I’ve been exploring for several months now. Something I have noticed:
There are more data sites during events (I came in during Crimson Harvest) and Winter Nexus than non-event times. In fact, Data sites were pretty scarce in hi-sec in between times from my experience. I’ve only hit WH-Space, Null and Low-Sec recently so I don’t know how it is during non-event times there.
Is this the norm and how does it affect the market (selling of Data site loot)?
Also, are the hard-to-find ship skins tied in to events? There are some skins I would like but they are nowhere to be found.
It should not share a loot table with regular data and relic sites that are there all year. The event sites may share a handful of items with regular data/relic sites, but usually, CCP adjusts the drop rates so that there is no strong impact on the markets.
Most of the time the ISK is in boosters, SKINs, and/or Overseer Effects (bought by NPCs).
Event sites are the only sites that can drop SKINs as far as I know.