Fighting Thargoids in unengineered medium ships is still challenging. The rest of it is sort of relative to my experience and wallet. At this point, there's not really any other challenge left that i haven't progressed past. On the one hand, I do wish there was something to challenge what I have access to, but on the other hand I do feel like I've quite earned the position I am in.
How hard/challenging is Elite from your perspective?
- Thread starter FurtivePygmy
- Start date
Elite is exceptionally complex - there are tons of controls for just about everything.
Flying a space craft, well, it feels like you're flying something, from take off to landing.
Once you come to terms with all the controls, and get the hang of take off, fly and land... that's about 80% of the game.
Learning to do these things is not overtly difficult, but the learning curve is a bit high, and that's fine.
After that, the remaining 20% falls into two particular areas:
12% Career-related - What is it you want to do? Are you a freight-hauler? A trader? A mercenary? A Bounty Hunter? A deep-space Explorer? A Xenobiologist? An Exo-Archaeologist? A pirate? A corporate raider? A miner? A little bit of everything? Figuring out what you enjoy doing usually doesn't take all that long. Learning to be good at it... that's not a learning curve, it's something of a vertical wall. Unless someone is actively showing you, figuring out how to get the best trade deals, where to find the best rocks to mine, which way to go to find places no one has seen before... you're very on your own. The game offers little to guide you and throws a lot of resistance in your path. This is likely the single most difficult aspect of Elite. Combine this with the fact that Elite is far from "complete" - that every single profession so needs some meat on its bones, and you get to where we are right now - not-a-season-3 Beyond - which is working to do just that, flesh out the skeletons of careers we currently have. And this will mean re-learning how to perform these careers to the best of your ability.
8% Is learning all the little details - Signal Sources, Materials, Data, where to find these things, how to find and collect these things, and so on. Generally this is not all that difficult, but there are volumes of information to remember.
Your wallet? Unless I missed something somewhere, there's nothing you can purchase that gives you any advantage over anyone else. They designed it this way on purpose. This isn't SC after all.
Flying a space craft, well, it feels like you're flying something, from take off to landing.
Once you come to terms with all the controls, and get the hang of take off, fly and land... that's about 80% of the game.
Learning to do these things is not overtly difficult, but the learning curve is a bit high, and that's fine.
After that, the remaining 20% falls into two particular areas:
12% Career-related - What is it you want to do? Are you a freight-hauler? A trader? A mercenary? A Bounty Hunter? A deep-space Explorer? A Xenobiologist? An Exo-Archaeologist? A pirate? A corporate raider? A miner? A little bit of everything? Figuring out what you enjoy doing usually doesn't take all that long. Learning to be good at it... that's not a learning curve, it's something of a vertical wall. Unless someone is actively showing you, figuring out how to get the best trade deals, where to find the best rocks to mine, which way to go to find places no one has seen before... you're very on your own. The game offers little to guide you and throws a lot of resistance in your path. This is likely the single most difficult aspect of Elite. Combine this with the fact that Elite is far from "complete" - that every single profession so needs some meat on its bones, and you get to where we are right now - not-a-season-3 Beyond - which is working to do just that, flesh out the skeletons of careers we currently have. And this will mean re-learning how to perform these careers to the best of your ability.
8% Is learning all the little details - Signal Sources, Materials, Data, where to find these things, how to find and collect these things, and so on. Generally this is not all that difficult, but there are volumes of information to remember.
Your wallet? Unless I missed something somewhere, there's nothing you can purchase that gives you any advantage over anyone else. They designed it this way on purpose. This isn't SC after all.
+1 rep. Yes, there's nothing that you can buy to give you the edge. They haven't come out with fuzzy dice yet. Yet.
I have taken a leaf out CMDR Thrust's playbook and have gone well beyond normal gameplay ! I now fly my maxed out lightweight Courier with the HUD off whenever possible, totally has transformed the experience imo, it is completely possible to fight and navigate systems in supercruise without it. The sounds alone from the ship and engines allow you to really get a sense of the gravitation effects whilst cruising, forget targeting circles and watched numbers counting down, I use my eyes constantly checking parallax of the stellar bodies and my ears to judge engine response to throttle inputs, just sitting in the dark cockpit way between a systems stars gives a great feeling of solitude especially on a long cruise. Try it in a dense dusty rocky asteroid field in a HazRes, targetting still works without the HUD, I just look out the laser fire and engine trails. Starports can be heard/found due to their radio emissions, can target or drop in manually. This is how I play Elite, as a spaceflight simulator, the skill is in the piloting ! Please do not take my word for it, give it a try. Imo this is where ED really shines. (CTRL+ALT+G)
You repped him for misunderstanding what I meant by wallet? Can I get a free rep too since you're feeling that generous?
Elite is easy more challenge is required across all activities.
Initially it is a challenge particularly docking. Part of the challenge then comes in knowing what you can do and how. FA off. Winning in PVP combat.
The first is essential the rest are optional and that really sums up the difficulty of the game. So much of the difficulty can be avoided. So initial steep learning curve and then its all optional.
This is good for allowing players to enjoy the galaxy, but massively reduces threat and therefore difficulty. NPC interdictions, winning the interdiction game is too easy as long as you concentrate.
The first is essential the rest are optional and that really sums up the difficulty of the game. So much of the difficulty can be avoided. So initial steep learning curve and then its all optional.
This is good for allowing players to enjoy the galaxy, but massively reduces threat and therefore difficulty. NPC interdictions, winning the interdiction game is too easy as long as you concentrate.
As a solo player:
The combat is challenging - which I like. Other things are a matter of time mostly.
Missions are in general a bit easy for their rank, other than some for the combat ones.
However, the NPC interdiction is very easy (don't think I've failed one in a about year) - consequently I've able to pick fights where I know I'll win and evade the ones where I'm outgunned. Certainly, I wish the game would present and surprise with real non opt-in danger via Thargoids or NPCs - be great if there was some real tension and a sense of never quite being safe.
The combat is challenging - which I like. Other things are a matter of time mostly.
Missions are in general a bit easy for their rank, other than some for the combat ones.
However, the NPC interdiction is very easy (don't think I've failed one in a about year) - consequently I've able to pick fights where I know I'll win and evade the ones where I'm outgunned. Certainly, I wish the game would present and surprise with real non opt-in danger via Thargoids or NPCs - be great if there was some real tension and a sense of never quite being safe.
4 - 5 weeks in and I'm fairly comfortable with the basics. The biggest difficulty was probably sorting out the interface and telling the game for flight I wanted it to talk with my Thrustmaster Flight Stick not my XB360 gamepad, then realising most of the functions don't have any KB bindings by default.
In game itself, I haven't touched some of the more advanced BBS missions such as shooting skimmers or doing scans. I would have to say combat is more challenging than other space games, notably the X series where you tend to be eased in by relatively favourable balanced Combat Vacuum Patrols against easy targets. That said though, am I the only Ren Otani who managed to get the Albion Skunk blown up by the drones in that very first Rebirth mission?! I probably just suck at combat or perhaps as age takes its toll my reflexes aren't as sharp. I guess in the real world you don't see many 56 yo fighter pilots. Maybe the combat should scale more with your rating or maybe FDev should put in some CVP's on the BBS with turkey shoot characteristics, perhaps with a much reduced bounty and rating reward to allow us to "git gud", without yet another visit to the rebuy screen.
In game itself, I haven't touched some of the more advanced BBS missions such as shooting skimmers or doing scans. I would have to say combat is more challenging than other space games, notably the X series where you tend to be eased in by relatively favourable balanced Combat Vacuum Patrols against easy targets. That said though, am I the only Ren Otani who managed to get the Albion Skunk blown up by the drones in that very first Rebirth mission?! I probably just suck at combat or perhaps as age takes its toll my reflexes aren't as sharp. I guess in the real world you don't see many 56 yo fighter pilots. Maybe the combat should scale more with your rating or maybe FDev should put in some CVP's on the BBS with turkey shoot characteristics, perhaps with a much reduced bounty and rating reward to allow us to "git gud", without yet another visit to the rebuy screen.
It's not too challenging, when I'm playing in my typical way, but I do set challenges for myself sometimes. For example, I don't do CGs very often anymore, but when I do, I aim to be in the top 10% which can definitely be a challenge. That's for trading CGs; I almost never do any others.
My favorite pastime in ED is to queue up some good music and go exploring. Generally, that's a pretty sedate experience, although neutron star boosts do add to the excitement.
My favorite pastime in ED is to queue up some good music and go exploring. Generally, that's a pretty sedate experience, although neutron star boosts do add to the excitement.
i do a lot of missions.
id rate them,
deliver, scan, assassinate, fetch and return, pirate.
That's petty accurate. The piracy/liberation missions are some of the toughest and most unforgiving, but such fun. It would be great is the risk/effort was apparent in the reward.
TBH, in my mostly-G5 FAS, I was feeling kinda invincible against NPCs. The only reason I ever *had* to go to a station was for ammo, blowing through all my frag ammo without ever taking hull damage. No NPCs really ever threatened me because if I ever got dog-piled I could just boost away instantly with my 519 boost speed.
Since then I kinda side/downgraded a bit because it was really getting boring, never having to worry about anything.. I dropped my shields, added a fuel tank and downsized my fuel scoop. Since then I've had to worry about resource management with my hull and module health, and plotting quicker routes that take less time overall, with longer but less frequent pit stops. It's made my flights a lot more engaging and exciting since then.
It's still a hull tank though, and I can face no less than 10 Elite NPC enemies before I would even start thinking about heading back to a station. It flies so well that against most ships, I can avoid getting hit all together, but when I do, my MRPs, HRPs, and resists keep me cozy for quite a while. More often than not I end up with ~40-50% hull (and like barely any damage to any of my modules,) by the time my ammo is all run out. I haven't died to an NPC in this ship since I got it A-rated back around when I bought it--and I pretty much exclusively haunt HAZRES and high CZs.
But that's NPCs. I think out of the dozen or so hostile CMDRs I've fought since then at CGs, I've only really had the upper hand once or twice. I've escaped bad fights a handful of times, but I die more often than not (same results with my shielded build, so that's not necessarily the culprit--Mostly it was my apparently inadequate speed and inability to crack C7 prismatics.)
I'm at a weird place in my progression because I feel invincible next to NPCs, but Harmless next to PvPers.
I'm hoping the rebalanced engineering will help even the playing field just a bit.
Since then I kinda side/downgraded a bit because it was really getting boring, never having to worry about anything.. I dropped my shields, added a fuel tank and downsized my fuel scoop. Since then I've had to worry about resource management with my hull and module health, and plotting quicker routes that take less time overall, with longer but less frequent pit stops. It's made my flights a lot more engaging and exciting since then.
It's still a hull tank though, and I can face no less than 10 Elite NPC enemies before I would even start thinking about heading back to a station. It flies so well that against most ships, I can avoid getting hit all together, but when I do, my MRPs, HRPs, and resists keep me cozy for quite a while. More often than not I end up with ~40-50% hull (and like barely any damage to any of my modules,) by the time my ammo is all run out. I haven't died to an NPC in this ship since I got it A-rated back around when I bought it--and I pretty much exclusively haunt HAZRES and high CZs.
But that's NPCs. I think out of the dozen or so hostile CMDRs I've fought since then at CGs, I've only really had the upper hand once or twice. I've escaped bad fights a handful of times, but I die more often than not (same results with my shielded build, so that's not necessarily the culprit--Mostly it was my apparently inadequate speed and inability to crack C7 prismatics.)
I'm at a weird place in my progression because I feel invincible next to NPCs, but Harmless next to PvPers.
I'm hoping the rebalanced engineering will help even the playing field just a bit.
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easy/hard is both relative and subjective.
starting curve is steep compared to other games. there are a lot of tiny bits of information needed and much is unexplained: basic ship control and configuration, module system functionality and nuances, travel and flight types, docking/undocking, jump mechanic, weapon types, defensive options ... the list goes on. the average gamer will remain unaware of several aspects of the game unless referring to other sources (i.e., this forum).
once you get the hang of it, of course, the game poses very little challenge. probably the hardest is the combat system: flying skill for one part (fa-off, evasion, awareness) and an ever growing list of gadgets and combinations (which imo add more gratuituous complexity (aka time sink) than real strategy or skill).
depends on the content, buddy.
starting curve is steep compared to other games. there are a lot of tiny bits of information needed and much is unexplained: basic ship control and configuration, module system functionality and nuances, travel and flight types, docking/undocking, jump mechanic, weapon types, defensive options ... the list goes on. the average gamer will remain unaware of several aspects of the game unless referring to other sources (i.e., this forum).
once you get the hang of it, of course, the game poses very little challenge. probably the hardest is the combat system: flying skill for one part (fa-off, evasion, awareness) and an ever growing list of gadgets and combinations (which imo add more gratuituous complexity (aka time sink) than real strategy or skill).
Agreed, it is wall-texty, but I for one am unafraid of a little wall now and then!
depends on the content, buddy.
Like most games, the more experience you gain the easier it gets, even the most challenging missions. The way I found to keep things challenging was get back in my smaller ships. I run a vulture for assassinations and surface missions. ieagle for haz res .I enjoy keeping a selection of these small ships all G5 engineered with various load outs ready for specific missions.
I would say that Elite is combat biased ..it has to be really..the challenge is not to die .
The comment I’ve saved till last, is the thing I dislike about Elite the most, is the devs makings things easier for new players. Being able to get in a cutter or corvette in a few days from being new seems wrong. In my opinion it breaks their game by losing those months of experience and game play to achieve these dizzy heights .
Oh and power play / undermining BGS should only be effective whilst in open play ..There’s little point in doing it if it cannot be countered as it is intended to be, and you cannot counter it when players meet no opposition whilst skulking in solo .
I would say that Elite is combat biased ..it has to be really..the challenge is not to die .
The comment I’ve saved till last, is the thing I dislike about Elite the most, is the devs makings things easier for new players. Being able to get in a cutter or corvette in a few days from being new seems wrong. In my opinion it breaks their game by losing those months of experience and game play to achieve these dizzy heights .
Oh and power play / undermining BGS should only be effective whilst in open play ..There’s little point in doing it if it cannot be countered as it is intended to be, and you cannot counter it when players meet no opposition whilst skulking in solo .
Holy Mackerel! That's incredible!