The End?

[Old Duck]

Let's put aside bugs and shadows and elephant butt leather for a moment and focus just on the game itself. I fired up Elite Dangerous after a few months on hiatus, did some things, and then exited with the thought, "I think I really am done with the game..." It just doesn't 'scratch the itch' like it used to. This is not a critique, as the same thing happened to me with other "open ended" games like Skyrim, Spider-Man, and even MMOs like DCUO and ESO. I just never thought it would happen with Elite.

I hang out here in the forums because I have a lot of nostalgia and good memories from my early days of playing Elite, and I have hope that perhaps new gameplay, missions, stories, etc. will someday be added to draw me back. Still, I'm kinda disappointed that the ride is over.

Like I said, this is not a critique or slam against Elite. I have plenty of those, but that's not the purpose of this thread. I'm not done because of bugs or even graphics, but rather that I just don't derive the joy of doing the things ED has to offer like I once did. I got over 2 years out of the game, which include some of the best memories in my gaming history, so I'm not 'rage quitting', just walking away into the sunset on a distance moon. Surely I'm not the only one to go through this. If you have a similar story, I'd love to hear it. Misery loves company, after all!

And no, you can't haz my stuff. If space legs and base building truly are coming to the game someday, I'll be back!

 

[Urbanski101]

Yeah I hear you.

Played since beta and took breaks when needed. The breaks got longer and longer and when I returned each time it was for a shorter period.

I recently came back again having felt the ED itch but it's just not engaging me anymore. I have one final box to tick however so I will stay until that is done, then its probably late 2020 to see what all the secrecy and fuss was about.

Like you I've had a blast at times and I have so many great gaming memories from ED....I certainly got value for money.

I played the original Elite back in the day and Frontier after that so my love for the game and franchise runs deep which is why I have this love / hate thing with ED. It's difficult to play this game with any enthusiasm but when I'm not playing I miss it...go figure.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

I've been quitting ED and coming back for years.

I don't think it's possibly to play one game repeatedly without burning out.
Some games will burn me out quicker than others, ED is taking a very long time. Lol

Some days I do log in and just think "meh", then log off.
Other days I log in and hammer away at whatever task I set myself.

Currently I'm on an unplanned break, but I shall return! However, I also have 2 new games to play when I do. So we'll see which takes priority!

 

[jasonbarron]

Let's put aside bugs and shadows and elephant butt leather for a moment and focus just on the game itself. I fired up Elite Dangerous after a few months on hiatus, did some things, and then exited with the thought, "I think I really am done with the game..." It just doesn't 'scratch the itch' like it used to. This is not a critique, as the same thing happened to me with other "open ended" games like Skyrim, Spider-Man, and even MMOs like DCUO and ESO. I just never thought it would happen with Elite.

I hang out here in the forums because I have a lot of nostalgia and good memories from my early days of playing Elite, and I have hope that perhaps new gameplay, missions, stories, etc. will someday be added to draw me back. Still, I'm kinda disappointed that the ride is over.

Like I said, this is not a critique or slam against Elite. I have plenty of those, but that's not the purpose of this thread. I'm not done because of bugs or even graphics, but rather that I just don't derive the joy of doing the things ED has to offer like I once did. I got over 2 years out of the game, which include some of the best memories in my gaming history, so I'm not 'rage quitting', just walking away into the sunset on a distance moon. Surely I'm not the only one to go through this. If you have a similar story, I'd love to hear it. Misery loves company, after all!

And no, you can't haz my stuff. If space legs and base building truly are coming to the game someday, I'll be back!

It's been quite a while since I quit playing the game (my reasons being that it was a massive time sink for me and negatively impacting my time with my family), but I spent so much time playing the game and engaging the community over the years that I still maintain a solid connection to this forum, as well as a few related Discord channels. Hopefully you do the same, Duck.

o7

 

[Viajero]

Let's put aside bugs and shadows and elephant butt leather for a moment and focus just on the game itself. I fired up Elite Dangerous after a few months on hiatus, did some things, and then exited with the thought, "I think I really am done with the game..." It just doesn't 'scratch the itch' like it used to. This is not a critique, as the same thing happened to me with other "open ended" games like Skyrim, Spider-Man, and even MMOs like DCUO and ESO. I just never thought it would happen with Elite.

I hang out here in the forums because I have a lot of nostalgia and good memories from my early days of playing Elite, and I have hope that perhaps new gameplay, missions, stories, etc. will someday be added to draw me back. Still, I'm kinda disappointed that the ride is over.

Like I said, this is not a critique or slam against Elite. I have plenty of those, but that's not the purpose of this thread. I'm not done because of bugs or even graphics, but rather that I just don't derive the joy of doing the things ED has to offer like I once did. I got over 2 years out of the game, which include some of the best memories in my gaming history, so I'm not 'rage quitting', just walking away into the sunset on a distance moon. Surely I'm not the only one to go through this. If you have a similar story, I'd love to hear it. Misery loves company, after all!

And no, you can't haz my stuff. If space legs and base building truly are coming to the game someday, I'll be back!

No worries. Perfectly normal that after a certain amount time a game, most games, tend to lose their appeal. Good old game burnout, happens at some point to all of us with most games. Only cure is to perhaps have a break and then maybe come back later to check back if any new content or some such. Plenty of options out there, especially after the steam sale

 

[Old Duck]

I've been quitting ED and coming back for years.

I don't think it's possibly to play one game repeatedly without burning out.
Some games will burn me out quicker than others, ED is taking a very long time. Lol

Same here, but that's the thing - I've been on hiatus for months now, playing other games instead. I recently hit my burnout in Overwatch (happens every time I binge that game), which historically has been a good time to come back to Elite for a change of pace. But this time, unlike previous times, I just can't get back into it. This time is different...

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Same here, but that's the thing - I've been on hiatus for months now, playing other games instead. I recently hit my burnout in Overwatch (happens every time I binge that game), which historically has been a good time to come back to Elite for a change of pace. But this time, unlike previous times, I just can't get back into it. This time is different...

You probably didn't feel the itch. You don't come back without it!
It just takes longer each time I think, plus it really helps to have goals to work towards, otherwise there's little point playing.

 

[Riverside]

There is no subscription, you own the game & can dip in & out of it whenever you like.

One of the issues 'endless' games have is when to stop playing - there can be a tendency to keep going until you are bored, which means longer term players are much more likely to leave disappointed than satisfied.

I've played Elite style games on & off for 35 years now and haven't tired of the simple pleasure of flying my ship(s) and concocting reasons to fly them and goals to achieve, but I haven't done it continuously for 35 years, I've done other things too. I owned Porsches for about 12-13 years, and have done dozens of track days & driver training / experience days in off-road vehicles, trucks, bikes, all sorts, I still have an MX-5 parked at the back of the drive, I just like driving it. I like challenging myself and computer games are a pretty cheap & safe way to do that. I did racing sims for years & ran the biggest league in Europe, I still keep two steering wheels in case one breaks because I wouldn't want to not be able to play if I wanted to (and have had controllers break on me, I have a spare Hotas too).

Dip in & out as you please

 

[Old Duck]

You probably didn't feel the itch. You don't come back without it!
It just takes longer each time I think, plus it really helps to have goals to work towards, otherwise there's little point playing.

Well I sorta felt an itch, I think from various threads I've interacted with in recent days. I think that itch was based on nostalgic feelings, however..

Part of the problem could well be the lack of anything new. Colored planets brought me back for 3.0 (I never new the game before the beige plague), new ships brought me back for 3.1 and 3.2, and the FSS and the promise of the Codex brought me back for 3.3. While bugs greatly diminished my experience with these, I still enjoyed the updates all-in-all. Like I said, I've thought, "What if there were no bugs, would I be happily enjoying the game?" The answer used to be 'Yes', but now, I honestly don't think so.

But like I said, I'll be back for space legs and bases!

 

[Vasco Sapien]

Frank will help with some perspective.
This song always makes me thing of the good times.
Maybe once ARX arrive and you earn them in time spans measured in half-lifes, you will play again.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Well I sorta felt an itch, I think from various threads I've interacted with in recent days. I think that itch was based on nostalgic feelings, however..

Part of the problem could well be the lack of anything new. Colored planets brought me back for 3.0 (I never new the game before the beige plague), new ships brought me back for 3.1 and 3.2, and the FSS and the promise of the Codex brought me back for 3.3. While bugs greatly diminished my experience with these, I still enjoyed the updates all-in-all. Like I said, I've thought, "What if there were no bugs, would I be happily enjoying the game?" The answer used to be 'Yes', but now, I honestly don't think so.

But like I said, I'll be back for space legs and bases!

I was sort of in the same boat (pun intended).
Bugs rarely bother me, and I don't think I've come across any of the game breaking ones.
But I used to get very bored between patches, taking longer and longer break, and playing for a shorter time.

Then I joined a Squadron. In December. Lol
Haven't stopped playing since, it's given me heaps reasons to stick around, and endless goals to work towards.

Which is really odd, considering I'm usually a lone wolf. I guess I found my pack!

The only thing stifling my interest is the gathering of some G5 materials. Heck, some G3 can be annoying stubborn to dig up. Luckily material traders can sort that one, but the G5 stuff is just utterly demoralising (for me).

 

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

I'm currently back after a 6 month break (well I would be, if Comcast didn't suck today), my first break in over 3 years.

Whilst playing solidly for all that time, and again for the last 3 months, I find that I'm engaging with less and less of the game. I used to do a wide variety of activities (everything except mining and PvP, essentially) but as time has gone on I've become more and more of a pure explorer. The new features (few that there are) and updates since 2.0 have taken the game further and further from the one I want to play, and if the leak is correct then 2020 won't add anything I actually want to do, so I have little hope that things are going to change for the better.

I suspect I'll be checking out for good before too much longer.

 

[CMDR Karrde Sun]

No im kinda battling that myself. At a minimum, you have to not care if you don't play it every day, and only come in when you have a sandbox goal to try. Logging in when you don't feel excited to will end it quicker than anything else.

You're on ps4 right? Maybe try the thrustmaster hotas. I don't fully recommended it because the throttle resistance is flakey, but it is a hotas.

Also squadrons let you associate yourself with a minor faction. I thought i was going to do a whole bunch of things, but when i made mine recently, it was certainly related to my long running experience in the game, and i have an uncontrollable urge to go bgs this faction to win, or at least see what trouble i can cause before getting sick of the experience. I'm even resurrecting my python, the "Bloody Mary", for mission running and maybe a crack at fixed weapons.

Ahh dammit.

Yeah i do admit frontiers progress have the opposite effect of what they're intending, instead of opening doors its actually more likely to back you into a corner for what you still dont mind doing.. but hey. Think sandbox, and no pressure.

 

[Rustnsawdust]

Way of the world.

About 20-some years ago I played Civ to death; loved it, couldn't imagine anything better. Then sometime around CivIV the love was gone.

Its place in my affections was taken by Age of Empires. Then that palled. And then came Medieval: Total War (and sequels) - ye gods, I loved those games. Played them every day for what seems like years... but one day the allure disappeared.

Had a brief (multi-year) flirtation with Call of Duty in its various incarnations, but came the day I spent £40 on one instalment and finished it in 15 hours. Done and thank you.

For the last five years I've bounced between the annual release of Football Manager, and Elite: Dangerous. A new FM arrives around November each year, and I play it until I can't stand it. Then I go back to ED for four or five months (which is where I am now).

Different games, different kinds of enjoyment. All that to say, take your pleasure where you find it, and when you find it enjoy it, because nothing lasts forever. And when you're done, please just walk away. Nothing sadder than an ex-gamer who just won't let go... these forums are a perfect example. Good luck, and find your next great thing!

 

[IamMe]

I stopped playing almost 2 years ago (since 2.3), booted up Elite few times for 20min since then.
There is still some hope in me that they will add atmos, rework FSS to be part of the ships UI...etc.
Checking forum from time to time for news about 2020update, and sometimes throwing few grains of salt on the round table of Camelot (or Crapsalot as i like to call them).

 

[DragonIV]

I've said much of the same to myself @Old Duck. My last break was likely going to be my last but recently @The Pilot got me enthused about flying all the ships again, and so here I am, because I do truly enjoy flying them. It's a lot of the rest of the game I find lacking, boring, etc. For how long I'll stay this time, I'm not sure, but will cross that bridge when it comes.

 

[Jenner]

I've taken many breaks from ED, and I always come back. I don't play as much as I used to I don't think, though. These days I usually fire it up to mine one rock, make one delivery, one mission, etc. A little here and a little there. It's a game and community that I will always think of fondly. It's not a new game anymore, though, and I think most here would agree that the pace of development has been somewhat slower than we'd hoped.

I hope that the 2020 update will breathe some new life into the old girl.

 

[WinterKing2112]

Let's put aside bugs and shadows and elephant butt leather for a moment and focus just on the game itself. I fired up Elite Dangerous after a few months on hiatus, did some things, and then exited with the thought, "I think I really am done with the game..." It just doesn't 'scratch the itch' like it used to. This is not a critique, as the same thing happened to me with other "open ended" games like Skyrim, Spider-Man, and even MMOs like DCUO and ESO. I just never thought it would happen with Elite.

I hang out here in the forums because I have a lot of nostalgia and good memories from my early days of playing Elite, and I have hope that perhaps new gameplay, missions, stories, etc. will someday be added to draw me back. Still, I'm kinda disappointed that the ride is over.

Like I said, this is not a critique or slam against Elite. I have plenty of those, but that's not the purpose of this thread. I'm not done because of bugs or even graphics, but rather that I just don't derive the joy of doing the things ED has to offer like I once did. I got over 2 years out of the game, which include some of the best memories in my gaming history, so I'm not 'rage quitting', just walking away into the sunset on a distance moon. Surely I'm not the only one to go through this. If you have a similar story, I'd love to hear it. Misery loves company, after all!

And no, you can't haz my stuff. If space legs and base building truly are coming to the game someday, I'll be back!

See you in 2020.

 

[Captain Willard]

He'll be back. You'll see. So will many others, me included.
The game that never ends.
Let's hope FD keeps adding to that.

 

[GunnerBill]

It's summer, there are summery things to do! Do them and wait for the long cold nights to rekindle you interest. If not, not to worry, there are other things in life.

I have to admit while summer is a thing I'm playing a lot less.

I'll also say it again, these forum changes have dented my interest in the game itself as I'm hanging here a lot less and it really seems that my in game motivation is in part fired by learning about things here on the community.