An eventful night, a ship loss, and some good natured newbie mentoring!

[Arvel Yael]

So it seems that with the end of the academic year, we're all starting to dial back our hyperfantastic schedules, and we're starting to have some free time again. For my part, I've managed to intoduce my little social group to ED, and we've created a little wing of awesomeness.

Celebrating the end of the penultimate exam of our four year degree of course, spirits are high and so the beer was flowing a little bit.
I know it's probably not a good idea when flying sparkly expensive ships, but somehow it seemed to work out. A third friend (and counting) was curious about the game and so we finally convinced him to join in, to make a complete wing of four, for the first time!

We probably spent about 10 hours flying together, a couple of hours of which was mining, but most of which was shepherding our latest wingmate from one system, to another system 160 light years away so he could buy a Cobra. I suppose 160Ly is a vast distance in a sidewinder. It was a rather awesome experience of letting the new dude choose the route. "We can't go A to B, or A to B via C, so shall we go via these 28 other jumps instead?" Which is easier said than done when the beer is flowing and everyone is disorganised.

For my part, I did get a perverse amount of pleasure showing my dramatic and awesome E-peen to my newbro friend. I hadn't realised the ship was so bloody big! Apparently the sound of the ship smashing into realspace on top of his head is as terrifying as the sound of the cutter boosting past his nose is beautiful. I can't claim credit for that I'm afraid, thank FD's audio designers. Though I did take some pleasure in his awe, which was rather the bloody point!

Earlier, I got the wing together for a group portrait (well, one was in bed but still), Mentor, newbro, and support ship.

And what was the net gain of this night of wing operations?
Well whatever it was, it's now down by probably about -32 million credits. Of all the ignominious ways for a Cutter to die, I got destroyed by the defence lasers of an outpost while alt-tabbed out while getting a snack. Apparently I was pad loitering!
I'm embarrased. I almost never ever lose ships. I've probably only seen the rebuy screen seven or eight times in four years.
32 million credits for pad loitering! I suppose that's what I get for multitasking and drinking heavily at the same time!

But still, that's not the point, having spent ages saving for a carrier (that I now no longer want) I'm gentleman enough to take the loss with good grace, and consider the night a net-success. Two relatively new players that were somewhat skeptical are now hooked on the game, and I've been able to show off the sheer beauty of my pride and joy.

Like a bad hangover, I'm sure I'll be smarting over the financial cost and embarrasment of having lost a Cutter due to pad loitering, of all things, but that's not the point. I'd always avoided multiplayer because I'm a confirmed misanthrope. But co-operative wing play with friends I know and like? I can cope with that! And what fun it is!

I'm off to bed now. The sooner I go to sleep, the sooner I can get over the hangove, and the absolute disgrace of losing a Cutter to drunken distracted AFK pad loitering!

Still, with the right people, ED can make for a fun night!

 

[Augusta]

Don't drink and fly. Good night!

 

[[VR] DDM_Reaper20]

Thanks for sharing!

I wiped an old account, started new, and am flying in Open exclusively these days. I have seen quite a few CMDRs -- 90% go their own way, not even noticing me, the rest say hi. Not ONE attack, not even in Deciat, where I was several times. Watching and reading all those guides (how to survive in Open) has made me twitchy, though -- I keep checking my scanners, constantly on the lookout for hollow squares.

I went exploring first, getting in my 5,000 lyrs, then some more, to buy a Mamba from the proceeds. I have mounted a huge plasma accelerator (with an eye towards potential PVP, MUCH later, of course!), twin gimballed large MCs (overcharged, incendiary), and twin small railguns (G1 long range, feedback cascade). Nice machine! The plasma accelerator will get an efficient upgrade soon (I am smarming my way towards Mr. Turner's good graces)... So far, a very fun ship.

 

[zaikoji]

Thanks for sharing such a positive experience.
There’s hope for this game yet!!

 

[Leadfoot]

Sorry for the loss of your cutter, but happy that you were able to show the new player some of the more interesting aspects of ED. It's the same feeling a kindergarten teacher gets by showing students the amazing world of butterflies, how plants grow, and how to get a sidewinder from one place to another and not blow up in the process. And also show the students that you are human, too.

 

[ZAKALWEINC8876]

Don't drink and fly. Good night!

Don't drink and fly indeed, ye gads the mind boggles!

 

[Arvel Yael]

Back into the wing today, did another couple of mining runs, and took the Newbro out for his very first self sufficient mining run. My 2IC brought out his cutter to join me in mine, and so we decided to fly together once more for a bit with Newbro dude, who had a pretty awesome first mining run, survived an interdiction [EDIT survived (not escaped - hey everyone was new once!) EDIT EDIT Got caught three times and survived, and now, avoided a further two] interdictions, and learned to scoop fuel all in one day!

Me and 2IC

Us and Newbro

Wingman number four was in bed, he's very busy with university type stuff. He'll join us soon.

Things are going pretty well, so far!

 

[Susanna]

So it seems that with the end of the academic year, we're all starting to dial back our hyperfantastic schedules, and we're starting to have some free time again. For my part, I've managed to intoduce my little social group to ED, and we've created a little wing of awesomeness.

Celebrating the end of the penultimate exam of our four year degree of course, spirits are high and so the beer was flowing a little bit.
I know it's probably not a good idea when flying sparkly expensive ships, but somehow it seemed to work out. A third friend (and counting) was curious about the game and so we finally convinced him to join in, to make a complete wing of four, for the first time!

We probably spent about 10 hours flying together, a couple of hours of which was mining, but most of which was shepherding our latest wingmate from one system, to another system 160 light years away so he could buy a Cobra. I suppose 160Ly is a vast distance in a sidewinder. It was a rather awesome experience of letting the new dude choose the route. "We can't go A to B, or A to B via C, so shall we go via these 28 other jumps instead?" Which is easier said than done when the beer is flowing and everyone is disorganised.

For my part, I did get a perverse amount of pleasure showing my dramatic and awesome E-peen to my newbro friend. I hadn't realised the ship was so bloody big! Apparently the sound of the ship smashing into realspace on top of his head is as terrifying as the sound of the cutter boosting past his nose is beautiful. I can't claim credit for that I'm afraid, thank FD's audio designers. Though I did take some pleasure in his awe, which was rather the bloody point!

Earlier, I got the wing together for a group portrait (well, one was in bed but still), Mentor, newbro, and support ship.

And what was the net gain of this night of wing operations?
Well whatever it was, it's now down by probably about -32 million credits. Of all the ignominious ways for a Cutter to die, I got destroyed by the defence lasers of an outpost while alt-tabbed out while getting a snack. Apparently I was pad loitering!
I'm embarrased. I almost never ever lose ships. I've probably only seen the rebuy screen seven or eight times in four years.
32 million credits for pad loitering! I suppose that's what I get for multitasking and drinking heavily at the same time!

But still, that's not the point, having spent ages saving for a carrier (that I now no longer want) I'm gentleman enough to take the loss with good grace, and consider the night a net-success. Two relatively new players that were somewhat skeptical are now hooked on the game, and I've been able to show off the sheer beauty of my pride and joy.

Like a bad hangover, I'm sure I'll be smarting over the financial cost and embarrasment of having lost a Cutter due to pad loitering, of all things, but that's not the point. I'd always avoided multiplayer because I'm a confirmed misanthrope. But co-operative wing play with friends I know and like? I can cope with that! And what fun it is!

I'm off to bed now. The sooner I go to sleep, the sooner I can get over the hangove, and the absolute disgrace of losing a Cutter to drunken distracted AFK pad loitering!

Still, with the right people, ED can make for a fun night!

Thanks for sharing your positive experiences nice to read them.
As a misanthropic individual as well, I find playing with others a mixed boon. Sometimes it works and can be fun for a while.
My problem is that people sooner or later prove to be disappointing by one means or another. Perhaps my expectations of people are unreasonable or unrealistic but I am who I am. Holding on to friends seems to be a knack I don't have.
Fly safe in your Cutter

 

[Arvel Yael]

Thanks for sharing your positive experiences nice to read them.
As a misanthropic individual as well, I find playing with others a mixed boon. Sometimes it works and can be fun for a while.
My problem is that people sooner or later prove to be disappointing by one means or another. Perhaps my expectations of people are unreasonable or unrealistic but I am who I am. Holding on to friends seems to be a knack I don't have.
Fly safe in your Cutter

I've been a CMDR for about four years now. ED has always been my thing.
When my friends - my three closest friends who I have been through three years of university with and see on a daily basis - finally acquiesed to my drunken invites to give the game a go, so they could see how much fun it is, I admit I wasn't expecting them to stick around. I just wanted to show them part of my world.

I actually complained to the closest of the three when they decided to stick around, explaining that I was glad that they liked the game and I'm glad I had someone to wing up with, but I felt like introducing them on a permenant basis meant the loss of ED as my thing.

I'm not so put out now though, sure, it's not my personal thing any more, but flying with three very close friends is so much more fun than flying alone, I have found .

My 2IC who was strongly opposed to the idea of anything related to in-game currency has even bought a ship kit, cementing his interest in the game.

I can't wait to show them combat and long-range exploration! Newbro's mind was blown when he looked at the galaxy map. He said "You... you can just go all the way... over there?"

Yes dude, you can, and we will .

 

[Susanna]

Smile
It's cool. It doesn't have to be just your thing. It can be 'our' thing with your friends too, and still be your thing. If you are just coming out of Uni, I'm guessing you are all in your early 20s. A good time, as friends are easy at that age. It gets harder and harder with each passing decade, as you get older and people settle into their lives.
Enjoy it while you have it!

 

[Arvel Yael]

Smile
It's cool. It doesn't have to be just your thing. It can be 'our' thing with your friends too, and still be your thing. If you are just coming out of Uni, I'm guessing you are all in your early 20s. A good time, as friends are easy at that age. It gets harder and harder with each passing decade, as you get older and people settle into their lives.
Enjoy it while you have it!

I'm in my mid thirties. My friends are in their early to mid twenties. What can I say, I'm an immature student.

 

[Susanna]

I'm in my mid thirties. My friends are in their early to mid twenties. What can I say, I'm an immature student.

Sounds like a good thing to me. A decade or so in age difference isn't too much so I would suspect you have a lot of common ground. I'm in my later 50s and I'm an immature nobody who just likes the escapism ED offers from the troubles of life. I'm sure I have that in common with a modicum of the player base at least.

 

[Arvel Yael]

Sounds like a good thing to me. A decade or so in age difference isn't too much so I would suspect you have a lot of common ground. I'm in my later 50s and I'm an immature nobody who just likes the escapism ED offers from the troubles of life. I'm sure I have that in common with a modicum of the player base at least.

The disparity, such as it is, has worked out well.
I'm young enough to absorb some of their zest for life and youthful enthusiasm and idealism.
They're old enough to absorb and appreciate my cynicism, pessimism and casual outspoken misanthropy.

They benefit from my mistrust and automatic subconscious hostility, I benefit from their [relative] eagerness and easy excitedness. The whole is greater than the sum .

 

[Susanna]

That gave me a big smile! it sounds like a good partnership between you and your group of friends then! Idealism... Ummm. I used to have a lot of that. Probably way too much for my own good as it turns a little sour in the face of relentless reality.
I'm presuming that you are in the European time zones, as you are replying in real time. If so you are probably aware of the friction in the UK over our European friends. I'm a firm 'Remainer', less affectionately called a Remoaner by the Brexiteers. With the forthcoming departure of the UK from the EU at the end of the year, coupled with the economic chaos of the covid 19 pandemic, the UK is going to have a double whammy with a long dark road of a future ahead of it. I can kiss my pension goodbye...
If you are in the EU it will probably be a little less painful but I hope their zest for life and youthful enthusiasm is up to weathering the next few years... And buoying your spirits in the months to come.

 

[Arvel Yael]

That gave me a big smile! it sounds like a good partnership between you and your group of friends then! Idealism... Ummm. I used to have a lot of that. Probably way too much for my own good as it turns a little sour in the face of relentless reality.
I'm presuming that you are in the European time zones, as you are replying in real time. If so you are probably aware of the friction in the UK over our European friends. I'm a firm 'Remainer', less affectionately called a Remoaner by the Brexiteers. With the forthcoming departure of the UK from the EU at the end of the year, coupled with the economic chaos of the covid 19 pandemic, the UK is going to have a double whammy with a long dark road of a future ahead of it. I can kiss my pension goodbye...
If you are in the EU it will probably be a little less painful but I hope their zest for life and youthful enthusiasm is up to weathering the next few years... And buoying your spirits in the months to come.

I'm Yorkshire, born and bred, and my travels in my younger life have carried me over the country and beyond.
I'm very aware of the friction in the UK over our european friends, more than that, I will not say. Not out of any hostility or reticience, simply over a firm reluctance to turn a happy celebratory thread into a political mud slinging match.

Covid is an odd situation, when the youngest of my friends (19 in June) turns to me for advice all I can say to him is that I have never experienced anything like this in my lifetime.

But one thing that I do stand by is this. I have had times in my life where I thought the world was my oyster and that I had discovered the secret to indescribable money, wealth and everlasting happiness. I've had other times in my life where - exhibiting my macabre humour only semi jokingly - I opined "there's no problem in life so great that a 6 foot fall can't cure it".

And yet throughout my life, it doesn't matter how big the stone you throw into the pond is, the splash turns into ripples, and they once again turn into smooth water, in the end.
Life always finds equilibrium. Not despairing, not intolerable, not amazing, but hopeful.

Ironic to hear it from a confirmed cynic such as me, I suppose.
[edit - typo]

 

[Susanna]

I'm Yorkshire, born and bred, and my travels in my younger life have carried me over the country and beyond.
I'm very aware of the friction in the UK over our european friends, more than that, I will not say. Not out of any hostility or reticience, simply over a firm reluctance to turn a happy celebratory thread into a political mud slinging match.
Very wise of you! And I agree. Unhelpful.
Covid is an odd situation, when the youngest of my friends (19 in June) turns to me for advice all I can say to him is that I have never experienced anything like this in my lifetime.
Same... The cynic in me thinks this should never have happened, given the opportunities of SARS and MERS in recent years. The realist in me says it was inevitable...
But one thing that I do stand by is this. I have had times in my life where I thought the world was my oyster and that I had discovered the secret to indescribable money, wealth and everlasting happiness. I've had other times in my life where - exhibiting my macabre humour only semi jokingly - I opined "there's no problem in life so great that a 6 foot fall can't cure it".
I like it...
And yet throughout my life, it doesn't matter how big the stone you throw into the pond is, the splash turns into ripples, and they once again turn into smooth water, in the end.
Life always finds equilibrium. Not despairing, not intolerable, not amazing, but hopeful.
Stoicism in a word. Fair play. I just haven't found the hopeful part in that list yet the others I'm on the same page as you.
Ironic to hear it from a confirmed cynic such as me, I suppose.
Smile! You still have youth on your side! Another couple of decades of emotional damage may dent that feeling friend.
[edit - typo]

 

[Susanna]

I'm Yorkshire, born and bred, and my travels in my younger life have carried me over the country and beyond.
I'm very aware of the friction in the UK over our european friends, more than that, I will not say. Not out of any hostility or reticience, simply over a firm reluctance to turn a happy celebratory thread into a political mud slinging match.

Covid is an odd situation, when the youngest of my friends (19 in June) turns to me for advice all I can say to him is that I have never experienced anything like this in my lifetime.

But one thing that I do stand by is this. I have had times in my life where I thought the world was my oyster and that I had discovered the secret to indescribable money, wealth and everlasting happiness. I've had other times in my life where - exhibiting my macabre humour only semi jokingly - I opined "there's no problem in life so great that a 6 foot fall can't cure it".

And yet throughout my life, it doesn't matter how big the stone you throw into the pond is, the splash turns into ripples, and they once again turn into smooth water, in the end.
Life always finds equilibrium. Not despairing, not intolerable, not amazing, but hopeful.

Ironic to hear it from a confirmed cynic such as me, I suppose.
[edit - typo]

Btw, I'm in the Welsh Valleys. My wife and I moved here from Kent to find work after the financial crisis of 2008.

 

[Arvel Yael]

I'm in a confused middle ground now. When I was in my childhood, people told me not to be so naive and trusting.
In my teens they told me not to be so angry and hateful.
In my early adult years, they told me to listen to what people say.
A few years later, they told me to try and understand why people what they say.
Now, they say I should be less misanthropic, scornful and cynical .

I believe firmly in the brilliance of humanity, I believe firmly in humanity's ability to rise to its potential, despite being surrounded by humanity, every day.
I must be a bloody fool.

And I'm still called naive. and cynical, and mistrusting, and hopeful, and aggressive, and overeager, and misanthropic and trusting.
There's no pleasing some people, I suppose.

 

[Arvel Yael]

We got my 2IC kitted out in an AspEx, to do some exploring, and now finally, Starchild has a playmate.

So I've been showing him the ropes re: the guardian sites. Before tonight he'd never even been out of the bubble. Now we're both 800Ly out, he's learned how to land on a planet, he's learned how to drive an SRV and how to fight in one!

Good times!

 

[Martyn W]

Sounds like a good thing to me. A decade or so in age difference isn't too much so I would suspect you have a lot of common ground. I'm in my later 50s and I'm an immature nobody who just likes the escapism ED offers from the troubles of life. I'm sure I have that in common with a modicum of the player base at least.

You do, I'm in my late 60s and identify exactly with that sentiment.