I actually enjoy collecting materials. (This is where you scream "BUT THE GRIND!?")

[Nimitz68]

Unfortunately the game doesn't hand me the materials I need.

And the material traders are a sad joke.

Why are material traders a sad joke?

 

[znôrt]

How can it be a grind when you don't even know what's in your engineering inventory?

i like all those things too, i've done them all and more.

but why should it artificially lock away gameplay, e.g. pvp in fair condition? collection can be fun, let me do it at my own pace or for economic or whatever reasons, but being handed a long list of chores before i can even test my next build idea is just retrograde. it's "grind", the cheapest game design there is, exploiting the cheapest features of human behavior. hth

 

[Sneake Llama]

Unfortunately the game doesn't hand me the materials I need.

And the material traders are a sad joke.

I am sorry you feel that way. Hopefully the next Q4 update will help fix some issues the game has.

I am taking what the game is giving me and doing the best I can with it.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

So you hate when people don't want to grind and leave their stuff vanilla?

Why?

Shouldn't really matter to you if I refuse to put myself through this convoluted, useless mess just to get where I was before the artificial game lengthener was introduced to keep the hamsters busy Pawlowian-style.

 

[CMDR Carbo]

Why are material traders a sad joke?

Because of the conversion rates, duh.

 

[Nimitz68]

Set your limpets on it and stay reasonably close to them in a big tanky ship while the targets come to you, or take a maneuverable ship and grab them while your shields recover at bit.

This is a great way to do it, and I have convinced a few wingmates to do it this way. A great break to let your shields regen a bit and you get some materials for upgrades. A win-win, plus they like the precision flying with their HOTASs.

 

[RymdLazer]

I agree. I don't go out of my way to collect anything but after planetary scanjobs I always go out and gather some nuts before recalling my ship. After battles I admire my ship and space while the limpets do their thing. On my krait I have a wide angle scanner so it's never a bother to check the ships around me. If I lack some engie ingredient I pop by the trader and exchange my full loads for what I need.
Unlocking engies is something to do. A purpose. Not a grind unless everything is.
I've been blowing up pirates for days for the cg and I long to go doing more "boring" unlocking

 

[Nimitz68]

Because of the conversion rates, duh.

Oh, so there's a "right" conversion rate that FDev refuse to implement? What, pray tell, is it?

 

[Chris Simon]

Have you heard the saying "Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life"?

I always hate it when I see other CMDRs complaining about the engineer grind. I hate to see when people say "Oh, I refuse to do engineers. I'm not about that grind life. Everything I have is stock".

Listen, it's only a grind if you let it become a grind. If you enjoy the game, then you are already on your way to engineering, because the game practically hands you the materials you need for doing nearly every activity, anyway.

• I actually like surface mining. It's peaceful, there are some fantastic views, and I LOVE driving around my SRV in VR. Me in my little cockpit bubble turning this way and that, doing jumps and flips!

• I like asteroid MINING. I said it. I like mining, even in it's current form. Again, so peaceful, and some great views. I usually have my music turned off as you can hear asteroids clanking together!

• I don't mind lingering around after an intense dog fight where I blew my enemy to smithereens to collect that precious loot. It's almost like I'm tea bagging my enemy as I putter around his floating debris bits.
  • I also feel like a legit pirate when I go to Anarchy systems to shoot down transport ships for their unique materials.

• And my gosh. Just scanning ships nets you data. Scanning wakes outside of stations or at distribution centers is a reason for me to actually bust out my little Eagle! Its fast so I can close in on those wakes to scan them.

• And lastly, with the addition of the traders, I don't have a big need to go and search for the hard-to-find materials or fly out into deep space for those elusive USS.

But in all honesty, the engineers for me give me a feeling of satisfaction when I unlock, or even finally get something to grade 5. It is SOMETHING to work towards, something that's not just "which mission rewards the best money", or "which system gets me the most exploration data". Engineers are goals for me, but they're not a grind. They are not a grind because everything I love doing in the game nets me materials. I'm always progressing along that path whether I'm trading and getting materials as a reward, blowing up ships, or even exploring with USS and on the planets.

If you're that type of person that refuses engineers because of "the grind", don't look at it that way. Chances are, you already have all the materials you need for engineering the first couple grades for most of your modules, and you probably don't even know it! How can it be a grind when you don't even know what's in your engineering inventory?

Honestly I'm in the same boat, OP.
I never "grind" (I.e "find the mod I like, google up how to get the resources and grind the hell out of it)
I just play the game. I love mining. I love driving the SRV and I love scanning and killing ships. And once in a while I visit some engineer and see what they can do for me. No particular plan.
All my ships are engineered this way and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[captainchubb]

You’re not wrong. I just wish there was a way of getting G5 mats from CQC!

 

[Stigbob]

Why are material traders a sad joke?

He hasn't noticed which mats are really plentiful yet, so he doesn't know to trade them and other useless garbage away for useful stuff even at a loss.

 

[Sneake Llama]

i like all those things too, i've done them all and more.

but why should it artificially lock away gameplay, e.g. pvp in fair condition? collection can be fun, let me do it at my own pace or for economic or whatever reasons, but being handed a long list of chores before i can even test my next build idea is just retrograde. it's "grind", the cheapest game design there is, exploiting the cheapest features of human behavior. hth

I don't see how this is a negative. Many games have certain conditions for crafting and getting certain gear and what not. If there were no requirements, then it would not be much of a game then. Nothing to progress towards. You'd just be handed the best gear. That's not exactly the best game design either.

 

[Nimitz68]

He hasn't noticed which mats are really plentiful yet, so he doesn't know to trade them and other useless garbage away for useful stuff even at a loss.

A definite possibility!

 

[Sneake Llama]

So you hate when people don't want to grind and leave their stuff vanilla?

Why?

Shouldn't really matter to you if I refuse to put myself through this convoluted, useless mess just to get where I was before the artificial game lengthener was introduced to keep the hamsters busy Pawlowian-style.

Hate was a strong word. I was gearing more towards those who don't even try engineers because of the myth that it is a grind to get mats, when its actually not, because materials are everywhere.

I was using the word "hate" more on the subject of those not knowing the truth. I don't care whether they actually utilize it or not.

Because of the conversion rates, duh.

I disagree. Conversion rates are fair. You can plentifully get the lower mats in the hundreds. You should need hundreds of G1 to get the G5.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

Hate was a strong word. I was gearing more towards those who don't even try engineers because of the myth that it is a grind to get mats, when its actually not, because materials are everywhere.

I was using the word "hate" more on the subject of those not knowing the truth. I don't care whether they actually utilize it or not.



I disagree. Conversion rates are fair. You can plentifully get the lower mats in the hundreds. You should need hundreds of G1 to get the G5.

There is a fair number who tried it and dismissed it. Your "truth" does not matter to them because their experience is a different one.

 

[Sneake Llama]

There is a fair number who tried it and dismissed it. Your "truth" does not matter to them because their experience is a different one.

And I am not talking about those people But even still, some people hardly gave it a try. Some people just want to explore. I get that. But sometimes even first impressions are misguided and not what reality is.

I was that same way when I first started. Engineers was way over my head and I didn't bother with it for a whole year. Then I tried it again. And it changed my whole outlook on Elite and gave me a new purpose. Some people need a second push to give it another try.

 

[Hedy]

I also find it relaxing, OP. No grind or rush to accumulate, just grab resources as I come across them. It's not for everyone, though judging by the salt accumulation I often see here I think everyone loves it.....even if it's just salt storage.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

And I am not talking about those people But even still, some people hardly gave it a try. Some people just want to explore. I get that. But sometimes even first impressions are misguided and not what reality is.

I was that same way when I first started. Engineers was way over my head and I didn't bother with it for a whole year. Then I tried it again. And it changed my whole outlook on Elite and gave me a new purpose. Some people need a second push to give it another try.

"Misguided". "Reality". "New Purpose"

Lol.

It kinda sounds like a cult. I'd rather have Max Factor or Eagleboy promote this crap to me. They actually do a very good job at times at responding quite reasonably.

 

[Stigbob]

There is a fair number who tried it and dismissed it. Your "truth" does not matter to them because their experience is a different one.

If you are getting any material storage full notifications you should ditch that rubbish for a handful of things you actually want, if it wasn't plentiful you wouldn't be getting the notification in the first place. 100-1 is a good trade when getting rid of something you have more of than you need, keep 20 back just in case.

 

[CMDR Ywokls]

I actually enjoy collecting materials too (except those on USS), especially those on guardian sites like Guardian Sentinel Parts.