I never started over; I would never ever be able to reset my main account. But when I started my first alt account when I got the Epic freeby years ago it was an interesting experience. It was fun, because I could always go back to my main account who has everything; but having to work around restraints, be it credits, ranks or whatever, or certain rules you set for your account, is interesting and at least in part fun.
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Newcomer / Intro Starting Over
- Thread starter AEBRAM
- Start date
I have played out my next game session since starting over, and here is part two to the new player experience. I focused on getting credits to A rate my upgraded ship's core modules out. All set to begin gathering engineering materials to "run the gambit" and unlock all engineers in sequential order.
Source: https://youtu.be/yVz03qiIzMI
True, but the one thing I'd really loathe to do again after a reset is unlocking all engineers.
The process to unlocking the engineers is made easier since Frontier's changes to engineering materials. I made one video on encoded data and optimizing Jameson to also collect low grade raw materials. I have another video discussing manufacturing materials - about the old but also showing how High Encoded signals has made gathering the manufacturing materials way easier, in context to the time spent to materials gain ratio. After manufacturing materials then I will knock out raw materials then be set to cascade unlocking the engineers. You can complete the whole gathering materials with 2-hours sessions for 1 or 2 days then another session for raw materials than boom: Good to go!
Here is my video on Manufacturing materials
(I am still learning to improve my videos, so please forgive the amateur quality)
True, but you still have to fly 5000 ly away and rummage through Thargoid ruins to unlock G5 thrusters. For G5 lasers, you need a combat rank of "Competent". All very doable of course, but I simply can't be bothered.
No. You do not have to do the 5k LY trip. This is where raising previous engineer's reputation helps you skip over another engineer's requirements.True, but you still have to fly 5000 ly away and rummage through Thargoid ruins to unlock G5 thrusters. For G5 lasers, you need a combat rank of "Competent". All very doable of course, but I simply can't be bothered.
Edited: I can prove this point with a video clip on another engineer from no invite to unlocked and ready to be used for engineering and building reputation with.
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I thought to share my next video installment on gathering raw materials while I work towards unlocking engineers. I am still using the same ship as the one ending in my first video. It is lengthy to show game play, and sometimes, seeing and doing is a good teaching tool for new people starting out.
Source: https://youtu.be/dZfsVXVhDe0
Really? That's the first time I hear this.
Well, has your new CMDR unlocked Palin and Sedesi without travellling 5000 lys away and back? If you say yes, I'll believe you.
Look. You do not have to believe me and take the 10,000 LY round trip. I simply know this by fact, as I've shown other CMDRs, which also did not have to complete this requirement because previous engineer's reputation does check off other engineer requirements. I also apologize for my strong tone here, however, I know what I do know to be right after 3,000+ hours of playing this game and helping others through the hurdles of unlocking engineers.Really? That's the first time I hear this.
Well, has your new CMDR unlocked Palin and Sedesi without travellling 5000 lys away and back? If you say yes, I'll believe you.
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Length of time playing the game doesn't mean you're automatically right - I have more than 10,000 hours.
However it's been eight years since I've had to unlock Palin and Sedisi, so things may have changed.
If you have a video demonstrating that you don't need the 5000 light years, I'd appreciate you posting it, in case I decide to roll another account.
However it's been eight years since I've had to unlock Palin and Sedisi, so things may have changed.
If you have a video demonstrating that you don't need the 5000 light years, I'd appreciate you posting it, in case I decide to roll another account.
True. I concede to your point. However, you are able to skip requirements.
Case and point here: You can complete other engineer's reputation than finish the Liz Wilder reputation mission that returns the engineering invite which consequently completes all the Lei Cheung requirements that allows you to immediately visit his workshop to build reputation; and this in turn returns an invite to another engineer.
Another case and point: The Dweller can be unlocked and his workshop made available after accepting any cargo delivery mission than abandoning the mission to turn the goods into stolen goods, and you go and visit his workshop to engineer your power distributor with a r5 blueprint.
I could name other case and point examples. Marco Qwent offers nothing than another pinned blueprint. He is the steppingstone to the one other engineer to acquire the other final 2 ranks for Thrusters, whereas The Dweller and Hera Tani allows you to apply rank 5 blueprints to the PP and PA.
[Edited] Is it supposed to work that way? I do not know except that it does help new players get through unlocking and building reputation with engineers easier. At the end of the day, the ability to skip over requirements helps those players start out in Elite Dangerous. Plus, it's ridiculous to ask a new player to make a 10,000 LY round trip into the black with minimal or no FSD engineering: That's like asking them to spend their game sessions doing 230+ jumps (43 Ly jump range) for an engineer requirement? No other engineer imposes such a huge inconvenience on new players.
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I never said you couldn't - there have been multiple bugs related to unlocking engineers over the years. They've been introduced, squashed and unintentionally reintroduced. I believe FD got rid of several unlock requirements as it solved the problem once and for all, and improved the new player experience.
I assume you mean Liz Ryder. If that's the case (and you aren't talking about a brand new, unknown engineer), then I can say quite confidently that something different from what you describe is happening - I only unlocked Liz Ryder today (on my newest account) as I decided to engineer some high capacity dumbfire missiles for my Cobra Mk. V.
The Cobra V already had G5 reinforced shields on it as I'd already unlocked Lei Cheung. I didn't have to donate 200t of gold, nor did I have to trade in 50 markets:
This indicates that certain requirements are skipped, but that it is not related to your relationship with another engineer, at least in the case of Liz Ryder.
The same lack of requirements, stemming from a failed bugfix, means that the Dweller is unlocked by default. The in-game descriptions for the engineers still refer to the unlock requirements, which is unfortunate.
I would note that none of the above facts support the claim that Pailin and Sedisi can be unlocked via only your relationship with Qwent. Speaking of whom, ...
Yes, that is the unlock flow - you need to gain reputation with Qwent in order for him to pass you the information on Palin and Sedisi. I last unlocked Palin and Sedisi quite recently - within the last four months. I would note, however, that even with Qwent at maximum rank, I still had to travel 5000LY to get the invitation and collect 25 sensor fragments to unlock Palin.
As for Qwent offering nothing more than a pinned blueprint, that's what they all become in some fashion or another. Engineers are a bit like Pokemon in that sense. The special effects are nice, but they're not game-changing upgrades, especially in comparison to the power increase offered by just the pinned blueprint.
If you have evidence that you don't need to do the 5KLY trip, I'd like to see it. It would mean that I can change the advice I give to new players, and will save me time when I next start a new CMDR.
As I noted above, I've heard that some of the entry engineers unlock requirements were basically switched off due to bugs. I agree that it really helps new CMDRs, and I suspect this is why it was left as it is. The fourth time you start an account, trading in 50 markets and donating 200 units of gold gets really boring.
As for 5KLY, I think that on the one hand it does encourage players to try their hand at exploration, and the famed payouts for exobiology are only available when you start getting first footfalls, which requires at least a couple of thousand light years of travel. This is not a bad thing, as it means new players can basically get themselves the billions they will need to buy and outfit their fleet while also unlocking Palin and Sedisi - in that respect, it's actually rather convenient. On the other hand, exploration is not for everyone - I personally don't enjoy it.
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Hey, I didn't mean to offend you, I just asked the simple question if your new CMDR has Palin and Sedesi unlocked without flying 5000 lys. I know that at least sometimes, some requirements are not required. But to my knowledge as of today, it's not possible to skip the 5000 ly trip. So I would be very thankful indeed if you could tell us how you've done this.
+1
As soon as Frontier removes the lock on Marco, I will be able to tell you definitively. There reason that I say this about the 5k Ly because I have had multiple, other CMDRs, new players, be able to skip this requirement. Now. They still have to do the Modular part, otherwise, it's possible to skip this requirement. The reason that I've found doing this multiple times has been establishing reputation rank with other engineers.
Of course, Frontier could have changed this, as I am going through another reset of progress; but I can tell you that I have unlocked and ranked the following (see images). The two that follow Marco seem to be blocked on sending invites to players. I have Broo Tarquin, Zacheria Nemo, and Tiana Fortune left until Frontier removes the lock and Sirius survives (?) the Thargoid attack on them that's happening now.
Unlocking all those engineers (see image) took only two game sessions once you have collected all your engineering materials. Only a couple did you have to complete the turn ins or drop cartography data to gain reputation, otherwise, the rest of them, the requirements were passed over due to your reputation gains with other engineers.
Attachments
All you need to do is post a screenshot of your CMDR's codex, specifically the maximum distance travelled:
If the number is less than 5000, then you have evidence that 5000LY is not a requirement.
If you can do that, I would ask you to grab a quick video of your right-hand panel, going from the engineers screen showing at least an invitation from Palin and Sedisi, to the codex exploration tab showing that you have travelled less than 5000LY. That would be very strong evidence indeed.
I'd also suggest - gently, and in the interests of both you growing your channel and for the benefit of the broader Elite playerbase - that, from my perspective, you want to get this right. It won't help you - or the people who watch your videos - if you're wrong. If you're right, it's an amazing discovery and you should rightly benefit from it. If you're wrong, then the best you can hope for is that people don't care.
The worst case scenario is that people stop playing the game because they have been confused and misled by what you've posted.
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I had the same thought. In fact, I was going to ask a friend to post theirs that I've guided and helped them through unlocking engineers because it would do exactly what you suggested. The reason that I have been firm about the 5k requirement being waived was that I have first-hand experience where this has been waived after ranking up other engineers: Should I be wrong than I am also man enough to say so since I also would not want to falsely mislead someone else.
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To put the question to rest. You do not have to travel 5,000 Ly to unlock Marco Qwent. I have attached a short clip to prove my point:True, but you still have to fly 5000 ly away and rummage through Thargoid ruins to unlock G5 thrusters. For G5 lasers, you need a combat rank of "Competent". All very doable of course, but I simply can't be bothered.
As you will notice the only requirement for me to complete is the 25 modules, and once I have done this then I will have full access to the Engineer to apply r4 PP/PD engineering blueprints. The reason this is possible occurs when ranking other engineers' reputation, in turn, removes or satisfies other engineer's requirements.
You never had to travel 5kly for Marco. The 5kly was/is(?) for Professor Palin/Chloe Sedesi, the two engineers who can push your thrusters to Grade 5.
But yes - after a recent reset, I found out that I apparently got access to a few engineers (boxes on their info page have been checked) for whom I didn't even attempt the unlock.