is it me or is anyone else.......

[mark.s]

Hi, is it me or is anyone else finding this game a bit unexpectedly difficult.

I'm a total noob to simulators but I think that if this game is to succeed in the mainstream it still needs to be easier for the laymen (i.e. players should be able to get to grips with the game a lot quicker) also seems to be a total lack of training/tutorial missions ? I would still expect this in a beta.

So far I have tried mouse and keyboard and find combat almost impossible, to pitch up I keep needing to repeatedly push mouse up and up which intern pushes my mouse mat up the desk to my monitor and im leaning over my desk, surely this is wrong ?

I have also tried joypad, but it doesn't have enough buttons to program all the ships functions onto it, so I have keep moving my hand onto the keyboard which I soon lose patients with. IMO if you use a gamepad, you shouldn't have to let go of it.

am I asking to much ? should the devs make an "arcade easy mode" ?

 

[Space]

For me this game is too easy and safe currently, and there is no real gameplay apart from easy AI combat and money grinding.

I know this is a beta, but what am I supposed to test after doing everything there is in a week?

 

[philux]

The game is extremely easy compared to a proper flight sim, but we all had to start once. Just use the search function and ask on the forums if you need further help.

 

[KEY]

Please no "easy mode".

Concerning the controls, I can't give any advice about game pads. I first tried mouse and keys, then the old Logitech 3D Extreme of my bf, and then convinced him to get us a Saitek X52 HOTAS (which rocks, and I never will switch to anything esle than a HOTAS system for flight sims now).

With mouse and keyboard, did you try to push up the mouse sensivity so you don't have to push it for such long distances on your desk? Might want to try it.

Tutorials? Did you try the combat missions in the starting menue? This is what I think would be a tutorial, you are shown everything from easy combat (shooting cannisters) to more advanced combat (using the stealth/heat-management systems of your ship) and much more. Try that if you did not already.

Hardest thing for me was actually to find out that you can turn on rotational controls that make docking on a station landing pad far easier than when the things keeps spinning around you, and docking itself.

All else will come with time and after you get the hang of it, you gonna love it!

 

[Roepie]

am I asking to much ? should the devs make an "arcade easy mode" ?

No and no.
Just keep practicing. I promise you when you get the hang of it it will be much more fullfilling than making a arcade easy mode version.

Which is the second 'no'. a new era is here with other than meanstream facebook/browser based games.

I tried playing with mouse/kb, controller and joystick. flying with joystick gives me the best experience. But all is personal taste.

 

[FrogsFriend]

For starters, try mouse mode - Absolute Pitch/Roll Inverted. Be gentle with the mouse movements to start with. That should solve your mouse-mat issue.
Practice in the single-player combat missions, especially the first 'shoot the cargo canisters' one, until you're happy with the controls.

People will be along shortly with links to the various draft manuals

EDIT:
http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34437
Here's one for you.

 

[kwik]

greetings commander!
I have a couple of suggestions for you. If you stick to kb+m then I suggest binding roll to a/d and pitch up to spacebar- this gives you your fastest turning without the mouse (provided you keep your thrust in the blue).
Use the mouse with pitch up/down and yaw left/right for fine tuning your aim. keep power distribution to 1-4 for quick access(get used to changing them as you need too as often as you need too).
q/e/r/f for lateral thrusters (combine these with your normal flying to fly at angles and such, really good to avoid rammers). boost whilst turning etc.

If your going to stick with the joypad and have some patience, then you might want to look into a program called voice attack, a lot of people have it working very successfully, if you go this route I would _not_ suggest binding any voice commands to, for example, boost or eject cargo.

http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12857

 

[EAGLE 5]

Hi there and welcome.

As with most new things there is a learning curve that you will have to work through and overcome. As suggested have a look at some guides and videos, however, personally I found the game becoming far easier to play once I customized my controls to reflect my preferences in control methods. That may be a good thing to start with and practice with those combat scenarios. For everything else it's very much Elite so there are set rules and procedures you have to follow to get where you want to. For that it's studying and practicing but don't forget to have fun in the process after all it is a game.

Just be glad you didn't have to break out the training wheels on the two previous titles. Newtonian space flight is FAR MORE DIFFICULT and involved.

Have fun!

 

[MajorEpeen]

I found the game difficult at first but I stuck with it and it is so rewarding when you finally become proficient. If you cannot stretch to a HOTAS then you may want to think about a decent budget stick as it makes a world of difference having gone from an X360 pad to a HOTAS myself. I still use the occasional keyboard input for menu negotiation and I find this okay

 

[Druid]

Just get one of these

http://www.very.co.uk/thrustmaster-usb-joystick/1283447667.prd?aff=google&affsrc=acquisition&cm_mmc=google-_-PLA%20-%20Electricals-_-Electricals%20PLA-_-_27149166794&gclid=CLeVkIm5ncACFZMRtAod7EUAEg

Cheap sure, but if you want to test it with a JS with a throttle its worth a go. If you like it then you can save up for a x52 55 or whatever like the rest of us.

Dont make the game easier because there is no joy in having it easy from the start as there is no achievement. After a few hours the flight system becomes easy . Ok so sme of us are used to flight sims and even Elite itself but honestly with the right kind of controller it is easy to get into even if you havnt had any flight sim experience.

 

[xaccers]

Voice Attack is excellent and well worth the few credits.
With it I only use 3 buttons on my joystick.
I use keys for thrusters when docking, x to stop myself moving forward and backwards, and VA to control speed on approach, first with gear down and half speed, then quarter speed as I approach the pad.
Joystick has a throttle lever but I find 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full speed are all I actually need.

 

[trekman]

Hi, is it me or is anyone else finding this game a bit unexpectedly difficult.

I'm a total noob to simulators but I think that if this game is to succeed in the mainstream it still needs to be easier for the laymen (i.e. players should be able to get to grips with the game a lot quicker) also seems to be a total lack of training/tutorial missions ? I would still expect this in a beta.

So far I have tried mouse and keyboard and find combat almost impossible, to pitch up I keep needing to repeatedly push mouse up and up which intern pushes my mouse mat up the desk to my monitor and im leaning over my desk, surely this is wrong ?

I have also tried joypad, but it doesn't have enough buttons to program all the ships functions onto it, so I have keep moving my hand onto the keyboard which I soon lose patients with. IMO if you use a gamepad, you shouldn't have to let go of it.

am I asking to much ? should the devs make an "arcade easy mode" ?

It does take a quite a bit of learning and is designed this way and the majority of people that are currently playing it seem happy with this.

If you are finding that you are running out of buttons and are unable or unwilling to invest in a flightstick like the saitek x52pro (which seem to be the most popular stick for this game) or the x55 then I would suggest investing in something called voice attack. It only costs $8 (about £5) and should help with not having enough buttons for all the functions.

As far as training\tutorials go then that is what the single player scenario's are for I believe.

Finally I agree that the game doesn't need nor should have an arcade mode.

 

[MajorEpeen]

Voice Attack is excellent and well worth the few credits.
With it I only use 3 buttons on my joystick.
I use keys for thrusters when docking, x to stop myself moving forward and backwards, and VA to control speed on approach, first with gear down and half speed, then quarter speed as I approach the pad.
Joystick has a throttle lever but I find 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full speed are all I actually need.

Good call. I also use VA and can fully recommend it. Plus it costs like 8usd. Bargain considering it has so many applications outside this game.

 

[Hyfrydle]

I first tried with keyboard and mouse and had the same issues as the OP so I decided to get a cheap joystick and throttle setup the Speedlink Black Widow. I was still finding the number of commands a real issue until I discovered Voice attack which totally changed the game for the better.

I now feel like a real commander of a spacecraft and the game has really opened up, I've even managed to take down a few pirates which was intense but felt very rewarding.

Stick with it once it clicks you will be in Elite heaven

 

[Lothahnus]

I agree... no easy mode. I do hope they add in a better tutorial system though. The learning curve is a bit steep for those that arer new to this kind of game.

 

[Zvanya]

I'm a total noob to simulators but I think that if this game is to succeed in the mainstream it still needs to be easier for the laymen

I get the impression from David Braben and the devs that while they hope it does well in the mainstream, they aren't likely to make things easier to achieve that(see the quote below ). I doubt that easy mode is in the works. I do think a tutorial might be coming. Maybe.

I too am having a bit of a struggle with combat, and I'm using a brand new CH HOTAS. I'm gradually getting there, I can now usually prevail against NPC pilots.

 

[Hermit]

But there is an easy mode....It's called "solo play"

 

[mark.s]

thx for the reply's people, looks like I may have to bite the bullet and get a HOTAS, but if I don't, I cant see me playing this for long, anyhow I still think a full comprehensive tutorial is needed, for example, evochron mercenary has like 4 hours of fully voiced tutorial.

 

[Zieman]

thx for the reply's people, looks like I may have to bite the bullet and get a HOTAS, but if I don't, I cant see me playing this for long, anyhow I still think a full comprehensive tutorial is needed, for example, evochron mercenary has like 4 hours of fully voiced tutorial.

The single player combat missions are what we have for tutorial at this stage. In current form that set is a placeholder, I wouldn't be surprised if the gamma or retail version has some sort of flight school you have to pass before being admitted to the Pilots' Federation, and the single player missions being a voluntary extension to that.

 

[chaseydog]

?..should the devs make an "arcade easy mode" ?

No, absolutely not. While FD certainly intend for Elite Dangerous to be a success I don't think they intend to do so by making a game for the mainstream. The game is intended to be challenging and skills based. My understanding is that the devs intend for there to be a learning curve, that there will be consequences for making mistakes, and that you will be expected to learn from your mistakes.

Will diving in the deep end of this pool be as challenging on release as it is today? I imagine not, tutorials will most likely be added but I'm not convinced they will have any advantage to the youtube videos we already have and a willingness to smash up a few Sidewinders along the way.