A Comprehensive Beginner's Guide to Exploration in EVE Online
- Sheperd Amarr
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Exploration in EVE Online offers a thrilling way to discover hidden treasures, uncover secrets, and earn valuable rewards. For new pilots, the vastness of space can feel overwhelming, but with the right approach, exploration becomes one of the most rewarding activities in the game. This exploration guide will walk you through the essential steps to start your journey into the unknown regions of New Eden.
Getting Started with Exploration
Exploration in EVE Online involves searching for cosmic signatures such as data sites, relic sites, and wormholes. These sites contain valuable loot, blueprints, or access to new areas. To begin, you need a ship equipped for scanning and hacking.
Choosing Your First Exploration Ship
The T1 exploration frigates are a great starting point. The Heron, Imicus, and Probe are popular choices because they have bonuses to scanning and hacking. These ships are affordable and easy to fit with the necessary modules.
Essential Modules for Exploration
Core Scanner Probe Launcher: Launches probes to scan down cosmic signatures.
Data and Relic Analyzers: Used to hack containers in data and relic sites.
Survey Scanner: Helps identify the type of cosmic signature before scanning.
Cloaking Device: Keeps you hidden from potential threats while exploring.
Warp Core Stabilizers: Useful for escaping if you get caught by hostile players.
Skill Training Tips
Focus on skills that improve scanning strength, probe deployment, and hacking speed. Skills like Astrometrics, Astrometric Rangefinding, and Hacking will significantly improve your efficiency.
How to Scan and Locate Cosmic Signatures
Exploration starts with scanning down cosmic signatures in a system. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:
Launch Core Scanner Probes: Open your probe scanner window and launch a full set of probes.
Set Probe Formation: Use the probe scanner to adjust the formation and narrow down the location of the signature.
Analyze Results: Once the signature’s location is pinpointed, warp to it at 0 km.
Identify Site Type: Use your survey scanner to determine if it’s a data site, relic site, or wormhole.
Tips for Efficient Scanning
Use the probe strength and scan resolution stats to improve your scanning.
Practice scanning in low-risk systems before venturing into dangerous space.
Save probe formations for common site types to speed up future scans.
Hacking and Looting Cosmic Sites
After locating a site, the next step is hacking containers to retrieve loot. This part requires patience and some practice.
How to Hack Containers
Approach the container and activate your data or relic analyzer.
A hacking mini-game will appear. The goal is to connect nodes and avoid trace detection.
Successfully hacking containers yields valuable items such as blueprints, modules, or salvage materials.
Common Loot and Its Value
Data sites often contain blueprints and encrypted data.
Relic sites provide salvage materials and valuable modules.
Wormholes can lead to rare resources or dangerous PvP encounters.
Staying Safe While Exploring
Exploration can be risky, especially in nullsec or wormhole space where other players may attack. Here are some safety tips:
Use a Cloaking Device to avoid detection.
Scout systems first with a cheap ship before bringing your exploration vessel.
Avoid high-traffic systems where gankers are common.
Keep an eye on local chat and directional scanners for suspicious activity.
Have an escape plan: warp to a safe spot or use a jump gate if needed.
Advanced Exploration Tips
Once you master the basics, you can explore more dangerous and rewarding areas.
Wormhole Exploration: Requires specialized ships and skills but offers access to rare resources.
Use Multiple Characters: One character can scan while another hacks, speeding up the process.
Join Exploration Fleets: Group exploration can increase safety and share loot.
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