Newcomer is Done - quitting for a while - maybe for good

[Kzak]

I would like to offer an alternative to the OP:

And to think that Magicka 2's intro movie gave tribute to Impossible Mission - not bad about 30 years after IM came out.

Spoiler

[video=youtube;oSKgsDHZYgU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSKgsDHZYgU[/video]

 

[Vasco Sapien]

I consider myself a newbie because the experienced gamers have several billion credits. I have 150 million right now, but my frustration is the slow grind to advance and the posibility of regression in this game. I've tried most of what the people above posted, but still that's very little payout over time. My favorite activity is deliveries. Just don't stack a bunch or you risk an NPC annoyance. But I don't think anyone addressed my central issue....the negative progression. You can literally lose two days of work in this game if you get careless one day like I did. And that is not fun.

Experienced players dont have several billions only players who use exploits do.
Im my opinion if you play this game just to earn money and advance in your bank as fast as possible then you are missing what (i consider at least) to be the best part of the game... being an underdog working your way from day to day, surviving by the seat of your pants. If you earned 150mil on your own without using flavour of the month exploits then you have my respect (for what its worth).

I think once you rid yourself of the need to earn as fast as possible and just do what you enjoy, then you will be much happier.
Elite is a Game... not a job or a career, the race is long and if money and timing is all that you care about then that race is ultimately just going to be with yourself and that's fun for no one.

If Elite isnt your game then by all means, take a break and come back when new features are present or play something else entirely. Its ok... its just a game.

 

[Maymo]

Funny you show a mission that you can't take with a high payout. See my post on golden carrots. You go and get reputation or the right ship for that mission and it will never be offered again. It's a golden carrot my friend. Funny how everyone thinks I twiddled my fingers for 750 hours. No I've seen and done most of it.

I couldn’t take it because I was sitting in my combat ship while viewing the board. Haxel Port sell a Cobra that I could quickly pick up and take both missions if I was so inclined, or I could have just dropped a cargo rack into the Chieftain.

“No I've seen and done most of it.“

We wouldn’t be having this conversation if that was true.

 

[Tarman]

I consider myself a newbie because the experienced gamers have several billion credits. I have 150 million right now, but my frustration is the slow grind to advance and the posibility of regression in this game. I've tried most of what the people above posted, but still that's very little payout over time. My favorite activity is deliveries. Just don't stack a bunch or you risk an NPC annoyance. But I don't think anyone addressed my central issue....the negative progression. You can literally lose two days of work in this game if you get careless one day like I did. And that is not fun.

What you call "possibility of regression" I call "risk and challenge". I do tons of delivery missions for BGS purposes but if there were no chances to be set back doing it, I wouldn't see the point in playing, really. I could press the + button on a calculator for risk-free numeric progression but personally I don't consider mere accumulation of itself to be of much gameplay value, especially in Elite where there aren't levels or XP or player-to-player stat measurements.

I agree, as you mentioned in your following post, that the new C&P makes little sense and needs some big revisions, but that's separate from the overall concept of Elite being basically Pretend Spaceman. There's no race to the top because there's no race and no top.

 

[CMBDI]

You see this type of post on just about every game there is. I'm not sure if it's because they are seeking sympathy or the futile hope that millions will agree and leave "the game" too...

Seriously, if I was that frustrated I would:

a) just leave
b) not post about leaving (noone cares much anyway)
c) find the uninstaller exe

For every one person griping there are hundreds/thousands/millions having a right old blast (pun intended)

Perhaps all that is needed is a break.

And apologies for thrice posting on this thread when one should have sufficed. I'm outro now

You make a good point. I guess I'm one of those that posts hoping to get some reaction from a developer. After all I do have a lot of time in the game as indicated and don't really want to quit. What I'd really like is changes to the game that make sense, and for them to roll back the crime system and make negative progression more bearable or gone completely. I should have quit when I only had a few hours in the game and mined a load of ore worth millions in my ASP ( for hours) and got creamed by an NPC Anaconda trying to get back to the station to sell my ore. Where are the police in the game when you need them...no where around unless you have a 200 credit fine...then they are all over you. But I pressed on. I thought it was fun to rack up a 100 million on skimmer missions, but they shut it down as fast as they could. Can't have anyone stacking skimmer missions and making lots of credits....they might buy buy and bigger ship and be invincible before they get 750 hours into the game. They force you into this slow grind. Funny one poster said he only has 10 to 20 hours in games. That is a tiny grind...no grind at all....just dipping your toe in...A waste of money on a game IMHO. But that means he hasn't done anything in this game since it take weeks to try out all the stuff. But I think that's where i'm at...I've experienced most of what the game has to offer and just don't think I'm going to spend money on the new horizon pack when released. At that point, again, negative progression as I'll lose access to engineers. I ask questions when I play a game...questions like.....
1. Why do we need insurance and payouts of 15 mission to replace my fully engineered python? What if I just reset back at the station with no loss of credits? Who will get hurt if that happens.
2. If I can sell at remote stations, why can't I buy from remote stations.
3. How do weapons get dirty...
4. Why can't we have 3 pre-configured loadouts for each ship.
5. What if you didn't fail missions when you die, but just got to try again? Who would that hurt?
6. What if you could apologize for accidentally shooting a cop?
7. What if an NPC Security overlooked a 200 credit fine, or interdicted you and demanded payment in full on the spot?
8. Why is the penalty for a 200 credit fine death?
9. Why do large payouts only get offered when I can't take the mission?
10. Why can't there be exploits and little known areas of the galaxy that let you rack up hundreds of millions of credits an hour?

I have many more questions but eventually I realized...the developers either don't play the game or are so sadistic, they like it when players take one step forward and two steps back.

CMBDI - Mike

 

[CMBDI]

No you can't. Frontier doesn't allow direct trading between players.
One of the main flaws of the game.

The main flaw is negative progression. Selling to another player is minor since everything in the game costs the same amount for everyone. What you mean to say is go grind and buy it yourself like all of us did.

 

[CMBDI]

A single skimmer mission can net more than 4M if your are allied with the faction issuing them, you can stack 5 of them and complete them in < 20 minutes.

I disagree and would like a link the the youtube video showing you completing 5 skimmer missions in <20 minutes.

 

[CMBDI]

I've only managed around 850 hours since release, and have had several long breaks from the game, each time coming back pleased I did and just enjoying what there was to do. So if you've racked 750 hours in short measure then perhaps you just need a rest, come back in Q4 and see how things are shaping up.

The vast majority of the money I've made has come from trading and passenger missions - with the latter being very profitable.

As for having breakfast whilst logged in. Well, that was a bit silly.

But if you never come back, I'd say 750 hours is a pretty good play-time for any game!

I'll try passenger missions if I return, I've not tried one yet. Perhaps you are right, maybe I just need a break to forget what's annoying me and hope they fix it.

 

[CMBDI]

Took several times a break from the game. So I think it is possible to play a lot and hate the game

However I have mixed feelings about the game. It's very funny due to the whole theme, but so grindy. Made the serious money when there were money exploits available, e.g. the skimmer missions. And I don't regret it. This was most fun in my opinon. As the OP I don't want to invest the time to start anew / loose days of progress. It's a game after all. I don't need a work simulator after work

Anyways I am looking forward to the coming updates. See you in space commanders -- Or not I'm rarely out in "open".

Feel the same..skimmer mission exploit was the most fun I've had as well. And you can play open more. I always play open and in 750 hours have only been attacked by PVP twice. Both times on community missions by someone wanting my juicy bounty.

 

[CMBDI]

I'm sorry, but this is entirely a circumstance of your own creating. You made several mistakes you should not have and that should have been easily apparent and avoidable.

I've had 11 total rebuys the entire time I've played Elite, and I can chalk at least 2 of those up to bugs. It's not that hard to avoid death if you make the effort.

If you don't like the repurcussions of surface scan missions, don't do them! There's any number of things you could be doing instead to earn your credits: trading (including mining, rare trading, supplying systems in certain BGS states), passenger missions, and community goals. Choosing exploration, missions, and/or combat is some of the worst ways to earn credits.

And anybody who does that 'Road to Riches' malarkey is doing both exploration and money-making completely wrong.

If you know you're going to be AFK awhile, don't leave the game running! The main menu is one ESC push away. This is especially important when you're doing something risky like surface scan missions.

If you're doing something risky and you don't have the cash on hand to cover the costs of that risk, then you are making a poor decision. That's not the game taking 2 steps forward and 3 steps back, that's you.

None of this situation is the developer's fault. There are more credits to be made in Elite Dangerous right now than EVER (exploit nonsense aside). What you need is to educate yourself - because, granted, a lot of information about Elite is not self-contained within the game - and own up to the mistakes you have made.

after 750 hours I understand the game and how to avoid death. Just not sure why I need to avoid it...as I stated in other posts and I'll put it a different way here...there is NO point to insurance and losing millions when you die. Should be a dust yourself off and try again, but some here agree with developers that the game needs negative progression. I however hate it.

 

[ilo]

I disagree and would like a link the the youtube video showing you completing 5 skimmer missions in <20 minutes.

I can provide that..

[video=youtube;SLWalKozKxw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLWalKozKxw[/video]

 

[CMBDI]

From someone who went through similar thoughts on start, I say persevere, I found that combat was the best way to initially gain CR and rank, others have used trade and exploration.

I worked my way up to a Vulture, then I got Fed rank for an FDS, then an FAS. It takes time.

Once you can afford a Python, the game takes off and you will wonder why you thought it was so hard.

I'm an old guy and if I can do it, anyone can.

This ship I lost was a fully engineered python....I've lost it 5 or 6 times which with the discount is around 55 million. And back to my point....losses of 55 million is negative progression.

Regards. CMBDI.

 

[CMBDI]

I'm sorry, but this is entirely a circumstance of your own creating. You made several mistakes you should not have and that should have been easily apparent and avoidable.

I've had 11 total rebuys the entire time I've played Elite, and I can chalk at least 2 of those up to bugs. It's not that hard to avoid death if you make the effort.

If you don't like the repurcussions of surface scan missions, don't do them! There's any number of things you could be doing instead to earn your credits: trading (including mining, rare trading, supplying systems in certain BGS states), passenger missions, and community goals. Choosing exploration, missions, and/or combat is some of the worst ways to earn credits.

And anybody who does that 'Road to Riches' malarkey is doing both exploration and money-making completely wrong.

If you know you're going to be AFK awhile, don't leave the game running! The main menu is one ESC push away. This is especially important when you're doing something risky like surface scan missions.

If you're doing something risky and you don't have the cash on hand to cover the costs of that risk, then you are making a poor decision. That's not the game taking 2 steps forward and 3 steps back, that's you.

None of this situation is the developer's fault. There are more credits to be made in Elite Dangerous right now than EVER (exploit nonsense aside). What you need is to educate yourself - because, granted, a lot of information about Elite is not self-contained within the game - and own up to the mistakes you have made.

I understand it's my own fault. Sure I got lazy playing a game. As I've said elsewhere it's the whole 11 million insurance payout of negative progression that makes me throw in the towel sometimes. Why do we have losses in this game? Ever lost two days of real world work...say a spreadsheet crashed and you lost your data. Remember that pit in your stomach you get when you realize you have to do it all over again. That it what it was like. I spent the time to build up reputation and did the grind over and over...only to lose it all and go backward in the end. This is supposed to a game...something relaxing and fun to engage with, not a real life loss experience.

 

[CMBDI]

I am sure he meant a newcomer to this forum - which he is.

I saw one post that said it should be moved....perhaps I did post in the wrong spot. But really I consider myself a noob because I don't have a billion credits yet.

 

[Lightspeed]

I understand it's my own fault. Sure I got lazy playing a game. As I've said elsewhere it's the whole 11 million insurance payout of negative progression that makes me throw in the towel sometimes. Why do we have losses in this game? Ever lost two days of real world work...say a spreadsheet crashed and you lost your data. Remember that pit in your stomach you get when you realize you have to do it all over again. That it what it was like. I spent the time to build up reputation and did the grind over and over...only to lose it all and go backward in the end. This is supposed to a game...something relaxing and fun to engage with, not a real life loss experience.

It is supposed to be fun, yes, but not very relaxing .... the game aims to keep you alert, on your toes as it were. Relax for a minute, and bamm !

That said, we can find relief from the real world with the game, just not total relaxation, although exploration can get close to it - sometimes.

 

[Raino]

I understand it's my own fault. Sure I got lazy playing a game. As I've said elsewhere it's the whole 11 million insurance payout of negative progression that makes me throw in the towel sometimes. Why do we have losses in this game? Ever lost two days of real world work...say a spreadsheet crashed and you lost your data. Remember that pit in your stomach you get when you realize you have to do it all over again. That it what it was like. I spent the time to build up reputation and did the grind over and over...only to lose it all and go backward in the end. This is supposed to a game...something relaxing and fun to engage with, not a real life loss experience.

please, you took a risk at free will, failed, and now you are complaining? over 10 pages?

 

[CMBDI]

I can provide that..

That's good skimmer play but not five missions...I haven't done a skimmer mission since they nerfed them. I thought you could not stack them. Are you claiming this is one misison shown counted as completion of all 5 missions stacked?

 

[CMBDI]

Just out of curiosity... after 750 hours spent in ED... what does "progression" mean to you?

It's a rather subjective term, given that ED doesn't have a "level" system, and the "ranks" pretty much boil down to time spent playing.

Credit balance?
Big 3?
#of Engineered modules in storage?
Materials collected?

I'm seriously curious. I've read so many differing opinions on what "progression" in this game is.

My own personal opinion is that there's no such thing- only enjoyment during my journey throughout the universe. Once it stops becoming "enjoyable" I will simply quit playing. (not the whinequit thing I see so often where people hang out for years to lobby for their favorite change to be implemented, either)

Credits is the main one I'm referring to. But yes, you are right...there are many things to progress on such as scans, materials, engineers, experimental weapons, thargoid data....but this should drive home my point. If you lose a ship, why not lose all your materials too. That's what I'm really getting at. I don't like negative progression or loss of tangible items. I don't like coughing up millions or hard ground credits to re-buy a ship or even payoff million dollar bounties just to avoid not loosing 11 million on my ship when I do faction mission or system expansion. Everytime I turn around my balance is decreasing for some reason or another and it's not because I'm getting benefit..it's opposite...I'm avoiding loss.

 

[CMBDI]

Experienced players dont have several billions only players who use exploits do.
Im my opinion if you play this game just to earn money and advance in your bank as fast as possible then you are missing what (i consider at least) to be the best part of the game... being an underdog working your way from day to day, surviving by the seat of your pants. If you earned 150mil on your own without using flavour of the month exploits then you have my respect (for what its worth).

I think once you rid yourself of the need to earn as fast as possible and just do what you enjoy, then you will be much happier.
Elite is a Game... not a job or a career, the race is long and if money and timing is all that you care about then that race is ultimately just going to be with yourself and that's fun for no one.

If Elite isnt your game then by all means, take a break and come back when new features are present or play something else entirely. Its ok... its just a game.

Appreciate your post. I really just want to try out other ships and have fun flying around. \And I agree it's a game, not a job, so if I purchased the game and the horizon pack, what's the issue if I make 100 million an hour? Is it the developers that don't want me to earn milliions or the other PVP'ers. I could understand a loss centered game if people were paying real money to upgrade..but this isn't really a pay to win game. And I get that you don't want to make a game so easy that averyone has the biggest ship after the first week. But it's not my first week...and.....I'm still grinding....and....it get's old....grinding...loosing...grinding...loosing...grinding...loosing.

 

[Tarman]

Credits is the main one I'm referring to. But yes, you are right...there are many things to progress on such as scans, materials, engineers, experimental weapons, thargoid data....but this should drive home my point. If you lose a ship, why not lose all your materials too. That's what I'm really getting at. I don't like negative progression or loss of tangible items. I don't like coughing up millions or hard ground credits to re-buy a ship or even payoff million dollar bounties just to avoid not loosing 11 million on my ship when I do faction mission or system expansion. Everytime I turn around my balance is decreasing for some reason or another and it's not because I'm getting benefit..it's opposite...I'm avoiding loss.

If you're not interested in loss/gain dynamics then this isn't the right game for what you want from it. Loss/gain is a core concept of Elite; it isn't built around upwards-only gameplay progression bars. There's always the potential to fail so hard that you're back in a Sidewinder, but you're never out of the game completely either. You'll still have your piloting skills and world-knowledge to get back on the horse and ride again.

Quite apart from that, what would you do with a billion credits in the first place; do you have a goal that requires those funds? If you were still flying a CobraIII by the time you hit a billion you could actually afford to throw it away hundreds of times in a row and do nothing else. It's what I like about my CZ Vulture; even if I fail spectacularly I can get back in the fight with little loss to a relatively weak bank account for how long I've been playing. Credits are ultimately meaningless in of themselves; they're best considered as a tool to propel other goals.