Can someone explain to me how this is fun?

[Helo]

So, I just came back after a long break and took the same missions are the OP. I got chased down and interdicted. And I thought "Oh COOL! They added dynamic elements to the missions! AND I get a huge credit bonus if I destroy perusing ships? This is awesome!"

TL;DR I took a 20k reward missions, killed two pirates, turned it in for 140k. Game is greatly improved, OP is a whiner.

 

[B33 ENN]

I agree. A friend of mine thinks I'm crazy to play Elite. Personally, I wouldn't call it "fun", but I do enjoy playing it. There's a satisfaction in completing the missions, the CGs in particular, and just flying around and exploring. Elite is not for everyone, that's for sure..

I would agree with that. I think it has a way of drawing you in, swallowing up days of your life in pursuit of advancement. When I first started playing, I did all that, spent an insane amount of time in game. However, once I'd "seen everything" and the game started to look the same and feel the same in each and every system, I'd often at the end of that I've come away a feeling a lack of achievement and progression though. Now, I find playing it in short sessions and doing exactly the things that will be exciting and interesting (such as combat) is the best way to use the time in-game. Pursuing these more long term goals like Enginner updates is something I think will get tediuos fast, and I'll end up begrudging the valuable recreational hours that could have gone to finishing many other games.

I think Horizons just hasn't bought the gameplay into focus for me the way I imagined, and I think maybe I need to wait for next year when it has matured with all the features it needs (like inventory) and they reveal the next Season of updates. I want to see if atmospheric and habitable planets, are planned. If there will be procedural flora and fauna on them like in No Man's Sky. If there will be a living economy added where player trading makes a difference to system resources and availability of goods. If there will be a career mode for a player to follow where reputation and achievement make a difference... It think that could be a game I could justify putting another several hundred hours into.

 

[Martind Forlon]

(looking forward for next OPs funny replies)

From what I have read so far is quite clear that OP asks how to have fun while he want play his own way ... answer is quite easy: ''You cannot''. To be able 'blaze your own trail' (and have fun) is needed accept how ED works (included how to face certain ''known bugs'') and ADAPT play strategy. This thread have already enough tips, hints, advices about how to adapt, but it's (as it looks) against OP choice how to play, bcs it's not fun for him. It's logical play a game where is not possible have fun?

I can't speak for others, but myself I enjoy ED like is now and looking forward for next updates. Still I highly doubt that OP can have fun anytime in the future on ED, without adapt his play ... (I think it's fully ok, but it's my pov).

 

[aRJay]

Firstly, I have arthritis in my hands and I am old so will never be a combat pilot. Reaction times are slow and although I manage pips, I am slow doing it - I can feel the pain thinking about it.

If you have problems with interdictions I would recommend flying something that has a decent top speed, then you can submit and escape. I always do if I want to.

Normally I am fine with NPC's, but I have had the odd experience where somehow my shields are down and I am facing rebuy so quickly its impossible to react. Part of the problem is I cannot react fast enough to get pips to the shields quickly enough.

I think you have to work out what your weaknesses are and equip and fly a ship that allows you to mask those weaknesses. One of the reasons I fly a Cobra is because I have decent top speed which buys me time to get out of scrapes. Downside is less cargo room of course. Also where you choose to ply your trade impacts the risk, if you are struggling the option is there to go elsewhere.

This is what I like about this game you always have options. Those options increase when you stop bothering about profit margins.

When I am flying anything built as a trader I set it to 4 pips sys and 2 pips eng before leaving the station I can launch mines just fine with no pips in weapons.