Resource Extraction Sites (RES) are persistent mining locations within asteroid fields that occur on planetary rings. Upon entering they are randomly populated with a variety of NPC ships, including mining ships, pirates, and system authority vessels, depending on the RES type and security level in the system.
RES are known for spawning wanted ships in higher rates, with higher frequencies and higher bounties, than is the case at Nav Beacons, making them a good place for bounty hunting.
Location[]
Any planet with at least one ring is a potential candidate for a RES, especially if the planet is noted in System Map view as possessing "reserves" (Common, Major, or Pristine).
Even if not as reliable, a system marked on the Galaxy Map as "Extraction" or "Refinery" can also contain RES. For instance, the LTT 18486 system in the starter zone, has two separate RES, one situated closely to Boswell Platform and the other in the vicinity of McArthur Terminal.
Ship spawn variables[]
The size, quality, and rate of the NPC ship spawns in RES depend upon four main variables.
Type[]
The type of the RES directly affects the expected ship spawn size.
RES type | Expected ship spawn size and rate |
---|---|
Resource Extraction Site [Hazardous] | Very High |
Resource Extraction Site [High] | High |
Resource Extraction Site | Medium |
Resource Extraction Site [Low] | Low |
Security[]
The security in systems directly affects the expected ship spawn rate and quite possibly the expected bounty amounts as well.
The three security levels are Low, Medium, and High. Systems that do not have a population will have the system security level of Anarchy.
By entering the System Map and focusing empty space, the security level of a system can be checked. Systems which are being expanded upon by the galactic powers are more likely to have a higher security in place.
For the best possible spawn of wanted ships, High Intensity RES in star systems with high security are the ideal place.
Randomness[]
A certain randomness directly affects the ship spawn at RES in major ways. Given bad luck, even high-intensity RES within high-security star systems can yield deficient ship spawns.
Ship spawns are seeded randomly in RES and can be re-rolled upon re-entering the RES with no other player present at the site. Logging out and back into the play session is a quick way to reset the ship spawn entirely.
The frequency with which ships spawn can degrade over time even in potent RES. Oftentimes large-bounty targets can be found a good distance away from the RES waypoint at which point upgraded long-range sensors can help with locating those.
Game mode[]
When playing in the Solo Play Game Mode, only the above three variables are taken into account. In Open Play and Private Group Session, however, ship spawns are affected by a fourth variable: the total amount of commanders concurrent at the RES. The more players that are present at the same RES, the greater the number of ships that will spawn.
Notes[]
- Hazardous Resource Extraction Sites (aka "HazRES") were added in the 1.4 CQC update. Crimes in these sites will not draw a response from security forces; however, these areas do NOT operate as if the system government is Anarchy. In HazRES sites within non-Anarchy systems, firing upon any ship with "clean" status will still result in a fine and a wanted status with a 6-9 minute timer. That fine will be upgraded to a murder charge and a bounty against the player if the injured ship is subsequently destroyed before the player leaves the instance. As crime reporting does not work in these sites, it is common to find plentiful amounts of wanted NPCs of all bounty ranges and ship sizes, with larger ships tending to be in wings with smaller escorts or fellow wanted large ships.
- During supercruise, RES show up automatically as locations in the Navigation panel if the player is close enough with the ship.
- RES are full of asteroids, which have the potential to cause shield/hull damage or even total ship destruction upon collision. Care should be taken whilst navigating, especially if the resource site is in the shadow of a planet; asteroids can become nearly invisible.