I'm just curious how many long-term players exercise one or more versions of "self-nerfing" in order to make the game more challenging / rewarding. I've expressed my opinions in the past about things that I personally think are too easy in the game (and requested that Frontier fix these 'exploits'), but I quickly learned my lesson not to threaten someone else's coveted gameplay.
So instead I've gradually been adding a list of 'self-nerfs' to my own personal gameplay to make ED more sensible and challenging for myself. Many of the these I practice now, others I'm considering*:
Only scan undiscovered bodies - I don't believe I should receive a huge payout for scanning a system that's already been scanned recently, especially in the bubble or along well-travelled routes like the RTR. I'll make exceptions for AWs and ELWs because these are living, evolving planets of great interest.
Don't use exploits, cheats, or other get-rich-quick schemes - This includes obvious things like Quince, mode-switching, and the like, but it also includes penny-pinching tactics like selling modules before selling a ship (90% for a used ship is actually a very good resale value) or firing my NPC crew right before cashing in.
Fly without a rebuy - this means choosing the Sidewinder over the rebuy, and then either using that Sidewinder or another of my ships to go and buy / build a new ship to replace my lost one. I've lost enough ships that my insurance company refuses to cover me. The one exception is if I lose a ship due to some problem with the game - falling skimmer, griefer, exiting witchspace inside a star...
Limit engineering - I don't want a "god ship". I only use engineering to make some of the more limited ships that I love more useable, like the Keelback as a combat platform and the Orca for exploration.
Limit synthesis to exploration - If I'm outside the bubble, then I'll synthesis fuel for my SRV and "jump juice" for my FSD, as this feels very "Robinson Crusoe" to me. As for massless and weightless materials, I figure 1000 materials are perhaps a ton of mass (not that much), and I store them in the leftover space in my size two bays that carry size one scanners
No shields on cargo ships - I've already started doing this on my Type-7 to maximize cargo capacity. I like the challenge, and it makes station approaches and landings feel more real.
No core module swapping between ships - It's nontrivial to swap an engine between one car and another, yet we do this in ED between ships of different classes and even different manufacturers in mere minutes.. However, I'm okay with swapping most optional modules ('boxes' like cargo racks and SRV bays) and hardpoints.
Hull damage takes time to repair - If it's a mere scratch (1%), that's one thing, but if I come limping into the station with 20% hull left, then it might be time to log out for the day while the repair crew / robots rebuild my ship.
Don't fly a Python - It's too perfect.. I'm not sure about the 'Conda yet, as it'll be awhile before I can afford one.
Tinman mode - This one I've given a lot of thought to. I'm not hardcore enough to clear my account, so I'll never "die" in this game (and let's face it, true death would be uninstalling the game). I believe it's within ED lore to imagine our escape pods / RemLock suits put us in a state of suspended animation when our ship is destroyed. Like Khan Noonien Singh, I can survive for years floating in space while I await rescue. This is my "Tinman" mode - I need to be rescued. If my ship is destroyed in a High Sec system, then I'll impose a 24 hour wait period to be rescued by security forces, resuscitated, and briefed before I can climb into my rent-a-winder. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I might put in a call to the Fuel Rats for an imaginary rescue (rolepay), during which time I'm unable to play the "lost" CMDR. Since I have two accounts, this does not violate the Prime Directive of "have fun".
When it comes to self-imposing time restraints on things that should not be instant, I tend to balance this against the unnecessary time-sinks in the game.
I know that this post probably sounds downright crazy to most of you, but I think there's a small percentage of players who do something similar, including playing in full hardcore "Ironman" mode. To be honest, I'm not totally sold on all these ideas myself, and I tweak this list regularly with the ultimate goal of maximizing my fun.
* I'm updating this OP as I think through my list and garner ideas from subsequent posts.
So instead I've gradually been adding a list of 'self-nerfs' to my own personal gameplay to make ED more sensible and challenging for myself. Many of the these I practice now, others I'm considering*:
Only scan undiscovered bodies - I don't believe I should receive a huge payout for scanning a system that's already been scanned recently, especially in the bubble or along well-travelled routes like the RTR. I'll make exceptions for AWs and ELWs because these are living, evolving planets of great interest.
Don't use exploits, cheats, or other get-rich-quick schemes - This includes obvious things like Quince, mode-switching, and the like, but it also includes penny-pinching tactics like selling modules before selling a ship (90% for a used ship is actually a very good resale value) or firing my NPC crew right before cashing in.
Fly without a rebuy - this means choosing the Sidewinder over the rebuy, and then either using that Sidewinder or another of my ships to go and buy / build a new ship to replace my lost one. I've lost enough ships that my insurance company refuses to cover me. The one exception is if I lose a ship due to some problem with the game - falling skimmer, griefer, exiting witchspace inside a star...
Limit engineering - I don't want a "god ship". I only use engineering to make some of the more limited ships that I love more useable, like the Keelback as a combat platform and the Orca for exploration.
Limit synthesis to exploration - If I'm outside the bubble, then I'll synthesis fuel for my SRV and "jump juice" for my FSD, as this feels very "Robinson Crusoe" to me. As for massless and weightless materials, I figure 1000 materials are perhaps a ton of mass (not that much), and I store them in the leftover space in my size two bays that carry size one scanners
No shields on cargo ships - I've already started doing this on my Type-7 to maximize cargo capacity. I like the challenge, and it makes station approaches and landings feel more real.
No core module swapping between ships - It's nontrivial to swap an engine between one car and another, yet we do this in ED between ships of different classes and even different manufacturers in mere minutes.. However, I'm okay with swapping most optional modules ('boxes' like cargo racks and SRV bays) and hardpoints.
Hull damage takes time to repair - If it's a mere scratch (1%), that's one thing, but if I come limping into the station with 20% hull left, then it might be time to log out for the day while the repair crew / robots rebuild my ship.
Don't fly a Python - It's too perfect.. I'm not sure about the 'Conda yet, as it'll be awhile before I can afford one.
Tinman mode - This one I've given a lot of thought to. I'm not hardcore enough to clear my account, so I'll never "die" in this game (and let's face it, true death would be uninstalling the game). I believe it's within ED lore to imagine our escape pods / RemLock suits put us in a state of suspended animation when our ship is destroyed. Like Khan Noonien Singh, I can survive for years floating in space while I await rescue. This is my "Tinman" mode - I need to be rescued. If my ship is destroyed in a High Sec system, then I'll impose a 24 hour wait period to be rescued by security forces, resuscitated, and briefed before I can climb into my rent-a-winder. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I might put in a call to the Fuel Rats for an imaginary rescue (rolepay), during which time I'm unable to play the "lost" CMDR. Since I have two accounts, this does not violate the Prime Directive of "have fun".
When it comes to self-imposing time restraints on things that should not be instant, I tend to balance this against the unnecessary time-sinks in the game.
I know that this post probably sounds downright crazy to most of you, but I think there's a small percentage of players who do something similar, including playing in full hardcore "Ironman" mode. To be honest, I'm not totally sold on all these ideas myself, and I tweak this list regularly with the ultimate goal of maximizing my fun.
* I'm updating this OP as I think through my list and garner ideas from subsequent posts.
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