How about this idea for newbies. First mission. You are greeted by a trainer who walks you through the steps required so you don't do the wrong thing. After a while maybe you can take advanced flying courses with one of the military factions and earn merits (distinction/high distinction) or something like that? Completing the higher courses would mean better job opportunities and maybe make you a pilot in demand once you have the experience. (or is this a little to real world for a sci fi game)
Flight School
- Thread starter Crimson1973
- Start date
The 'not so much a curve as a cliff' first steps in the game have come up a lot, even in my short time here. I think FD haven't built/implemented something like that yet is because most of the people here for alpha and beta are a bit too invested to give up very easily. A lot even remember how hard the original was so they're kind of ready for the challenge. FD have therefore put their efforts into building the foundation the rest of the game will be built on - no point with developing a 'flight school' type concept until the actual mechanics of flight are completely nailed down after all.
When ED ships, or gets closer to doing so anyway, I'm pretty sure there'll be a trainer of some sort by then. It's too much of an expectation in todays games (rightly or wrongly) and the risk of alienating a lot of casual players would also be too high not to.
As for the second part of your post, I think the in-game ranks would likely make you eligible for more prestigious/dangerous missions etc Moving through them is a good indicator of your prowess as a pilot/fighter.
When ED ships, or gets closer to doing so anyway, I'm pretty sure there'll be a trainer of some sort by then. It's too much of an expectation in todays games (rightly or wrongly) and the risk of alienating a lot of casual players would also be too high not to.
As for the second part of your post, I think the in-game ranks would likely make you eligible for more prestigious/dangerous missions etc Moving through them is a good indicator of your prowess as a pilot/fighter.
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In some ways you have just described the single player missions. Have you looked at those yet? They start off simple and gradually describe new ships systems for you to use and play with.
If you haven't played some of these yet I highly suggest that you do as they will help you orient yourself better in the multiplayer game.
I'm definitely going to do a playlist of Spaceship combat school in the same way I did the Fighter combat school videos for War Thunder.
Difference is that in WT I was really good (with the logged hours I have in computer flight simulators for more than 25 years of gaming, I pretty much should be, lol), and in ED as I just started I'll be teaching as I learn. But I'm a fast learner so I hope it turns out for the better
Difference is that in WT I was really good (with the logged hours I have in computer flight simulators for more than 25 years of gaming, I pretty much should be, lol), and in ED as I just started I'll be teaching as I learn. But I'm a fast learner so I hope it turns out for the better
I'm extremely raw as this is my first Elite game and I feel like it couldn't be more absurd how little definition is provided at the onset. The single player scenarios at least get you familiar with the very basics and allow you to figure out some specifics via trial and error. But having gone through that I feel like I still know next to nothing about my craft and what the hell I'm even supposed to do in multiplayer. They just deposit your ass in there and say "goodluck sucker". For a $150 buy in, that's pretty insulting.
What about a combat flight school on the forums? I've been following the discussions in the last few weeks, and I see pro pilots blasting through the single player missions, newbie pilots crashing in starports, strangely I don't seem to be hearing much from the middle ground where I stand.
I think I'm a mediocre pilot at best: I can take off and land no problem (sometimes even in a single glide with little adjustment), I can handle supercruise without too much overshooting, I've been trading a bit and in a day I've raised enough money to afford a second pulse laser.
That's where the trouble begins: I can beat the PB "Solar Fluke" without a sweat, I've beaten the Alpha 1.1 Crimson Triumph with a bit of sweat, but this PB Crimson Triumph is (compared to me) a ferocious beast and I'm having a pretty hard time trying to beat him. Any suggestion on the tactics would be really appreciated, as this is more or less my first "serious" combat simulation.
When we're facing each other he lands most of the shots while I'm still struggling lining up mine, and as soon as he gets on my tail I'm as good as dead. In one run I managed to get on his tail and land enough shots to break his shields, but then he turned around and fried me in a handful of seconds.
My questions for the ace pilots would be:
1) how do you evade fire when facing head on? Thrust down and pitch up? Or is there a better tactic?
2) How do you get a ship off your tail? Throttle to the sweet spot and make the tighter turn possible? FAOFF? And then what kind of maneuver?
3) How do you stay on your enemy's tail? That I have somehow worked out: it's a question of keeping distance and throttling back and forth, but what is the best thing to do when the enemy passes you? Chasing him with pitch up (rolling if necessary) for better visibility?
If there isn't an official thread for this kind of questions (can't say I've seen one, but correct me if I'm wrong) let's make one, that would be extremely useful.
I think I'm a mediocre pilot at best: I can take off and land no problem (sometimes even in a single glide with little adjustment), I can handle supercruise without too much overshooting, I've been trading a bit and in a day I've raised enough money to afford a second pulse laser.
That's where the trouble begins: I can beat the PB "Solar Fluke" without a sweat, I've beaten the Alpha 1.1 Crimson Triumph with a bit of sweat, but this PB Crimson Triumph is (compared to me) a ferocious beast and I'm having a pretty hard time trying to beat him. Any suggestion on the tactics would be really appreciated, as this is more or less my first "serious" combat simulation.
When we're facing each other he lands most of the shots while I'm still struggling lining up mine, and as soon as he gets on my tail I'm as good as dead. In one run I managed to get on his tail and land enough shots to break his shields, but then he turned around and fried me in a handful of seconds.
My questions for the ace pilots would be:
1) how do you evade fire when facing head on? Thrust down and pitch up? Or is there a better tactic?
2) How do you get a ship off your tail? Throttle to the sweet spot and make the tighter turn possible? FAOFF? And then what kind of maneuver?
3) How do you stay on your enemy's tail? That I have somehow worked out: it's a question of keeping distance and throttling back and forth, but what is the best thing to do when the enemy passes you? Chasing him with pitch up (rolling if necessary) for better visibility?
If there isn't an official thread for this kind of questions (can't say I've seen one, but correct me if I'm wrong) let's make one, that would be extremely useful.
Well I wouldn't for one minute consider myself an "Ace", but my thoughts would be...
Close the gap ASAP, but spin 90 degrees to target so you're not so easy to hit. A bit of side or vertical slip won't be a bad thing, but don't do too much of it that it saps your forward speed. Boosting is probably a bad idea - it will close the gap, but leave you overspeeding and unable to make a tight turn after you've passed your target.
For me I think of it as bringing weapons to bear as quickly as possible, so it's a turning game. So the speed sweet spot if you're first priority, but it doesn't matter if that speed is forwards, sideways or upwards, so whatever works for you. Most of the time a simple downwards slip suffices (which allows you to pull up onto target, thereby giving you the most canopy space to spot him by), but if you slip too much (ie. full slip) you'll come to a grinding halt. FAOFF helps in the turn but you can't aim for **** with it on, so best to click FA back on when you're lined up.
Yep, just maintain that distance, not too close that it's impossible to react quick enough, but not so far that your weapons are ineffective. More vertical slipping, really.
The other point is knowing your enemy ship. Getting into a turn fight with an Eagle is an exercise in futility for example even worse if you're in a barge like the Lakon...! I'd just give up, show them my belly and await death
All of this assumes empty space too of course. With asteroids or other large ships in the mix, you have things to hide behind or maneuver around
Close the gap ASAP, but spin 90 degrees to target so you're not so easy to hit. A bit of side or vertical slip won't be a bad thing, but don't do too much of it that it saps your forward speed. Boosting is probably a bad idea - it will close the gap, but leave you overspeeding and unable to make a tight turn after you've passed your target.
For me I think of it as bringing weapons to bear as quickly as possible, so it's a turning game. So the speed sweet spot if you're first priority, but it doesn't matter if that speed is forwards, sideways or upwards, so whatever works for you. Most of the time a simple downwards slip suffices (which allows you to pull up onto target, thereby giving you the most canopy space to spot him by), but if you slip too much (ie. full slip) you'll come to a grinding halt. FAOFF helps in the turn but you can't aim for **** with it on, so best to click FA back on when you're lined up.
Yep, just maintain that distance, not too close that it's impossible to react quick enough, but not so far that your weapons are ineffective. More vertical slipping, really.
The other point is knowing your enemy ship. Getting into a turn fight with an Eagle is an exercise in futility for example
even worse if you're in a barge like the Lakon...! I'd just give up, show them my belly and await death All of this assumes empty space too of course. With asteroids or other large ships in the mix, you have things to hide behind or maneuver around
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I like the idea of the flight school as an ongoing business, making its living within the economy (and generating demand for goods/services), rather than simply as a way to deliver a starting tutorial.