BUG Stations don't explore

[Acceleratex]

It seems that in the latest release, 1.2.6.7, stations don't explore the planet or asteroid they are attached to anymore.

Save file:
https://fastupload.io/731ef65468dbfee0

Thank you!

[AKicebear]

I'm kind of a fan of that idea. I like explorers doing the exploring.

[Acceleratex]

Sure, but it's still a bug in the current build. Definitely not a feature.

[Cauldyth]

I have mixed feelings. Some of those super high discovery level things would get locked behind late game tech if you couldn't use a mining station to discover them. I can see how that could be a good thing, adding some continuous discovery throughout the game. The only concern I'd have is that sometimes I fail to find a single research location anywhere near me using just my explorers. I then use mining stations to explore further. If I couldn't do that, then those game starts would be extremely difficult.

[MaximKI]

It seems that in the latest release, 1.2.6.7, stations don't explore the planet or asteroid they are attached to anymore.

Save file:
https://fastupload.io/731ef65468dbfee0

Thank you!

Thanks for the report! Do you happen to have a save after some time has passed that shows the discovery level staying the same?

[Acceleratex]

Sure, here is a save fast-forwarded 10 years. The planet Pudires 2 is still at exploration level 25, it did not change in 10 years. It seems that exploration actually advances up to 25 and after that it gets stuck.

https://fastupload.io/13b42b3b9049f21f

Thank you!

[MaximKI]

Thanks. In previous versions have you seen stations explore beyond this discovery level?

[Acceleratex]

I don't remember the latest previous version I played but yes, this is a new behavior in v1.2.6.7. Previously stations would explore until the planet or asteroid was fully explored.

[Cauldyth]

I'm seeing this too, definitely different than previous versions.

[MaximKI]

Following up on this - this is intended behavior. We made a change in developing the Return of the Shakturi that stations were revealing items too soon, so we capped the discovery level to 25.

[Cauldyth]

Understood, thanks!

[randal7]

Won't this change add a lot of micromanagement? Previously if a planet or star showed it had hidden resources I could plunk a mine there and forget about it and eventually the resource would show up. Now I will (I guess?) have to manually do further exploration, maybe after new exploration tech discovered which means keeping track of where all the hidden resources are at and eventually manually sending an explorer. Am I missing an easier way to do this?

Seems like for gameplay purposes it would have been better to make mines explore more slowly rather than cap it at a low level.

[Cauldyth]

Won't this change add a lot of micromanagement? Previously if a planet or star showed it had hidden resources I could plunk a mine there and forget about it and eventually the resource would show up. Now I will (I guess?) have to manually do further exploration, maybe after new exploration tech discovered which means keeping track of where all the hidden resources are at and eventually manually sending an explorer. Am I missing an easier way to do this?

Seems like for gameplay purposes it would have been better to make mines explore more slowly rather than cap it at a low level.

Do you manually control your exploration ships? I keep mine on auto 99% of the time, and when they retrofit to better scanners, they will then automatically go do further exploration at sites that still have something to discover.

The previous system actually caused me much more micromanagement than the new system. If a site still had things to discover after the exploration ship reached its maximum, I had to manually queue a mining station there to continue the exploration, even if there was currently nothing to mine. That was not only tedious, but also very difficult to identify when it was necessary, as often exploration ships would quietly reach their max scan of site and then move on. You'd only get a notification if there was something close to being discovered. If there was something at a significantly higher discovery level, you'd get no notification. It was tedious looking through all the systems on occasion to look for places to build a mining station just for exploration purposes. Now, the first scanner upgrade (which you actually start with if you're a Technocracy) will take you to Level 25, the same that mining stations are capable of, so no more need for cheesy building of mining stations where there's currently nothing to mine, just for the sake of exploration.

[Erik Rutins]

Stations were never meant to explore to maximum levels. the fact that they were continuing to explore past about exploration level 30 was a bug. Only a highly populated colony or the maximum survey tech can have a chance of doing that.

As it is, stations will still be quite helpful to exploration especially in the early game and when it comes to finding all hidden resources and many hidden ruins and bonuses, but higher exploration techs are still needed to find the most hidden bonuses, ruins or special locations.

Regards,

- Erik

[Xmudder]

Following up on this - this is intended behavior. We made a change in developing the Return of the Shakturi that stations were revealing items too soon, so we capped the discovery level to 25.

Is that 25 from tech 0 game start, or 15 and then 25 after learning "Planetary Exploration / Advanced Survey module"

This would impact how soon I research this tech at tech 0 starts, and what settings I have under exploration / send survey team in the early game. There is no option for "use mining station instead" prior to Multi Team Exploration.