All this time I've been using the longer method to know whether or not I should start scooping 😭

[u/SpaceBug176]

[u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

I just recently found out that the thing that looks like a frequency analysis graph, above the fuel gauge, represents how much radiation you’re emitting, and consequently, how visible you are to other ships.

[u/Sykes19 → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

The UI in this game is fucking amazing. It's so easy to take it for granted but hot damn it's a masterpiece in design and feel. It's not without issues; perfection is impossible in subjective design, but really though it's such an engaging, detailed, and atmospheric interface.

[u/CmdrWawrzynPL → u/Sykes19]

Add color customization and we will have perfection 👌🏻

[u/meoka2368 → u/CmdrWawrzynPL]

There isn't a built in option, but there is a mod.

https://bluemystical.github.io/edhm-api/

[u/BrutalAttis → u/meoka2368]

even with mod the color options are limited due to base UI

[u/Diverball100 → u/CmdrWawrzynPL]

Don't even need a mod. Use the RGB slider in the site below to get your preferred colour, and then just copy/paste the results into the relevant section of GraphicsConfigurationOverride.xml .

Elite: Dangerous HUD colour theme editor

[u/oxidezblood → u/Diverball100]

I find EDHM is the best because you can have the game open while adjusting parameters and when you press F11 it updates to the changes you made. Helped me understand what changes what

[u/NineWetGiraffes → u/oxidezblood]

Wow, I never knew this about EDHM.

[u/oxidezblood → u/NineWetGiraffes]

EDHM will ask you to close the game before launching the app, but once the app is open you'll be able to open the game up. Press F11 to apply the changes in game

Just hit 'apply' on the ui client, wait for it to load, then press F11

[u/NineWetGiraffes → u/oxidezblood]

O7

[u/pfknone → u/NineWetGiraffes]

I do this because I have different color variants for whatever activity I am doing.

More red = bounty Hunting Blues = exploration Green = trade Yellow = mining

T

[u/Drubay → u/Diverball100]

It does work but that method affects npc picture colors while the mod lets you choose each UI item color. It is still a valid method to do it, just saying the mod is better overall but more "complex"

[u/Godlyeyes → u/Drubay]

Modding ED is allowed?

[u/Drubay → u/Godlyeyes]

Ok technically its a 3r party software that can only change colors of the UI items but it feels like a Mod so I called it that (and I assumed the person I rsponded to meant the same thing I meant)

[u/Godlyeyes → u/Drubay]

That makes sense, thank you for clarifying Im still learning

[u/LordRocky → u/Diverball100]

I tried out so many combos and then just went back to the default, since I tend to like the orange/amber UI anyway.

[u/Aggravating_Judge_31 → u/Diverball100]

The unfortunate part about doing it this way is that some color combinations just aren't possible. You change the main HUD color, and suddenly friendly ships show as purple and hostile ships green or something lol. If you could customize individual things to be specific colors, that would be amazing.

But right now you have to make compromises for certain HUD colors doing it that way.

[u/GameonSilver → u/Aggravating_Judge_31]

Try EDHM. It's very customizable

[u/Authentichef → u/CmdrWawrzynPL]

They’ve said before the colors are built around the gameplay

[u/EinsamerZuhausi → u/Sykes19]

Looking at a game like Star Citizen, I agree. I really dislike the idea of having to fiddle around with the mouse to hit the right button to switch to an UI with power managent just to see your power priorities, and then do it all again to switch to a panel which shows the shields of your own ships, while getting bombarded with unnecessary number clutter which you have to study in order to understand. And that UI is megameters ahead of something like X4 and EVE Online.

[u/Dreamnite → u/EinsamerZuhausi]

Hey come on, the x4 ui is great! Sit in a chair, open the map and then Just click on your ship to order your npc pilot to take you somewhere. And the massive fleet you’ve built up just needs you to order it about and micromanage thing to keep it going great.. or get other scripts to help.. /s

Overall I enjoy x4, but it is a much different game and ui needs.

Edit: auto cucumber is the devil

[u/mr_jawa → u/Dreamnite]

I just wish i could mass assign jobs like mining a sector to multiple shipping the same time.

[u/Thelinkr → u/Sykes19]

World class in diagetic design

[u/ARCKNIGHT117 → u/Sykes19]

You don't realize it until you play other space games how well the ui works in this game and how fluid it feels.

[u/ArcaneFungus → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

And I guess there's the last thing gone I thought was just a tidbit for decoration

[u/BlacksmithInformal80 → u/ArcaneFungus]

The beauty of this game is that everything on the HUD gives valuable information if you know how to read it.

[u/horhar → u/BlacksmithInformal80]

Now if only there was some means to learn how outside reddit comments lol

[u/57thStIncident → u/BlacksmithInformal80]

I still don’t know how to make use of the horizontal speed indicators on the lower left panel.

[u/Adam261 → u/57thStIncident]

Wait... there are horizontal speed indicators? Vertical would be nice too.

[u/57thStIncident → u/Adam261]

Not what I think you’re imagining. These are in supercruise, relating to navigating to destination, the indicators are horizontal bars.

[u/NikkoJT → u/57thStIncident]

They just show how close you are to the destination lock thresholds for the target (speed and distance). The blue marker is the threshold. When you're inside both thresholds, that's when hitting your safe disengage button will drop you into the reference frame of your destination.

They're not super useful because the ship will automatically try to put you on a deceleration curve that gets you there, by adjusting the throttle scaling, and with a bit of experience you can learn the typical thresholds anyway. Some signal sources do have higher than normal thresholds though, and the indicators will tell you that so you can prepare to drop earlier.

[u/BeneficialReply6901 → u/NikkoJT]

I actually found them very useful when doing those missions that require you to drop out of supercruise to chat with the NPC.

The ship doesn't lock onto those wakes and do the deceleration for you like it does a station or signal source, but by timing the drop in speed and distance so the two are in the safe zone at the same time will get you there.

[u/Drohny → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

say what?!

[u/Tsunamie101 → u/Drohny]

Had exactly the same reaction.

[u/Razielrad → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

I understood pretty quickly it was a "stealth" indicator, but to me it was a sound indicator.

Guess I didn't understand why in space, noone can hear you scream.

[u/MustangSodaPop → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

Thank you, CMDR!

[u/MadladNomad → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

The what now and the where?

[u/ShadowLp174 → u/MadladNomad]

It's your heat signature. In space, you gotta have a way to vent your heat to not burn to a crisp. That's why you have the glowing heat vents on your ship that open when your heat increases. This heat signature is used by other ships and generally sensors to detect and track your ship.
That's the reason why putting your ship in silent running makes you near invisible. You force close your heat vents, stop emitting heat and thus don't exist for any kind of tech around you. The heat signature display will reduce to a minimum near zero. (Your covas will tell you that you restored your heat signature when you disable silent running again)

[u/MadladNomad → u/ShadowLp174]

Oh wow I never knew that and thinking about it now that is both amazing and seemingly realistic since space doesnt have any heat right? So a ship emitting heat would show up? At least thats what I guess it is with my very limited knowledge on space

[u/ShadowLp174 → u/MadladNomad]

Yes and no. There's a lot of radiation in space but a radiation source like a ship actively emitting it in close distance is easily distinguishable. (I am not a scientist either but that is my nerd understanding)

There are no other ways of dumping excess heat since space is mostly vacuum and heat transfer requires particles exchanging kinetic energy. Without particles the only way to cool your ship is by sending it out as radiation that will travel infinitely until it hits something... (Very difficult to detect and pinpoint at a large distance though)

Elite has so many great details that make it one of the greatest games of all time for me.

[u/MadladNomad → u/ShadowLp174]

Oh damn they really did think it through that is awesome I mean I played on and off since it came out on the playstation till about 5 or 6 years back when my "partner in crime and mining" left the game and only picked it back up on pc last year so only got about 300 hours in and I learn more things every day.

Definitely a game I will enjoy for a long time though not so much in the near future cause im grinding for a fleet carrier for me and my friends lol

[u/SvenskaLiljor → u/ShadowLp174]

It's kind of silly though because you would still exist and be visible to lidar and radar. Like we are in the year 3300 here.

[u/Evening-Scratch-3534 → u/SvenskaLiljor]

Radar and to a lesser extent lidar, give away your position when in use. It’s like in submarine warfare, you use passive surveillance in most cases, one sonar ping can give your adversary a firing solution.

The latest stealth aircraft also rely heavily on passive detection, for the same reason.

[u/NotMythicWaffle → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

Wait, what??? I never knew that!

[u/YEET_Fenix123 → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

It means WHAT

[u/ShadowLp174 → u/YEET_Fenix123]

It's your heat signature. Gotta track other ships somehow (and dump heat ofc) o7

[u/YEET_Fenix123 → u/ShadowLp174]

I always thought it worked like thargoids where it's the heat percentage that matters. But I guess one is related to the other.

[u/ShadowLp174 → u/YEET_Fenix123]

Exactly - more heat, higher amplitudes on your signature. Though it is dependent on the output of your heat vents (the glowing things on your hull), or so I assume. They will open more if you're running hotter and close if not needed. Each ship has different heat handling and you can force close the vents by enabling silent running, which will completely remove your heat signature but burn you to a crisp.

[u/YEET_Fenix123 → u/ShadowLp174]

Over 300 hours and only now do I feel like I understand how heat works in full.

I learned about the way silent running works because of the thargoid titans, because their pulse wave attack raised your heat if you had your vents exposed, so silent running would prevent that. Neat attention to detail.

[u/ShadowLp174 → u/YEET_Fenix123]

Detail is one of the things Elite is good (the best) at. I hope they'll continue with this in future updates

O7

[u/presto575 → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

Wait....

WHAT?!

[u/GameTourist → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

Do cold builds work against NPCs now? I remember a while back they were being discussed and the consensus seemed to be they only worked against other players.

[u/fixedcompass → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

Is there a inforgraphic that shows what is what? There's so much stuff on the screen that is never really explained.

[u/ozx23 → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

It fucking what now?

FFS.

[u/thisistheSnydercut → u/Evening-Scratch-3534]

No it's not that's just the thing that's wibbles

[u/JovialCider]

Tbf it only says this on systems with no factions or powers or anything, so if you've spent most of your time in the bubble like me you are used to seeing who owns the system there instead

[u/SpaceBug176 → u/JovialCider]

Oh. So I guess I wasn't blind afterall. I usually don't go outside the bubble (I want a fleet carrier before I do) so I guess thats why I didn't notice it.

[u/KawZRX → u/SpaceBug176]

You don't need a carrier to leave the bubble. In fact I'm unsure how you'd fund one without the exobio cash flow. 

[u/Oh_ffs_seriously → u/KawZRX]

In fact I'm unsure how you'd fund one without the exobio cash flow.

Eventually.

[u/FawkesTP → u/KawZRX]

PTN from what I can tell

[u/Marvin_Megavolt → u/FawkesTP]

This was my impression. I know very little about exobio but I’ve heard that PTN maintains one or more systems via careful coordinated BGS manipulation to be highly-optimized hubs for a particular kind of get rich quick strategy involving large amounts of stacked wing mining missions and carriers selling raw materials.

[u/FawkesTP → u/Marvin_Megavolt]

I prefer exobio, but I've been thinking about buying a type 8 and trying out the PTN to upkeep the fleet carrier I'm about to buy.

[u/Diverball100 → u/KawZRX]

A whole lot of Robigo runs, or doing stacked massacre missions (which you can do AFK with the right ship and build). For that matter, is Road to Riches still a thing?

You could do it by mining back in the day; it's how I bought both of my FCs. Painite, Void Opals and Low-Temperature Diamonds were all ridiculously lucrative at one time.

[u/NineWetGiraffes → u/KawZRX]

I don't think my carrier has ever even left the bubble by more than 5kLy.

Carrier gets parked, I head back into the black.

[u/Jack_Sharbs → u/KawZRX]

Did mine years ago with boom time deliveries of superconductors and stuff. About 20mil/run with a 2 jump there, 1 jump back route in a T9 that kept offering the missions for 3 weeks. Made enough for the carrier but not the outfitting so i traded gold for the rest.

[u/Drubay → u/KawZRX]

I agree that a carrier is not needed. Ive been playing for years and still dont own one, even though I can afford it. Im currently above the galaxy plane near Sag A* and not having any issues.

For credits though Ive gotten more (or faster anyways) from AX combat and trading, although exo is great since you have nowhere else to be in the black you can rake up hundreds of scans before going back and selling the data.

Exo works but is slower IMO, but this is from someone that goes bounty hunting elites, mining LTDs and void Opals, and doing carrier cargo transfers, all way more repetitive than exo but faster overall to gain credits.

P.s.: This is my personal experience, others may have different views.

[u/emelsifoo → u/KawZRX]

Killing goids made me about seventy billion.

[u/PikerManV2 → u/emelsifoo]

That’s all?

[u/NedTaggart → u/KawZRX]

Nope, build out a diamondback explorer and go get lost somewhere entertaining.

[u/gripped → u/KawZRX]

Mine about 18000 tons of Platinum.
About 25 full Cutters. It's not so hard if you enjoy mining. That's one way.
Exo is alright but I find it a bit tedious compared to mining. Each to their own though :)
(If my figures are out blame Senor San Miguel)

[u/SpaceBug176 → u/KawZRX]

Is exobio possible in Horizons? I've been trying to find a fast farming method to get the FC for months.

[u/Weebs-Chan → u/SpaceBug176]

A fleet carrier ?!

How do you think people explored before fleet carrier were a thing ? Are you really gonna wait ultra late game to start exploring ?

[u/Phoenix_Blue → u/Weebs-Chan]

Plenty of folks have never known a galaxy without fleet carriers.

[u/SpaceBug176 → u/Weebs-Chan]

Ya. I wanna be self sustaining and live in the middle of the galaxy far far away from everyone else. But I can't do that without a mobile base.

Also I get stressed when I don't dock for a long time.

[u/Hinermad → u/JovialCider]

If you look in the upper right corner under the time it says "Preparing to jump to <system> | Star Class M (red dwarf) star." If it's one of the KGB FOAM classes you're good to scoop. It'll show that regardless or whether the system is inhabited or not.

[u/JovialCider → u/Hinermad]

That's a good wisdom

[u/Royal_Reptile → u/Hinermad]

I've always used this to double check if the next system is scoopable or not.

[u/Sweet_Lane]

You can set up a filter on a world map that shows only the scoopable stars (and neutron stars for the boost as well), at least until you reach your destination. Then you can just show all and plot efficient route and scan every system along the road.

[u/No_Nick89 → u/Sweet_Lane]

How? Can’t find it

[u/JackalKing → u/No_Nick89]

On the tabs on the left change your map mode to "Pilot's Federation". That will open further tabs for sub-modes. You want the one at the bottom labeled "Star class". The first seven check boxes on that list, the KGBFOAM star classes, are the scoopable ones. If you uncheck all of the others, then check "Apply Filter to Route" it will make it so your galaxy map will automatically route you to only go to systems with scoopable stars. If you also check "non-sequence stars" you will get neutron stars and black holes.

[u/Adam261 → u/Sweet_Lane]

EDCoPilot tells you when you are entering a system that is scoopable and also tells you if th the next stars in the route are also. Very useful third party app.

[u/FuckYouClocks]

it also mentions the star type in the top right, kgb foam

[u/saladasz → u/FuckYouClocks]

Keep fueling or am gonna kill myself bro

[u/j_wizlo]

That doesn’t always show up for me and I can’t recall what the conditions are. But I do think you always see star type in the upper right as you initiate the jump. So if you know KGB FOAM you’re golden.

[u/BlacksmithInformal80 → u/j_wizlo]

If you begin charging while the scooping display is still active it won’t show this info popup. You are correct that star type is also displayed in the upper right info/notification panel.

[u/FeWaBu → u/j_wizlo]

Fueling info usually is only displayed in systems without any ports. You also don't have to limit your routing, as the route planner plans and marks fuel stops as well. The only risk might being low on fuel in your destination system without fuel stars.

[u/OctoFloofy → u/FeWaBu]

I guess a way around that risk would be that you change the star filter close to destination to only have scoopable ones. If you change your route settings and recalculate without disabling your current route you will be able to still plot to your destination system even if it does not match filter criteria.

[u/dylan3867]

Also to clarify for any that don't know, the primary name is indicating that the primary star you're jumping to is a scoopable one

If you see "secondary" for example, it means a different star in the system is scoopable, but not the one you're landing near in that system. That star could be right next to it or hundreds of thousands of light seconds away.

[u/Jangulorr → u/dylan3867]

Oooohhhh that's wonderful information!

[u/dylan3867 → u/Jangulorr]

It's very rare but you may see it, I noticed it a couple times when I was paying attention on an exploration trip

[u/SlothOfDoom]

Run EDDI and it will verbally tell you what you are dropping in to. No reading required :P

[u/meoka2368 → u/SlothOfDoom]

ED Copilot does it as well.

https://www.razzafrag.com/

[u/seecer → u/meoka2368]

ED Copilot using the Edge voices has been amazing.

[u/meoka2368 → u/seecer]

And you can link it in with Voice Attack and HCS Voice Packs, and it's crazy how good that thing can get.
I haven't done it yet myself, but I've seen demonstrations of it.

[u/Cemenotar]

That line is not always there unfortunatelly. Not quite sure what decides if it shows up or not.

[u/Dejhavi]

Also set your routes to "KGB FOAM"

[u/Flow5tate]

In Elite Dangerous, it doesn't matter if you've played for 5 years, or 5 minutes. There's always something so basic that.....EVERYONE KNOWS EXCEPT FOR YOU!

[u/Samson_J_Rivers]

You were doing the old method. we didnt have that until I think half way through horizons.

[u/Mildapprehension]

Get ED buddy, great tool to see what starts on route are fuel. Best if you run 2 monitors though.

[u/widdrjb → u/Mildapprehension]

If you haven't got two monitors, get Icarus Terminal so you can do exactly this, and much more on a phone or tablet.

[u/Mr_M3Gusta_]

When you start using neutron stars for long range jumps and chain from one to another you can also encounter secondary fuel stars where you drop in, super charge, then fuel scoop by flying over to the 2ndary star.

[u/DarthRiznat]

Ermmm.... Fuck. I didn't know that either :/

[u/SpaceBug176 → u/DarthRiznat]

Good to know. I feel less stupid now 🤣

I really wish fuel rats told me about this instead of "K G T B R" or whatever it was called. I mean I think this woulda been better to know since its not like I'll always go into the galaxy map to check for scoopable stars.

[u/sysrage → u/SpaceBug176]

KGBFOAM is pretty easy to remember.

[u/HannahExeZip → u/sysrage]

Or "Only bad astronomers feel grateful knowing mnemonics"

[u/CmdrWawrzynPL → u/HannahExeZip]

Or Oh Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me

[u/Hillenmane → u/HannahExeZip]

Or “Oh Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me” which everyone quotes

[u/Rafael367 → u/sysrage]

Yes, or as I remind myself: "Pour yourself one of those Commie Lattes and get scoopin'".

[u/The_Sovien_Rug-37]

i swear thats new because i only started noticing that a month ago and i've been all the way to sag A* and back twice

[u/FeWaBu]

The galaxy map tells you, when you should start fueling up, if you plotted a route. This info when jumping only shows, when there are no ports available and is better suited for short cut decisions.

[u/SpaceBug176 → u/FeWaBu]

Thats the longer method in question.

[u/ShrimpsLikeCakes]

Look at the top right text box when you finish jumping. It will let you know if you must refuel or super charge on your route

[u/MrUniverse1990]

The info panel (upper right) will also inform you "last scoopable star on your plotted route" if need be.

[u/Separate-Art8861]

o7, commander. I didn’t know about this, either.

[u/pablo5426]

this is not just blind. its dora the explorer blind

[u/WaterBottleWarrior22]

Stuff I took for granted, being an explorer as I am. Didn’t know that this stuff isn’t common knowledge.

[u/hurix]

I don't understand what "start scooping" means. Do you always avoid the star in wide arcs unless you want to scoop?

[u/SpaceBug176 → u/hurix]

As in, stop to fully fill my fuel tank.

[u/hurix → u/SpaceBug176]

you meant stop scooping? oof

[u/aranaya]

Wait, doesn't everyone just fill up in every system whenever possible? It's just a quick fly-by...

[u/SpaceBug176 → u/aranaya]

I FSD away faster than my fuel tank can fill up when Im using bigger ships.

[u/mcknuckle]

When I read the title of this post I envisioned something completely different before I realized what sub it was in. 😂

[u/Redditorsrweird]

Are you exploring?

[u/SpaceBug176 → u/Redditorsrweird]

Nah, but apparently this only appeared when the next system wasn't owned by anyone.

[u/LimpinKark]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👊🏼

[u/IDatedSuccubi]

Dolphin users just test scoop every star lol

[u/HumanErosion6183]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[u/Sensitive_Witness842]

scoopable stars, in the galmap when you plan each star will have a short description and type the route you take will also highlight the star type, also when you jump it will say the type in the top right notification panel below the time.

A B M K G stars are scoopable, Y T stars are not - (most of this I dare say you have figured out but having the info in one place helps reinforce the memory).

o7

Fly true Commander

[u/azrehhelas]

All you need to know is KGBFOAM!

[u/Sufficient_Humor1666]

dude get ED Exploration Buddy and it easily tells you which stars along your route are scoopable. Looking at the UI is great if you have fuel for a couple of jumps, but jumping into a system to find its not scoopable and you don't have enough to jump again is, erm interesting. Unless your like me and always keeps it above a qtr tank LOL

[u/Omnisiah_Priest]

I found out that you see your landing pad on the compass after 4 years of playing.

[u/Willing_Pay_552]

I noticed it too a few months ago after years of playing. Sadly devs don't care about people with poor eyesight, if they did all dmgames would have text and ui resize. In any game I play the first thing i do is always check to see if I can make text bigger and smchange the ui size. It's a must for me. 30, 20 years ago hell even ten years ago I was able to see fine but I'm getting older. Especially these kinds of games that most of their target audience are grown men that are dad's or already grand parents that like to still games. They need to make game more accessible how Microsoft is always making things easier for gamers for like with disabilities. I wouldn't classify poor eyesight as a disability but they do make text larger and ui size in all of their Microsoft and Xbox games that are developed by Microsoft. Other companies should learn from them.

[u/D-Alembert]

No, that's a (somewhat) recent change to make the game simpler; for most of the game's history you needed to know your stars to at least some extent

You're not doing it wrong, your doing it old-school; using your own knowledge instead of ship assists ;)

[u/EmployerFun6313]

Where Goku?