Just why *did* you join Distant Worlds?

[Traveller_GG]

Curious as to the mind-set of the people that jumped into The Expedition (TM) and whether their reasons for starting morphed at all by the time they got to the end?

I'll start:
DWE was in some respects a means to an end. I wanted to go back to the far rim because I messed up my exploration the first time (didn't turn the nav lines on, so may have missed some remote systems). DWE gave me the opportunity to realise this while making the outward journey much more palatable.
I was fascinated by the social aspects available and was genuinely curious to know if anything could be pulled off with such a disparate group of individuals.
I was at a point where I was going to have to commit to a specific mode in the bubble (PP / heavy duty trading / Bounty Hunting) which could take up a lot of time and I wasn't quite ready to.

All in all... my reasons were very mercenary when I set off.

Did they change?

Yes.

The social aspect hit me squarely between the eyes and I found myself encouraging others far more than I expected. Sending / receiving friend requests became the norm for every session and seeing the increasing number of icons on the Galaxy map was heart-warming. I suddenly found myself in the role of 'experienced explorer' which surprised me hugely and having people 'recognise' me when I jumped into a system was.... odd. Nice odd! but also... odd.

Very quickly, I realised I wanted to help Frawd get to BP and this became an over-riding goal for the whole trip; my original goals now secondary and something to think about afterwards.

My turning point was being one of the hundred at SagA* and being fortunate to be in the biggest multiple jump in Elite history. That's when I properly joined the expedition. I played a small part in the the whole saga but I know I managed to share in what were (in my humble opinion) two of the most significant parts:

SagA*
First Sidewinder to Beagle Point

Well - there's my thoughts... if anyone else would like to share, I'd love to hear.

 

[DogTailRed2]

On my way back, 50k to go.Joined because I wanted a defined goal, a challenge, a chance to go to the outer limits, meet other players all within a non combat arena.Wanted to see the sights.PVP and Powerplay doesn't fit in with my gaming style.Once home not sure what I will do. Probably park up for a year.

 

[Jackie Silver]

I was along for the !!SCIENCE!! and the spectacle. Both went well, although opportunities for both tailed off as we headed away from the centre of the galaxy to the far rim and stars became sparse and less interesting.

I wasn't along to go to Sadge (which I did) or to reach Beagle Point (which I didn't) as I've never been particularly interested in visiting those points.

 

[Whiterose]

I have always explored on my own, though it might be fun to see what it was like in a group. (That and too many Bounties). The social aspect was a total bonus, doing some really silly things was absolutely superb.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Anuranium gave me the heads-up, and I suspected I'd tag along as far as Saggy A, get weary of exploration and then turn back. My first trip to Saggy A felt like a lot of effort, and for DWE that would only just be 1/4 of the total trip. I suspected I didn't have the stamina for such a trip. So, sure I said, I'll enter the DWE! I'll even take a T-6, hyuk, hyuk.

As it turned out, the trip to Saggy A was a walk in the park and thoroughly enjoyable. I didn't even consider turning back. Only the last 15,000ly (heh, only the last 15,000) was a chore.

But as for the motivation, nothing fancy, I literally had nothing better to do [noob]

 

[Kuroshio]

Twofold. One was the social aspect - sharing something that I usually don't share much with a others (Elite in general and exploration in particular).

The other is quite personal. My family and I had a really bad late summer and autumn, and for reasons better left to real life conversations, I had to stop gaming (and a lot of other things) and focus on the really important stuff in life. In times like this, as soon as the smoke clears a little, I often take up hobbies where I left them, and look for a long-term task that allows my mind to settle down and reflect on all that's been happening.

Problem was, I wasn't sure what kind of task to look for. I wouldn't have gone to Beagle Point alone - my personal power distributor was drained to much to do something like that by myself - so Erimus' post came as a kind of godsent. It gave me the support of knowing that I'd have people around me to drag me along if I lost my motivation, help my finding my way across the galaxy and the abyss. Which, in turn, helped me quite a lot in coping with a pretty awful real life abyss.

Did that change? Part one definitely. It grew on me more than I expected, all these little green friends, the short conversations, the half smile on my face when I touched down at a base camp surrounded by others - it often felt like coming home, a home we took with us. Part two, not so much. It worked, it helped, and I guess I never thought so fondly of strangers, and felt so grateful for their presence as during DW.

 

[racer1]

I wanted to get out to BP and make Elite in exploration. I thought the meet ups would help break up the journey - which they did

I'm 28kly from finding out if I reached my second goal.

 

[newman1702]

Having been on long expeditions prior to DW, but never quite as far, I planned on going there anyway at some point - DW provided me with the opportunity to do it with others. Also, I plead temporary insanity. Well, semi permanent. Ish.

 

[Brother Sabathius]

I was thinking about taking another exploration trip, and I'd mostly made up my mind to go to Sag A. I thought that would be quite far enough to go by myself.

Then one day, up pops Erimus post, and I found myself signing up on a mad impulse! It was bold, it was a long way, but I'd be going with people who at least know the way, I wouldn't feel so alone. Fantastic! Little did I expect that it would snowball to over 1000 Commanders!

Then came the death of a friend and my own plunge into depression, all at the same time. Now the expedition was something positive to focus on, something to look forward to, something to push away the stress and something to do in my friends memory. I had to complete it for him, it was now a matter of honour.

I've never really been hugely social (I can often be a bit quiet and unsure), but as the trip went on I've made many new friends. It was amazing looking at the map and seeing all the green markers moving ahead of me and following behind me, all heading to a common goal. The Waypoint antics were brilliant, here we were supposedly on a serious expedition and we were playing like children As for the video makers race at Beagle, well that was honestly the most fun I've had in a long time.

I am glad that I got to appreciate the distance. At Waypoint 21 while everyone was watching the Candyball Rally, I set off alone to cross Roncevaux in a Type 7. I had only Draco on the other side in his Imp Eagle, advising what areas to aim for, but he couldn't plot for me and I had no path to follow. I had to make it up as I went, I had to figure out manual routing, I had to pay attention so I wouldn't get stuck somewhere. Two hours later I was on the other side with a sky-high sense of achievement.

To everyone who even tried to complete the mission, I salute you all. o7

 

[Iron Orchid]

Like Whiterose I had always explored alone and I thought it would be less tedious travelling in a group (my previous effort to get to Sag A failed at 18kly). Even though I set off early there was enough buzz to keep my interest (with the WP reports, Wasp Radio).

I've met more people at BP than I ever did in the bubble. I really enjoyed the trip, helping Frawd get to BP, learning things I didn't know (some about ED and some not.), meeting lots of CMDRS from all over the world.

Hopefully by the time I've travelled back I will be Elite as well!

 

[Mengy]

Why did I join the DWE?


I joined for one simple reason: to see the far side of the galaxy, specifically the far rim where Beagle is and where DWE was going. I'd never been out that far before, heck I'd never been as far as Sag A until DWE. I've explored since the day the game released but had never been further than 12,000 lys out until this trip. I think I saw the DWE as a way to force myself to push out beyond where I'd been, because the group had a schedule and a flight plan and if I was going to make it I'd HAVE to get to the far rim!


Truth be told, when I signed up I didn't think I'd be able to keep up with the fleet, it was too many light years per week. I had never been a fast explorer, scanning anything untagged and usually averaging a few hundred light years per hour at best. But I learned the difference between exploring and traveling on this trip, and now covering 2000 lys per hour is easy for me. Suddenly exploring great distances doesn't seem so daunting anymore. Not only did I keep up with the fleet, I managed to make it to every waypoint on time, usually early too.


And the waypoints are where I learned one more important thing: just how much fun exploring with other commanders can be. I liked the prospect of flying out to the far rim at the same time as dozens of other commanders were, but I was not prepared for how awesome the social aspect of DWE was going to be. Between prospecting with Starry and Baroness and the rock rats, to chatting about the good old C64 days with Simon Woods, to winging up with other commanders to guide them in to the landing zones, to racing around distant worlds with everyone's SRV, to creating huge spaceship stars with 50+ other commanders in front of the center of the galaxy, my days of exploring by myself alone now seem as distant as these worlds we've explored. This trip was fun in ways I had not anticipated.


So in the end did my reasons for going morph into something else? Not really, but I gained NEW reasons for going along the journey that I did not expect. Now, on the final leg of the trip home, I am indeed out here in the Abyssal Plains exploring the far side of the galaxy just like I planned at the start, while most of the fleet is flying in the opposite direction. But I don't feel so alone anymore in the deep of space. I see fields of green markers on my galaxy map reminding me there are other explorers out there. I'm getting chat messages from other commanders, keeping in touch. I'm chatting on the discord Fleet Com with everyone else, posting pictures of things I see and seeing pictures of what other commanders are finding. And while I'm still over 57,000 lys out from Sol I really don't feel as far away as I should, nor does that large distance bother me like I expected it to a few months ago. And I know for a fact that there will be other expeditions, other journeys to take with fleets of explorers, and I know for certain that I'll be a part of them too.

 

[Freebird]

I'm not really sure what lay behind the decision. I saw the post about an expedition and thought "why not?"

I suppose I was getting bored with bimbling about doing nothing of consequence, and as I hadn't done much exploring it was a chance to try something new. I wasn't even sure if I'd complete it, and had visions of falling behind at some point and having to turn back.

Did it change? Yes.
By time I got to WP6 I had decided I was going to make it to BP come hell or high water, but at WP7 life stuck it's oar in and meant I'd have little time to play during March, at which point it became a personal challenge to make it, even if I had to sacrifice the WP shenanigans and straightline the rest of the journey.

 

[Adeezha]

Spur of the moment decision. Signed up and thought "meh maybe I'll go, maybe not". Four months later I regret nothing.

 

[CDR Michael Darkmoor]

Like Jackie, I was in it originally for the **science**. Since 2.0 hit, I'd been trying to find and nail down any patterns in the way materials were distributed. Erimus' call for Prospectors to build a "Jumponium Highway", at first, seemed a bit daft. Since I'd already been to Saggy a couple of times and had a few 40 Ly Diameter"bubbles" explored in both the Eastern and Western reaches, the only thing that stood out... was "Beagle Point"... even if only with the 50 or so people who had signed up.
---
The initial "vague ideas" on what a Jumponium highway could be didn't exactly fill me with confidence that it was going to be a worthwhile endeavor. I ended up waffling about it for 2 or 3 weeks until finally deciding that it would be the perfect opportunity to gather more data on the mats in addition to travelling around with everyone else. The final straw was when the roster hit 150.
---
Once the decision was made...
Then it became the standard Exploration business: Launch Preparations, Registering for the various Comms, Ship Configuration Decisions, Build Test Runs... Cargo?(ha) (THAT was another strange idea on this trip... "Let's bring something... just in case... you know... Thargoids!"
---
On launch day... with all the publicity and the few adverse responses in the forums, I did not know what to expect... Would there be some kind of an attack? Would anyone show up at all? How many people would actually be there?
---
Turns out... "there wasn't", "they did" and "alot". For the US launch, I lucked out and ended up in the same instance that Katejina was streaming... The first change in perspective occurred while I took a bunch of pics (US Launch Day).
---
“Man.. this is pretty cool stuff”
---
More time passes, and I find myself on Team Speak talking about prospecting with Anuranium. We end up in a Wing with Absolver and Ravenov to prospect a few planets in a system near WP 2. Anuranium decides to make a video, and the Rock Rats become a "Thing".
---
The expansion/consolidation of fleet comms... More Pictures, More Videos, More Prospecting/More Data!, More Antics, More Little Green Flags in GalMap... The Expedition becomes something no one could have possibly imagined at the beginning. A solid community.
---
In the End... it wasn't about going to Beagle Point at all...

 

[Traveller_GG]

For the record: I'm loving the responses here Some quite unexpected and genuinely heart-warming.

 

[certhas]

i already planed to do a bigger trip when horizons was released and then ziggy asked me if i already had signed up for DW... so i did.
first i was scanning mostly alone, only joined discord once for the saggy event, 1 week or so later i came back und talked a bit and then i joined the rock rats, after that the trip completely changed for me.
there was still a lot of alone scanning between the waypoints but a lot of laughter and some serious discussions on discord to ease up the mind. of course there also was a lot of prospecting to "prepare" jumponium mats for the arriving fleet and shenanigans at wp's - there are quite some stories to tell

now im on my way back, around 25k left to travel and im eager to meet up with the other RR-guys which already arrived in the bubble

 

[Cdr Voorheez]

I joined the expedition for 4 main reasons:
1. Explore the outer rim
2. Explore with other explorers
3. Gain entry into the 65k club
4. Make new friends
I have managed to achieve all of the above with the added achievement of probably hitting 10k systems explored and if I am very lucky entry into the Elite hall of fame.
I have participated in the Sagittarius-Carina FGE exped on the return trip from beagle point and am currently exploring the Scutum-Centaurus and Norma arms. I have a place booked on the Crab Nebula expedition in June as well. I am a 100% better pilot after DW and can confidently pilot my Conda in any condition.
How has this affected me? Previous to DW I was a solo explorer with no real desire to team up with other players. DW has changed that outlook and now not only am I absolutely hooked into exploring but want to explore with other friends. I am also incredibly proud to have participated in this venture and hope to support my explorer colleagues and Kamzel for many months to come.

 

[Flash_Baggins]

Err
I dunno really. It just seemed like fun, and it has been

 

[Karla]

My husband had been playing Elite for about 11 months before I started so there was still plenty to do in the bubble for me. But I preferred playing with him than solo. He decided to go on it and after a couple of weeks of trying to decide I joined up too. Before DWE I hadn't done any exploration whatsoever and in preparation for it, I did a couple of short 1K / 2K trips to test out my set up. I thought that if I didn't go on the DWE then I probably wouldn't bother going to the other side of the galaxy by myself.

Ironically it was his trip to Saggy A that finally got me interested in buying Elite for myself. Yet I ended up spending most of my time in a HazRes.

 

[gooddoc]

I debated for days about signing up....should I, shouldn't I?...& nearly missed the cut off point - #997.

I was 4k LYs out in my 20LY Python when I decided to go & buckyballed it back to jump into my trusty Asp.

My reason's were mainly that I'd started bumbling around again, wondering what to do next. I had more than enough credits to buy my next ship - an Annie - but not enough credits to kit it out properly.

Yeah, gaining credits in Exploration is 'you know what' poor, but I hate pewpew & trading becomes a drag after a while. Now I know that I make at least 1mil credits/1000LYs travel, so the 130k+ LY journey should net me at least 150mil in credits - which when added to my total should give me plenty of spends for when I buy my Annie.

I'm a real SOLO player. My friends list was 1, I steered clear from EVERYONE in game- because I trusted no one!

What the trip has shown me is that there are a large amount of REALLY good people out there playing & enjoying the game in a helpful way. Im in the Kamzel group & have close to 200 friends in my list now.
At the start I didn't interact much at waypoints, but as each WP passed I enjoyed more & more meeting up with others, even if it was sometimes just for a few minutes. Pity that the instancing wasn't always spot-on.

What I'm missing now on the way home is those meet-ups. Going back alone without WPs after coming out with friends & meeting up are two completely different scenario's. I will probably on the next journey go back as part of a group too. I don't want to bucky it back, but want to back b4 the start of the Crab Nebula trip that Iv signed up for. Hopefully testing out my new Annie.

One thing's for sure.....I can't wait for the next trip!!