Simultaneous game novement: question

I think there's an "auto-explore" command (distinct from "survey") but I never use it so I'm not sure if it even exists...

~~~
The power of the ancients is now yours to command. You are truly the Master... of the obvious

It exists. Hotkey 'E'. The problem is that sometimes it chooses to do weird things like warp back and enter another warp point in the previous system etc.

Space Empires Depot | SE:V Balance Mod

What Kwok said it is way more effeicient to do it yourself.

Groovy Baby Yeah!

yes you can queue up the survey system command ( / ) and your ship will warp in and begin to survey the system. it will ask you for new commands when EVERY sector in the system has be observed (very strange survey pattern too).
i suggest queue up Warp and Survey but take over in the next turn and set your own survey line.

Is there a way to mod in a better survey pattern for scouts, or is it hard coded?

I tried this exact thing and it didn't work. Queued up Pick up colonists, warp and explore. Ship picked up and warped but just sat there after that. Probably because the actual listed command was to explore the system it used to be in.
Have you actually done this, because, if so, maybe I am missing something to get it to work.

Isn't there another sort of scout button? Scout closest warp point or something? Maybe that one? Someone mentioned an explore with the 'e' key as a shortcut...don't know that one, is that what you are talking about?
Thanks
James

Explore (e) warps through the nearest unexplored warp point.
Survey (/) wanders around the system looking at unseen sectors.

I prefer to do surveys maually, myself.

-----
"Good morning, Pooh Bear," said Eeyore gloomily. "If it /is/ a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he.

1) Did you have "Clear orders if another empire in system" set in Empire Settings? (IIRC, this is on by default.) Another ship could have triggered this and then moved out of your sensor range.

2) Did the ship have any movement points left after it warped?

-----
"Good morning, Pooh Bear," said Eeyore gloomily. "If it /is/ a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he.

Ok, I didn't check the playback (I don't know how-but that's a separate question) so maybe there was an enemy. BUT, I am pretty sure I turned that setting off (you are correct that it is on by default). And I am sure it had move left. I'll check tonight. Thanks for the suggestions, though

James

Ok, right, do you know what the ship does after he goes through the nearest unexplored warp point? What happens if there are no visible warp points that not been explored? Does it look for one? Because that's essentially what I need my starting scouts to do in a simultaneous multi game.

Manual surveys are impossible in simultaneous games before you have explored the sector.

-----
"Good morning, Pooh Bear," said Eeyore gloomily. "If it /is/ a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he.

The bigger your sensor rating at the start of the game the better. The thought of exploring with level 1 sensors horrifies me.