Exploration vessels could use an update.  They stop exploring way to often/early in my experience.


Basically the idea would be instead of just "Auto-explore" option, you'd have the ability to customize your exploration a bit.  Examples below:


Auto-explore (probes and jumps)

  • With probes and jumps selected, each time your ship needs to backtrack to finish unlocking nodes in your constelation, it will first fire it's probes in intelligent directions.
  • With probes and jumps selected, your ship will continue to the next constelation (if capable) once it has finished uncovering it's own constelation.  (If not capable, it will fire probes in directions that uncover more of the hidden areas until a jump and/or the needed tech is uncovered to continue exploring


Auto-curiosity (depth or breadth)

  • If you select depth, then your ship will sit on a system and fully discover all curiosities it is capable of discovering before moving to the next system.
  • If you select breadth, then your ship will use up its probes and then keep moving to new systems with curiosities until its stocks replenish before using them again.


Sentry

  • Chose two systems in Galaxy view, your exploration vessal will traverse back and forth between them, shooting probes down lanes towards enemy locations when able.


Trade defense

  • If selected, the exploration ships will follow trade routes, stopping on nodes with issues and using Guard to clear out outposts, etc.
  • This would be SUPER useful for other ships too!



Other thoughts:

  • When there is nothing further to 'explore' you should be able to customize your exploration ships to do something like (uncover hidden areas of the map with probes) or (go back home and sit on systems with locked curiosities when the tech is being researched that will unlock it) etc.
  • Give your ship a general direction to head in, and it will uncover everything it can on the way to get as far towards that direction as possible using the technology available and probes when needed.
  • Waypoints to make them take certain routes to get from point A to point B.