beat you to it.

I suspect this is one of the reasons why Pirates can't explore ruins at all, as they'd easily beat every Empire to them.

That's right. I got the popup for empty ruins quite a few times.

But this is different. There are system that are explored, but the ruins are unexplored. When I send a explorer there. the ruins get explored, but no popup appears.

It seems they somehow got flagged as explored, but their information was not actually revealed.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: gazaren

ORIGINAL: NephilimNexus

The prize for ruins only goes to the first person who explores them. Odds are that someone else just beat you to it.

I suspect this is one of the reasons why Pirates can't explore ruins at all, as they'd easily beat every Empire to them.

That's right. I got the popup for empty ruins quite a few times.

But this is different. There are system that are explored, but the ruins are unexplored. When I send a explorer there. the ruins get explored, but no popup appears.

It seems they somehow got flagged as explored, but their information was not actually revealed.

Hopefully this won't be a spoiler, but I'll give you a quick explanation of what might be happening.




Some ruins have a 'timed' event or message that may not appear when you explore it, but will show up later in the game.

[Retreat1970]

Also, I have researched improved phasor cannons, but all my automated designs still have assault blasters. Phasor stats are way better. Shouldn't the automated designs include the best weaponry?

Automated ship designs defaults to the AI ship templates for that race. You can get a clue what weapons races favor in the race help file. It would say, "prefer Fighters / Torpedo Bombers combined with Torpedoes" for example. Or you can open up the ship template folder yourself. Just so you know, Beams and phasers are not the same thing.

[Bingeling]

Or to get a good hint of what is prefered, look at what weapons are used in the existing AI designs. And also, look in the empire policy screen and the tech focuses. The prefered weapons should be among those.

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: gazaren

My automated explorers left several ruins unexplored, even though it explored the system. Any idea why?


Thanks.

Check empire setting.

[Kayoz]

Are you playing a normal or pirate empire?

[ASHBERY76]

A long standing problem.

[HerpInYourDerp]

IIRC, once every single planet, moon and asteroid has been explored for resources by you, only then will automated explorers begin checking out any remaining unknown ruins (and only after they RTB to nearest port for refueling first and idles for some time). This means planets and moons below a certain size will not be approached close enough to trigger the 'check ruins' flag, even moreso if you do any research that increases the Resource Profile Sensor's range.

And just to also reiterate previous points: Pirates aren't able to explore or benefit from ruins; Exploration ships on auto ignoring ruins is a long-standing problem with the game.

[Kayoz]

ORIGINAL: gazaren

Also, I have researched improved phasor cannons, but all my automated designs still have assault blasters. Phasor stats are way better. Shouldn't the automated designs include the best weaponry?

The DW interpretation of "best", given equal progress in a tree, is whichever is first in the list (assault blaster is closer to the top of the list than phasers). IIRC, if one is higher, it'll go with that one.

Ya, it sucks. People have been complaining about that since release.

[Demonius]

Works a wee bit better if you set an Explorer or two to automatically search a single sector, not and undefined automatic- though this can often lead to them exploring the same Systems at the same time, so make sure to let them start on Systems far away from each other in the respective sector.

[Hattori Hanzo]

can utilize not automated explorers be a viable solution ? [&:]

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: Hattori Hanzo

can utilize not automated explorers be a viable solution ? [&:]

I never use auto-explore. I always set each explorer to search a sector, they don't get in each others that way. Provided you have your Empire settings correct they will/do check everything they find unless interrupted by being attacked. If they need refueling during the search they will do that and then return to the sector search (I suppose this is form of automation). Pretty good part of the game really.

[Hattori Hanzo]

thank you Chris H, I will follow your suggestions about explorers in my tutorial game.

a noob question arise: is it possible to change the Empire settings in the middle of a game ?

[Bingeling]

Yes, of course. You can turn automation on/off and such. And the empire settings are automation settings.

[NephilimNexus]

ORIGINAL: Kayoz

Are you playing a normal or pirate empire?

This is also a good point: Pirates do not explore ruins. Hardcoded. No free maps, no free techs, no hidden governments. All they get from exploring a ruin is finding out what the tourism bonus would be.