Horizons path decision - advice please

[harihoudini]

So just completed Tutumu CG and got some $$ in the bank.

I am 88% Fed Cadet Rank and Have an Asp-X & Vulture.
Was thinking of gathering materials for Engineers upgrades from Farseer (I have level 3 unlocked so far and want Level 5 FSD)....Should i wait until patch update or go ahead?

Also I was thinking of pausing on Fed status about now and heading off to Imperial to gain rep to buy a Clipper. I want to replace my ASP-X with it for better cargo capacity and its also quite nice looking.

Should I wait and complete Midshipman (to get some Fed Ship unlock) and then head to Imperial space for the Clipper?

Decisions.. decisions...

I like to mix things up....some trade routes/RES Bounty hunting/Skimmer missions - what should i do and in what order?

 

[Skyfire]

So just completed Tutumu CG and got some $$ in the bank.

I am 88% Fed Cadet Rank and Have an Asp-X & Vulture.
Was thinking of gathering materials for Engineers upgrades from Farseer (I have level 3 unlocked so far and want Level 5 FSD)....Should i wait until patch update or go ahead?

Also I was thinking of pausing on Fed status about now and heading off to Imperial to gain rep to buy a Clipper. I want to replace my ASP-X with it for better cargo capacity and its also quite nice looking.

Should I wait and complete Midshipman (to get some Fed Ship unlock) and then head to Imperial space for the Clipper?

Decisions.. decisions...

I like to mix things up....some trade routes/RES Bounty hunting/Skimmer missions - what should i do and in what order?

Well, that's the thing about this game. There is no 'story route' or particular track to follow. Make your own story and track. Build your rep in the Federation, or head over to the Empire, make a home there somewhere and build your rep and Imperial rank over there. It's entirely up to you!

However, I will say that the Imperial Clipper is a really nice ship to own and fly, has loads of space for trading cargo, makes a good mining ship, and when kitted out correctly can make an awesome fighting ship! BUT that last option WILL COST LOTS OF CR's!!! It flies beautifully, is the fastest ship in the game bar the cobra, but unlike the cobra cannot be mass locked by other ships, just delayed .... One down side is that it does need a LARGE landing pad to land on, which can restrict you with some of the outposts.

 

[goemon]

- you should do, what you enjoy

- as you maybe know from FED ranking, ranking can be quite slow .... but the courier is an amazing ship you'll get on the way to the clipper (which is a great trader and miner)

- you AspE has an amazing jumprange. you'll miss that on a clipper, which has only a "good" jumprange.

- i would get at least FSD upgrades for the ships you fly currently regularly... the blueprint for L4/L5 requires a commodity, which you can buy, so it is less grindy. have in mind, that you can store and transfer moduls - you can mod all FSD with your AspE, and transfer them to your other ships.

- from what you like to do ingame it reads, as if a federal dropship could be a ship for you... it is an underrated, tanky cargo/combat ship.... not much of use if you have a python, but till than an interesting ship to fly!

so, this is what i would probably do in your case: get FSD upgrades for your AspE, and vulture. rank in the fed navy for a dropship. outifit your vulture with a class 4 shield and 32 T cargo. go to imperial space and rank for clipper. on the way fell in love with a courier, decide you don#t want to fly another ship for some time, and do something else.

 

[Para Handy]

So just completed Tutumu CG and got some $$ in the bank.

I am 88% Fed Cadet Rank and Have an Asp-X & Vulture.
Was thinking of gathering materials for Engineers upgrades from Farseer (I have level 3 unlocked so far and want Level 5 FSD)....Should i wait until patch update or go ahead?

Also I was thinking of pausing on Fed status about now and heading off to Imperial to gain rep to buy a Clipper. I want to replace my ASP-X with it for better cargo capacity and its also quite nice looking.

Should I wait and complete Midshipman (to get some Fed Ship unlock) and then head to Imperial space for the Clipper?

Decisions.. decisions...

I like to mix things up....some trade routes/RES Bounty hunting/Skimmer missions - what should i do and in what order?

Leave the Imp ships until you have at least made a packet via a Python - it can land at outposts (only needs medium pad) and hauls a huge cargo for that size (224 t in mine).

If you are still seduced by the style of the Imp ships - you will be able to afford to upgrade quicker by using the Python to haul stuff (you can trade imp slaves for fat profit while slipping in the missions to rank up with the Empire for example).

To me the best thing about the clipper is how beautiful the sight of one exploding is.

(P.S. I hate my cutter too, but the capacity makes it invaluable, just OMG it wallows about like a stylish whale overdosing on valium.)

 

[rrobes]

The way the engineer work is being changed. You may want to see what the changes end up being as to the gathering of the mats before committing further time and resources under the current standards.

Also think about your long term goal as you need to decide where to rank up, and do you want a Corvette or a Cutter. It is a grind either way and you may want to concentrate your efforts to one or the other. You certainly do both if time is of no concern. And you certainly can do w/o either one and use an Anaconda which just requires CR.

 

[harihoudini]

- you should do, what you enjoy

- as you maybe know from FED ranking, ranking can be quite slow .... but the courier is an amazing ship you'll get on the way to the clipper (which is a great trader and miner)

- you AspE has an amazing jumprange. you'll miss that on a clipper, which has only a "good" jumprange.

- i would get at least FSD upgrades for the ships you fly currently regularly... the blueprint for L4/L5 requires a commodity, which you can buy, so it is less grindy. have in mind, that you can store and transfer moduls - you can mod all FSD with your AspE, and transfer them to your other ships.

- from what you like to do ingame it reads, as if a federal dropship could be a ship for you... it is an underrated, tanky cargo/combat ship.... not much of use if you have a python, but till than an interesting ship to fly!

so, this is what i would probably do in your case: get FSD upgrades for your AspE, and vulture. rank in the fed navy for a dropship. outifit your vulture with a class 4 shield and 32 T cargo. go to imperial space and rank for clipper. on the way fell in love with a courier, decide you don#t want to fly another ship for some time, and do something else.

+1 Rep. Great advice. I think i will do just this!

- - - Updated - - -

Leave the Imp ships until you have at least made a packet via a Python - it can land at outposts (only needs medium pad) and hauls a huge cargo for that size (224 t in mine).

If you are still seduced by the style of the Imp ships - you will be able to afford to upgrade quicker by using the Python to haul stuff (you can trade imp slaves for fat profit while slipping in the missions to rank up with the Empire for example).

To me the best thing about the clipper is how beautiful the sight of one exploding is.

(P.S. I hate my cutter too, but the capacity makes it invaluable, just OMG it wallows about like a stylish whale overdosing on valium.)

Hmm..something to think about (Python). Maybe i will blend your advice with Goemon's. Good stuff. +1

 

[harihoudini]

The way the engineer work is being changed. You may want to see what the changes end up being as to the gathering of the mats before committing further time and resources under the current standards.

Also think about your long term goal as you need to decide where to rank up, and do you want a Corvette or a Cutter. It is a grind either way and you may want to concentrate your efforts to one or the other. You certainly do both if time is of no concern. And you certainly can do w/o either one and use an Anaconda which just requires CR.

For a Newb like me, ED is like being a kid in a candy store. Lots to see and do and I don't have a long term goal as yet. I'm not sure I will want those big ships (either one) ever. When I look at videos of people flying them, the extra long noses and unwieldy flight characteristics put me off. Like you say I think i may wait for engineers till the patch/mats change.

 

[Skyfire]

For a Newb like me, ED is like being a kid in a candy store. Lots to see and do and I don't have a long term goal as yet. I'm not sure I will want those big ships (either one) ever. When I look at videos of people flying them, the extra long noses and unwieldy flight characteristics put me off. Like you say I think i may wait for engineers till the patch/mats change.

Well, that's great! Just do what you enjoy doing, and as long as you are picking up missions, buying and selling commodities as you go (and hopefully making a profit!), perhaps doing a bit of bounty hunting, you will find the credits start mounting. Maybe not as rapidly as you hear some people do, but the main thing is you will be enjoying yourself!

Also, don't underestimate the Discovery Scanner. Loads of people swap it out straight away for more cargo space. However, if you keep it, even upgrade to the Advanced version, I found it surprising how much it added to my bank balance! Sometimes to the tune of 10 to 25 percent in the early days, just for flying through systems where you would be going anyway, and blowing that 'Star Trumpet'!

 

[Skyfire]

Oh yes, I first traded and missioned around enough in the old Sidewinder and moved straight to the Adder, a much maligned ship in my opinion. If only the seat was further forward to give a better view. Decent cargo capacity, better (slightly!) at combat than the good old Hauler, and a good stepping stone to the amazing Cobra!

You can do just about everything in the game in a Cobra, and have twice as much fun!!! Seriously, it is the fastest ship in the game so can escape most dangerous situations (if you are quick enough!), can pack some serious weaponry and shield for it's size, and has a very capable cargo and passenger capability for it's class.

After the Cobra you are probably looking towards the Asp for general running around, due to it's excellent jump range, or Vulture for out and out combat (but relatively poor jump range). The Asp CAN be tanked up to be a fairly decent combat craft, with 6 shooty things in total. However, you need the A rated shield, power unit, and power distributor to run it properly.

Then you are possibly looking at the Clipper (a great ship, IMHO) or progressing to the Python, possibly the best all round combat/hauler/passenger ship there is. AND it can land on medium landing pads, so can literally go anywhere, that some of the bigger ships (that need a LARGE pad) cannot go - such as even the clipper (it's wings make it too wide for the medium pad).

 

[The Lawful]

Well, I don't have any Imp ships (but all of the Fed ships) and can't tell about the Clipper, but my advice would be:

Keep the AspX and mod the FSD to lvl 5. It is one of the most versatile ships of them all and can fulfil any role except combat. Its extraordinary jump range will help you to shorten many tasks, and it is a great money earner, in particular if you fit a passenger cabin. Try to get allied to some faction and then look for the "Rich tourist wants to go sightseeing" mission types. 200ly are just some hops if your FSD jumps 50ly, and they can pay very well if you pick them carefully. IMHO, passenger missions are the fastest way to make money currently. Btw, here is a nice guide from EXO (right column) on how to tackle Farseer and the FSD mod in particular:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B59P7thjRhVOVFBUcEhULU9DYVU/view

After I found the clue to getting those Datamined Wake Exceptions (by simply scanning hi-wakes), all my ships (12) got lvl 5 FSD in just a few hours.

Keep the Vulture for fighting, but mod its powerplant asap to get rid of its nasty power problems. It's an excellent fighter and all other options cost a lot more. The FDS is nice, the FAS is one of the best, FDL too, never really got along with the FGS up to now in spite of its fighter bay, Corvette is a beast but requires Rear Admiral rank and costs 500m. I still fly my Vulture regularly, including the current BH CG.

The next ship I would generally go for would be the Python, after that, the Anaconda. Both are nice multiroles, but costly. You can save a lot of money if you buy your ships in a LYR system, you get a 15% discount there.

Ranking up, I can only tell about the Feds. This can be tedious, in particular at higher levels, but there are some spots that generate lots of Fed missions, ideally all to the same system, and they can be stacked. One option would be doing data courier missions from Ceos to Sothis and back (good you kept the AspX). As said, the FDS is a good option, FAS too. After that, things will take a real long time.

HTH, just my 2 cents

[noob]

 

[JetsonRING]

Clipper is nice, but basically a major big yacht. Why switch canoes mid-stream? Grind that FED rank until you can get into a FED Corvette. You will probably not actually be able to buy one when you get there given the current state of the games earning economy but the same is true for the IMP version, the Cutter and you already have some FED rank. But hey, some people think the IMP ships are pretty . . .

There is no "order" in which to do anything in this game with the possible exception of PvP combat. For that you need Engineers. All of them.

Engineers will also require you to take part in other aspects of the game, forcing you to try them out as you upgrade your ships. Some materials are acquired as mission rewards so you will run missions. Some can only be bought, many must be collected, either scraped from planetary surfaces or mined from asteroids. Some Engineers can only be unlocked through combat, some through other Engineers, etc., etc..

Other than that I find I am usually doing at least two things at any given time and often more through mission stacking. For Tutumu I was delivering Mineral Oil to North Ring and trading Crop Harvesters back to Hoyle Station (540,000/lap) while checking mission boards. When a station wanted anything the other provided I accepted that mission (just loaded a little less oil) and gained REP. So Tutumu is over? I wonder where I finished . . .

Edit: [money] WooHoo, 36,000,000+ for the CG!

 

[Von Roerich]

My advice would be NOT to listen to advice. Especially from 'Elite' players. THEY have done the most 'grinding'...... or they wouldn't be elite. Explore the reason why you bought this game in the first place. Have fun.

 

[harihoudini]

Clipper is nice, but basically a major big yacht. Why switch canoes mid-stream? Grind that FED rank until you can get into a FED Corvette. You will probably not actually be able to buy one when you get there given the current state of the games earning economy but the same is true for the IMP version, the Cutter and you already have some FED rank. But hey, some people think the IMP ships are pretty . . .

There is no "order" in which to do anything in this game with the possible exception of PvP combat. For that you need Engineers. All of them.

Engineers will also require you to take part in other aspects of the game, forcing you to try them out as you upgrade your ships. Some materials are acquired as mission rewards so you will run missions. Some can only be bought, many must be collected, either scraped from planetary surfaces or mined from asteroids. Some Engineers can only be unlocked through combat, some through other Engineers, etc., etc..

Other than that I find I am usually doing at least two things at any given time and often more through mission stacking. For Tutumu I was delivering Mineral Oil to North Ring and trading Crop Harvesters back to Hoyle Station (540,000/lap) while checking mission boards. When a station wanted anything the other provided I accepted that mission (just loaded a little less oil) and gained REP. So Tutumu is over? I wonder where I finished . . .

Edit: [money] WooHoo, 36,000,000+ for the CG!

Good Stuff! Did the same Tutumu route as you but in the ASP so got 28M CR in the 25%. Not bad for a week of work in a 120T ASP. I kept changing between gold and mineral oil as i watched market.
I wish I could hitch a ride as a passenger with another CMDR for a fee back to my other ship/system like the missions offered. I know we have ship transfer but i like the RES system my vulture is in and its pretty far to fly back with. (leaving my ASP in this system to do other missions )

- - - Updated - - -

My advice would be NOT to listen to advice. Especially from 'Elite' players. THEY have done the most 'grinding'...... or they wouldn't be elite. Explore the reason why you bought this game in the first place. Have fun.

LOL. OK. But wouldn't I learn from their experience to do things smarter ?

 

[rrobes]

My advice would be NOT to listen to advice. Especially from 'Elite' players. THEY have done the most 'grinding'...... or they wouldn't be elite. Explore the reason why you bought this game in the first place. Have fun.

No one is forcing anyone to grind, that is a personal choice. And for anyone to tell someone else to ignore advice from one group or another seems to me a bit myopic. I think the OP can decide what is or isn't applicable to his goal.

Advice from an "elite ginder".

 

[MrFailfactory]

- you should do, what you enjoy

- as you maybe know from FED ranking, ranking can be quite slow .... but the courier is an amazing ship you'll get on the way to the clipper (which is a great trader and miner)

- you AspE has an amazing jumprange. you'll miss that on a clipper, which has only a "good" jumprange.

- i would get at least FSD upgrades for the ships you fly currently regularly... the blueprint for L4/L5 requires a commodity, which you can buy, so it is less grindy. have in mind, that you can store and transfer moduls - you can mod all FSD with your AspE, and transfer them to your other ships.

- from what you like to do ingame it reads, as if a federal dropship could be a ship for you... it is an underrated, tanky cargo/combat ship.... not much of use if you have a python, but till than an interesting ship to fly!

so, this is what i would probably do in your case: get FSD upgrades for your AspE, and vulture. rank in the fed navy for a dropship. outifit your vulture with a class 4 shield and 32 T cargo. go to imperial space and rank for clipper. on the way fell in love with a courier, decide you don#t want to fly another ship for some time, and do something else.

Goemon,

I am one who appreciates the help and advice that you provide on these forums on a consistent basis - thanks for doing that.

On that topic, please tell me where Chemical Manipulators can be purchased - if this went into the game, I missed it, and it's information that I would be quite interested in.

Alternatively, a way to reliably collect a dozen or so of them within an hour, because I haven't stumbled onto the secret of obtaining these things quickly yet.

Thanks,

Riôt

 

[rrobes]

You can't buy chemical manipulators, yet. Go to http://inara.cz/ and sign up. This site is full of information on how to outfit your ship(s), markets, prices, factions, events, information, engineers.

Chemical manipulators are obtained from (USS), unidentified signal sources detectable while in super cruise and they are from transport ship salvage. Also found on planet surface point of interest (POI).

Also if you Google Elite Dangerous (insert topic of interest) you will get hit after hit of useful information. The search function on this forum is also helpful and there are several player created sources as well.

For ship information and test outfitting look into https://coriolis.io/.

Keep a pad and and pen handy as you are starting out to help you remember info you find useful.

BTW, some engineering items will take considerably longer that an hour to find in sufficient quantities. It is better now than it was before where you could spend days looking for stuff.

 

[JetsonRING]

Good Stuff! Did the same Tutumu route as you but in the ASP so got 28M CR in the 25%. Not bad for a week of work in a 120T ASP.

ogod. A week to earn 36 million. [cry] Barely paid for the rebuy . . . earning sucks now.

 

[harihoudini]

Good Stuff! Did the same Tutumu route as you but in the ASP so got 28M CR in the 25%. Not bad for a week of work in a 120T ASP.

ogod. A week to earn 36 million. [cry] Barely paid for the rebuy . . . earning sucks now.

Since I'm new to ED, I came in when payouts etc were already nerfed/fixed to low amounts with mission re-log/stack also removed. I never saw any of the big mission payouts that people were talking about, so for me it was a pretty big amount (close to 50% of my total earnings so far). The grind felt worthwhile to me.

 

[goemon]

Goemon,

I am one who appreciates the help and advice that you provide on these forums on a consistent basis - thanks for doing that.

On that topic, please tell me where Chemical Manipulators can be purchased - if this went into the game, I missed it, and it's information that I would be quite interested in.

Alternatively, a way to reliably collect a dozen or so of them within an hour, because I haven't stumbled onto the secret of obtaining these things quickly yet.

Thanks,

Riôt

shooting miners t9/t7/AspE in anarchy Haz RES, or in convoy beacons in high population anarchy systems in boom is the fastest way. don't bring cargo into an anarchy res/system, though. it's a bit sad that "seeking weapons"-pois aren't in the game anymore - i preferred to shoot weapon dealers.

USS/ combat aftermath is another good way.

 

[Para Handy]

Good Stuff! Did the same Tutumu route as you but in the ASP so got 28M CR in the 25%. Not bad for a week of work in a 120T ASP.

Since I'm new to ED, I came in when payouts etc were already nerfed/fixed to low amounts with mission re-log/stack also removed. I never saw any of the big mission payouts that people were talking about, so for me it was a pretty big amount (close to 50% of my total earnings so far). The grind felt worthwhile to me.

The fact that people used exploits to raise shedloads of credits in a short time just means that they missed the fun and experience of graduating from ship to ship as a result of their varied efforts. Just look at the howls when they can't get their cutter out of the slot and the station blows them up. I wouldn't be surprised to find that a lot of the "exploit grinders" have left the game because they have not become attached to what they have achieved because their credits came so easily.

Whenever you see someone moan about payouts being lower (* I hate that horrible 'n-word' *) just content yourself that you have never cheated used their shortcuts.