Elite Dangerous

[JimmiG]

I read that this game lacks content and gets boring after a while. Do you know if they plan to add more content any time soon? I figured I would just wait for Star Citizen but I would get this if it had some sort of EVE type content added.

You're pretty much doing the same thing over and over and over and over again for credits. It gets old really quickly. Personally I haven't touched the game in months even though I bought the Horizons update. Couldn't even be bothered to check out the Engineers update. They've added some new content, but it just means there's one or two more things you can keep doing over and over again for credits.

It's essentially a single player game, but since there's a shared universe, they had to make it extremely grindy in order to stop everyone from getting the best ships and equipment. The idea is that most players will give up out of sheer boredom long before they can afford something like the Anaconda. That way, the game universe is kept naturally balanced.

 

[Monk5127]

Anyone else disappointed with the Engineers Update? Never mind the issues with the NPCs, the actual Engineers themselves (and the materials needed to partake in their services) are a HUGE grind, worse than the base game already was. I keep waiting for the devs to add real content, and instead it's just more grind. Feels like a freemium game. Seeing an actual roulette wheel when attempting an upgrade was a real facepalm moment. I am actually dreading future updates now, they seem to be taking this game in the wrong direction.

Besides getting killed a bit more than usual from NPCs with buggy weapons I've been really enjoying the Engineers update. The grind for materials isn't so bad either now that most of the items you need are available as mission rewards and has compelled me to try things that I would otherwise overlook. One example being I now try and visit every low security outpost I see (one day I may progress to Medium and High security) so that I may get "cracked industrial firmware" along with other Data types, which has been great fun, except when I manage to get myself wedged in places I don't think I should be. Whereas before the only things I would bother with on planets were the occasional delivery and the "Cubeo Imperial Rank farm".

This also means that I've redone a few of my ship loadouts so I can carry a decent limpet controller and limpets for the booty that NPCs drop for me along with checking out most "Threat 0" USS that I come across.

Now the roulette wheel, I completely agree with you on that, it needs to go or a least be changed. Having a visualization of that 6% chance for an experimental effect is very jarring. Not to mention the disappointment I had when two of the Class 3 Multi Cannons I fit to my Python got those effects only for one to be "Smart Rounds" and the other "Auto Loader", then again RNJesus has never really favored me.

 

[Sabrewings]

Nice shots and an incredible trip!

Thanks! Also, thanks for the advice when I was heading out!

Sabrewings, I want to wish you the best of luck on your RETURN journey. 2.1 Brings in a whole lot of firepower to NPC's. If you are interdicted by an AI on your way back, I think you will blow up incredibly fast in the armorless Adder. (2-4 shot kill)

Be incredibly wary of your sensors and if you do see a contact, I would exit SC immediately. If you are Interdicted, remember to High-Wake out of there to a nearby system rather than trying to go back into SC in the same system to save a bunch of time.

Fly safe, CMDR! LOL

Thanks for the tips. I've been a bit concerned reading about the AI having uber weapons, but it looks like FD will have that part fixed at least before I get back. High-waking will definitely be on the top of the strategies list (pretty short at the moment, only has one entry :lol: ).

Yes, it might be a good idea to drop every time before you jump in the bubble. Also look into the iridium wing.

Wow, thanks for the Iridium Wing referral. They look like just what a guy like me could use. I'm always surprised by the "out-of-game" community groups that spring up in Elite. The Fuel Rats are an awesome group, and now Iridium Wing? Top notch job, I wish I could tip them.

 

[ritditditdidoo]

You're pretty much doing the same thing over and over and over and over again for credits. It gets old really quickly. Personally I haven't touched the game in months even though I bought the Horizons update. Couldn't even be bothered to check out the Engineers update. They've added some new content, but it just means there's one or two more things you can keep doing over and over again for credits.

It's essentially a single player game, but since there's a shared universe, they had to make it extremely grindy in order to stop everyone from getting the best ships and equipment. The idea is that most players will give up out of sheer boredom long before they can afford something like the Anaconda. That way, the game universe is kept naturally balanced.

That's a damn shame Thanks for letting me know. It's a pity because they seem to have such a nice framework, nice graphics and it is fun to fly around and shoot stuff and do trades. If only they could have put some real gameplay in there, something to actually do.

 

[Sabrewings]

Woohoo! Huge news! I finally found some freaking vanadium! I've been looking off and on my whole way to the core and finally found some today. I stayed on that planet for a while until I had enough for 3 AFM refills. I was totally dry, but now most of my modules are back to 100%.

Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[ZGR]

New patch!

Elite Dangerous: Horizons update 2.01.02
Greetings commanders, we have an update on the way this morning for PC and Mac platforms.

The galactic servers will go offline at 10AM UK time and we expect for up to two hours of maintenance.

Below are the changes for this update.



Stability Fixes
- Prevent crash on encountering a replicated cash-for-cargo trader
- Fix server crash on non-turn platforms
- Fix for VR crash entering a location
- Guard against player recreation when transferring location for exploration databases


General Tweaks & Fixes
- Fixed commander name on Xbox when receiving an inbox message for a newly granted system permit
- Fix rank up notification inbox messages being incorrectly hidden
- Fix ammo being incorrectly removed from modules that have had their ammo capacity increased by an Engineer
- When resurrecting at a station controlled by a hostile faction, automatically adjust the reputation up to disliked to avoid unnecessary peril
- Added latest batch of translations
- Various text fixes


NPCs
- Fix NPCs ending up with overpowered hybrid weapons
- Stop NPCs deciding to attack if they only attack opposing powers and the player and AI powers are aligned to the same superpower
- Slight rebalance of the ambient AI rank chances, should see slightly less of the top end and more of the low/mid range
- Smooth out the mission-spawned USS AI levels so that high ranks are rarer and only elite missions hit the top end ai (though deadly can get close)


Engineers
- Un-filter blueprints when entering the blueprints selection panel


Missions
- Correct Microresource contract panel is now being used in any panel at a mission's hand in stage(s). This should now indicate why a mission cannot be handed in if the player's microresource inventory is full
- Using a Discovery Scanner in Planetary Rescue or Salvage missions should now give an inbox message
- Microresouce Contract Elements now included on relevant panels
- Fix target spawn times and allow new destination delivery missions to work
- Fix landable planet issue with dynamic scan rescue


Powerplay
- Fix incorrect thresholds displayed for Fortify and Undermine actions
- Fix being unable to deliver Powerplay commodities in a handful of starsystems, including Sol
- Fix Zachary Hudson's actions when being opposed by other Federal powers
- Fix supporters of Independent powers being unable to earn merits from conflict zones
- Fix a bug in the Powerplay turn processor so it once again gives the correct result for preparations

NPC's with insta-kill weapons have been fixed it seems. This was a big complaint I had with 2.1. CMDR's in small ships (or weakly shielded/armored larger ships) would be obliterated.

I gotta say, the RNG grind is getting old real fast. I like Elite: Dangerous because you could progress doing whatever the hell you wanted; as long as it was profitable (at first). When I got my Imperial Cutter maxed out I would visit CG's with a group and we would police the area, fighting the usual pirate mercenary CMDR's that we had a fun rivalry with. I had a lot of fun.

Now with 2.1, I am back at the grindstone. Unlike before, I have to deal with the fact that I am going to waste tons of material.

If a CMDR doesn't have 2.1, their ship is much weaker on the scale of upgrades. My pre 2.1 Cutter is about as strong as a modded Courier. If a serious PvP player wants to remain relevant today, they need to start grinding all over again.

I can't get on this game to grind though. When I am, I get bored amazingly fast. Driving on a planet's surface is only fun when not actively searching for materials IMO. I can't get into anything that is worth grinding.

I saw myself visit a Resource Extraction Site for the first time in months. It is actually really good for material farming, but it is just as boring as it ever was. It was only challenging because I was Hostile. Enemy ships would just attack, so I found myself 30km away hunting 1 target at a time. But damn, that got old fast. I just can't seem to find the motivation to progress like I once did before. I guess it is the idea that I have to gather materials for the slot machine. I hate that.

I gotta stop playing the game like I used to. I can't go to a CG in a Prismatic FDL or Imperial Cutter w/ Bi weave and take on wings of 4 CMDRs anymore. That is end game content; and it is FUN!

I am back in an Eagle basically in terms of relative shield strength. It is amazing how Engineers can basically triple shield strength, and get 50% better power plant, thrusters while using LESS power. Oh, and Pulse/Burst can hit nearly 5k away now. Not to mention a special Railgun can reload from fuel supply. The FDL can now hit a cool 500 like the old Viper. The Clipper can haul ass like nobody's business now.


I have barely anything modded right now. I can't get into it. I enjoyed testing the mods in Beta, but man, the grind is too real for me right now. I want to get back in my FDL really badly as well. But can it collect materials? NOPE. So you need a ship that has room for either a planetary vehicle hanger, or a collecting limpet with a cargo rack. That stuff uses a lot of power and room (regarding having to have the cargo hatch open with the limpet).

I need to accept that like a lot of other games, new DLC makes the old completely obsolete. Starting fresh.

 

[Red Storm]

Woohoo! Huge news! I finally found some freaking vanadium! I've been looking off and on my whole way to the core and finally found some today. I stayed on that planet for a while until I had enough for 3 AFM refills. I was totally dry, but now most of my modules are back to 100%.

Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Question, can you find Vanadium from mining? I ask because I really, really don't like SRV driving. To me, it's incredibly boring and no fun at all, slipping and sliding around on planet surfaces - in this game - just has no appeal to me. Mining isn't great either, but at least it's an activity you do while actually flying your ship.

 

[Monk5127]

Yes, apparently you can get Vanadium from mining ice rings.
Info found here - http://inara.cz/galaxy-components

 

[Sabrewings]

Been a while, but I figured I'd drop an update with some eye candy. I'm about halfway home. I've been getting a string of good luck in finding Earth-likes that are completely undiscovered. I even found a system with two at once! Anyway, pics:

Shortly after my run-in with Sag A*. Two co-orbiting planets were quite close, so I landed on one and caught a shot of the other:

I flew directly "up" from the core and this is a shot from about as high as I can get looking in the direction of Sol. This high up the stars were getting too far apart for my Adder to be able to jump between:

Gotta love close binaries:

And the icing on the cake, checking out one of my Earth-likes up close:

The ole girl is getting a bit battered by this point. I'm ready to get her into a dry-dock. I've had to stop one more time to fill up on materials for the AFM due to a few stupid mistakes of mine in power management. Hull is down to the 60's in percentage. Should make it home in the next week or so. I'm neutron farming as I go, so it's taking a little while longer than if I were to go jump crazy. Plus the Earth-likes are fun finds.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Is there a lot of action in this game?

Can I use dual sticks like I do in Star Citizen?

 

[Sabrewings]

Is there a lot of action in this game?

Can I use dual sticks like I do in Star Citizen?

Here's an answer from the previous page:

Though, I don't think you'd want to do dual sticks in Elite anyway. You can have everything from full reverse to full forward on the throttle or toggle between reverse and forward with a button. A lot of your time is spent with the throttle full forward travelling between locations that unless you have something setup as a traditional throttle it would get old having to hold the stick forward for long periods. Dual stick is great for combat, but with Elite's flight model it is less so and there's so much more to do than combat that's interesting. I don't really care for Elite's combat at all anymore after getting used to SC. I don't even have a weapon mounted right now.

Gamepad is decent, HOTAS is king in Elite. M/KB jockeys do still exist, but are fewer and further in between since gimbaled weapons have targeting computers.

 

[Sabrewings]

Whelp, I'm back home. I ended up not using Iridium Wing for my return since I forgot to place the request far enough in advance and didn't have to trek far into the bubble for what I needed. I stopped off at Nguri to pick up some Soontill Relics, repair, and add cargo shelves back. I also reconfigured from D-rated equipment to A-rated shields, good power plant, and the fastest thrusters I could get. Then I went the long way around the bubble (as a very valuable Adder, I took precautions) to Elvira's base and sold her all of my exploration data (ended up being about 40 million credits worth). Once I was done, I have unlocked the grade 5 FSD range blueprint so I decided to go get a new ship. I went to HIP 20342/Bowen City to pick up an Asp Explorer as they're about a million cheaper than the average price there. Now I'm going to outfit it for tooling around the bubble for the FSD upgrade, then I'll D-rate it and I'm heading back out to the rim, just 'cause.

After that, I think I'll be done with Elite for the year. Might take a break for now anyway. Flying around the bubble is pretty interesting after being gone for so long. The flight controllers were a nice addition for 2.1. They do enough to personalize the messages without it feeling forced.

 

[Ns1]

Whelp, I'm back home. I ended up not using Iridium Wing for my return since I forgot to place the request far enough in advance and didn't have to trek far into the bubble for what I needed. I stopped off at Nguri to pick up some Soontill Relics, repair, and add cargo shelves back. I also reconfigured from D-rated equipment to A-rated shields, good power plant, and the fastest thrusters I could get. Then I went the long way around the bubble (as a very valuable Adder, I took precautions) to Elvira's base and sold her all of my exploration data (ended up being about 40 million credits worth). Once I was done, I have unlocked the grade 5 FSD range blueprint so I decided to go get a new ship. I went to HIP 20342/Bowen City to pick up an Asp Explorer as they're about a million cheaper than the average price there. Now I'm going to outfit it for tooling around the bubble for the FSD upgrade, then I'll D-rate it and I'm heading back out to the rim, just 'cause.

I'm not sure if you played a game or went to work.

 

[Sabrewings]

I put it aside for a little while, but I decided to come back and put the effort in for the materials required for the grade 5 FSD. I'm pretty pleased with the result:

http://imgur.com/e8O3md8

That should make my future trip to the rim that much easier. I did a test route for 1000LYs and it only took the expected 25 jumps. Much better than the 50-55 it took my Adder typically. I could probably push it a bit further, but I don't feel like giving up my two AFMs, planetary hangar, discovery scanner, or surface scanner.

 

[Bacstar]

Getting back into the game after buying the Horizon "expansion" during the Steam Sale. When I took a break from the game last year, I was in a loaded out Vulture. Ended up selling it and picked up a Federal Assault Ship; tried out the Gun Ship too but went back to the Assault ship. I've been busy hanging out around the Sol system doing various Boom Trade and Delivery missions. Also bounty hunting around Nav Beacons and Low/High Resource Zones making and spending credits on upgrades. One thing I did notice though is that combat got a lot more difficult in Conflict zones. I read somewhere that enemy AI was bumped up in an earlier update.

Added an Asp Explorer over the weekend for the additional cargo capacity and the extra jump range for doing cargo missions. I'm really getting into it this time around, and I've been reading about some interesting things going on around the universe. Going to have to do some exploring now

 

[Red Storm]

I finally got to try Elite with an Oculus Rift. Holy crap... That was amazing. Truly felt like I was in the ship and actually piloting it! Text was a little blurry which was noticeable and a little disappointing, but wow that was so freaking cool.

Regarding the game, while I'm still not a fan of this crazy random material fetch quest, the recent update at least helped with the recipes and getting stuff somewhat. I've been upgrading my Python, got lvl 4 reinforced shields (total shield capacity is just over 1000, and improved resists too), a lvl 5 fsd giving me ~25 ly jump range (that's with 50-60 tons of stuff in my cargo, all engineer related commodities), dirty drives lvl 3 which have really enhanced the handling of the ship (can't wait to get lvl 5 dirty drives), and 3 lvl 5 overcharged large multicannons that rip right through enemy hulls. My Python is now my super all in one ship. It's funny how I completely ignore any missions unless I see needed materials or commodities as rewards. One million credit payout for a quick haul mission? No thanks. Thirty thousand credits and 4 modular terminals? Sign me up! Money means nothing now, it's all about the materials. Speaking of which, it feels like I'm never going to find any Modified Embedded Firmware, but I keep trying nonetheless...

 

[KMFJD]

New Update Incoming