Exploring the Galaxy, less thrilling than mining?

[Nilt]

Agreed. Not trying to start one, either. It's simply an important thing for folks to realize is all. Video gaming has opened a whole new world for many with disabilities in ways that were simply impossible before.

 

[Nilt]

Ranting aside, have you tried any form of meditation practice? It has helped me immensely with my own chronic pain, as well as a number of other people I know who have various similar problems. Don't know if it would address your particular issue, but might be worth a look-see. Nice to be able to just push the pause button and let your brain put everything down for a bit as well. Not trying to highjack the thread, but feel free to msg me if you would like to know anything more.

*laughs* I've tried it all. (Edit: See note below.) I actually was meditating before my accident, in fact, and still do. It helps, to be sure, but it's not quite enough. Recent progress in chronic pain medication has helped as well, though only just so much. The really bothersome issue I have is I don't look like I should be disabled, as is common with those who suffer from chronic pain. I've had to deal with everything from police officers demanding to know what my disability is when parking downtown (many scam a pass from their doctors to avoid paying for street parking) to dirty looks from folks who assume I'm just lazy to a bunch of other stuff.

Note that I generally don't go on about this because it's not what defines me. It's just something I have to deal with and, considering I shouldn't be alive, let alone walking, I consider every day a gift. The judgement of others isn't something that really bothers me all that much because, frankly, they just don't know and usually it's more hassle to educate them since I really couldn't care less what other think of me. In a community like this, however, attitudes like that cause marginalization of those who happen to suffer from such things. I find it helpful to point that out, from time to time, simply because so many won't.

Anyhow, back the topic at hand. PMs work just fine on my end if anyone has feedback beyond that.

Edit: I don't mean that in a condescending way. It's just that in my decades of dealing with this, I've participated in a few studies on pain, as well as trying almost every form of pain management doctors have. I've had prescriptions for narcotics that would make a drug dealer squeal in glee, for that matter. About the only treatment I haven't tried is a surgically implanted pump to give a slow, steady, dosage of painkillers. They offered it to me once but, frankly, I prefer to remain clear headed. Wanted to be sure I clarified that a bit as, on re-reading it, it sounded a bit ish.

 

[LeeSibbald]

I agree exploration could do with some livening up. I posted over on reddit recently an idea of being able to leave a dark souls style "message in a bottle". on it's own it would have a rather limited effect in sprucing up exploration but as part of other changes I think it could make things a tad more interesting for very little dev effort.

http://redd.it/34qr6u

 

[drkaii]

Love the idea, going on the community request list

@Nilt - sorry to hear about that tragedy. I'm so glad you find some peace in this game! And you are continuing to be a hero long past your service is done. Importantly: thank you for fighting for our freedom. You have my deepest admiration and gratitude.

(mods, don't ban me for off topic this time!)

 

[Nilt]

very little dev effort

Famous last words ...

I tend to agree that would be cool, though it's need some sort of decay mechanism or it can get out of hand. Eve has had some pretty crazy stuff done with jetcans and even secure ones.

 

[Whiterose]

Well said, Dr. Kaii. Well said indeed.



<rant>
This sort of judgement is offensive to me. Here's why.

Some of us do this because we can't go outside to look at Sol, or are quite limited in being able to do so. I have a very good friend who happens to suffer from cerebral palsy. He plays ED quite a lot when he's not doing his job, which happens to be as a programmer making nearly obscene amounts of money. Why shouldn't he do so? He has very little else he can do. It's not "cray cray", as you so put it in such a belittling manner.

I play a heck of a lot as well, again because of a disability, though much less a one than my friend. I am able to get outside and see the sun, and enjoy the wind on my face. What I'm NOT supposed to do, however, is take more than 750 steps in a given day. When I do more than I should, I pay for it for weeks afterward in a hugely increased pain load. See, my "normal" days are spent in constant pain in almost every part of my body because of an accident during my military service during the first Gulf War. I spent 13 months confined to a wheelchair before being able to hobble about at all. I've rehabbed as much as I am ever going to so that I AM able to get outside when the weather permits, and take regular trips to the mountains where I do as much low grade hiking as I am able. The reality, however, is I spend far more time sitting than I'd like to.

I have hobbies aside from gaming, to be sure. I read, I make stuff with my hands, I go bird-watching, I take my kids to the park and fly kites, I watch stuff on Netflix, I go to the movies, and so on. I also play games because I love them and because I get bored with other stuff if I do it too much. In the past month, which is about how long I've had this game, I've put 206 hours into it, according to Steam. That's quite a bit, yeah? I've also spent time earning a living. I've paid my bills, covered my rent, fed my kids, taken them to and from school, gone to 3 doctor appointments, and taken a day trip to the ocean with the family, not to mention who knows how many trivial matters I don't really bother to think about in a given day. I've done all of that in enough pain to cripple most. When I get home, and don't need to drive any more, I have to decide whether I need to take a a Vicodin or two or whether, instead, I need to forgo it to avoid the long term damage to my kidneys and liver. So, yeah, once my daily obligations are dealt with, I escape into the game. In a game, much like a good book, I can forget about the pain. I can become, instead, a pilot of a small space ship (or whatever, depending on the game). I can distract myself from the fact that my life is one of pain. I will inevitably get worse and worse, physically and pain-wise, and am going to almost certainly find the day when my body will no longer tolerate me forcing it to walk about and, instead, I will once again be confined to a wheelchair. But, according to you, my game playing is "cray cray".

You know what? Judging others without knowing anything about them other than that they play a game is what's crazy. It's short-sighted, offensive, and absurd. The world doesn't just fit in your little box. Perhaps you should expand your understanding of others some before you go around making blanket statements.

</rant>

I feel your pain. I was medically downgraded due to an accident so I couldn't go the first gulf war, had to stay behind and perform medicals on all those who went. I spent ages in Headley Court, I can use my hand now but it only has 80% functionality. Fortunately it is my left hand so is only the throttle on my HOTAS, but unlike others I can only play for a couple of hours, I tend to grip the throttle too tightly, which leads to pain, so it self regulates how often I am exploring. As far as I am concerned people have paid for the game so they play it how they want, 1 minute a day, or all day, its all cool with me, and I admire anyone with a disability, having spent a lot of time surrounded by people a lot worse off than me they get my full respect and admiration.