I get engineered AI that takes very long to shoot down with the peashooters I have. I ended up ramming to get it over with. Not really fun in my book.
Does anyone actually enjoy engineering?
- Thread starter Bill Clement
- Start date
So it’s been a while since I’ve done it, but I remember it well, both how it was and how it is now, and with enough time to process it, I can finally evaluate it objectively.
So without further adieu...
I love the concept of Engineers and Engineering. Working to tune and improve your ship’s systems both individually and overall.
The Implementation, however, leaves so much to be desired.
The Execution leaves even more.
Let’s start with the implementation - a dozen or so Named Individuals, scattered across the galaxy, each specializing in one general category of ship modules, some with lesser knowledge in other areas.
Eh. This was certainly not what I had in mind. I was thinking your ship’s Engineer would be a hireling, an NPC Crewmate, not some semi-secretive recluse hiding out somewhere.
But ok... I can live with the semi-reclusive techno-hermit. You start your existence knowing a little about a couple of these Engineers, and learn about others as you progress. Ok, I can live with that too.
Now it’s still not enough to simply know of or locate these people, but each has their own little fetch-quest too. Now the fun factor starts to diminish. You find out, eventually, that these fetch quests are all pretty much the same, fun diminishes more.
So you’ve found your Engineer, did their laundry, did their shopping, and you’re finally ready to begin, right? Not so fast (fun diminished).
You’re presented with a menu of possible delights, but find out these hermits don’t keep any parts on hand, and insist you supply your own materials too, which you have to then gather. Some are easy to come by, others require a precise alignment of the stars, on favorable days of the week, when RNGesus is in the right mood to have a chance of showing up (fun diminished).
Now, in the old system you could jump through all these hoops and wind up worse off than when you started (fun greatly diminished).
This was changed in the update - you’ll always wind up better than where you started, even if it’s only .01% better (fun unaffected).
So you keep at it, progressing from lowly Grade One Upgrades through Grade Two, then Three, then Four and finally to Grade 5.
Each grade has a threshold value to grant access to the next higher grade. But it isn’t a linear progression. It takes anywhere from 15 to 40 upgrades, each costing you Materials, to reach the pinnacle of upgraded.
The actual process itself is pick an upgrade, click ok. Not very interesting, but at least it’s done in an instant. These Engineers make Indi 500 pit crews look lethargic, which is great, considering what you went through to get this far.
But wait, that was just the port side gun - what about the Starboard gun?
You now have to start the entire upgrade process again. And again (goodbye fun).
In the end, the results do greatly improve the experience, but the trip is nowhere as nice as the destination.
So without further adieu...
I love the concept of Engineers and Engineering. Working to tune and improve your ship’s systems both individually and overall.
The Implementation, however, leaves so much to be desired.
The Execution leaves even more.
Let’s start with the implementation - a dozen or so Named Individuals, scattered across the galaxy, each specializing in one general category of ship modules, some with lesser knowledge in other areas.
Eh. This was certainly not what I had in mind. I was thinking your ship’s Engineer would be a hireling, an NPC Crewmate, not some semi-secretive recluse hiding out somewhere.
But ok... I can live with the semi-reclusive techno-hermit. You start your existence knowing a little about a couple of these Engineers, and learn about others as you progress. Ok, I can live with that too.
Now it’s still not enough to simply know of or locate these people, but each has their own little fetch-quest too. Now the fun factor starts to diminish. You find out, eventually, that these fetch quests are all pretty much the same, fun diminishes more.
So you’ve found your Engineer, did their laundry, did their shopping, and you’re finally ready to begin, right? Not so fast (fun diminished).
You’re presented with a menu of possible delights, but find out these hermits don’t keep any parts on hand, and insist you supply your own materials too, which you have to then gather. Some are easy to come by, others require a precise alignment of the stars, on favorable days of the week, when RNGesus is in the right mood to have a chance of showing up (fun diminished).
Now, in the old system you could jump through all these hoops and wind up worse off than when you started (fun greatly diminished).
This was changed in the update - you’ll always wind up better than where you started, even if it’s only .01% better (fun unaffected).
So you keep at it, progressing from lowly Grade One Upgrades through Grade Two, then Three, then Four and finally to Grade 5.
Each grade has a threshold value to grant access to the next higher grade. But it isn’t a linear progression. It takes anywhere from 15 to 40 upgrades, each costing you Materials, to reach the pinnacle of upgraded.
The actual process itself is pick an upgrade, click ok. Not very interesting, but at least it’s done in an instant. These Engineers make Indi 500 pit crews look lethargic, which is great, considering what you went through to get this far.
But wait, that was just the port side gun - what about the Starboard gun?
You now have to start the entire upgrade process again. And again (goodbye fun).
In the end, the results do greatly improve the experience, but the trip is nowhere as nice as the destination.
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I dunno guys, if you don't like engineering then maybe you're in the wrong game.
What I mean is that exploring the galaxy and gathering materials is a very large part of Elite Dangerous.
If you want instant, no fuss, pvp action you need League of Legends or something from the Battlefield series.
Why on earth would someone go through the trouble of collecting materials unless they needed them for a better ship?
It is pretty standard character progression for a MMORPG (your ship is your character) - instead of leveling you improve your ship.
If you don't like progression (read: grind) then MMORPGs in general aren't going to be to your liking.
What I mean is that exploring the galaxy and gathering materials is a very large part of Elite Dangerous.
If you want instant, no fuss, pvp action you need League of Legends or something from the Battlefield series.
Why on earth would someone go through the trouble of collecting materials unless they needed them for a better ship?
It is pretty standard character progression for a MMORPG (your ship is your character) - instead of leveling you improve your ship.
If you don't like progression (read: grind) then MMORPGs in general aren't going to be to your liking.
When engineering first arrived, I enjoyed it. Or should I say, the way engineering was, was enjoyable. Now it's just a something you have to do if you wish to survive. And there is nothing unique about it. You will grind and grind, just get the same thing everyone else gets/has.
The way engineering is now, FD should just let you pay for it with credits. It's kind of like buying and A spec for your A spec.
The way engineering is now, FD should just let you pay for it with credits. It's kind of like buying and A spec for your A spec.
It wasnt a thing before 2.1 so why would it not be 'my game'? It also worked pretty good without engineers. Basically noone asked for this overpowered crap and mind-numbing grind.
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I do not enjoy the "engineering" process currently implemented in game.
Which is sad because I do enjoy testing and trying different modules combination with all the spaceships I own.
The main issue I have with "engineering" is about the "grind". I do not enjoy "grinding" at all in any form or shape in a video game.
Gathering (whatever the method used) X amount of material again, and again and over again is what I hate the most about "engineering" plus the RNG (in general).
Operating my spaceships to do what I enjoy in game (mostly Exploration and Combat) is what I want, everything else is just getting in the way.
So, I do it only if I really, really want to improve the performance of my spaceships or if I am unable to do something otherwise.
One of the consequences of "engineering" is that I have completely stopped PvP activities since "engineering" is possible.
And played much less often at Elite Dangerous in general.
Now, I do play from time to time because I recently bought the Oculus Rift S VR headset.
And to me, Elite Dangerous is one of the best VR experience one can have.
Which is sad because I do enjoy testing and trying different modules combination with all the spaceships I own.
The main issue I have with "engineering" is about the "grind". I do not enjoy "grinding" at all in any form or shape in a video game.
Gathering (whatever the method used) X amount of material again, and again and over again is what I hate the most about "engineering" plus the RNG (in general).
Operating my spaceships to do what I enjoy in game (mostly Exploration and Combat) is what I want, everything else is just getting in the way.
So, I do it only if I really, really want to improve the performance of my spaceships or if I am unable to do something otherwise.
One of the consequences of "engineering" is that I have completely stopped PvP activities since "engineering" is possible.
And played much less often at Elite Dangerous in general.
Now, I do play from time to time because I recently bought the Oculus Rift S VR headset.
And to me, Elite Dangerous is one of the best VR experience one can have.
This thread just goes on and on. However, methods for getting all materials without "grind" in normal gameplay have been described several times, and I posted a screenshot proving that it works. I'd repeat it all again, but it would cut into my ED time now and it's up there somewhere anyway.
I fly a conda with 8 multicannons. Most of the multicannons are only upgraded to G3, some are G4. I sure as hell am not going to grind to get them up to G5 because it's not necessary. With the right experimental fx, and G3 or G4 upgraded, multicannons are just lethal vs npc's. Sounds like you don't know how to engineer or fight. There's plenty of threads on both, go read them and learn something instead of incessantly whinging about how you don't know how to engineer or fight!
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Good lord get off your high horse. This is like the 8th time this month I’ve seen you go off about short attention spans. I assure you I am quite capable (as are many) at focusing on a task for an adequate amount of time.
The fact of the matter is that there are a few boring aspects of the game that could be improved. Engineering is one of them.
For starters I think there are too many mats. They could literally cut out half of them and still keep the same experience but with less grind.
Second the unlock quests could be less annoying, but I think that this was improved by adding them to the in ship computer.
The main takeaway: There is a key difference between something that takes a long time and is worthwhile, and fluff. The former keeps the player engaged and learning, the latter is off putting grind.
Deleted member 110222
D
Honestly my significant time with MMOs now has changed my perspective.
Yes, I enjoy the process. Mostly because I emphasise the word progress, which means that, yes. You don't get the best gear right away. But you do gradually move up from non-enchanted trash gear.
Yes, I enjoy the process. Mostly because I emphasise the word progress, which means that, yes. You don't get the best gear right away. But you do gradually move up from non-enchanted trash gear.
Lol the game didn't even have engineers or materials the first year and a half plus they were behind an extra paywall for your "standard character progression for a MMORPG" . They were and still are a balancing nightmare.
Deleted member 110222
D
But I'm told countless times that ED is not an MMO, is unique, and therefore near-universal game design rules don't apply to it even though it's an MMO.
Deleted member 110222
D
You also have to grind for two Maelstrom daggers if you're a dual wielder... ED is following SOP for weapons.
Yep these two right here.
A) The stupid list of materials that you cannot buy but farm.
I can understand farming raw materials. And even then you should be able to buy them from a trader. Traders take cash for anything, logically speaking.
Yes, FD doesn't seem to be logical all the time, but.....
But encoded and manufactured? Come on... I'm sure these can and should be buyable.
B) Yep. It's supposedly called ENGINEERING. And not witchcraft or sorcery.
Engineering means stuff has been designed and blueprinted (it seems to be in this game) and then works carried out to precision.
Not this sorry show of an RNG diceroll.
One click should fix the thing. And not require multiple attempts with random hit rates.
Time-sink again FD. Time sink. Utter random waste of playing time.
Notice how there are so few of those who love this vs the large number of people who don't find engineering fun?
Forgive my ignorance, but what is a "ganker"? I don't play PvP because my interwebs sucks ballz.
Someone has been blowing smoke up your Sidewinder's tailpipe.
I think the term originated with the word 'gang' in cases when a 'gang' of players attacks and kills a lone player.
The current use of the term describes a person who attacks someone who has next to no chance of defending himself.
So if I have a fully engineered Anaconda and I attack some new guy in a starter Sidewinder I'm a 'ganker', and when he dies I can say I just 'ganked' him.
In any game with significant progression, that is, veteran players can become many times more powerful than new players, you'll end up with those players who enjoy fighting against much weaker opponents. Most games try to discourage that behavior because it drives off new players which are necessary for the game to succeed. Elite Dangerous handles this problem with Solo/Group play which allows new players to avoid hostile veteran players.
Intentional gankers typically aren't well respected by the community at large and are often the target of some very rude accusations even though they're playing the game within the rules.