Questions...

A few questions...

What in this game is random?

Why can't I probe/scan the big stars (e.g. the suns) on the right in any particular galaxy (I need a Geoscan or something?)?

Why can't I enter black holes?

Why can't I do anything with any of the non-resource elements? I have my fuel, oxygen, and iron, and I read the descriptions of platinum, thorium etc, but I never find the opportunity to do anything with them. The only think I've done is build Cryonics, which this forum seems to suggest is pointless anyway. In the few games I've played I've only scores about 17,000 maximum, so maybe I just need to learn to get further to make the most of elements?

You need an Ultra probe to probe stars. You get that by either learning how to make one from aliens or an encounter, or you find a ship with one equipped.

Same thing with black holes. You need a wormhole generator.

Sounds like you've got other elements from rocky planets. To use them, you need to learn techs. The best way to do that is encounter aliens on garden planets. Be sure to keep iron and hydrogen on hand because these are things aliens want early in the game. If you manage to answer the approve/disapprove question and give them something they want, you will usually be rewarded with technology and/or an Omega.

Oh ok. It's a bit frustrating at the moment because the starting ship is so small, and so you have to pick and choose, and even then very few of my elements become useful in any way. I haven't got massively far yet though, the furthest being what looked like a milestone in the game where some big block was talking to me.

Still a great game though.