Newcomer / Intro old questions from a *new* player ( sorta late to the pilot party here ) ...

[Neestar]

I'm an old fart - a newbie player shouldn't even have a Python Mk.II .

See my reply below to @Fnord Velkor , but of course i can totally sympathize with u guys' resentment (generally speaking ) toward the whole "pay-to-bypass" aspect.

However, i feel like u guys are going a bit overboard in this case with that type of venom toward a vet pilot like me.

i'll EARN my rankings & wings thru effort & exploration , trust me.

I think Ashnak missed a point here, fact is you can scroll through your galaxy map using the default scroll keys ---- you can set a route to a star up to 20kly away by just scrolling through the galaxy map, note it will be very slow unless you zoom out a bit, that way you can set a route to the engineers system without having to go near them first.

Yeah again, sorry if i wasn't clear but i understand how to 'set routes' & such. My confusion was only because i saw a marker on Galaxy Map that looked like "empty space" , with no way to CLICK onto anything to set any routes for it.

Which system did you see this in, I'd like to visit it if it is another Silver Comet installation.

i believe i mentioned it already in my earlier post , when i said something like "Odyssey starter system Chamberlain's Rest" . But anyways, it should be the HIP 97950 system , iirc. ( i'm not in-game at the moment )

You would know how to get to them if you had learned how to operate a space-ship instead of buying one. (Sorry, but this is one reason I said the "buy-a-ship" is breaking the game.)

hmm , i think you went a bit too harsh ( condescending ) there on me with that ^ type of comment tbqh , since as you've hopefully noticed in this thread i made , even though i ask very legit questions it's only AFTER i've already been trying to learn MYSELF in-game thru trial & error & such.

So yeah, i have already "learned how to operate a space-ship" , since as i mention on page 1 of this thread , i STARTED with regular Sidewinder and never had any intention of "buying to bypass" or whatever the perception might be. The only reason i decided to give RL money to 'Frontier' ( for the Python mk2 ) is because i thought the ship style looked cool ( basic human emotion ) and because i was curious to see how such a purchase would even work. That's it.

Otherwise, as a player coming from SWG/JTL ( and other flying sim games ) , trust me i'm more looking for insight & intel , than i am looking for hand-outs & hand-holding.

To travel around, you have to fit your ship so as to be able to make a decent jump distance, be able to fuel scoop or have to break your journey by docking and refuelling on the way.

i already do all of that ^ , learning myself the hard way ( as noted earlier in this thread when i became "marooned" on a barren ice planet ) .

My question was merely born out of some confusion with the Galaxy Map , since it seemed like there were some empty "dead zones" without nav-points and so i figured it couldn't hurt to ask about that functionality. -- imho , asking such a question is perfectly normal thing to ask, regardless of whether or not i happened to spend RL money to unlock a particular 'medium' ship 3 months before it goes LIVE. ( off-topic convo )

There's a map mode for displaying trade things, I think you can select which commodities to display from there. Seems like you accidentally activated it,

Perhaps i did yeah there's a ton of filters & sub-menus within that Galaxy Map , so it can get a bit overwhelming to a newbie like me.

If you want any PowerPlay modules, getting those involves pledging to the appropriate Power, doing nothing for 3 weeks, doing a bit of PP gameplay for 750 merits, and waiting for the Thursday tick: Then you'll be pledged for 4 weeks with rank 3, so you can buy a bunch of the modules,

And if you like (to try) the actual PP gameplay, you can do that right away. Combat is optional, so lack of engineering won't hold you back.

I'm not afraid of Combat , except i haven't done much PVP yet in EliteD because imo it's better for me to learn the game more and be better equipped ( once i find the PVP ship i like the best eventually ) . Otherwise, i'd just be easy fodder for the gankers ....which only ends up wasting my valuable time.

Anyways, i guess you're saying the upcoming PowerPlay 2.0 revamp shouldn't dissuade me from trying ( and committing ) current version?

 

[varonica]

Yeah again, sorry if i wasn't clear but i understand how to 'set routes' & such. My confusion was only because i saw a marker on Galaxy Map that looked like "empty space" , with no way to CLICK onto anything to set any routes for it.

Yeah, stars will appear in that area when you scroll though the galaxy map using the navigation keys.

 

[Fnord Velkor]

See my reply below to @Fnord Velkor , but of course i can totally sympathize with u guys' resentment (generally speaking ) toward the whole "pay-to-bypass" aspect.

However, i feel like u guys are going a bit overboard in this case with that type of venom toward a vet pilot like me.

....

Sorry, wasn't meant as "venom" towards you, nor resentment - it is mainly that the addition of pay-for-a-ship cuts out the experience that players get from progressing. However, reading your comment "unlock a particular 'medium' ship 3 months before it goes LIVE" then the buy-a-ship (i.e. buy a pre-built) doesn't apply, so sorry again.

Yeah, reading back, what I wrote reads more critical of you (rather then of the FDEV decisions) so my apologies, that was not my intention.

You should feel free to ask whatever you want, especially in this sub-forum.

 

[BetaToaster]

I'm not afraid of Combat , except i haven't done much PVP yet in EliteD because imo it's better for me to learn the game more and be better equipped ( once i find the PVP ship i like the best eventually ) . Otherwise, i'd just be easy fodder for the gankers ....which only ends up wasting my valuable time.

I was referring to PvE combat. PowerPlay doesn't imply PvP. It is possible to do PP entirely in Solo, and arguing at length whether that's good or bad (or whether/how it should be changed for PP2) is a popular waste of time on these forums.

Anyways, i guess you're saying the upcoming PowerPlay 2.0 revamp shouldn't dissuade me from trying ( and committing ) current version?

Yes, except there's no commitment. The only "downside" to signing up is that ganking you in certain systems won't incur a bounty. But since the threat of a bounty is not going to stop any ganker anyway...

 

[Ashnak]

i'll EARN my rankings & wings thru effort & exploration , trust me.

Noted

My confusion was only because i saw a marker on Galaxy Map that looked like "empty space" , with no way to CLICK onto anything to set any routes for it.

Hmmm.... could that be/have been because you set a filter in the map that would exclude the star where that Engineer is located? Happens to me usually when I had previously filtered for population size (while looking for a high population high tech system). And with the new map filters and choices in Ody, that didn't actually improve.

 

[aRJay]

Why "defunct" ?

--------
Also, apparently we're in Server Maintenance PATCH mode for a few hours ( always seems to happen whenever i had planned a long play-session lol bad luck ) ... So of course i have a few more questions please for if anyone has time to reply THANKS! -->

Always maintenance on Thursdays today is an update/patch as adevertised in the News forum.

# 47. Earlier i was checking out my Galaxy Map and noticed some new ICONS that didn't seem to have any reference within that ui leftside filter 'key' . So i googled real quick and found this link from EliteD 'reddit' page. Anyways, apparently these are green-pyramid ( export ) and blue-diamond ( import ) Commodities icons that my character is supposedly "looking for" ? But how/why does the game know what i'm looking for? And heck, i didn't even know i was looking for any commodity ? Does it somehow auto-relate to the new Engineer in-game MAILS i've been unlocking/receiving lately?​

Not the engineers but could be something clicked on in the Commodity Market screens.

​

# 48. Speaking of Engineers.... So tonite i received 2 new in-game mails from 2 new Engineers , but this time they didn't give me their locations within the mail itself. Instead, the mail just said "i've marked my location on your MAP" . Okay cool np , so i goto my Galaxy Map and i find the little orange Engineer icons ....but.... They are marked in systems wayyyyyy far away from my current location AND they seem to be within a system for which i don't have any info nor beacon nor travel-point. So, my question is: How do i hyperspace to a new system that is blank ( no clickable jump-point ) on my Galaxy Map ? Do i just travel as close as possible, bit by bit , and then eventually it will show up on map? Or do i have to get hitch a ride with a buddy in-game first to take me there once? Or do i have to 'APEX shuttle' there first?​

If the system isn’t showing in the Galaxy Map check the filters, if it is just the contents of the system not showing you can still jump to the system then discover those when you get there.

If way far away is 22,000+ light years then they are in Colonia so don’t worry about them yet.

You can use the Galaxy map to plot a route to a star beyond a single jump range.

​

# 49. When do i know it's a good ( wise ) time for me to "pledge" my 1st allegience into PowerPlay leader(s) ? Or would it be better/smarter for a somewhat fresh newbie player like myself to just wait until the revamp PowerPlay 2.0 is released first?​

Why do you want to pledge, if it is to play PP and advance your chosen power then either immediately but face having to learn new tricks when the revamp hits or wait for the revamp. If it is just to collect the “bribe” modules then as soon as possible as they take weeks to get I am told. I wasn’t interested enough in that to play so saw no reason to do it just for the rewards.

​

# 50. i finally travelled to my very first 'ORBITAL STATION' !!!!! Sooooo AWESOME!!!!! ( reminds me of StarTrek 'Borg' cube , which i'm guessing was sorta the Dev inspiration? ) --- Anyways, this particular Orbital Station had some really nice ship outfitting upgrades for my Python mk2 and so i was able to finally get my ship up to a relatively decent level of parts. ( Class C biweave shields , for example ) --- And anyways, after some power management swapping modules around a bit , i'm now able to have a max jump-range of 20 Ly .... Is this considered good for a newbie player like me in their 1st Python mk2 ship ?​

The most Borg like stations are the Coriolis type which were in the original game back in 1984 some 3 years before The Next Generation first aired.

As you are in the first generation of newbies, or any one else, to get that ship you tell us.
But 20Ly is a useful start though the laden range is the one to watch.

 

[Fnord Velkor]

I was quite intrigued to see that the Minor Faction in control of HIP 97950's Silver Comet Limited installation was called "Black Widow" - but alas it just turns out to be a PMF and not related to the Silver Comet storyline. (Why did FDEV let a bunch of pirates take over the Ody starting system?)

Anywayup, here is your Silver Arrow installation (click to enlarge):







Lots of stuff to interact with after using the data scanner on the installation.


... oh yes, and here in the dark:

 

[Neestar]

Yeah, stars will appear in that area when you scroll though the galaxy map using the navigation keys.

ok cool i shall investigate further probably later tonite , to see about reaching these Engineer NPCs before their in-game MAIL expires in "30 days" ...as well as to finally start exploring past my own personal 'newbie bubble' .

Sorry, wasn't meant as "venom" towards you, nor resentment - it is mainly that the addition of pay-for-a-ship cuts out the experience that players get from progressing. However, reading your comment "unlock a particular 'medium' ship 3 months before it goes LIVE" then the buy-a-ship (i.e. buy a pre-built) doesn't apply, so sorry again.

Yeah, reading back, what I wrote reads more critical of you (rather then of the FDEV decisions) so my apologies, that was not my intention.

No worries and i really appreciate your apology & elaborating. Obviously, i'm aware the recent "pay-to-win" thing is a rather hot topic and i can respect both sides of it tbh.

For the record, generally i'm against the whole micro-transaction business model because i feel like it often prevents Devs/Coders from thinking more creatively about how to instead offer such cosmetics & unlocks thru IN-GAME methods ( like new quests or mysterious events or player Crafting or heck even a good ole fashioned "grind" ) .

I was referring to PvE combat. PowerPlay doesn't imply PvP. It is possible to do PP entirely in Solo, and arguing at length whether that's good or bad (or whether/how it should be changed for PP2) is a popular waste of time on these forums.

The only "downside" to signing up is that ganking you in certain systems won't incur a bounty. But since the threat of a bounty is not going to stop any ganker anyway...

ahhh ok , so i'm guessing since most PVP gankers have maybe 5 or 10 years worth of BILLIONS of credits by now , the notion of some paltry "bounty" just doesn't cut it, eh?

That being said, whenever i have time ( mood ) for PVP combat, i personally find great gamer satisfaction from countering---and destroying---any such player gankers.

Hmmm.... could that be/have been because you set a filter in the map that would exclude the star where that Engineer is located?

Perhaps, since i've been messing around a lot with my Galaxy Map filters & such , trying to learn better and figure out my next route to venture.

Always maintenance on Thursdays today is an update/patch as adevertised in the News forum.

yep , i typically follow that forum section everyday , but for some reason i had mis-read "tuesday" for the patch coming on Thursday ( aka 2-for-1 ) . However, after seeing this new Frontier Rep comment here: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threa...haul-tuesday-28-may-2024.625728/post-10382609 i'm sorta too scared to login today lol

As you are in the first generation of newbies, or any one else, to get that ship you tell us.
But 20Ly is a useful start though the laden range is the one to watch.

ah i'm not familiar with that term "laden range" yet . Gonna have to inspect my ship stats later to look for that on the FSD part.

I was quite intrigued to see that the Minor Faction in control of HIP 97950's Silver Comet Limited installation was called "Black Widow" - but alas it just turns out to be a PMF and not related to the Silver Comet storyline. (Why did FDEV let a bunch of pirates take over the Ody starting system?)

Lots of stuff to interact with after using the data scanner on the installation.

Can't wait to check it out!

p.s. Why do you think Frontier Devs never followed thru on such a cool side-story with the whole 'Silver Comet' mystery thing?

 

[Fnord Velkor]

....

ah i'm not familiar with that term "laden range" yet . Gonna have to inspect my ship stats later to look for that on the FSD part.

Can't wait to check it out!

p.s. Why do you think Frontier Devs never followed thru on such a cool side-story with the whole 'Silver Comet' mystery thing?

1. In outfitting you can see three jump distances, MIN (the distance it can jump when fully laden - i.e. max cargo and fuel), CURRENT (as the ship is now including cargo and fuel) and MAX (which is when the ship has no cargo and just has enough fuel for one jump). In the website for Coriolis, those figures displayed are the other way round. In the "Ship" panel of your right-hand UI, the bottom icon shows the ship's statistics and in there shows your CURRENT and UNLADEN jump ranges.

2. Be careful scanning private data points and cracking open cargo bays.

3. I have my own theories but I don't want to get banned. There are lots of mysteries in the game, some from NPC "tip-offs", others found at abandoned settlements, comms relays, abandoned megaships, etc. Most have been left to wither and rot - the most recent example being the Seo Jin-ae storyline, the apparent abandonment of which being the subject of a current thread. Certainly I think I can get away with saying that people leaving / reassigned might have something to do with it. For sure there have been obvious changes in focus over the years.

 

[aRJay]

On the subject of jump range and laden ships it is best to plot your route after you have loaded the cargo and topped off the fuel tank as it is possible that even filling the tank can increase the ships mass enough to make it impossible to do the jump.
In the case of a ship without cargo this has lead to the embarrassment of having to fly around the system until you had burnt off enough fuel mass to make the jump.

 

[Neestar]

I was quite intrigued to see that the Minor Faction in control of HIP 97950's Silver Comet Limited installation was called "Black Widow" -

Lots of stuff to interact with after using the data scanner on the installation.

So i finally got time to go check it out and it's very cool , but i'm still confused as to exactly how to use my 'data link scanner' on that---or any---installation.

i've set both my 'comp scanner' AND my 'data link scanner' into my fire-groups , yet for some reason they never seem to activate. ( i've even tried in both Analysis Mode as well as in Combat Mode )

Do they only work while in a SRV ? Or are these 2 particular scanners only self-automated? -- i've been trying to google this topic but only found links like this: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/how-to-interact-using-data-link-scanner.329867/ ...which only confuses me more lol

2. Be careful scanning private data points and cracking open cargo bays.

How does one even scan that specifically ? Is it similar to like targetting sub-systems works?

 

[Ashnak]

The data link scanner on the ship requires you to deploy hardpoints - that's something that repeatedly traps me when I'm doing one of those semi-legal surface scan missions. The other thing is that the data link scanner's range is small. Can't remember the range in meters, but the UI flashes once when you are in range of a scannable data link.

 

[Fnord Velkor]

So i finally got time to go check it out and it's very cool , but i'm still confused as to exactly how to use my 'data link scanner' on that---or any---installation.

i've set both my 'comp scanner' AND my 'data link scanner' into my fire-groups , yet for some reason they never seem to activate. ( i've even tried in both Analysis Mode as well as in Combat Mode )

Do they only work while in a SRV ? Or are these 2 particular scanners only self-automated? -- i've been trying to google this topic but only found links like this: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/how-to-interact-using-data-link-scanner.329867/ ...which only confuses me more lol

How does one even scan that specifically ? Is it similar to like targetting sub-systems works?

You have to extend your hardpoints.

So for the installation, you approach and select (target) the actual thing (like you have to do with NAV beacons) - then hold down the fire button of the Data-Link Scanner, watch the progress thingie complete and then "voila" lots of stuff gets revealed ready for you to target.

EDIT - The initial Pilot Assessment tutorial has a step involving this scanning to reveal targets on a structure, if you have not done that tutorial (I think you miss it by starting in Odyssey) then you can access it via the training section in the "continue" menu:

 

[varonica]

The data link scanner on the ship requires you to deploy hardpoints - that's something that repeatedly traps me when I'm doing one of those semi-legal surface scan missions. The other thing is that the data link scanner's range is small. Can't remember the range in meters, but the UI flashes once when you are in range of a scannable data link.

The range depends on the target, for instance if you are approaching a megaship you can run it out at around 6klms, if you are scanning something like the megaship log uplink its less than I think around 100mtrs or so, really close in other words. The scanner should deploy when you run it without needing to be previously deployed, it will deploy and run when you target something and press the fire button.

i've set both my 'comp scanner' AND my 'data link scanner' into my fire-groups , yet for some reason they never seem to activate. ( i've even tried in both Analysis Mode as well as in Combat Mode )

As already said, you MUST target the thing to be scanned, default target key is "T" I think but can be bound to other things, you must be in analysis mode, pointed at your chosen data link and quite close. It will just sit there and do nothing if you have nothing targetted or are not close enough or not pointed at said thingy requiring scanning, so that sounds like the problem here. It can be set up to run in the SRV or ship, but not on foot.

 

[aRJay]

Data Link and Composition scanners are extremely short ranged so you have to be 200 metres or less from the target.
The Data Link needs to be targeted then the scanner ’fired’ to collect the data.
The Composition scanner will bleep and flash the targeting reticule when lined up in range then you hold its ’fire’ button down till the scan completes.
One of them might only work in Analysis mode.

 

[Ashnak]

it will deploy and run when you target something and press the fire button.

Do you have "deploy weapons on firing button" or whatever that option is called enabled? That's one of the two bindings that is usually recommended to disable - the other one is "drop all cargo".

 

[Neestar]

You have to extend your hardpoints.

So for the installation, you approach and select (target) the actual thing (like you have to do with NAV beacons) - then hold down the fire button of the Data-Link Scanner,

My hardpoints were def. extended yep , and i could've sworn i did exactly that ^ 2nd sentence but....nothing happened.

However, i'm gonna try again later today ( based on u guys' replies , particularly the one below from Ashnak about "weapons deploying on fire button" option )

EDIT - The initial Pilot Assessment tutorial has a step involving this scanning to reveal targets on a structure, if you have not done that tutorial (I think you miss it by starting in Odyssey) then you can access it via the training section in the "continue" menu:

yeah i did all Training missions already and tbh i remember the 'scanner' portion working flawlessly during training , so i must've missed an obvious step or something last nite during my LIVE attempt at 'Silver Comet' installation. --- i'll report back here in this thread afterwards

The range depends on the target, for instance if you are approaching a megaship you can run it out at around 6klms, if you are scanning something like the megaship log uplink its less than I think around 100mtrs or so, really close in other words. The scanner should deploy when you run it without needing to be previously deployed, it will deploy and run when you target something and press the fire button.

i feel like i got pretty darn close to the installation , but i'm gonna try again later just to make sure i haven't missed anything obvious ( typical newbie lol ) .

Data Link and Composition scanners are extremely short ranged so you have to be 200 metres or less from the target.
The Data Link needs to be targeted then the scanner ’fired’ to collect the data.
The Composition scanner will bleep and flash the targeting reticule when lined up in range then you hold its ’fire’ button down till the scan completes.
One of them might only work in Analysis mode.

yeah sometimes when i'm rotating thru my fire-groups , my scanner words are RED . But maybe that's because certain scanners only work while NOT in hypercruise?

Do you have "deploy weapons on firing button" or whatever that option is called enabled? That's one of the two bindings that is usually recommended to disable -

BINGO ^ , i'm not in-game yet but i bet that's it !

i'll check my settings & keybinds later and report back here in this thread just in case another newbie player ends up reading this and it helps them too.

 

[Fnord Velkor]

My hardpoints were def. extended yep , and i could've sworn i did exactly that ^ 2nd sentence but....nothing happened.

However, i'm gonna try again later today ( based on u guys' replies , particularly the one below from Ashnak about "weapons deploying on fire button" option )

yeah i did all Training missions already and tbh i remember the 'scanner' portion working flawlessly during training , so i must've missed an obvious step or something last nite during my LIVE attempt at 'Silver Comet' installation. --- i'll report back here in this thread afterwards

i feel like i got pretty darn close to the installation , but i'm gonna try again later just to make sure i haven't missed anything obvious ( typical newbie lol ) .

yeah sometimes when i'm rotating thru my fire-groups , my scanner words are RED . But maybe that's because certain scanners only work while NOT in hypercruise?

BINGO ^ , i'm not in-game yet but i bet that's it !

i'll check my settings & keybinds later and report back here in this thread just in case another newbie player ends up reading this and it helps them too.

1. You were either not close enough or did not target the actual installation (like at the nav beacon - centre the white installation icon on your radar and select/target that).

2. I'd recommend NOT having "Firing deploys hardpoints" enabled unless you want to experience the station lasers when you hit the button by mistake.

 

[Neestar]

The data link scanner on the ship requires you to deploy hardpoints - that's something that repeatedly traps me when I'm doing one of those semi-legal surface scan missions. The other thing is that the data link scanner's range is small. Can't remember the range in meters, but the UI flashes once when you are in range of a scannable data link.

Yes indeed i was just finally able to complete my very 1st SRV exploratory & survey venture ON planet ! ( starting to get a better feel for driving SRV on terrain & atmosphere )

i made 3 Geological 'discoveries' too , from these VENTS in the ground. Was really cool & fun ...and so immersive!

One question though: i also found some rock/mineral ( 'igneous' or something ) and i was able to successfully Cargo-scoop it up into my SRV , but then i can't seem to figure out where that rock/resource is now stored?

1. You were either not close enough or did not target the actual installation (like at the nav beacon - centre the white installation icon on your radar and select/target that).

2. I'd recommend NOT having "Firing deploys hardpoints" enabled unless you want to experience the station lasers when you hit the button by mistake.

Yep i finally turned OFF that ^ option in Settings keybinds ... but.... for some reason i still couldn't see the Data-Link-Scanner bar going UP ( activating ) at all , no matter how close i got to the 'Silver Comet' installation.

However ...something very very amazing happened while i was trying to Data-Link-Scan ... All of a sudden , i got this "incoming URGENT message" from some voice saying "Any pilots in the area we're under attack please help!!!" --- And then this awesome SPACE BATTLE erupted with tons of green ( radar ) Federation ships , combined with some red ( radar ) enemy Python ships that started to fire upon ME! -- So i immediately got into combat mode and of course started firing back and had like this 20 minute battle with multiple enemy ships and each time i killed them ( or assisted killed w/ Fed ships nearby ) i got this blue popup msg onscreen saying "Bounty collected!" ( credits )

This went on until somehow i guess i must've killed all the enemy ships within the distress urgent help msg , because then another voice onscreen said "Yes you saved the installation from attack!" --- But then, LOL , i kept loitering around 'Silver Comet' too close again i dunno because that entire battle scenario started AGAIN and so i had to repeat for another 20 minutes ( which is fine cuz i ended up killing & collecting another 2mil in "bounties" )

Then a few minutes later, after i flew farther away from that 'Silver Comet' out of range , i got this in-game MAIL from the same Hochman Industries distress call group , thanking me for my service of saving them and now i was at "Friendly" status.

So my question is: Does this type of epic spontaneous type space battle stuff happen a lot ? Or is it something special connecting to the proximity of this 'Silver Comet' place?

 

[metatheurgist]

That attack is a pretty standard event at most installations of that type.