Hey, appreciate the detailed breakdown—solid points all around, and yeah, ESS is polarizing (from both sides). You’re spot on: current exploration rocks for newbros (low SP, high mobility, real-world experience), explorers are everywhere in null, and WH/hauling dependency is massive. Transport risk is core—lost a BR full of loot myself once. No denying expl’s strong.
Clarifying my slip: signatures (not anomalies—those are visible rat blobs). Mea culpa.
On Merits (Tweaked for Clarity)
SP/Income Parity: Expl crushes entry-level, agreed. But in null/WH sov, multiboxing VNIs/Marauders farm visible anomalies for ESS (60% instant + 40% auto-delayed). Scanning sigs (combat relics/gas/complexes) = side gig; loot’s volatile (empty cans, market dumps). Ledger = scanning/hacking buff: Direct ISK from 100% scans + hack multipliers. Loot stays—ledger’s bonus floor to match ratting ISK/hr for solo/cloaky (e.g., Prospect). Same low SP, competes without capitals.
Risk/Conflict: Loot haul = transport hunt, yes. ESS raiders act at home. Ledger flips: Carrier = mobile ESS. High-ledger pilots = roaming targets (intel shared). On ship/pod pop: Ledger drops as lootable item (non-tradable, non-transferable—like loot). Can’t sell/transfer; raiders get squat unless they haul their risk. Proactive PvP: Alliances roam for fat ledgers, not just gatecamps.
Multibox Pressure: Probes + manual hacks = single-char focus (multis hate probe spam). Forces active play over passive anomaly blobs. No AFK points.
“Extra Complexity?”: Loot → haul → market list → wait/buy = grind. Ledger → dock HS NPC/SoE → auto-ISK. Simpler cashout, no hold clutter. Loot tables need CCP love (100%), but ledger adds stable scanning reward atop loot gamble. Thematic: “HS buys your intel.”
Playstyles: Anomalies = passive farm. Sigs = active probe/hunt/hack. Ledger buffs that to economic parity, diversifies null PvE (sigs despawn unused).
Why Push?
Elevate null/WH sig scanning/hacking (solo-friendly) to ESS levels—loot + ledger = robust loop. Mobile carriers = natural conflict drivers. Complements ratting, splits farms.