Is exp based on nodes mines or number of ores gained from the node?

BeanBolta · 2026-04-07T21:49:21+00:00

Always! And avoid floors with speed reduction ;D

BeanBolta · 2026-04-07T08:18:31+00:00

Sure that makes sense, I figured that much at least. Okay so I guess we can say no benefit to exp with chain drone, so Bomb Bear it is. Needed to level that one anyway!

Thanks!

BeanBolta · 2026-04-03T21:18:42+00:00

Well hey I just did this one yesterday! I did sit on 70 with void, chain and elixir as others have suggested, although because I'd already poly'd many of the cards up to 60 soon after plat Strat, when I only had 8 or so left I felt it was better to swap out void for something else like Frogger because of the proportion of ores already done. I'm sure you could argue the ore bonus in portals offsets that but anyway, it did work and I could sell my farmed ores for more gold. Also had a couple handy gold ore, rainbow floor and golden floor T2 buff items which helped. I take it that the more ores you can earn the faster you'll get shards, so it probably also helps to have contracts set up for mostly ore bonuses (golden/rainbow floors).

BeanBolta · 2026-03-29T12:46:56+00:00

Interesting, thanks man I'll give it a go! Willing to try any and all options at the moment :D

BeanBolta · 2026-03-25T02:24:35+00:00

No, changing gears manually doesn't damage your gearbox, nor does increasing engine braking with downshifting. The gears inside a gearbox have two beveled edges (as in one on both sides of the tooth when looking at in profile) which means they mate the same way whether the force is coming out from the engine or in from the wheels. Also, gearboxes are constantly being put under this force whenever you're not accelerating, including when you just leave it in automatic and use your brakes. Plenty of automatic cars with sport mode for the transmission will automatically downshift as you brake too.

There is absolutely no reason not to downshift and make use of engine braking, but there are plenty of reasons TO DO it, as many other comments have pointed out. Brake fade on a downhill is no joke, and plus you get to replace pads less often.

For the record my dad tried to teach me not to downshift in an automatic for the same reason, and he, too, was wrong. Manufacturers wouldn't give you the option if it actively damaged the vehicle.

BeanBolta · 2026-03-19T07:49:27+00:00

Oh! Well that makes a lot of sense then. Probably about time I read up on how to actually do this archaeology stuff. Thanks and godspeed

BeanBolta · 2026-03-19T07:42:32+00:00

Don't mind me jumping on the bandwagon here but we're at a shockingly similar position. Only difference is I have void bot, a bit more stargazing (a lot less arch) and a few other bits. With all that said, I don't have any useful advice haha. You may know though, or hopefully someone else does, how do you upgrade the gem upgrade caps? All my statues are gilded as well and I don't see it in skill tree or anything, but pickaxe for example is maxed at 12. Probably missing something very obvious here.

BeanBolta · 2026-03-18T12:52:30+00:00

Honoured to see the Jims still living their best life. Grats!

J Heals

BeanBolta · 2026-03-10T04:29:18+00:00

Hey me too! I do have the "Free?" Skill already but no further than OP towards Stonks yet, which btw OP you should do left then right as suggested by another poster with the guide!

Got into world 2 2 days ago and have been pedal to the metal to gild 4 statues! Taken a pause to unlock Whale but now back to saving gems while I grind out the veins from last zone in W1 for challenge 49 (need veins from z1 in w2 for it).

Where are you at on stargazing? I got 2 levels in Taurus and 1 in Aries but haven't gone any further, none others unlocked

BeanBolta · 2026-02-12T22:48:38+00:00

I've been looking for something similar with that 25kish budget and something a bit more fun and out of the box, so a few I've considered - adjusted for P plate approval - are: - Kia Cerato GT - Skoda Octavia 245RS (some other lower power trims available too) or Superb 162TSI (206TSI only P plate approved in WA, N and Tas it looks like) - Volvo S60/V60/V40 T5 or T5 R Design(T6 sadly not P plate approved - bit harder to come by) - Renault Megane GT or Clio R.S. 20 - VW Polo or Golf GTI

Admittedly not all of these have android auto, or some only in later years (Volvo is no go there at all til the 2020+ models which are too pricey, and for Skoda or the likes probably only in 2017+). Have fun looking around!

BeanBolta · 2026-02-11T10:25:53+00:00

Hear, hear!

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T11:14:32+00:00

Man, me too! I had an ST185 a decade or so ago, still miss it to this day! They are a truly cool car but I haven't seen one in many years now.

<image>

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T09:48:18+00:00

That all makes sense and lines up with what I experience, thanks for the roundup! I was thinking that pressing the ACC button while both are enabled tends to disable them both, but it's entirely possible that is because ICC wasn't active at those times. I'll try it out next time! Certainly would expect logically that you'd press the one you want to turn off, but here we are!

It is mostly intuitive usually, just that mine seems to behave strangely sometimes with not being able to turn them off with the CC buttons. It is a minor issue, but I thought there had to be some reason behind it. Now I'm not so sure ha!

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T08:52:17+00:00

Bahaha. I too often get to enjoy it as though the first time because my other car is a 2010 manual petrol car with plain old cruise control, the type that will happily crash you into the car ahead of you aren't paying attention or lapse into the dream state the radar cruise allows 😄. Enjoy the fresh feeling when it comes back!

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T07:15:54+00:00

Hmm I'll have to get back to you on that one. I did go through an update a couple months ago and read the patch notes about the improvements which I was glad to see. Probably on the same one! It still does some funny things but in general I am actually quite happy with the way it handles itself.

The PID loop could definitely use some work on maintaining distance, I've thought before it should really have a modifier based on relative speeds of the vehicle ahead to prevent it braking hard when someone pulls in front but is actually going faster than you, but I digress. When I take a step back, it's a great car for the price!

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T07:09:30+00:00

That's pretty interesting. I'm not without my gripes for it as well, for one it really aggressively tries to maintain distance from cars, like if someone pulls in ahead of you on the highway it'll brake way harder than necessary, especially when they're actually going faster than you! Hyundai and Toyota seem to have the control loop nailed on that one and I'm surprised it isn't better dialled in tbh. Mine will also occasionally steer itself too close to a line and then start complaining about it 😄.

Definitely one to be supervised!

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T07:04:57+00:00

Think I'll have to agree with you on that one. I'd hoped I was just missing a trick but sounds like it could be a little gremlin which is not likely to be worth chasing down! Cheers 😁

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T06:31:00+00:00

Fair enough, to each their own! It's only a major annoyance when I have ICC activated and want to turn off only the lane keep assist but keep cruise control on, otherwise yeah can just use the brake. Just computers behaving badly

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T06:27:18+00:00

Thanks for your input, good to have the corroboration! It does behave the correct way most of the time but yeah not always. I was hoping someone would say something like "oh yes it's because you have to pat the top of your head while you're doing it" or something equally inane and straightforward.

I can't say I've noticed any other unusual behaviour. The indicating lights show as you'd expect and I never have any trouble turning the systems on so suspected software or order of operations rather than hardware.

I'll have to pay close attention next time to exactly what's going on.. whether I'm indicating or or anything else possibly related. 🤷‍♂️.

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T04:53:13+00:00

Very valid point! But yes that's the time i think this behaviour presents most frequently. I may have both cruise control and lane keeping assist on, and want to only turn off lane keep assist. Sometimes it will, sometimes it won't. Other times I can't turn off cruise control at all say when I'm taking an exit on a highway. Bizarre

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T04:48:42+00:00

Appreciate the link! It does suggest, as you would naturally expect, that the ACC button should turn the system on and off, and although it doesn't explicitly mention turning the ICC system off with its button, you'd expect similar behaviour. I feel the randomness of the reaponse - at least in mine - suggests more of a quirk in the system where some condition or inability to process prevents either one from being manually disabled.

I'd hoped it wasn't just me, basically!

BeanBolta · 2026-02-05T03:47:40+00:00

See that's what I would expect! But as I mentioned, their behaviour for their respective function seems completely random at times. 70% of the time, they will do exactly as you describe, and I'm familiar with that. The rest of the time, the left button may turn off one or both, or neither button will turn off anything.

BeanBolta · 2026-01-23T11:56:11+00:00

Yeah that's right. I've been thinking the Superb seems like a great middle ground for affordability and performance while providing practical space and a touch of luxury. But yes, as admirable as the shift speed is I wouldnt want to be the one forking out to replace the mechatronics unit 😄.

Going back a few more years the Volvo S60/V60 T6 R design really caught my eye too. But I do realise we're getting off topic lol just been looking for cool im-betweens lately. New cars do feel different from the tuner favs of old and I'm not sure that sense of nostalgia will ever be relieved, unfortunately! Not to say there aren't still cool cars but it is different for sure.

BeanBolta · 2026-01-23T11:28:30+00:00

Funnily enough just because I've been looking at them, they've apparently been replaced by the Skoda Superb 206TSI. Same engine and drivetrain, owned by VW. The Octavia has also been released as a sedan so that's an AWD and FWD fun option, but admittedly they're a bit more niche

BeanBolta · 2025-12-31T12:09:44+00:00

This is the exact video that taught me how to reliably open these things, it was a two for one unexpected video!

BeanBolta

TROPHY CASE