Newcomer / Intro I just started playing again after a year long hiatus...can you fine folk recommend anything for me to wet my Elite appetite again?

therealrocklobster

T
Hi guys/gals,

As the title says, im trying to get back into this wonderful game and was interested in any suggestions on what to do in the game. A few details:

  • I am really not interested in combat. Its quite astounding just how bad i am at combat. I will lose to a novice sidewinder even in a fully kitted out Vulture or better.
  • I love mining and finding void opal sites etc..
  • I like long distance (within reason) missions
  • I like exploring and jumping into new systems but find scamning planets tedious.
  • I have not done the guardian or thargoid story bits yet. I started collecting the necessary bits, but then stopped playing.
  • I have all the money i need, 1.7 billion and have a Asp explorer with a long jump range
  • I have only sought after the initial engineers, hence my long jump range.

So, i guess what im looking for are interesting places to visit, interesting missions to take on etc...

To be honest, i love just flying and being immersed in the game. I have been playing Elite since the BBC Micro days and really go into it on the PC with Elite 1, 2 and even 3 (so underrated).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

Cheers
 

Maenden

Maenden
Not much has changed. Frontier have deployed most of their Elite team on developing a childish space shooter game to attach to the next update (called Odyssey ). The launch has been delayed to 'late Spring' - by which they probably mean October.
You can get a 'Fleet Carrier' nowadays - but like the vast majority of us you can't afford it. I wouldn't be too bothered because it's only a space station with a FSD and some recycled graphics from the megaships.
It was probably just a compromise where they cobbled a few things together to satisfy the howling mob that like to call themselves 'the community'.
One good bit of news is that we're supposed to be getting improved graphics and planets with 'tenuous' atmospheres. Which probably means that the sky will be a scientifically inaccurate blue colour - and not much else.
But exploration in your ship will be more visually rewarding. In fact Frontier seems to be desperately peddling the idea of exploring after the largely negative reaction to their concept that walking around and exterminating everything that moves was the next 'big thing'.
 

aRJay

aRJay
therealrocklobster said:
Hi guys/gals,

As the title says, im trying to get back into this wonderful game and was interested in any suggestions on what to do in the game. A few details:

  1. I am really not interested in combat. Its quite astounding just how bad i am at combat. I will lose to a novice sidewinder even in a fully kitted out Vulture or better.
  2. I love mining and finding void opal sites etc..
  3. I like long distance (within reason) missions
  4. I like exploring and jumping into new systems but find scamning planets tedious.
  5. I have not done the guardian or thargoid story bits yet. I started collecting the necessary bits, but then stopped playing.
  6. I have all the money i need, 1.7 billion and have a Asp explorer with a long jump range
  7. I have only sought after the initial engineers, hence my long jump range.
So, i guess what im looking for are interesting places to visit, interesting missions to take on etc...

To be honest, i love just flying and being immersed in the game. I have been playing Elite since the BBC Micro days and really go into it on the PC with Elite 1, 2 and even 3 (so underrated).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

Cheers
Click to expand...
  1. Combat is as optional as it was.
  2. Mining has changed very little mechanically though the addition of Tritium has changed distributions, mining has been tweaked so that the payouts don’t reach the heights they used to but more things pay well.
  3. No comment as I still only do missions for rank or permit unlocks.
  4. The only change to exploration was a recent CG where only specific data counted rather than any old exploration data.
  5. This is all still available and is especially good if you like creepy planets, or want some exotic technology on your ship.
  6. That is an OK bank balance for ship based gameplay but insufficient for a Fleet Carrier, your Asp will still be a fine ship though it can be improved with Guardian derived technology.
  7. The engineers are much as they were however I believe that the ones out in Colonia have now reached their maximum potential so several of them can produce higher grade mods than their counterparts in the bubble.
Fleet Carriers have been added, they are semi mobile (can only jump to places not fly) personal space stations. They cost a minimum of 5 Billion credits additional capabilities cost more, require a paid crew and require an upkeep of several million per week to keep going. They are fuelled by Tritium and can jump up to 500Ly to a destination which could be a planet in a system.
We can visit carriers we don’t own and use any available facilities on board as long as we meet the access requirements set by the owner, there are a number of carriers out in deep space acting as depots for explorers.
 

sinisalo

sinisalo
Sightseeing. Aside from combat, it's probably the thing I've spent the most time doing in Elite. The jobs pay well, especially Elite level sightseeing missions, often have G5 mats as rewards, and take you to some of the most beautiful spots in the game. Collateral scans add to the haul. It boosts exploration rank, and is rarely dangerous. It will scratch your jump/explore itch.

I like the Orca for this, but just about any ship in Elite can do the sightseeing profile.

The only real drawback to sightseeing is only jump range to each destination system is shown in the mission description, arrival distances are not. So you can reach the destination and find a supercruise of any distance. I like the pot luck nature of it, but some commanders don't enjoy 20-minute supercruise. To complete, all you need to do is scan a beacon and go. No planet scanning needed, but there are often vaualbe WW, AW and ELW nearby that can boost your profits.

You say you don't like combat, but it seems it's because you don't feel you are skilled enough. That right there is reason to take it head on.
 
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Tyres O'Flaherty

Tyres O'Flaherty
I, too, really disliked the combat element. It does take a bit of practice and that tutorial can be soul destroying at first.

However, I'd recommend some engineering to help you along the way. Now, I find it quite fun.

Having said that, I think exploration is my favourite aspect. When I find a virgin system - and they're not that far out in some areas - I get a cheap thrill.

I'm not sure when you stopped playing, but exploration has changed a bit. You no longer have to fly close to a planet to "discover" it; everything (except mapping) is done via the FSS.

Mining now has added fun factors... abrasion, sub-surface and core mining. A whole sub game of its own!
 

d8veh

d8veh
Working through the Guardian unlocks and all the engineers takes you to all sorts of interesting places and gives you a variety of things to do.
 

Fenwe

F
Heading out to unlock the Guardian stuff was a lot of fun. You can explore on the way out and back.

Unlocking all the engineers takes you thru a lot of different content, you can ignore the combat related ones. It involves gather mats, one thing that isn't discussed there are mission rewards, but that something I do routinely. Just check the boards for what the optional rewards are.
 

MishaTX

MishaTX
Another thing to do (it's what I did when I first came back after a years-long hiatus) is to take a tour of the Generation Ships and listen to all of the sometimes very creepy ship's logs while circling around those long dead ships. Just for long enough that I got my bearings and found something else to do. (Oh, and the abandoned settlements can be fun visiting too).
 

therealrocklobster

T
aRJay said:
  1. Combat is as optional as it was.
  2. Mining has changed very little mechanically though the addition of Tritium has changed distributions, mining has been tweaked so that the payouts don’t reach the heights they used to but more things pay well.
  3. No comment as I still only do missions for rank or permit unlocks.
  4. The only change to exploration was a recent CG where only specific data counted rather than any old exploration data.
  5. This is all still available and is especially good if you like creepy planets, or want some exotic technology on your ship.
  6. That is an OK bank balance for ship based gameplay but insufficient for a Fleet Carrier, your Asp will still be a fine ship though it can be improved with Guardian derived technology.
  7. The engineers are much as they were however I believe that the ones out in Colonia have now reached their maximum potential so several of them can produce higher grade mods than their counterparts in the bubble.
Fleet Carriers have been added, they are semi mobile (can only jump to places not fly) personal space stations. They cost a minimum of 5 Billion credits additional capabilities cost more, require a paid crew and require an upkeep of several million per week to keep going. They are fuelled by Tritium and can jump up to 500Ly to a destination which could be a planet in a system.
We can visit carriers we don’t own and use any available facilities on board as long as we meet the access requirements set by the owner, there are a number of carriers out in deep space acting as depots for explorers.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'm absolutely not that interested in buying a fleet carrier, but might be fun to visit one. That will be what I will set out to do next time I play. Thanks for the information.
 

therealrocklobster

T
MishaTX said:
Another thing to do (it's what I did when I first came back after a years-long hiatus) is to take a tour of the Generation Ships and listen to all of the sometimes very creepy ship's logs while circling around those long dead ships. Just for long enough that I got my bearings and found something else to do. (Oh, and the abandoned settlements can be fun visiting too).
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestions. I've heard a few of those messages and yes, they can be very creepy sounding.

Would you have any old settlement names you enjoyed exploring?

Cheers
 

therealrocklobster

T
Fenwe said:
Heading out to unlock the Guardian stuff was a lot of fun. You can explore on the way out and back.

Unlocking all the engineers takes you thru a lot of different content, you can ignore the combat related ones. It involves gather mats, one thing that isn't discussed there are mission rewards, but that something I do routinely. Just check the boards for what the optional rewards are.
Click to expand...
I started unlocking those but got a bit bored after a while. Maybe I'll give it another go.

To be honest, the thing I enjoy the most I'm the game is flying. I still get a kick out of leaving a station after all these years.

Cheers
 

MishaTX

MishaTX
therealrocklobster said:
Would you have any old settlement names you enjoyed exploring?
Click to expand...
Man, I wish I remembered. They're all mostly pretty cool, though.

To find them (easily), edsm.net has a great "route" tool under galactic mapping that has specific routes to visit any number of interesting sites, as well as eddb.io with the newly added "attractions" search function. Also, Google can lead to more or less up to date lists of all of the "cool places to go". Edit: And let's not forget Canonn Research Group!

I do somewhat regret, though, not having gone the route of "finding" them the old fashioned way through clues, comm beacons, triangulating etc, as that would have been fun too, but it's not like I've seen ALL of them yet.

(Also, you mention that you just love flying a spaceship. Same here! And for that very little can compete with slowly drifting around an abandoned, long dead Generation Ship in a remote and often quite picturesque system, creeping around the ship with the high beams on, inspecting every nook and cranny of the derelict, wondering what horrors might be behind those windows. Yeah, still hoping that one day we'll be able to EVA to those ships and walk around inside their long, dark corridors, Alien Isolation style :) )
 

Fenwe

F
therealrocklobster said:
I started unlocking those but got a bit bored after a while. Maybe I'll give it another go.

To be honest, the thing I enjoy the most I'm the game is flying. I still get a kick out of leaving a station after all these years.

Cheers
Click to expand...
I mix things up quite a bit, too be honest. So I understand :)
 

Vandalhound

V
Honestly...considering you detailed preferences...the only thing I could recommend you is long range passenger missions. They're only about jumping around and scanning some tourist beacons near somewhat pretty sights. You could also go check out the Lagrange Clouds along with the assorted stuff that comes along with them. Alien sites/bases also feel eerie and cool, at least the first time you visit them.
 

Dragsham

Dragsham
Or just jump in a pimped dbx which is easy to engineer and head off into the black.
Start via guardian space to unlock stuff, head back in get the guardian fsd and head out again. With no real plan except maybe key places across the galaxy.
Witchhead (thargoidville)
Orion nebula, horsehead etc.
The further out you go especially if your course bananas towards the centre, the more you'll tag as your own forever. Which albeit not new is still the main reason why l go out there.
Exploring is still the best aspect of the game.
Odyssey will add to the mix. Lots to look forward too apart from the 3d shooter part. Kids huh !@

o7
 

Hans v Martell

Hans v Martell
Have you considered joining a player group?
You won't be alone in the vastness of space, and have some purpose for doing what you enjoy doing.

You're welcome to drop by on our Discord and say hello ;)
 

therealrocklobster

T
Vandalhound said:
Honestly...considering you detailed preferences...the only thing I could recommend you is long range passenger missions. They're only about jumping around and scanning some tourist beacons near somewhat pretty sights. You could also go check out the Lagrange Clouds along with the assorted stuff that comes along with them. Alien sites/bases also feel eerie and cool, at least the first time you visit them.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your advice
 
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