Newcomer / Intro I Love it so far, beginner impressions

[CMDR Jackson Crow]

npcs seriously need to learn to drive.....

Was exiting a starport, and as im flying up i bump a ship.. no biggie my fault, lost like 2% hull its ok. Then im heading through the mailslot, and out of nowhere a ship just pulls in and takes up like the whole slot, knocks me into the wall and its telling me im about to get a fine but the ship just keeps pushing me into the wall.. Dropped me to like 50% hull.. -.- they seriously need some driving classes, what clown gave these npcs a license instead of a helmet and a drip cup?!

 

[Rfc812]

Loving the game so far. Still learning the controls, and flying takes some getting used to. Still haven't gotten the hang of docking yet...still doing the tutorial on that so that I don't lose my ship right. Only have mouse and keyboard or Xbox 360 controller to use right now. I guess practice makes perfect lol

 

[CMDR Jackson Crow]

Loving the game so far. Still learning the controls, and flying takes some getting used to. Still haven't gotten the hang of docking yet...still doing the tutorial on that so that I don't lose my ship right. Only have mouse and keyboard or Xbox 360 controller to use right now. I guess practice makes perfect lol

It takes a lot of practice for mouse and keyboard in my experience so far. Honestly though its possible.. If you want to face other players in PvP for either bounty hinting or piracy, I really suggest at least a flight stick. I bought a Logitech 3d pro for like 32$ and its great. Its cheap but makes everything much easier. I died in the fighting trainings a few times with mouse an key, but with my flight stick I beat them all first try. It actually feels like I'm controlling my ship.

I saw some vids of people with dual flight sticks an it looked like it was great for fighting.. Anyone have a setup like this? I'm thinking of doing it so I don't have to keep reaching over to my keyboard and to be better at bounty hunting..

So if anyone does use dual flight sticks can you give me some advice? I have a low budget. Can I use 2 Logitech 3d pros or do I have to use 2 different ones?

Also is there any way to buy just a thruster to use with my Logitech ? I really don't want to have to buy a hotas right now since I already have a flight stick..

 

[the100thmonkey]

You can buy a standalone throttle from CH Products. It's expensive though!

As far as I know, the game supports two sticks. I think some players on the forums use a similar setup.

However, it's not strictly necessary as the game supports clutch buttons - I.e. you can hold down one button and press another to perform a third function that neither button does. For example, I have the secondary fire button and one of my joystick hats set to cycle through contacts when the sec fire switch is held down. Otherwise, they act as a fire button and vertical/lateral thrusters respectively.

 

[Jumbik]

The best setup for a Viper varies somewhat by personal preference. However, there are some principles you should always follow:

• Kinetic weapons should go on medium hardpoints - look for class E2/F2 multicannon, for example. The reason for this is that there is a damage penalty when hitting ships with kinetics. Damage is reduced by 33% per difference in class. Therefore, small multicannon will take a 33% damage reduction when hitting medium vessels and a 66% reduction against large vessels. A medium multicannon has no damage modifier against medium and small ships, and only 33% against the big snakes.
• The Viper really shines when it has the A3 shield. Kilo-for-kilo, it's the best shield in the game, or is right up there.
• Avoid B class kit. It's heavily armoured, but this comes at the expense of weight and therefore maneuverability. The Viper is not a good tank.
• The kill warrant scanner is really useful for bounty-hunting, but it's a massive power hog. An A0 KWS needs too much power, especially as the A3 power plant only puts out 12MW.
• Shield cell banks introduce similar power issues. Only equip one, and make sure its priority is set to 2 in order to keep the rest of your ship functioning when the hardpoints are deployed. Ask yourself if you really need one.

With regard to taking in really big ships, it's useful to know the weak spots.

Anacondas are big, mean bar stewards. Big mean bar stewards with weak armour in the thrusters. It's much easier to take out their thrusters first, then address the power plant.

Asps are generally very tough ships, except when their power plants are targeted. They feel like they're made of paper then. This is about the only ship I'd recommend a B5 power plant for, as they're not particularly maneuverable anyway, and greatly benefit from the extra armour.

Pythons are all round generally tough ships. The power plant is not a weak spot per se, but nowhere else I've found is, so you might as well go for the jugular. I haven't tried targeting sensors yet though. The same is true for Dropships. They're just that somewhat bulky, dangerous-looking bloke in the pub. No obvious weak spots.

Such a good info, thank you! I'm still a long way to buy ANY ship but this will get handy.

 

[CMDR Jackson Crow]

I need to stop selling and buying ships haha, I think its losing me a bit of money heh.. I decided to just to trading for a while, then bounty hunting once I've got plenty Ill update later as it progresses.

 

[CMDR Jackson Crow]

So far, I have switched to rare trading for a bit, once I get my t6 I will swap back to commodity trading, cant wait for that not too big on rares but its not bad.

With the wings update, I'm even more excited to switch over to open soon, maybe make some friends and go bounty hunt together, or protect trader ships occasionally.. Pirates migrate towards traders so that could be fun heh. Is the new vulture going to be an upgrade over the viper for bounty hunting? Haven't looked much into it, but that would be amazing if so. Seemed like the viper was the go-to bounty hunter, so having something bigger and much more expensive to work towards would be great.

So far though, I feel like whenever I want to do trading, I'd be better in solo mode, only dangers are npc interdictions, which with a joystick seem pretty easy.. Only lost like 1 and that was when bounty hunting and accidentally shot a bystander lol (on my way to pay my bounty), but I got away no problem and boosted back into supercruise. Seems all wings did to solo mode was increase the amount of grouped up pirates gunning for you haha, but unless they succeed at interdicting you, they can't do much.

Last thing, I just had a pretty sweet experience. I was jumping a few systems to get to my next rare destination, and I lined up and started my fsd. It was about 2/3 done, and boom pirate comes to interdict me. Never happened while charging warp, so i just did nothing and the countdown started for warp and boom. Evaded the interdiction hah. I though that was pretty cool as I didnt know you could do that (figured it might be possible though). I cant imagine how someone would be if that happened in open mode though.. rofl. Especially when you almost have them interdicted. Probably almost as bad as when you have a target with a huge bounty at like 5% and they jump away and you don't have a warp scanner and an interdicter. rofl.

Anyway

CMDR Jackson Crow, signing out.

 

[Rfc812]

I've been getting myself a lot of practice with the mouse and keyboard....did some research on the forums and found some keybindings I like that work for me. Since I don't dock very well, I got myself a docking computer lol. I have a Thrustmaster joystick on the way...I should get it by next Tuesday at the latest. I was going to get the Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas X setup, but with both Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen, they are impossible to find at the moment. Been doing missions in solo mode, and learning the basics of trading. If there aren't decent missions available to do, I try to find something I can take to a nearby system and make a little profit that way. I may not have very much at the moment (due to making a couple of upgrades), but the main thing is that I'm having fun doing it. I've been interdicted by the NPC's a few times, but I just boost my shields and get back in supercruise.

Once I've upgraded my starter ship (or gotten the next level of ship), I may even try dogfighting, especially if I take some kill pirate missions. I just might do that once my joystick arrives and I get it set up. I'm finding that the more I play ED, the more I love it.

 

[CMDR Jackson Crow]

So I did a few rare runs, made about 1mil cr per rare run, taking like an hour an a half to 2 hours. Then, bought myself a t6, hauled a few runs at like 850k/hr or so. Decided I had enough cash to buy back my viper and do some bounty hunting.. and.. Oh my god. I'm so glad I did. Before, it took me a few hours to make 100-200k or so, small bounties most of the time like 200 sidewinders and 2000 sidewinders.. The big game came rarely and even when condas and such came, it was like a 50k conda... This time around.. Wow.

I was out for only a short time (Didn't even empty my gimballed multis), and I made over 500k. Took down a 250k conda, a few 50k cobras, some 25k eagles I think, a few cheap sidewinders for quick fun, and a federal dropship. All in a short period. The faction names showing are pretty nice too, as my t6 is at a station in this system I have to watch out not to kill too many of that faction I think, though that conda was the faction of my station oops.

All I gotta say is, this is definitely better. I feel like I don't have to grind trading unless I want to, I can bounty hunt too and not feel like I'm making less in an hour then one 7 minute trade between 2 systems a jump away.. I love it.

I was definitely made to bounty hunt, and I'm going to practice more then come into open to hunt players.

 

[the100thmonkey]

If the ship is wanted, the hit your rep takes for killing it is minimal. The Vulture is an upgrade for the Viper in the same way a pistol is an upgrade for a club.

And yes - 1.2 really buffed bounty-hunting! My favourite target is the Clipper.

Just wait until the pirate faction target you for killing too many of their ships and send a wing after you in the RES!

 

[CMDR Jackson Crow]

That sounds exciting! I hunt mainly at nav beacons right now though, I need to learn to use fixed weps too, when i untarget during chaff I miss way too much heh. I should throw some more upgrades on my viper though, not even using chaff or any missile defence lol..

 

[willowfan]

Just wait until the pirate faction target you for killing too many of their ships and send a wing after you in the RES!

Ha yes. This happened to me yesterday. A very angry Anaconda and two Cobras blasted in and came straight for me guns blazing.

Let's just say me and the Giltane Purple Gang are not exactly on kissing terms.

 

[the100thmonkey]

Ha yes. This happened to me yesterday. A very angry Anaconda and two Cobras blasted in and came straight for me guns blazing.

Let's just say me and the Giltane Purple Gang are not exactly on kissing terms.

Same happened to me last night, but the wing leader was a Clipper. Damned ugly monstrosity was hiding behind a big rock too.

A new chpater was written in The Tale of Brave Sir Robin.

 

[Kuroshio]

I'm beginning to suspect hostile factions to target you for interdict-and-destroy as well. The pirate faction at my home system has started pulling my Asp out of SC with single Pythons and Anaconda-led wings. And they don't demand cargo anymore. They even have shields.

Could be a statistical hiccup, though.

 

[the100thmonkey]

I'm beginning to suspect hostile factions to target you for interdict-and-destroy as well. The pirate faction at my home system has started pulling my Asp out of SC with single Pythons and Anaconda-led wings. And they don't demand cargo anymore. They even have shields.

Could be a statistical hiccup, though.

I think that's unlikely - the AI programming has gotten smarter - pulling an enemy out of SC when they're not in a wing themselves is an intellignet move.

 

[Dommarraa]

I'm beginning to suspect hostile factions to target you for interdict-and-destroy as well. The pirate faction at my home system has started pulling my Asp out of SC with single Pythons and Anaconda-led wings. And they don't demand cargo anymore. They even have shields.

Could be a statistical hiccup, though.

I have not had the Wings (yet), but have noticed a story going on:
I started doing missions out of a Anarchy system for a minor (no station) faction.
The first 4 hours, I was interdicted with demands for cargo EVERY run in.
Then it became simple death threat "hit jobs" EVERY run in with random rubbish ships.
Then it all went quiet, with occassional "hard" ship coming in to wipe me out (Stupid Clipper, Deadly Eagle etc all suitable to my Competent Rank).

The Pirates know I am not to be messed with, but want me gone.

 

[Kuroshio]

I think that's unlikely - the AI programming has gotten smarter - pulling an enemy out of SC when they're not in a wing themselves is an intellignet move.

Yeah, probably. I was just wondering because it were the only interdictions after 1.2 that were really tough. Boosted like a little KIDD.

 

[CMDR Jackson Crow]

Ok so, I just read somewhere that a vulture is only 5m now?! WHAT!

Literal bricks were just forcefully dumped out of my cargo hold. Seriously.

When I saw 22m I was just thinking nah, too big of a jump to be an upgrade for bounty hunting, too big of a hit to my wallet (I dont even have that much!), but now.. 5m I can come up with, I pretty much have it now. From what I hear, the vulture is a big upgrade from the viper, so that will be my next goal for BH. :3

Wish me luck,

CMDR Jackson Crow, Signing out. ~