So I’m doing exploring with my T1 frig
Got the basic safespot, dscan and probing
But the problem I have is the hacking part.
I know that a decent explorer could make 20mil isk per run and sometime more( base on luck)
But when it come to me I get roughly 6-7isk for 2 hours…
Running from holes to holes for a safe hole(I try to make my hole far from hisec)
And getting spot set took me like 1hours
And when I got my cans I scan for the big one
But the hacking is just too thick for me
I tried to go thin, rule of 6, killing the buff node and still my virus cohence drain out after 2-3 defence system, some time system core…
I maxed out my alpha skill for hacking and relics but the mini game just too hard 
Can someone show me the ropes ?
I know that people could get 90% successfully hack a can
But for me it’s just about 40-50%
I’ve lost so many fat cans and it’s hurt my feeling so bad…
So , you mean that you need a help with hacking , right ?
First of all, what frig do you fly? because there are frigs with hack\scan bonuses.
Then its important for accurate hacking, if you clean null’s on wh cans.
Actually I see some matter of contacting each other, for more info and etk.
About me, I usually go for scan\hack in med or hi secs, and you know what? got looted for 80mil’s
Have you tried using the rigs that help with hacking?
rigs for data and relics bonus, Small Emission Scope Sharpener I, Small Memetic Algorithm Bank I
Heron with full rack of scanning arrays helps reducing scan time. Rigs, already mentioned, help hacking, carefull choosing the hacking path on the basis of displayed numbers in nodes is the key.
Getting subscription resolves all your problems.
Hey,
maybe some hints:
Safe spot:
The safest spot for an Alpha for scanning is the wormhole itself. Fly to 0m distance and scan from this position. If someone comes through the wormhole, you hear that entering sound. If someone in the wormhole space wants to find you, he has to scan you down first, so you see his scran probes in d-scan. So in both cases you are warned.
You can leave the wormhole with just one click, with no delay. Probes will also be put in your cargo hold in this case. You will safe so much time with this methode, cause you can instanlty start scanning after entering a wh.
In some cases other players already know the location of the wh (or sometimes you just dont recognize that someone scanned you down). For this case fit a 200mm plate and damage control (I or II). So you can stand a few shots in the case that somene completely surprises you with his attack.
Scanning:
There are implants to boost scanning strenght. The “Rangefinding AR-802” gives you 2% more strenght. It only costs ~1 Mio. (market) or you can buy it with some LP (mission points) in a loyality shop.
Hacking:
There a two rigs that give you +10 coherence. (small emission scope sharpener I and small memetic algorothm bank I). They only cost ~ 100k ISK. +10 is a massive boost for this price.
Yes I use a probe cuz it’s a good bail out ship
And yes I have rigs on
No implant yet( haven’t train)
The thing is I could reach to the far end of the board but when I start searching for the system core( at the rear) the defensive system always overwhelm me and that’s why I lose my cans
I can’t predict where the core could be
Like when there is only one node at the edge but an antivirus pop up in front of it that’s supposed to mean the core is behind it but no
That’s just an empty node
And I lose cohence again …
Hmm, it seems that you have problems to see when you HAVE to kill something and when you can kill something. Also what utility workes best against wich defense systems. Thats hard to explain, its something you can only learn by doning I think. Maybe someone can explain it or has a video link or something.
I have omega and alpha exploration pilots and as far as I can tell you the alpha one will keep exploding big cans now and then. It will get better over time once you figured out how the mini-puzzles work but you wont’t get to 90% without omega skills.
I moved my alpha pilots to remote lowsec because of that. Rewards are a bit lower but the cans are easier to hack and local makes things easier too.
Personally I prefer WH than low since WH don’t have local but they have the thrill XD
And yh I watch many of videos on YouTube but I can’t get the way the patterns go as for when and which to kill…
Is it true that you can get a 80mil can with alpha?
Yes, a 80 Mil. can is possible, that would be 16 intact armor plates. I got 15 of those in a can once. Maybe you even exploded one allready 
But your best chances for those are in Stain and the locals feed on neutral explorers.
Sad but true
I did vaporize a 30mil can
And more fat can since my first exploration
As you are already an established wormhole explorer thus know how to scan and survive in w-space you might as well switch to be a gas ninja instead, that way you will not have to bother with hacking and your view will not be obscured by the hacking minigame thus can focus entirely on d-scan and pre-aligning to get out at the slightest sign of danger and also should be a more reliable income as every m³ of gas is worth the usual market price so it is not RNG based what loot you get.
It requires some investment to train the related skill and the gas huffing gear is not cheap either but maybe you like this style of play and it is not much different from your current one so thought it was worth mentioning as an alternative.
Ik
I was hufling before exploring
I do gas site quite sometime but I feel kinda bored just sitting there waiting for the gas to fill and hit the S when see someone or sleepers on grid
Explore on another hand seem more fun and thrilling since your money can vaporize if you make a wrong move( which I make alot)
And those cloaky bombers
It’s more fun
And less money( for me)
Hola,
I feel you and you have my great respect for focusing on hacking sites in wormholes as alpha. I would suggest:
- Do you follow the numbers on each nod? They tell you how far from you there is something good (or even the holy grail, the system core). Maximum number is 5. If you have 5, then you know that within 5 nodes there is nothing good. i.e. there are bad things within 5… Move to different direction, usually opposite side to where you started… usually.
- Disable immediately any restoration and then virus suppressors nods. Save secondary vector utilities for disabling the suppressors. You can have bad luck and 3 suppressors in a row will ruin your hack. It happens and it is part of the deal.
- Get into Astero which will increase your virus strength by 5, when compared to Probe (even without cloak as Alpha. It is heresy, I know)
- Fit for scanning strength (rigs + medium mods) which will save you time, because you seem to struggle with it from your post. And also for alignment (low slots + rig) for life.
- Signatures are always within 4AU from celestials. Don’t chase them everythere, but instead first scan within 4AU from celestial and only after that make correction for exact position of the signature. Drop probes by button on the probing screen. Not by clicking on the Probe launcher. That would place them right on celestial in the center of the system. You will be faster like that.
Cheers,
Wow that’s really helpful I’ve never know about the 4AU signature
That would help me a lot thank you
I didn’t know that. And I do exploration since 2013.
Thanks.
This are the Post that we should have some kind of “once per day super like” button for. Perhaps even “donate ISK”.
first off , the suggestion that alpha use an astero is a dumb idea. - alpha cant use covop cloak. it would be a big waste of isk . best exploration ship for an alpha is a heron.
skill up the relic / data skills . learn the rule of 6 and practice. it gets easier.
alpha is at a big disadvantage in exploration due to limitted skills , no covop cloak and no implants such as the blackglass and prospector implants.
that said. it can be done. just takes practice and bit more care.
speak to the eve-scout folks for exploration help and hints.
Thers is more than just rule of 6 , node numbers, thin line, opposite entrance and system core ,right? Please enlight me
Fill me with hacking knowledge