Newcomer / Intro How do you get started?

zyphodb

Z
I have played lots of different space sims but never any with this level of difficulty for NOOBS, just docking at a station is virtually impossible and as for working out what controls which part of the HUD is ridiculous, how do you ever get started? and yes I've done most of the tutorials apart from the ones that I had to give up on because they were just too difficult, like advanced combat, and mining because using a cargo scoop is next to impossible. What's going on with this game???
 

zyphodb

Z
I've just spent 5 hours on it doing tutorials, started what should be an easy courier mission and have given up because I just can't dock at the station :(
 

aRJay

aRJay
If docking and scooping the mining fragments are causing that level of difficulty then I suspect that you need to revise how your controls are set up and what sort of controller you are using, once you find the combination that works for you things should rapidly improve.

I started on a computer and found it far to difficult using keyboard and mouse once I got a joystick and throttle combination everything just clicked into place for me, of course that was several years ago now but I still remember the joy of suddenly being able to dock.
 

Bantha

Bantha
What is it, exactly, that you’re struggling with?
is it specifically the controls, or is it that you’re looking for direction in terms where to go and what to do?
I can’t remember but isn’t docking covered in the tutorials?
 

zyphodb

Z
It's the controls, Mouse and keyboard makes it almost impossible to dock or use the ore scoop, or dogfight for that matter, the mouse is far too sensitive, also the keyboard shortcuts for the various Hud controls, like how do you read some message thats just come in as your trying to dock, or navigating to some more detailed part of the side panels, go through options, controls and it's not there, in the meantime your running out of O2 while your trying to find it lol
 

zyphodb

Z
There just seems to be no relatively easy way to get started while using a mouse and keyboard, it'd be doable if you got a docking computer to start with, but you just can't do the most basic of things...
 

Bantha

Bantha
It’s a VERY steep learning curve I’m afraid.
I got myself a HOTAS specifically for this game because m&kb sucks!
 

metatheurgist

metatheurgist
Lateral and vertical thrusters. Those make docking p easy, also use them to adjust your position for scooping. Have to laugh at claims that docking is hard in this game compared to the original.
 

zyphodb

Z
And yes Bantha, docking is covered in the tutorials, landing pads from open space aren't, and are insanely difficult with a mouse which for me at least, is hugely disappointing, as I'm old and used to a mouse, can't get my coordination around a controller...
 

zyphodb

Z
I really want to play this game, I'm sure once you have a decent ship and a docking comp. it's great, I just can't see how I'll ever get there unless the physics are improved for a mouse. I've had this in my steam library for 4 plus years and this is my forth attempt at getting started in the hope that the mouse issues might have been sorted, Sorry but I'm not prepared to endure weeks of frustration to get to the point where the game is fun.
 

starman

starman
zyphodb said:
I have played lots of different space sims but never any with this level of difficulty for NOOBS, just docking at a station is virtually impossible and as for working out what controls which part of the HUD is ridiculous, how do you ever get started? and yes I've done most of the tutorials apart from the ones that I had to give up on because they were just too difficult, like advanced combat, and mining because using a cargo scoop is next to impossible. What's going on with this game???
Click to expand...

'just docking at a station is virtually impossible '

Welcome to Elite Dangerous.

Mouse sensitivity can be adjusted and tried out in tutorials
The menu system is designed to be awkward and gets annoys when u have to do it each time. When you are just about to dock after a long journey is not the time to start checking for messages or feed the cat.

If you had played the original Elite you would say that docking was easier.

Its not a casual game for sure.
 
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Stigbob

Stigbob
Go into any of the tutorials that don't have any threat (the docking one maybe), now just prat around in your spaceship until you get a better feel for flying and twiddle your controls around to suit you. You want to be able to go forward and back, thrust up down left&right and steer your ship easily.

I use a set up similar to FPS for mouse and keyboard AWSD for up/down/left/right Q/E forward back and mouse for steering the nose of the ship.

Once you get a feel for it it's great.
 

Gibbon

Gibbon
Then buy a joystick, it's really that simple, most other players have. If you've ever flown a flight simulator, it's the same
 

Shir

Shir
Docking is the one big difficulty in the beginning. Don't use the ship main thrusters, have them in zero thrust and use the vertical/lateral thrusters only.

Basically, go to any station close by and get an advanced docking computer. Then gradually you learn how to land without the frustration, that's what I did.
 

VR Roxydog

V
I couldn't use a keyboard and mouse either - so got a HOTAS and VR .
Stayed in the tutorials for around 3 weeks till I was half competent with things and still didn't know about thrusters so docking was hard but still possible.
Very steep learning curve for sure but well worth the effort.
Get yourself a HOTAS at least if you are really keen on learning.

Pity I couldn't go back and make a video of THEN and NOW - would have been a great laugh seeing myself finally killing the guy in the combat tutorial after 1 1/2 hrs because I didn't target him at all.
 
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aRJay

aRJay
When you get through the slot the compass, the small round screen to the left of the scanner, indicates the direction of your landing pad. Solid dot means the pad is in front of you, ring means it is behind you where the dot is in relation to the centre is the direction from your ship to the pad.
As has been said keys/controls bound to the lateral and vertical thrusters are a great help for positioning over the pad.
Unless the messages are in red and accompanied by a klaxon don’t bother about them until you have safely docked.
 

metatheurgist

metatheurgist
There aren't enough buttons on the average mouse to also control the lat/verts. As long as you have them bound on keyboard I can't see how they can be hard to use.
 
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