Taking a look at the journey of a new player

Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
I know it is kind of ironic that I post a Youtube video, with me being so critical about Youtube content creators and all that, but I thought this deserves a share. This video popped up in my recommendations, so I checked it out and I really enjoyed seeing the journey of a completely new player. Seems the maker of that video is a SC player who decided to try out Elite Dangerous, and he's made a whole series of videos over the last week or so.

We who call ourselves "veterans" often forget how awesome the game is when you have never played it. It is also a bit nail biting when you see all the "newbie mistakes" and how steep the learning curve is, but the CMDR takes it with a good and positive attitude. The awe and enthusiasm is really refreshing to see.

The Youtube channel is very new with very few views and subscribers, but the videos are well made; maybe it is an alt of a more seasoned SC Youtuber? I don't know. I hope I didn't fall for a troll channel from the one with the horse mask and the squeaky toys, because the maker sound a bit like him ;).

Anyway, I enjoyed it, and maybe you do to, and also a shoutout to the new CMDR ;).

Edit: Now with a YT link for those who cannot see the embedded video:
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpNzCBkgUiw
 
Last edited:

Alec Turner

Alec Turner
Helmut Grokenberger said:
I know it is kind of ironic that I post a Youtube video, with me being so critical about Youtube content creators and all that, but I thought this deserves a share. This video popped up in my recommendations, so I checked it out and I really enjoyed seeing the journey of a completely new player. Seems the maker of that video is a SC player who decided to try out Elite Dangerous, and he's made a whole series of videos over the last week or so.

We who call ourselves "veterans" often forget how awesome the game is when you have never played it. It is also a bit nailbiting when you see all the "newbie mistakes" and how steep the learning curve is, but the CMDR takes it with a good and positive attitude. The awe and enthusiasm is really refreshing to see.

The Youtube channel is very new with very few views and subscribers, but the videos are well made; maybe it is an alt of a more seasoned SC Youtuber? I don't know. I hope I didn't fall for a troll channel from the one with the horse mask and the squeaky toys, because the maker sound a bit like him ;).

Anyway, I enjoyed it, and maybe you do to, and also a shoutout to the new CMDR ;).

Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing, I'll give it a watch today with a view to featuring in tonight's Lave Radio community corner (given it's so apropos to last week's hints/tips for new players discussion).
 

Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
Alec Turner said:
Nice simple video series (watched the 1st and onto the 2nd). Subscribed and will definitely mention this tonight.
Click to expand...
(y)

Rubbernuke said:
Starting out is when ED is at its best, because you really are on edge and have to make choices.

As time goes on, the limits become time and the magic fades.
Click to expand...
I said this in an earlier thread, but it also fits here: Any game will have problems keeping the excitement once the player goes into four figure hours. It is only natural that it is more exciting for new players than for veterans. As a veteran, you either make your peace with the flaws and find your corner of the game to get comfy in, or you move on.
 

Fnord Velkor

Fnord Velkor
I see that FDEV still have not fixed the issue that new commanders can't now start in the Noob-Zone. Honestly, they break stuff so often it is embarrassing.
 

Rubbernuke

Rubbernuke
Helmut Grokenberger said:
(y)


I said this in an earlier thread, but it also fits here: Any game will have problems keeping the excitement once the player goes into four figure hours. It is only natural that it is more exciting for new players than for veterans. As a veteran, you either make your peace with the flaws and find your corner of the game to get comfy in, or you move on.
Click to expand...
Its not really that- early on you have the most restrictions and its more likely things will turn out 'spicy'. For me (back in the 1.x days) this was even more pronounced because you were also money poor and equipment poor. In todays game, that time has been compressed down due to money inflation and general game refinement.

Greater choices and consequences = more memorable game. I can clearly remember when I started, but find it hard to really recall much from later times.
 

yianniv

yianniv
Helmut Grokenberger said:
I know it is kind of ironic that I post a Youtube video, with me being so critical about Youtube content creators and all that, but I thought this deserves a share. This video popped up in my recommendations, so I checked it out and I really enjoyed seeing the journey of a completely new player. Seems the maker of that video is a SC player who decided to try out Elite Dangerous, and he's made a whole series of videos over the last week or so.

We who call ourselves "veterans" often forget how awesome the game is when you have never played it. It is also a bit nail biting when you see all the "newbie mistakes" and how steep the learning curve is, but the CMDR takes it with a good and positive attitude. The awe and enthusiasm is really refreshing to see.

The Youtube channel is very new with very few views and subscribers, but the videos are well made; maybe it is an alt of a more seasoned SC Youtuber? I don't know. I hope I didn't fall for a troll channel from the one with the horse mask and the squeaky toys, because the maker sound a bit like him ;).

Anyway, I enjoyed it, and maybe you do to, and also a shoutout to the new CMDR ;).

Edit: Now with a YT link for those who cannot see the embedded video:
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpNzCBkgUiw
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing, I'll watch it this evening, these videos are always inspiring.
Luckily, for me, the ED experience is still nail biting, every time I take off with my shieldless cutter from a 1st row landing pad in a space station :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
(apologies, I couldn't resist)
 

Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
Rubbernuke said:
In todays game, that time has been compressed down due to money inflation and general game refinement.
Click to expand...
I tend to disagree a bit. My CMDR is, compared to a lot of you guys, very much still a toddler - it is about to become 4 years old, and I have just passed the 2600 hour mark. So in Elite's timeline, I started well into the inflation phase, with a ruined economy as well as a strong doom culture already in place. Maybe I wasn't present at the "good old times" when you had to work for your first Cobra for months, but I still had to play smart, and the learning curve hasn't flattened too much just because of inflation. Unless you use and abuse "best start" guides, and I would argue you learn very little from them.

And when I started my Alts, the last one last year I think, I knew very well how to make money and progress quickly, but I still enjoyed the early stages of their careers. Even with my main CMDR, being a rich mercenary with credits coming out of all my orifices, I still discover new amazing stuff, start new careers with their own learing curves (I started doing AX at the beginning of this year) and am still amazed by what the game offers. And I maintain it's because I got comfy with what the game offers, found my corner of the galaxy and just enjoy it. Yeah. Carebear all over. I know ;)

Rubbernuke said:
Greater choices and consequences = more memorable game. I can clearly remember when I started, but find it hard to really recall much from later times.
Click to expand...
I clearly remember key moments from where I started - my first few minutes sitting in my first Sidewinder in VR were breathtaking, and I remember how scared I was to leave the newbie zone. But I have equally fond memories throughout my whole CMDR career - the purchase of my carrier, first time walking on it, my first landing on an atmospheric planet, my first Interceptor kill... A few weeks ago I visited the Zurara after doing the whole Project Dynasty tour. It was a 51k trip, and even though I am pretty well traveled, I was very happy and it felt like an accomplishment when I dropped at the Zurara.

I think, in great part, it is a question of mindset.
 

Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
Rubbernuke said:
Its not really that- early on you have the most restrictions and its more likely things will turn out 'spicy'. For me (back in the 1.x days) this was even more pronounced because you were also money poor and equipment poor. In todays game, that time has been compressed down due to money inflation and general game refinement.

Greater choices and consequences = more memorable game. I can clearly remember when I started, but find it hard to really recall much from later times.
Click to expand...
The hard counter to all the stuff I wrote above is of course looking at how much the CMDR I linked above progressed in the span of like two weeks. The question is: Will he get comfy or bored or jaded when he progresses even further... ;)

(Edited to form complete sentences. Words is hard.)
 
Last edited:

Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
Alec Turner said:
Well heck, that's my morning gone ... ending up watching the entire series so far. Thanks again for highlighting this @Helmut Grokenberger!
Click to expand...
You're welcome :). What really made me chuckle was the fact that, I guess because of coming from SC, the CMDR fully embraced it and went head first into spending money and ARX for cosmetics as if it was peanuts compared to what you spend in SC. Probably because it is.
 

rootsrat

Volunteer Moderator
rootsrat
Helmut Grokenberger said:
I know it is kind of ironic that I post a Youtube video, with me being so critical about Youtube content creators and all that, but I thought this deserves a share. This video popped up in my recommendations, so I checked it out and I really enjoyed seeing the journey of a completely new player. Seems the maker of that video is a SC player who decided to try out Elite Dangerous, and he's made a whole series of videos over the last week or so.
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing! I love watching these vids, the sense of early wonder is amazing :)
Helmut Grokenberger said:
We who call ourselves "veterans" often forget how awesome the game is when you have never played it. It is also a bit nail biting when you see all the "newbie mistakes" and how steep the learning curve is, but the CMDR takes it with a good and positive attitude. The awe and enthusiasm is really refreshing to see.
Click to expand...
Yeah, we often forget how amazing Elite Dangerous must be for a new player, especially now that the game is matured and has lots more content to (nomen omen) explore. Just on my last live stream there was someone that bought the game after I described it for him and shown bits and bops. He's said he's interested in exploration mainly, and I said "Well, you're in for a treat then!".

One of my viewers, who has a few 1000s of hours said "Meh, all the systems look the same and the planets are empty". I was like... Dude! Look in the Codex what you can find: from all these different stellar bodies, to phenomena, to anomalies, to exobio flora, to geological features, to living and dangerous aliens, to ancient alien ruins of a civilisation long gone, to some randomly generated locations.

It is only empty for you, because you've seen it a million times. Think from a perspective of someone who is only just starting. The scale of the galaxy is mind-boggling and there are ALL THESE WONDERS to be discovered and experienced by them for the first time ever. That is absolutely amazing experience for someone who looks for some space exploration game.

The guy (who is a long-term member of our community and a reasonable guy) was like... Do you know what? Yeah, you're right. They are going to have great time experiencing all of what the game has to offer.

In other words - we often lose perspective, because we've seen it all. It's tottaly different for new players. I try to remember that and if you keep that in mind, it is actually still possible to get that sense of wonder even after 5k hours.

Videos like the one you've linked are a great way to remind us of that and incite that feeling of amazement once again, even if the game feels bland after 5000 hours. That's one of the reasons I like watching stuff like that.
 

Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
Those who for one reason or another despise and dump on the game will get a huge gag reflex at this cuddlefest thread :). I like to remind myself how much entertainment I got for how little money. I just looked it up; I bought ED together with Horizons on Steam for 50 bucks. I missed a sale a few days later because I had just gotten my first VR headset and wanted to try it out. I also preordered Odyssey for 47 Euro, so let's call it an investment of 100 Euro*. Just shy of four years later, I have sunken 2600 hours into that. There are many ways to buy entertainment that come down to a much higher credits per hour rate.

* footnote: Yes, I know, that's just the game. Yes, I bought ARX multiple times. Yes, I spent hundreds of Euros on various HOTAS. Yes, I bought a new VR headset and expensive computer hardware upgrades to keep playing. Yes, I might be a moron to have done so. My point still stands :D.
 

Rubbernuke

Rubbernuke
Helmut Grokenberger said:
I tend to disagree a bit. My CMDR is, compared to a lot of you guys, very much still a toddler - it is about to become 4 years old, and I have just passed the 2600 hour mark. So in Elite's timeline, I started well into the inflation phase, with a ruined economy as well as a strong doom culture already in place. Maybe I wasn't present at the "good old times" when you had to work for your first Cobra for months, but I still had to play smart, and the learning curve hasn't flattened too much just because of inflation. Unless you use and abuse "best start" guides, and I would argue you learn very little from them.

And when I started my Alts, the last one last year I think, I knew very well how to make money and progress quickly, but I still enjoyed the early stages of their careers. Even with my main CMDR, being a rich mercenary with credits coming out of all my orifices, I still discover new amazing stuff, start new careers with their own learing curves (I started doing AX at the beginning of this year) and am still amazed by what the game offers. And I maintain it's because I got comfy with what the game offers, found my corner of the galaxy and just enjoy it. Yeah. Carebear all over. I know ;)


I clearly remember key moments from where I started - my first few minutes sitting in my first Sidewinder in VR were breathtaking, and I remember how scared I was to leave the newbie zone. But I have equally fond memories throughout my whole CMDR career - the purchase of my carrier, first time walking on it, my first landing on an atmospheric planet, my first Interceptor kill... A few weeks ago I visited the Zurara after doing the whole Project Dynasty tour. It was a 51k trip, and even though I am pretty well traveled, I was very happy and it felt like an accomplishment when I dropped at the Zurara.

I think, in great part, it is a question of mindset.
Click to expand...
The game was much (much) more unforgiving than it is now, and had far, far less information or utility*. For my taste as a new guy it was perfect, but as time has gone on that edge has been slowly lost and I know I'd not enjoy ED as much if I started today- (for me) that was more Elite in experience than being comfortable. This hard edge was a satisfying teacher, as (for me) I had to think hard about consequences as a nobody drifter in a beat up ship.

For example, I had no engineering (it did not exist), modules cost far more time and money than they did now (with engineering being the new credit). Missions paid out less, and you could actually go bankrupt or explode simply by grazing walls (and have to seriously think out repair bills). With no scoops I had to learn how to navigate without running out of fuel (and never have), the value of soft landings, tactical planning (being dropped in the centre of CZs) as well as knowing when to run.

*for good and bad- mining limpets, fuel scoops and self destruct being manna from heaven for some aspects.

But then I do eat burgers made out of people, so maybe its just me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom