While we anxiously await the 2.1 update and it's myriad of promised improvements, I would like to see if we could gather together a list of "stuff to do" in Elite Dangerous that presents a challenge, either tactically, mentally or physically. The purpose is to give those of us who are a little burned out on Elites current offerings something to attempt prior to the 2.1 update. What I am not looking for is stuff that simply takes a long time to do (i.e. find a good trade route does not qualify, as you just have to keep looking for long enough and hey presto).
Please add the location of whatever activity you have listed, any minimum requirements on ships/equipment, and a reason why the activity presents a challenge. If the activity has some clear goals / targets, all the better
I will update this first post once we get a nice list of stuff to do Currently I have only one clear suggestion and I have added it below, but I am sure there is much more that I simply haven't found!
Criteria
1. Must require skill, either physical (flying skills, driving skills, fighting skills), or mental (planning, tactics).
2. Requiring a long time to do does not mean it is difficult!
3. Should rely as little as possible on luck or random generation.
4. Must make sense from an in game perspective (i.e. flying a Clipper backwards through the letterbox with FA-off is difficult, but also rather stupid and pointless).
Challenging stuff to do - Solo (PvE)
Buckyball Race
Requires: Any ship
Location: Check the community events forums
Activity: Race from one area to another in the Universe.
Goal: Beat the other commanders participating in the race! You can race in Solo and post times to the forum to compete.
Diffcult because: Competition against other players is always challenging. Skill is required to take off and dock from stations as fast as possible (boosting in and out), as well as perfecting your approach from Super Cruise using planets to slow you down and approach from the right direction.
Buggyball Race
Requires: Horizons, SRV
Location: Wasat A2 E, Elwood Camp
Activity: Race from Elwood Camp to Ferguson Prospect in your SRV. See this link for more details.
Goal: Under 30 minutes from deploying to boarding is fast. Under 25 is record fast
Diffcult because: Driving the SRV as quickly as possible over rough terrain requires a fair bit of practise, and watching your times improve as you learn to pick better lines, manage your speed and avoid dropping in to craters is fun The official competition is soon done but you can at least compare your times to those posted by the participants
Canyon Racing
Requires: Horizons, small fast ships
Location: Planetoids smaller than 500km. INOVIK A 2 A is a good example.
Activity: Find a network of canyons, then fly down them at lowest possible elevation at maximum possible speed.
Goal: Don't destroy your ship by slamming into walls/floors/other racers
Difficult because: Blasting down canyons is a tense thrill ride, and its completely up to your piloting skills to do it. Ideally, either race down the same canyon with friends, or do time-trials to see who can clear the canyon the fastest.
Eagle Combat Challenge
Requires: Eagle or Imperial Eagle
Location: Any Combat Zone
Activity: Combat
Goal: Earn 1 million credits in Combat Bonds, without returning to base for reload or repair
Diffcult because: Difficulty rises from Eagles relatively poor stats. Challenge is to engage the right targets, avoid too much damage, and make it out with 1 million credits.
Landing on Achenar 3
Requires: Horizons, any ship (the heavier the harder)
Location: Achenar 3
Activity: Perform a planetary landing on this high G (6.7) planet.
Goal: Don't destroy your ship due to the high gravity
Diffcult because: High gravity causes ships to descend rapidly, careful approach and precise controls are required to land. The heavier your ship is the more challenging this becomes.
Shadow Deliveries in a slow ship
Requires: Slow ship with a large cargo hold (Anaconda, Python or similar).
Location: Robigo, Sothis, Ceos, Quince, Fehu and others
Activity: Complete multiple long range Shadow Deliveries in a ship that is unable to boost away from Security Vessels.
Goal: Avoid getting scanned. Stack more missions than you otherwise could due to larger cargohold.
Diffcult because: You are forced to either evade the interdictions, or engage the interdictor upon submitting. Turning a slow moving ship around fast enough to target the Security Vessels and firing on them to stop the scan can be a challenge. Station entry and exit is also made more challenging due to the slower ship speed.
Challenging stuff to do - Open / Group (PvP)
Asteroid race 1 on 1
Requires: A friend, any ship
Location: Asteroid field
Activity: Racing - players fly to max scanner distance apart. Each player drops a canister of goods. First player to scoop the other players goods wins.
Goal: Beat your friend
Diffcult because: Fast flying through an asteroid field requires flight skills, and as it is vs another Player the opposition should be roughly equal.
PvP Underdog
Requires: Any ship
Location: Any Location
Activity: Combat
Goal: Interdict and attack players in considerably better ships than your own.
Diffcult because: Interdicted player has the better ship, you will need better skills to win.
PvP Piracy
Requires: Interdictor, Cargo Scanner, Combat fit ship with cargo capacity.
Location: Wherever
Activity: Interdict and acquire cargo from players by threat of force.
Goal: Acquire cargo without destroying the interdicted ship and gaining a bounty.
Diffcult because: Players are not predictable, many will not voluntarily give up their cargo, fights will be tougher depending on the target, and there are fairly good ways for a pirated player to escape if he runs.
Please add the location of whatever activity you have listed, any minimum requirements on ships/equipment, and a reason why the activity presents a challenge. If the activity has some clear goals / targets, all the better
I will update this first post once we get a nice list of stuff to do
Currently I have only one clear suggestion and I have added it below, but I am sure there is much more that I simply haven't found!Criteria
1. Must require skill, either physical (flying skills, driving skills, fighting skills), or mental (planning, tactics).
2. Requiring a long time to do does not mean it is difficult!
3. Should rely as little as possible on luck or random generation.
4. Must make sense from an in game perspective (i.e. flying a Clipper backwards through the letterbox with FA-off is difficult, but also rather stupid and pointless).
Challenging stuff to do - Solo (PvE)
Buckyball Race
Requires: Any ship
Location: Check the community events forums
Activity: Race from one area to another in the Universe.
Goal: Beat the other commanders participating in the race! You can race in Solo and post times to the forum to compete.
Diffcult because: Competition against other players is always challenging. Skill is required to take off and dock from stations as fast as possible (boosting in and out), as well as perfecting your approach from Super Cruise using planets to slow you down and approach from the right direction.
Buggyball Race
Requires: Horizons, SRV
Location: Wasat A2 E, Elwood Camp
Activity: Race from Elwood Camp to Ferguson Prospect in your SRV. See this link for more details.
Goal: Under 30 minutes from deploying to boarding is fast. Under 25 is record fast
Diffcult because: Driving the SRV as quickly as possible over rough terrain requires a fair bit of practise, and watching your times improve as you learn to pick better lines, manage your speed and avoid dropping in to craters is fun
The official competition is soon done but you can at least compare your times to those posted by the participants Canyon Racing
Requires: Horizons, small fast ships
Location: Planetoids smaller than 500km. INOVIK A 2 A is a good example.
Activity: Find a network of canyons, then fly down them at lowest possible elevation at maximum possible speed.
Goal: Don't destroy your ship by slamming into walls/floors/other racers
Difficult because: Blasting down canyons is a tense thrill ride, and its completely up to your piloting skills to do it. Ideally, either race down the same canyon with friends, or do time-trials to see who can clear the canyon the fastest.
Eagle Combat Challenge
Requires: Eagle or Imperial Eagle
Location: Any Combat Zone
Activity: Combat
Goal: Earn 1 million credits in Combat Bonds, without returning to base for reload or repair
Diffcult because: Difficulty rises from Eagles relatively poor stats. Challenge is to engage the right targets, avoid too much damage, and make it out with 1 million credits.
Landing on Achenar 3
Requires: Horizons, any ship (the heavier the harder)
Location: Achenar 3
Activity: Perform a planetary landing on this high G (6.7) planet.
Goal: Don't destroy your ship due to the high gravity
Diffcult because: High gravity causes ships to descend rapidly, careful approach and precise controls are required to land. The heavier your ship is the more challenging this becomes.
Shadow Deliveries in a slow ship
Requires: Slow ship with a large cargo hold (Anaconda, Python or similar).
Location: Robigo, Sothis, Ceos, Quince, Fehu and others
Activity: Complete multiple long range Shadow Deliveries in a ship that is unable to boost away from Security Vessels.
Goal: Avoid getting scanned. Stack more missions than you otherwise could due to larger cargohold.
Diffcult because: You are forced to either evade the interdictions, or engage the interdictor upon submitting. Turning a slow moving ship around fast enough to target the Security Vessels and firing on them to stop the scan can be a challenge. Station entry and exit is also made more challenging due to the slower ship speed.
Challenging stuff to do - Open / Group (PvP)
Asteroid race 1 on 1
Requires: A friend, any ship
Location: Asteroid field
Activity: Racing - players fly to max scanner distance apart. Each player drops a canister of goods. First player to scoop the other players goods wins.
Goal: Beat your friend
Diffcult because: Fast flying through an asteroid field requires flight skills, and as it is vs another Player the opposition should be roughly equal.
PvP Underdog
Requires: Any ship
Location: Any Location
Activity: Combat
Goal: Interdict and attack players in considerably better ships than your own.
Diffcult because: Interdicted player has the better ship, you will need better skills to win.
PvP Piracy
Requires: Interdictor, Cargo Scanner, Combat fit ship with cargo capacity.
Location: Wherever
Activity: Interdict and acquire cargo from players by threat of force.
Goal: Acquire cargo without destroying the interdicted ship and gaining a bounty.
Diffcult because: Players are not predictable, many will not voluntarily give up their cargo, fights will be tougher depending on the target, and there are fairly good ways for a pirated player to escape if he runs.
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