Resource Extraction Site

A targeted RES waypoint on a planetary ring

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

For a list of locations, see Locations.

A planet with rings and "pristine reserves" as shown in System Map view

Any planet with at least one ring is a potential candidate for an 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 system

The size, quality, and rate of the NPC ship spawns in RES depend upon four deciding factors:

• RES type (low intensity, regular, high intensity RES)
• system security level (low, medium, high)
• randomness (triggered upon entering the site)
• multiplayer (Open Play)

Type

The RES type directly affects the expected ship spawn size.

RES type	Expected ship spawn size and rate
Hazardous Ressource Extraction Site	verry high
High Intensity Resource Extraction Site	High
Resource Extraction Site	Medium
Low Intensity Ressource Extraction Site	Low

Security

A system with "high security" as shown in System Map view

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.

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.

Multiplayer

In Open Play the ship spawn size is also influenced by a fourth factor: the total amount of commanders concurrent at the RES.

The more players present at the same RES, the greater the ship spawn. It plays no role whether those players are winged up either. Even another player leaving the RES does not seem to lessen the ship spawn.

Notes

A targeted RES waypoint in the Navigation panel

• New RES sites were added in the 1.4 CQC update, known as Hazardous Resource Extraction Sites, these sites operate as if the system government is Anarchy. 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 ship destruction upon collision.