I think it's about time we had a fuel management tutorial added to the game tutorials!

[Captain Willard]

There's also some tutorials to get you going in-game.

Susanna's point is that this doesn't just affect the noob without fuel, it adds workload to the Fuel Rats.

OF course it doesn't bother the rats. They knew the wonderful addition they were adding to the game came with a price. HATS off to the fuel rat gang. A new player in the bubble is a go getter. Better than a lost explorer 35,000ly out.

 

[cosmo-genesis]

Three days after i started playing ED:, I saw two small deliveries and a data mission , all to the same place, a system Three jumps away........... almost 400 k cr in one go, a small fortune to me then.........greed overtook me and i accepted the missions

i got two jumps, no way to get to the system i needed, no way to go back, virtually dead in space..........had to use the self destruct

What did i learn from this ?

Fuel scoops............... NEVER leave home without one

 

[Susanna]

We already have one. You run out of fuel you messed up. It isn't hard to take 15 seconds and actually consider if jumping is going to strand you. They even let you know what the next star type is now it should be a no brainer. Just KGBFOAM and carry on or if not it is time to plot a new route.

That is the level I'm talking about, pretty basic KGBFOAM knowledge about scoopable stars, fuel scoops, fastest vs economic route plotting and full or dotted routes... You'd hope that players would take the initiative and learn a little bit by looking up this stuff on YouTube etc but that isn't the mind set of the game console players.... It's turn on and press button for fun. Console players probably have a slightly different approach to ED than the pc community.

 

[Susanna]

Susanna, are you asking for a "friend?"

No, I suggested this idea to Jerry who is a fuel rat after hearing Jerry talk about how many rat calls they are getting from the new PS4 players. They have even had to increase the call numbers to 20 to hand the call load... That's 20 simultaneous rat signals (cases). It used to be 4. This for me tells me that this has balloned as a problem now that the consoles have joined the community. The pc community may be dismissive of such stupidity but it is a real problem.

As a PC player, I've always been hyper careful not to run out of fuel. Scoop every star, check my plotted route is a solid line and that I've fitted a fuel scoop before I hit the launch button... If I run into a field of browns dwarfs then it's time to take evasive action long before the tank is dry... This is what we need to teach the console sub-community.

 

[Tarman]

That is the level I'm talking about, pretty basic KGBFOAM knowledge about scoopable stars, fuel scoops, fastest vs economic route plotting and full or dotted routes... You'd hope that players would take the initiative and learn a little bit by looking up this stuff on YouTube etc but that isn't the mind set of the game console players.... It's turn on and press button for fun. Console players probably have a slightly different approach to ED than the pc community.

If this really is the main issue, that a large majority of console players are looking for drop-in fun without requiring a Space Cadet training course in vehicle operation, I'm not sure if providing them even more resources they don't take advantage of would assist. By your definition of the consoler mindset, extra learning material would likely be a waste as these players are not even taking advantage of existing data.

Are you thinking about adding this as a tutorial mission of some type? That'd be likely the only real way to access enough of the cadre you're seeking to reach without actually having to mail them a book.

 

[Lucius-Darcia]

Maybe we should let natural selection do what it does. Fuel 'management' in ED is hardly rocket science.

Most new players have not enough money for fuelscoops. Fuelscooping is the advanced mechanic. Most players should better know to buy fuel at stations before taking off and look at their route before!
Nobody makes a thousand km journey with his/her car without looking before where they get gas
A little bit use of brain should is recommanded in this game

 

[Susanna]

If this really is the main issue, that a large majority of console players are looking for drop-in fun without requiring a Space Cadet training course in vehicle operation, I'm not sure if providing them even more resources they don't take advantage of would assist. By your definition of the consoler mindset, extra learning material would likely be a waste as these players are not even taking advantage of existing data.

Are you thinking about adding this as a tutorial mission of some type? That'd be likely the only real way to access enough of the cadre you're seeking to reach without actually having to mail them a book.

Exactly, we have flight and combat tutorials in game that hopefully a new player would work through but no fuel management tutorial for dummies... This would probably be a help to the expanded player base of new players.

 

[Tarman]

Exactly, we have flight and combat tutorials in game that hopefully a new player would work through but no fuel management tutorial for dummies... This would probably be a help to the expanded player base of new players.

Also omg how about I read your entire OP title since it says TUTORIALS in it twice. .____________.

 

[Susanna]

If you don't mind some wild guessing, could it perhaps be that console games are in general more accessible, especially when it comes to in-game tutorials? If so, then we have at least nailed the root of this "stupidity". Something the devs should probably address (which most likely won't happen)...

Sadly, I'm inclined to agree with your 'most likely won't happen' comment, which is why I felt the need to raise this issue. It will need to be a community led initiative. And I doubt very many of the console players head here to read this either.

 

[rrobes]

There is one positive outcome about making a mistake that costs a ship, you rarely make that mistake twice.

Also, there isn't a problem in helping the new players. They should be aware that help is right here, I know of several CMNDR's that seem to relish being first to give advice. Those being helped also need to develop a thick skin and be ready for the other, shall we say, less helpful remarks.

But eventually, any reasonably smart player will want to stand on their own feet (I hope).

Tutorials only help if they are watched and since there is no prerequisite to do so, many won't, instructions on how to do things are usually ignored (yea, I know how to do that!!).

 

[CAPT. Ho Chi Minge]

Dont see it as an issue whatsoever, you run out of fuel the first time then you damn well wont again as lessons are learned. If no lessons are learned its maybe time to hand out a few darwin awards.

 

[Susanna]

There is one positive outcome about making a mistake that costs a ship, you rarely make that mistake twice.

Also, there isn't a problem in helping the new players. They should be aware that help is right here, I know of several CMNDR's that seem to relish being first to give advice. Those being helped also need to develop a thick skin and be ready for the other, shall we say, less helpful remarks.

But eventually, any reasonably smart player will want to stand on their own feet (I hope).

Tutorials only help if they are watched and since there is no prerequisite to do so, many won't, instructions on how to do things are usually ignored (yea, I know how to do that!!).

Then they will only have themselves to blame when it is pointed out to them that it's all in the in-game tutorial...

 

[Duedy]

Problem is PS4 players are used to pew pew space games that have no fuel just a health bar and power ups. sounds like CQC to me
.

 

[Susanna]

But if that is true I wonder how all these new console players did get in touch with the fuel rats? Obviously they can and do as you say the rats are currently very busy with new customers. How did they hear about them in the first place if they don't read the forums?

That there.... Is the mystery! Queue x files / twilight zone music...


Probably the PS4 board on Steam...

 

[Tarman]

Problem is PS4 players are used to pew pew space games that have no fuel just a health bar and power ups. sounds like CQC to me
.

Maybe the PS4 could bring a resurgence to Yon Dustey Featurre of CQC.

 

[Susanna]

Maybe the PS4 could bring a resurgence to Yon Dustey Featurre of CQC.

It probably will... My perception of console players is that they prefer to dip into a game for shorter sessions. So CQC would be a good fit for them.

 

[Troy_McClure]

Maybe we should let natural selection do what it does. Fuel 'management' in ED is hardly rocket science.

This, this & errr this!

Where do you draw the line? I used trial & error to learn about this game & never used the forums, YT, third party tools or the tutorials for the first 3 months. Well, maybe the odd 'Adored TV' vid, which was more play-through than 'how to..'

When I relented & started to look further afield for info, I used the vast collective knowledge from the above to add to my skillset which certainly led to a more rapid advancement in the game; I learned about ADS for missing info about systems, FAOFF, the Robigo cash machine, EDDB for finding stuff & a few other game-changers...so although I don't regret my method, maybe it is not to be advised - especially now with the significant additional features added since I started playing, 2+ years ago!

...oh & fuel management on rocket engines is sort of rocket science!

 

[lokvette]

Personaly back when I was new I never ran out of fuel, its not hard to look at the bar and the line in the system map and then the highlighted bit in the fuel bar, and put it all to together.

I did how ever lose my first DBX to not quite understanding how scoping worked..:S

 

[DukeIronHand]

Out of curiousity did anyone do the tutorials in the PC version?

Personally I didn't as the "initial learning" is part of the fun and experience - least to me.
Course as an old 85'er I guess I at least had some idea of how things were supposed to go.

 

[Andrew Gaspurr]

It would be cool if we were able to jettison fuel. It would make flying on fumes more easy.