Unsure buyer.

[tafkabb]

I've been playing since June and there's loads I don't know yet. I've never done a CG and I've never mined so much as a pebble.

 

[CMDR Nef]

I was going to be the first to say 'No'. I worry about your attachments to goals. BUT this is, hands down, the best/most helpful forum around. And, whisper it, it's more friendly than the PC forum. You've lucked out my friend.
btw as mentioned above, solo (and the lack of any penalty while still in the starter ship) is your friend to start with OR you could team up with any of the many, ridiculously helpful CMDRs (That's Commanders. Prepare for a MAJOR jargon download into your brain), who hand-hold new players. You're certainly not alone right now. The sale has meant an influx of new CMDRs.
Also there are goals. There's a always something else to reach for.
Then there's the question of narrative. There IS narrative. Some is player-led similar to the faction interaction of EVE, but there is also an underlying narrative that we're ALL in the process of slowly (VERY slowly) uncovering.
Which brings us to the most important thing you'll learn in ED: Patience. Without patience you will quit in a day. Without patience you will never progress beyond the Sidewinder. Without patience you will certainly never attain the higher ranks.
Anyway, since you've decided to go ahead, a very warm welcome to both the game and the forum.

I just wanted to mention this as well OP! There IS a narrative. It kinda in the background most of the time though. Stuff IS happening, there's political struggles, the Emperor of the Empire was poisoned and killed, we discovered an unknown alien structure in a nebula, the ex-president of the Federation disappeared and was found again, a player faction helped fuel a station with giant engines to take a trip across the milky way, etc, etc. You can read "Galnet" to hear some stories from time to time. Some of it is player driven, some is done by Frontier themselves.

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Threads like this always serve a good reminder of that initial learning curve. We've all been there, but it's easy to forget just how bad it is. However, having left base camp far behind, even though there's plenty of mountain ahead and above us at moments like this we can all reflect on just how very far we've already come. Well done everyone.
And New guys? We left ropes and crampons and a few of us are sherpas. Happy climbing!

When I first started, I thought the bubble was insurmountable. Now I feel the bubble is small, haha. I often go from Diaguandri all the way to Cubeo on an hourly basis for different things. I have like 40 "bookmarked" stations, lol.

 

[Divine Cerinian]

I just wanted to mention this as well OP! There IS a narrative. It kinda in the background most of the time though. Stuff IS happening, there's political struggles, the Emperor of the Empire was poisoned and killed, we discovered an unknown alien structure in a nebula, the ex-president of the Federation disappeared and was found again, a player faction helped fuel a station with giant engines to take a trip across the milky way, etc, etc. You can read "Galnet" to hear some stories from time to time. Some of it is player driven, some is done by Frontier themselves.

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When I first started, I thought the bubble was insurmountable. Now I feel the bubble is small, haha. I often go from Diaguandri all the way to Cubeo on an hourly basis for different things. I have like 40 "bookmarked" stations, lol.

God, Nef is right about your comfort zone. I used to think the starter systems were wide spread, then I used to think the imperials were far from the feds. Now that I've been out in the deep black, the bubble itself is tiny to me.
You'll grow as a commander, and look back upon it later and smile at yourself and how far you've come.

 

[iconoclypse]

God, Nef is right about your comfort zone. I used to think the starter systems were wide spread, then I used to think the imperials were far from the feds. Now that I've been out in the deep black, the bubble itself is tiny to me.
You'll grow as a commander, and look back upon it later and smile at yourself and how far you've come.

Maybe this is what we need to focus on as a community. The idea of GROWTH. I know that I've learned about the game on this forum, but I've also found it life-affirming. And I've realised that maybe I'd retreated from the world a little too much. There are good people out there, fun people, clever people, people who don't judge. I'd all but given up hope. It's just me and my wife. I changed my name legally to 'divorce' myself from my 'family', while Lee's are all 4500+ miles away. I owe you all a debt of gratitude.
Growing in the game is one thing, but growing with the game, through this forum, is, well, I'm not sure I have the words. But you know when your other half comments on it, but not in a negative way? Well, ah I'll shut up (-ish).

 

[TwoWheeledToad]

I've been playing since August 2nd last year (yep, I even remember the date) and I still haven't got the whole game figured out! And, honestly, I like it like that. It's still awe inspiring

Best game ever? I certainly think so

 

[tafkabb]

OP, if you want a bit of immersion and narrative, don't forget to periodically check Galnet when docked. It usually has a few articles about what is going on in the rest of the Galaxy.
I don't bother with it myself (small cog in a big machine), but you may get some mileage from it.

You can read Galnet in your ship (left panel)