Horizons Better to Horizon straight away or get some game time under the belt first?

[Jon_Wasabi]

Hi guys, I'm new to ED and been looking forward to this game for a long time.. finally bought it hoping I can get some advice on two quick questions:

1. As an ED noob, is Horizons really needed from the start or can I just jump into the base game for a while until I rack up some game time and experience before buying it? and
2: If I play the base game for a month or 2 without Horizons, what do I lose out on by not having landings and engineers for that noob first 2 or 3 months?

I will obviously buy Horizons in the next few months, but my budget is asking me if I can wait a month or 3 before I do... unless of course not having Horizons from the start is a real deal breaker.

 

[Sunleader]

Without Horizons you cannot Play Open as you.ll be Killed over and over by People who got Superior Weapons and Equipment that you cannot get.
So if your fine Playing Solo the Normal Game is fine.
If you actually want to Play Online Horizons is necessary unless your masochistic and like being killed by weapons you cant do anything about.

 

[Monk]

Without Horizons you cannot Play Open as you.ll be Killed over and over by People who got Superior Weapons and Equipment that you cannot get.
So if your fine Playing Solo the Normal Game is fine.
If you actually want to Play Online Horizons is necessary unless your masochistic and like being killed by weapons you cant do anything about.

--In areas where PKers hang out

I play Open 80% of the time in my barely upgraded Asp or my nearly naked Cobra. I probably visit 100 systems per play session and nearly all (like 99.9%) of the CMDRs I run in to, if any at all, are either silent or friendly.

If you are traversing a PK hotspot (CGs, starting locations, Lave and Shinrarta Dezra) then drop into Private Group or Solo until you are away.

Or, try you luck at running from modded CMDRs. I'll tell ya, they get a whole lot more angry than normal when you taunt them and they can't get you

 

[goemon]

i don't think playing without horizons is a real deal breaker. i have two accounts, one with, one without - and i assume you won't miss planetary landing at the beginning, the game is overwhelming the first 10-20 hours without it. you don't loose progress neither. i'm not sure, whether you pay a bit less if buying a bundle at the moment. actually, i personally would always only buy the base game - and find out whether i like the game enough to buy more into it (i do)

Without Horizons you cannot Play Open as you.ll be Killed over and over by People who got Superior Weapons and Equipment that you cannot get.
So if your fine Playing Solo the Normal Game is fine.
If you actually want to Play Online Horizons is necessary unless your masochistic and like being killed by weapons you cant do anything about.

hu? i don#t think that matters in this context - if an experienced player hits a beginner in the starter area, i don't think equipment plays any role... best tip for this is: move out of the starter systems as soon as possibe, if you play in open.

actually i don#t think it matters at all - if you don't fly a ship equiped for player versus player combat, it doesn't matter whether it is engineered or not - you better flee anyways.

 

[Jon_Wasabi]

Without Horizons you cannot Play Open as you.ll be Killed over and over by People who got Superior Weapons and Equipment that you cannot get.
So if your fine Playing Solo the Normal Game is fine.
If you actually want to Play Online Horizons is necessary unless your masochistic and like being killed by weapons you cant do anything about.

I don't mind playing solo for a month or 2 if my experience and game time count for something when I do go online. Would solo play be wasted if I go online after a month or 2.. or will I carry my money, upgrades etc. with me online? edit: just saw all your replies, thanks.. really helpful for an ED noob.

 

[CapitanAceRimmer]

Or join Mobius, a PVE group, where everyone is friendly although it does get penetrated by griefers every now and then.

 

[Sunleader]

i don't think playing without horizons is a real deal breaker. i have two accounts, one with, one without - and i assume you won't miss planetary landing at the beginning, the game is overwhelming the first 10-20 hours without it. you don't loose progress neither. i'm not sure, whether you pay a bit less if buying a bundle at the moment. actually, i personally would always only buy the base game - and find out whether i like the game enough to buy more into it (i do)


hu? i don#t think that matters in this context - if an experienced player hits a beginner in the starter area, i don't think equipment plays any role... best tip for this is: move out of the starter systems as soon as possibe, if you play in open.

actually i don#t think it matters at all - if you don't fly a ship equiped for player versus player combat, it doesn't matter whether it is engineered or not - you better flee anyways.

Problem is. Even if he wants to do PvP and thus goes for an PvP Equipped Ship right away.
He wont stand a Chance unless he has Horizons.

 

[rrobes]

Good luck with your career!

Hi guys, I'm new to ED and been looking forward to this game for a long time.. finally bought it hoping I can get some advice on two quick questions:

1. As an ED noob, is Horizons really needed from the start or can I just jump into the base game for a while until I rack up some game time and experience before buying it? and
2: If I play the base game for a month or 2 without Horizons, what do I lose out on by not having landings and engineers for that noob first 2 or 3 months?

I will obviously buy Horizons in the next few months, but my budget is asking me if I can wait a month or 3 before I do... unless of course not having Horizons from the start is a real deal breaker.

Make your credits and learn the game, then buy Horizons. You want to get to the middle class ships like the FAS and fit them out for bounty hunting, that is the fastest way to accumulate credits. If you want to try trading, exploring and bounty hunting then a ship like the Python is best. Forget about Powerplay, IMO it's not worth the grind. You do, however, may eventually consider the task to acquire a Cutter or a Corvette and for those two you need to start early, gaining the rank as you play.

One other consideration, the current Horizon pass has been out for a while and will expire when the one is out (TBA), so you won't get a full measure for your money.

 

[Sourdough Steve]

...
One other consideration, the current Horizon pass has been out for a while and will expire when the one is out...

Umm, expire?? I highly doubt it, since that would mean those currently playing it would lose all those features. I don't believe that's the operating paradigm for Frontier. More likely, you'll be able to buy the previous passes as well as the latest one. Or maybe Frontier will roll previous season passes into the base game. But having it expire would be ridiculous. The player outcry would be massive, don't you think?

 

[Codger]

I think if you start with Horizons you get a choice of starting location and ship loadout, that you do not get otherwise. That is what I've read, anyway.

 

[Sourdough Steve]

I didn't. On my second account, which I bought recently, I reset the cmdr several times and every time I started at LHS 3447. Haven't reset my main account since I started in April, so I don't know if it's changed since 2.1.

 

[Toffa]

Without Horizons you cannot Play Open as you.ll be Killed over and over by People who got Superior Weapons and Equipment that you cannot get.
So if your fine Playing Solo the Normal Game is fine.
If you actually want to Play Online Horizons is necessary unless your masochistic and like being killed by weapons you cant do anything about.

OP, The above is complete rubbish. I have zero upgrades from Horizons/Engineers and have not been killed by player in over 2 years of 100% open play.

I would however, recommend getting Horizons, just because landing on planets man!

Toffs
( '-')7

 

[h347h]

Problem is. Even if he wants to do PvP and thus goes for an PvP Equipped Ship right away.
He wont stand a Chance unless he has Horizons.

Even then he wouldn't 'stand a chance' until he learned how to fly, learned the current metas, finished getting the ship he wanted, modded it to competitive levels, and found a group to pvp with. Simply owning horizons isn't going to instantly give him a chance.

 

[Sunleader]

OP, The above is complete rubbish. I have zero upgrades from Horizons/Engineers and have not been killed by player in over 2 years of 100% open play.

I would however, recommend getting Horizons, just because landing on planets man!

Toffs
( '-')7[/QUOTE

I guess it was also 2 Years ago you last Visited a System where other Players are *gg*

Even then he wouldn't 'stand a chance' until he learned how to fly, learned the current metas, finished getting the ship he wanted, modded it to competitive levels, and found a group to pvp with. Simply owning horizons isn't going to instantly give him a chance.

Not entirely True.
Dont Underestimate the PvP Players. If someone comes to the Game to Engage in PvP. He will usually learn his way around Fighting very Fast.
To start with. PvP is not such an Hard thing to do. Learning the Controls is a Pain in the Ass because FD Controls and System is just not Cut out for PvP.
But you dont need much Money to do PvP. I.ve seen People learning to Play a Fighter in Warthunder in Realistic Battle within 3 Days. Elite Dangerous PvP is a Joke compared to that.


Point is.
If he wants to Fight other Players. Or doesnt want to Play Open while Running away all the time. He needs Horizons or he is Disqualified.

 

[rrobes]

Umm, expire?? I highly doubt it, since that would mean those currently playing it would lose all those features. I don't believe that's the operating paradigm for Frontier. More likely, you'll be able to buy the previous passes as well as the latest one. Or maybe Frontier will roll previous season passes into the base game. But having it expire would be ridiculous. The player outcry would be massive, don't you think?

What happens if you don't pay for the next season's pass? You would probably be left at the current level and not receive any further updates from FD. This is software sunsetting, not a new tactic from software developers. I remember some friction from buyers who weren't happy that they had to buy Horizons. I'm sure there will be the same when the next pass comes due. After all, they got any number of eager players to pony up the money to get the pass after their original purchase.

I'm sure FD will have the monetizing figured out well in advance and will tout "Horizon, Season 2" with the necessary enticements for players to buy in.

 

[Lightspeed]

OP, there is so much to do and so much to learn in the "basic"game that you are taking the right path in trying it out in the basic game first.

I have Horizons because I have a lifetime expansion pass. While it's fun to land on planets, it is not necessary to your progression in the game. As far as Engineers is concerned, I have completely ignored them and still survive. The upgrades are over-rated: you have to learn skills as a pilot and in combat first.

You can trade, explore, fight, flee, pirate, bounty hunt, buy new ships, re-equip ships just the same as in Horizons.

Then, maybe prior to season 3 (and we don't know if that is this year or next), FD will offer the lifetime expansion pass again and you can take advantage of that, and never again have to worry about making a decision to upgrade your game because you will get each one automatically.

 

[Nick Sticks]

I didn't. On my second account, which I bought recently, I reset the cmdr several times and every time I started at LHS 3447. Haven't reset my main account since I started in April, so I don't know if it's changed since 2.1.

I got a new Horizons CMDR last weekend and started on the surface at Baker's Prospect on Asellus 2, in Asellus Primus.
.

 

[Sourdough Steve]

I got a new Horizons CMDR last weekend and started on the surface at Baker's Prospect on Asellus 2, in Asellus Primus.
.

Interesting. What's really odd, though, is that I just checked my original cmdr's start location, and it was at LHS 3447 also.

 

[SirDavros]

To be honest, I actually played ED early in its release on Xbox One and it seemed fairly limited. It was the release (and subsequent advertising on Xbox store) of Horizon that pulled me back in. Sure, early on, the features in it won't immediately matter to you that much but they have made the game seem much.. fuller, and more complete to me and while it can initially feel overwhelming, I think that can also be a good thing as there's so much to take in and do. Just my 5p's worth.

 

[h347h]

Learning the Controls is a Pain in the Ass because FD Controls and System is just not Cut out for PvP.

How exactly are the controls not cut out for pvp? You can get analog axis for every axis possible.