This Is My Elite: Dangerous

[Bran Tse Mallory]

The following is my opinion. Yours may differ and that's fine.

Elite: Dangerous is my favorite game. It is epic in scale, but has had flaws in execution over the years. I've never really minded that because A) I'm an optimist at heart and know any issues will be resolved in time. B) The devs at Frontier are sincere and imaginative individuals who are expanding into unexplored territory where few have dared go before. C) Shortcomings are usually corrected reasonably quickly. D) My game play has not been impacted to any great degree. I just do something else for a bit. E) It's just a game.

I play E: D to relax. Every night after work, I go home, have dinner, catch up with my wife and then when the dishes are done I get on the computer and boot up one of my accounts. I'm on for two'ish hours a night to explore, mine, bounty hunt, or do whatever takes my fancy. I'm not in a rush to get into a certain ship, I don't hurry around stacking missions trying to make as much as possible or stay in one place to build rank for a certain ship. I simply play the game, bumbling around the galaxy. I'll sometimes meet up with friends, but usually do my own thing. I do what I want, when I want to do it. A rank increase usually takes me by surprise when I get the message in COMMS.

I've owned E: D since v1.0 and it relaxes me. I work in a technical IT job and Elite takes my mind off datacenter issues, TCP/IP, firewall rules, tickets and other issues in my life. Other games do that as well, of course, but I consistently come back to E: D after finishing GTA, Far Cry, or whatever 60 hour AAA game occupies my time. Last time I checked, I had over 4,000 hours invested in E: D across three accounts.

The staggering graphics, especially in VR, are jaw dropping. Missions and activities are varied enough for me. If I hit a dry spot where nothing appeals in mission or passenger boards, I drop onto a planet in an SRV and explore. I pick up materials and data as I go and have only ever had to go looking for one specific item (arsenic) once for engineering. I've built up rep with many sub-factions in my home and surrounding systems. Making money is no longer an issue and I can pick up missions between 2-6 million frequently.

Yes, the game has flaws, but as stated in the reasons in the second paragraph above, I know the devs are working on them and am optimistic about the future. If Frontier stumbles every now and then, well they're just human. Expecting perfection from an imperfect being just isn't realistic. I owned my own computer gaming company for ten years and it isn't easy to create a game on this scale. Overall, E: D is a fantastic piece of software. It matches my (slightly OCD) personality perfectly.

I play in Open and PG. I've been killed in Open repeatedly by other CMDR's and that brought me to Mobius and friend groups. I have no interest in PvP, preferring cooperation and a friendlier game environment exchanging "O7"'s as we pass in the mail slot. I still go into Open on occasion, but only when I have several rebuys in the bank, just in case. When in Open, I expect to be killed, but I do avoid major concentrations of players and stick to the more remote areas of the game which successfully avoids most issues.

There's no pay-to-win, it comes down to skill level and how well you can motivate yourself. Nor do I get a sense of being nickeled and dimed all the time. There's no subscription fees, there's no ship purchases and the price for the game is quite reasonable. I've never felt hard done by when dealing with Frontier. Support has always treated me well. E: D has an online store, but nothing you buy there gives you any advantage in-game. A Viper MK III with a chrome paintjob, a ship kit, plus red weapons and thrusters flies just like a stock Viper MK III.

To conclude, I wanted to thank David Braben, the devs, back room boffins and unnamed office staff at Frontier for an excellent game.

Ditto

 

[aaphebus]

Like many have already said, pretty much my own experience here. Except for the VR part (don't have VR Device).
Wife and I watching one or two episodes of our favorite serie, then wife going to sleep, me going to fly my spaceship, and sometime drinking good old whiskey during the session [yesnod]

o7

 

[Theodrid]

I've been beating up on Frontier a bit recently but that does not for a second mean that I no longer enjoy the game, I've been here since beta and enjoy the game immensely. The visuals, the sound even the really basic things like arriving and landing at a starport or planetary base still gives me enjoyment. In some ways I'm still waiting for aspects of the game that Frontier sold me during the KS/DDf days but in others I am delighted, I hope 'Beyond' delivers at least some of the improvements I'm looking and hoping for because my love for this franchise, which stems from the original, still burns strong.

 

[Aashenfox]

For all its foibles, I agree. I occasionally fire up something else (I'm a big Pro Evolution Soccer player as well), but when I do, I often feel like I'm wasting time I could be spending in Elite, doing nothing more than getting better at every aspect of it. People can say what they like about inch deep and all that, but the truth is it is possible, even after thousands of hours, to improve your technique at ANY aspect of the game.

It's this phenomenally high skill cap (sic: challenge to keep improving, even at something like fuel scooping or landing) that keeps me coming back and makes me feel like the time invested is never wasted. The complex tasks, like mastering the flight model, naturally, but also surface combat missions, even some engi mat farming activities, are the meat of the game for me, and getting better at them is truly rewarding.

 

[shadragon]

To OP: All cool and well. Just don't think that playing the game in solo is necessarily less exciting. Maybe for you (absolutely ok as well), but certainly not for me. Even after more than 4 years simply not the case. I also know both sides of the medal, just in case you wonder...

All happiness and white knightiness aside... these threads sometimes make me feel like being part of a church community.

I sense considerable mild sarcasm in your answer so I'll try to address the vague point I think you were trying to make.

First sentence of my post was, "The following is my opinion. Yours may differ and that's fine." Feel free to post yours in your own thread. It is a discussion forum after all. I play the way I like, you play the way you like. When I say, 'this is what I do', I'm not dictating what to do. That's up to you, your interests and motivations. I'm just stating my approach to the game. I'm fully aware that there are other game modes and that is one of the things I like about the game. You get choices.

Some people like running around in hull tank FDL's looking for T-7's in Open to shoot up and call it PvP, I don't, because I'm usually in the T-7. Some like to exploit credits and pull in billions, I don't. I make more than enough bumbling around doing what I enjoy. Some like to sit in one place, board flip and stack for rank advancement. I don't. I just play the game and enjoy it.

I've been called care bear, white knight and fanboy repeatedly even though I have posted multiple threads on issues, problems and game mechanic conflicts. That's usually said when a person can't come up with a logical counterargument. "Well, your point is idiotic, because you're a fanboy." Some people feel threatened when they hear an opinion that runs counter to their own beliefs. Well, I was taking completely about myself, my optimism for the game and it's future. Should you feel differently, state that. Attack the post, not the poster. You might earn a little more respect.

 

[Leo Sagan]

Elite: Dangerous is my favorite game.

Your whole post I can agree with.

I don't share your mindset, but how could I ? This is yours right ?

I do respect the way you see the game. Fortunately, the Elite Dangerous we have right now fits your needs perfectly : lucky you.

I sincerely hope it stays that way. Besides, rest assured my vision of the game is perfectly compatible with yours. I'm confident FD can keep your very own playtime safe and sound, making you happy forever.

Now can we please address the numerous problems a lot of others have with the game and maybe, just maybe improve it a little bit ? Who knows, even you might like it !

I'm not talking about those who are never happy : we both know that no one can get them satisfied. I'm talking about the numerous players who would take any significant improvement to exploration, mining and non combat stuff in general a step forward.

Hint : a new out-of-the-game-CANONN-puzzle won't do it.

Or do we want you to be happy and no one else ? Because I can invest my time and my money into a lot of other games if I'm not welcome here anymore. FD just has to tell me and I won't bug you ever again, I swear ;-)

 

[Cygnus X-1]

OP describes the game as a relaxing experience that he enjoys. I agree to the point that one of my favorite memories to the game was the trip to the core, which was long and relaxing, to a degree. There are times where it's nice to just fly around in my ships, because the flight model is nice. This is not a replacement for good gameplay. however. To admit the game has significant gameplay problems and rationalize it as "well at least it's relaxing for me to play after work", is nothing but cognitive dissonance kicking in to rationalize the game purchase.

The OP is also the type that regularly berates other people here when they post about how much the gameplay is lacking or how much they hate the grind. He tells them to grinding is "all in their mind" or this "isn't the game for them".

Maybe there's a reason why so many people realize this game isn't for them? Can anyone show me in the marketing materials of this game where it says the pinnacle of the gameplay is how relaxing it is? No, it describes cut throat galaxy, not peaceful meditative experience. That's great that people enjoy the game because it's relaxing, but come on, is that really what you bought the game for when it's called Elite DANGEROUS?

So far a month into 2.4, and the galaxy wide threat of Thargoids, you know the one that freaked the powers that be so much that they sent generation ships to seed distant systems as a backup plan in case humanity got wiped out, can be avoided by ignoring signal sources. That doesn't sound very dangerous to me.

But hey, who cares about a three year build up of a threat falling flat on it's face right out the gate as long as people can use the game to relax after work, right?

 

[verminstar]

Can anyone show me in the marketing materials of this game where it says the pinnacle of the gameplay is how relaxing it is? No, it describes cut throat galaxy, not peaceful meditative experience. That's great that people enjoy the game because it's relaxing, but come on, is that really what you bought the game for when it's called Elite DANGEROUS?

Absolutely yes, thats exactly the reason I bought this game now ye mention it.

While I agree with the gist of yer comment, I feel I should point out the part of the marketing fer this game that suggests a more laid back playstyle...that would be the inclusion of a solo mode which everyone is aware of from day one. The galaxy can still be dangerous although solo mode and the choices made there define and to some extent control the amount of danger one is likely to face.

Of course, one can just tool up with the best shiny and just stomp everything if one wishes...on the other hand, one can intentionally stick to smaller ships with minimal weaponry to maximize builds in pve, free from the constraints of playing in a populated game.

Which ironically enough hints at a more laid back approach to playing the game...its right there in their marketing from day one which yer obviously missing or didnt research properly before purchase.

That like playing gears of war then crying about the fact that yer not technically a gear and yer not technically at war...its just a name that doesnt actually mean anything and shouldnt be taken quite so literally ^

 

[shadragon]

Maybe there's a reason why so many people realize this game isn't for them? Can anyone show me in the marketing materials of this game where it says the pinnacle of the gameplay is how relaxing it is? No, it describes cut throat galaxy, not peaceful meditative experience. That's great that people enjoy the game because it's relaxing, but come on, is that really what you bought the game for when it's called Elite DANGEROUS?

I take your point, but playing in a cut-throat galaxy requires a decent crime and punishment system to maintain balance. Consequences for anti-social behaviours today is lacking. I've been in the position of spending two hours doing several recovery missions and heading back to the station to claim the rewards. I was jumped by a player in a much more powerful ship, shot up and destroyed for no reason. That left me to do the missions again as the cargo was destroyed. Seeing as this is a game, that wasn't enjoyable and that drove me to PG where I can succeed without that sort of harassment.

There was no in-game reason why they killed me other then an extra point in their PvP kill count and certainly no negatives save a 5,000 bounty. That is one of the areas I want to see improved, but it does not stop me from playing, and enjoying myself, as I wait for those amendments. I've been killed repeatedly by NPC's and that's part of the game. Being deliberately hunted for no reason is just other players being jerks.

 

[shadragon]

This is your thread - but not your church.

True enough and I was addressing your point, not attacking you. I also amended my post.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

I take your point, but playing in a cut-throat galaxy requires a decent crime and punishment system to maintain balance. Consequences for anti-social behaviors today is lacking.

I completely agree. I think you and I are largely on the same page with what makes this game great, there's just a lot of things that make it fall short of excellence, and I understand when people get frustrated when it isn't quite what they thought it would be. I mostly explore and do mining because it's relaxing, but it could be so much more engaging and fun. I like combat, but don't do piracy because there isn't much of a incentive to do so.

I'm pretty optimistic about the changes described in Beyond, but man, it seems like every game I'm into these days, i.e. Dwarf Fortress, PUBG, Subnautica, I'm waiting for a future release to get the features that sounds so cool [haha]