Auto Explore Inefficiency

Additionaly:

It would seem that when I have multiple scouts auto exploring that they all go to the same spot even if I started their exploration at different times and locations. It would be nice if the scouts would check to see if someone else is scouting that 'area' and pick a different spot (or let me know that no new areas are within range).

NOTE: I haven't verified this problem being as big as it was in the betas but it certainly seems to still be there (I have only played 2 games in 1.1).

I started with the retail shipped version and went through 1.0.x.2 and then to 1.1. I could not tell any difference in the way they explore between versions.

Your comment is also something I have seen as well as another ship auto surveying in the same area. While the connection between surveying and exploring might be harder, there should be some attempt to avoid one another.

Yep, auto explore is useless.

It's odd really, since Auto-survey DOES seem to avoid conflict between other surveying ships in your fleet.

I have been watching V 1.1 auto explore and one pattern I see is that the vessel only uses half of its sensor range. If you have an area it is searching and lets say it is following the edge of the area that has already been searched, instead of using its outer edge of sensor capability to line up with the edge of what has been explored, it lines up the ship on the edge of what has been explored. This means the the ship only uses the one side of the sensor range and effectively explores only half its capability.

This means the the ship only uses the one side of the sensor range and effectively explores only half its capability.

I noticed in a game last night that my survey ship, set to auto explore, was using its entire sensor range. Not sure if there's a "trigger" or something that lets a scout do that.

...It goes over areas already explored, does not utilize the entire size of its sensor range, goes to further away areas while passing near areas that have not been explored as well of other not so efficient things. It sure would be nice if it would have a couple of search patterns that are efficient and explores the most space in the least time.

I think they have a preset pattern. I conqured a couple of planets, which opened up a whole new area to explore. Instead of charging right in, the scouts wanted to go to the same spot and start a "search pattern." I changed one of the destinations manually and noticed that they try to do sensor sweeps in a grid pattern...similar to what's used when searching the ocean floor with cameras and sonar. It's a bit irritating, but at least I can establish a starting point.