what's the real range of resource probe?

[KOUSHUIHAN]

Encyclopedia is out of date, it obvious not 3km, so what is the real range?

[builder680]

I don't know, but if I wanted to find out, I'd fly next to the probe, like right up on it. Then on the map make a guidance marker on any part of the circle, then go back and see how far it shows that marker as being. Only thing I can think of.

[kuertee]

i investigated this for "reasons" i can't say.
but here's a quote from my thread in the other forum:

it's weird.
when deployed, the radius around a resource probe when you mouse-over one looks to be about 40km - the typical comm range.
but the docs state that "currentyield" value is "... The current yield detected by the resource probe (volume is a cube of space with a side length of 32km) ...". which means that the range (or radius) is 16km.
but in the encyclopedia, its range is 3km.

[Ormac]

Well I placed 3 ships in a line North-South one at the probe and one at about at the apparent range limit
and find the radius approximately 45 Km so a 90 Km Diameter sphere.


but the Niv Density of Second Contact 7 still looks dismal with these newer resource probes,

I had hoped they would have updated the Encyclopedia.

[Alan Phipps]

Isn't the probe 'range' irrelevant? The probe reads the resource density values for the cube volume it is placed in, and the values are uniform throughout that cube. You could have 2 probes very close to each other but straddling a cube boundary and with quite different readings.

It is the dimensions and (invisible) boundaries of the cubes that determine the intervals at which you need to look for different resource density values, in all 3 dimensions.

Of course if you mean the radius of the sphere in which a deployed probe shows nearby ships on the map, then that is a different matter.

[LameFox]

If that is true then the addition of an (apparently actively misleading?) radius in map view seems like a very strange choice.

[jlehtone]

Well I placed 3 ships in a line North-South one at the probe and one at about at the apparent range limit
and find the radius approximately 45 Km so a 90 Km Diameter sphere.

32km * sqrt(2) ~= 45km

If you put a probe anywhere in the cube, it will cover that plane of cube, (and some of nearby cubes).

If you lay probes along diagonal 45 km apart, they will be 32 km apart in both X and Z.

Code: Select all

p   p
  p
p   p

Granted, you still need to lay "horizontal" and "vertical" too and even after that you have covered only one layer of cubes along Y-axis.

Code: Select all

p p p
p p p
p p p

What I've done for probe missions (pre 4.1) is first drop a beacon/probe at where the mission guidance points to. This seems to be the (0,0,0) position.
Then fly along X or Z and drop more every 32 km. (Well, not every; I read locations of "good cubes" from save-file.)

If that is true then the addition of an (apparently actively misleading?) radius in map view seems like a very strange choice.

55, 45, 32, 23, 16 ... the 32 km radius would probably be more convenient.

[Imperial Good]

Isn't the probe 'range' irrelevant?

It is relevant for mining silicon. You get a huge penalty (50% mining speed) if there is no probe within the range. I suspect the range is the huge circle you see on the map when hovering over a probe or with the resource probe filter enabled.

[jlehtone]

It is relevant for mining silicon. You get a huge penalty (50% mining speed) if there is no probe within the range.

Probes have two separate functions?
1. Show values of "this cube" (for player)
2. Inspire silicon miners. (Does not need to be in same cube.)

[Alan Phipps]

My thanks to Imperial Good for that information (which I didn't know about).

There you go, we all constantly learn new stuff as the game evolves through updates such as with the newer approach to Silicon mining. It's a bit of a pity the Wiki can't keep up with such explanations, hints and tips.

[SirConnery]

It is relevant for mining silicon. You get a huge penalty (50% mining speed) if there is no probe within the range.

Wait, what!? Is this a confirmed mechanic/feature in the game?

[Imperial Good]

Wait, what!? Is this a confirmed mechanic/feature in the game?

Unless 4.10 removed it, then yes.

[SirConnery]

So I need to spam each mining site full of resource probes. That doesn't sound too great. So much clutter on the map already.

[jlehtone]

If the radius of the probe is 45 km, you can take that as radius of circumcircle of an equilateral triangle, which makes side of the triangle 77.9 km?
In other words, spam probes 78 km from each other and you will cover one plane.

[Imperial Good]

So I need to spam each mining site full of resource probes. That doesn't sound too great. So much clutter on the map already.

You only need to place the probes within range of the mining sites. Each probe covers roughly 5x5 mining sites (in a sphere shape).

This also is only important for Silicon. Ore and other mineables do get a bonus but it is insignificant in comparison (closer to 5% rather than 50%).

[builder680]

It would be nice if this was mentioned in game. Not sure how you would learn this if you didn't read forums. Is it in the encyclopedia and I missed it?