[SE5] What's the best discovering strategy?

[Captain Kwok]

A spiral route is best going in to out, but in most cases a condensed spiral from rings 7 to 3 will uncover almost all the planets. An investment in sensors will also greatly reduce the amount of movement required.

[Slick]

Depends if your goal is to discover planets or warp points first. More planets in the middle, warp points on the outside.

[Ragnarok-X]

im just using waypoints and let the ship go exactly a circle.

[bearclaw]

I research to sensors with a range of 6. That gives me a 12 sector diameter scanned at a time. When I enter a new system I switch to 2d view, zoom out until I can see the entire system then plot a hex pattern 6 sectors from the edge. That'll scan then entire system 2-3 turns, depending on the speed of your ship.

As an added measure, I now load sats with the same level basic sensors and at each 'corner' of my hex pattern I plant a satillite. That leaves the entire system under survelliance with enough overlap (with rng 6 sensors) that I can see what I need in that system.

[boran_blok]

Another vote for invest in sensors, an early investment can save you lots of turns. And the tech is cheap too.