I had 950 some hours played and a net worth of about 1 billion before I took a break after engineers came out originally.
Just came back recently. Here's my feedback:
1. Deep core mining: YES! Loving it. Able to make enough to try out new ships and builds and fly my conda w/out fear of the 18 mil rebuy. Plus its FUN. Yeah that's right, I find it enjoyable to scan, get better at spotting the shapes of asteroids w/cores, seeing the fissures, and then cracking them open and harvesting as quickly as possible. The process is much more fun that old-style laser mining because you're actively hunting something, and you're shooting at the deposits as you're vectoring around the moving asteroid fragments w/thrusters. Good job! This also allowed my kids some of who are new to make enough cash to get into a vulture and then a FDL for fun combat without waiting forever.
2. Engineers. YES! I hated them before, they were a slot machine, I have old threads about frustration driving for hours in the SRV shooting at rocks looking for one element. I hated it. I hated how hard the NPCs became since I couldn't really engineer my ships and they got engineered stuff for free. Now I seem to get mats from combat pretty easily, I haven't had to SRV (I hope I never have to) and the engineers are reliable. I know what I'm getting! I can have goals and work towards them and know what I'm going to get so I can have a plan and execute it and eventually be on equal footing with my enemies. Well done!
3. Playing with friends: No. It actually was easier before where we could be at the same station and get the same missions as long as were were at the same rep level more or less. Can't seem to do that now. Wing missions are too hard when you group up with new players (haul 4000 tons of stuff but 3 of the ppl have a 32 T capacity...) Ditto for pirate assassination - all elite, 3-4 NPC wings. Someone posted good info that the way to do these is to NOT wing up, have the new players pick up wing missions (because then they will be created for THEIR capability/rank, and then wing up and share). Someone also posted that pirate massacre missions are good to do. I haven't tried those approaches but sounds like it could work. But really, how would we figure that out on our own? Group "quests" could stand to be improved. Just let us share normal missions and split the rep/money /rewards (in wing missions everyone gets the full reward).
4. All the scanner updates: At first I didn't like switching HUD mode, still don't, I feel fire groups are enough, but I'm used to it and I like that everyone has the discovery scanner. DSS is fun to use, gives us more to do, I like the part it plays in finding hotspots.
5. Advanced docking computer: I only had one on my conda just for the last few yards. Never trusted it because there were mishaps. New one is fine for new ppl, I really don't use it, it can get hung up on structures trying to land and is super slow landing and taking off. But I think it's a GOOD addition for new players.
6. Supercruise assist: YES! I have no problem flying w/out it, but it was just so tedious. Now if I want to read something in the browser, or help one of my kids, or whatever, I can pop it on and not worry. I usually only use it at the 7 second mark, just like before, 75% throttle key, because otherwise it's too slow, but it is VERY nice to have as an option if I want to read something etc. And it's GREAT for new players. I had no idea about the 7 second 75% thing and I had 900+ hours of play. I'd always be doing S curves, spirals to slow down, often doing a loop of shame, etc. I don't know if the 7 second 75% thing is new or always has been there but that made a huge difference even before supercruise assist. Either way, good job, it is very helpful to new players (my 6 yr old who is new loves having it).
OVERALL: I'm having fun with PVE in the game, glad I came back, glad I bought copies for 2 of my kids that didn't have them (so 5 of us play now). Despite some rough starts and frustration (esp w/the wing mission system) I've come around and really enjoy it now. Yes there are bugs with the new update, they'll be fixed, but IMO it's hard to get more value for your entertainment dollars (or euros).
Thanks and keep up the good work.
PS: Every once in a while I keep looking at Star Citizen and wondering if there'll ever be a game. We tried some version of some part of the game that had just one ship and dogfights at some point and it had promise but man I can't even figure out what to buy to play "the game" and what "the game" is. I don't want a FPS game, I have much better ones than they could ever make, I want a space combat sim.
ED on the other hand is a complete game, I know what to buy, you buy the pack with ED and horizons and you're good to go, you have the whole game and there's lots to do.
Just came back recently. Here's my feedback:
1. Deep core mining: YES! Loving it. Able to make enough to try out new ships and builds and fly my conda w/out fear of the 18 mil rebuy. Plus its FUN. Yeah that's right, I find it enjoyable to scan, get better at spotting the shapes of asteroids w/cores, seeing the fissures, and then cracking them open and harvesting as quickly as possible. The process is much more fun that old-style laser mining because you're actively hunting something, and you're shooting at the deposits as you're vectoring around the moving asteroid fragments w/thrusters. Good job! This also allowed my kids some of who are new to make enough cash to get into a vulture and then a FDL for fun combat without waiting forever.
2. Engineers. YES! I hated them before, they were a slot machine, I have old threads about frustration driving for hours in the SRV shooting at rocks looking for one element. I hated it. I hated how hard the NPCs became since I couldn't really engineer my ships and they got engineered stuff for free. Now I seem to get mats from combat pretty easily, I haven't had to SRV (I hope I never have to) and the engineers are reliable. I know what I'm getting! I can have goals and work towards them and know what I'm going to get so I can have a plan and execute it and eventually be on equal footing with my enemies. Well done!
3. Playing with friends: No. It actually was easier before where we could be at the same station and get the same missions as long as were were at the same rep level more or less. Can't seem to do that now. Wing missions are too hard when you group up with new players (haul 4000 tons of stuff but 3 of the ppl have a 32 T capacity...) Ditto for pirate assassination - all elite, 3-4 NPC wings. Someone posted good info that the way to do these is to NOT wing up, have the new players pick up wing missions (because then they will be created for THEIR capability/rank, and then wing up and share). Someone also posted that pirate massacre missions are good to do. I haven't tried those approaches but sounds like it could work. But really, how would we figure that out on our own? Group "quests" could stand to be improved. Just let us share normal missions and split the rep/money /rewards (in wing missions everyone gets the full reward).
4. All the scanner updates: At first I didn't like switching HUD mode, still don't, I feel fire groups are enough, but I'm used to it and I like that everyone has the discovery scanner. DSS is fun to use, gives us more to do, I like the part it plays in finding hotspots.
5. Advanced docking computer: I only had one on my conda just for the last few yards. Never trusted it because there were mishaps. New one is fine for new ppl, I really don't use it, it can get hung up on structures trying to land and is super slow landing and taking off. But I think it's a GOOD addition for new players.
6. Supercruise assist: YES! I have no problem flying w/out it, but it was just so tedious. Now if I want to read something in the browser, or help one of my kids, or whatever, I can pop it on and not worry. I usually only use it at the 7 second mark, just like before, 75% throttle key, because otherwise it's too slow, but it is VERY nice to have as an option if I want to read something etc. And it's GREAT for new players. I had no idea about the 7 second 75% thing and I had 900+ hours of play. I'd always be doing S curves, spirals to slow down, often doing a loop of shame, etc. I don't know if the 7 second 75% thing is new or always has been there but that made a huge difference even before supercruise assist. Either way, good job, it is very helpful to new players (my 6 yr old who is new loves having it).
OVERALL: I'm having fun with PVE in the game, glad I came back, glad I bought copies for 2 of my kids that didn't have them (so 5 of us play now). Despite some rough starts and frustration (esp w/the wing mission system) I've come around and really enjoy it now. Yes there are bugs with the new update, they'll be fixed, but IMO it's hard to get more value for your entertainment dollars (or euros).
Thanks and keep up the good work.
PS: Every once in a while I keep looking at Star Citizen and wondering if there'll ever be a game. We tried some version of some part of the game that had just one ship and dogfights at some point and it had promise but man I can't even figure out what to buy to play "the game" and what "the game" is. I don't want a FPS game, I have much better ones than they could ever make, I want a space combat sim.
ED on the other hand is a complete game, I know what to buy, you buy the pack with ED and horizons and you're good to go, you have the whole game and there's lots to do.
