Are there any persistent results from exploration

elite-dangerous

The E:D galaxy is full of unknown (grey) systems which players – if they have the right equipment – can explore and then sell data from to a faction when they're docked in a station with the Universal Cartographics service.

  1. I haven't tried exploration myself yet, but when I do explore a system and identify some planets, I take it the (previously identified) astronomical bodies will still be identified for me the next time I visit that system?

  2. What about for other players? If I explore a system and then sell the data to a faction, can other players purchase that data in Universal Cartographics (in the same or a nearby station belonging to that faction)? Of course I'm assuming here that the currently available cartographics data is not only coming from the players but would love to stand corrected!

  3. If I sell the data in a station belonging to the Federation, I'd assume the other factions won't get access to the data. But does selling it to the Federation also help that faction "spread" to that particular system in any way?

And to sum it up in a more general question, will (the tiny part) of the galaxy where new players start eventually be fully explored, effectively pushing explorers deeper and deeper into the Milky Way?

Best Answer

I can only definitively answer part (1), and that answer is:

Yes, once you have explored a system you retain that information and it shows on the System Map for you.

I understand from the game forums that the first players to survey a system get more income from doing so than later players - but that later players do get some (presumably this data is confirmation of the earlier surveyors' findings).

I recall from memories of statements by the developers (can't cite, sorry) that in the released game, systems that have been explored and see a lot of player traffic will eventually have space stations built and come under faction control. I don't know whether the faction that players sell the data to has influence on the faction that moves into the system.