US Central Time zone - any players during the evening?

[geoffrey.hdt]

Hi there,

I am returning to the game after many years. So much has changed for the better, and I have spent the last couple of weeks getting back into shape, mastering my new gamepad and rudder pedals (I used to fly with a HOTAS, but I wanted to try something cheaper and less space-consuming), learning how to collect the different materials efficiently (such a bliss compared to the grind 8 years ago!!!), and surprisingly even earned 1 billion credits doing fun things.
Now, where are the players???
I live in the US, Central time zone, and ALWAYS meet a few commanders the very few times I connect during the day (mostly to move my ships around, collect a few materials, find some missions)...
...but when I connect evening around 8-9pm (when I have time to play for real), it's dead quiet... :-(

I do Open Play, of course, but also tried Mobius, just in case, but nope.
I did configure port forwarding both in game (port 5100) and on my router (tried TCP/UDP, as well as UDP only).
I even tried to switch between Odyssey and Horizon, but no difference.

I know it's a vast space out there, which makes it more difficult to meet each other, but any hints of where I should go and what I could do to meet other commanders?
And I mean, anybody, even gankers (which are to me one of the fun parts of the game...just need to learn running away from them, find ways to annoy them, or face them with more than enough credits in the bank).
I am eagerly waiting for the next CG, hoping this will gather players in one spot...

Cmdr Geoff'59 (feel free to add me, find me, gank on me, maybe?)

 

[Bigmaec]

I was at a starport trading Bauxite today (Dahan) just until 20 minutes ago, met some CMDRs, got even legit pirated once. Space is big, without CGs it's luck if you find someone.

Or you go to Deciat, or ShinDez, my friendlist tells me there is emergent action.

 

[Hank]

Besides what he ^^ said, popular engineer sites and heavily mined areas usually have some activity (hollow squares). My old hangout Ray Gateway in Diaguandri has grown in popularity the last few months around the time frame you mentioned.

GL HF

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

[...]

Or you go to Deciat, or ShinDez, my friendlist tells me there is emergent action.

Eh eh, you mean this as a joke, but I recently got Elite Combat rank for this very reason...I am actually about to give it a try in my engineered CZ Conda (I still need to engineer there my SCB's).

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

Besides what he ^^ said, popular engineer sites and heavily mined areas usually have some activity (hollow squares). My old hangout Ray Gateway in Diaguandri has grown in popularity the last few months around the time frame you mentioned.

GL HF

Yup, Diaguandri is where I have met a few commanders (I go there to trade-down my data materials, and refill the same nearby at Jameson's crash)...during the day, that is :-/

 

[crnook]

You may look into joining a squadron and/or powerplay. Join their discord channels and you will find lots of people to group up with.

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

I find that while playing I sometimes don't notice other Cmdrs.
It's only when I look at the comms Cmdr history tab that I realise I've run across 20+ or so in the few hours I've played.
As BigMaec mention, Shin Dez is a good place to bump into people as they use Jamesons as a home base and it's where quite a few Cmdrs go to buy stuff due to the discount.
Last few times I went to Deciat there was no griefers to be found, boooooooooo.
CGs are definitely a hotbed of Cmdrs running into each other...but for some weirdly odd reason we've not had one for what feels like forever! Double boooooooooo.

 

[Bigmaec]

Dahan today again had 2-5 CMDRs in the instance (Inara Bauxite trade route), this time without pirates sadly .

Those trade routes are mini CGs, if they are sufficiently lucrative.

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

Yup, after getting Elite combat rank I finally have access to Shindez. Met quite a few commanders there yesterday during the day and early evening. But after 10pm CT, dead quiet again.
No griefers there or in Deciat, even my shiny new uningineered shieldless Mandalay made it without a scratch.

I will have to plan my boring logistic activities (moving ships around, collecting mats, etc...) for after the other commanders go to bed.

Thx for the trading route tip, I will give it a try. Will be a good opportunity to fly my tradaconda which has been sitting in the garage collecting space dust...

Eh, any popular pirate massacre spot out there?
I spent 5 days in Misir (got 1.5 rank up towards the Corvette, as well as ~2 billions credits) but did not meet ANY commander.

Power Play...does it really help meeting/facing other commanders? I got scammed about it 8 years ago...

As for squadrons, any guide out there listing them, when they are active (there is no point joining one active out of your time zone...) and what they are doing?

BTW, I read on Galnet that Fed and Empire are fighting for Sol...I assume driven by players? Anything worth happening around there? Like conflict zones?

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

I find that while playing I sometimes don't notice other Cmdrs.
[...]

Press [Ctrl]+[ B ] to display the bandwidth stats in the lower left corner.

Watch it when you enter a system/drop at a station. If you see the numbers going up crazy continuously (they also go up briefly if you have ongoing missions), then you know a commander is around, even if not showing on your scanner yet.

 

[Bigmaec]

Press [Ctrl]+[ B ] to display the bandwidth stats in the lower left corner.

Watch it when you enter a system/drop at a station. If you see the numbers going up crazy continuously (they also go up briefly if you have ongoing missions), then you know a commander is around, even if not showing on your scanner yet.

Pretty sure Snuffler plays in VR and the bandwidth monitor doesn't work in VR (sadly).

 

[zeta]

Hi there,

I am returning to the game after many years. So much has changed for the better, and I have spent the last couple of weeks getting back into shape, mastering my new gamepad and rudder pedals (I used to fly with a HOTAS, but I wanted to try something cheaper and less space-consuming), learning how to collect the different materials efficiently (such a bliss compared to the grind 8 years ago!!!), and surprisingly even earned 1 billion credits doing fun things.
Now, where are the players???
I live in the US, Central time zone, and ALWAYS meet a few commanders the very few times I connect during the day (mostly to move my ships around, collect a few materials, find some missions)...
...but when I connect evening around 8-9pm (when I have time to play for real), it's dead quiet... :-(

I do Open Play, of course, but also tried Mobius, just in case, but nope.
I did configure port forwarding both in game (port 5100) and on my router (tried TCP/UDP, as well as UDP only).
I even tried to switch between Odyssey and Horizon, but no difference.

I know it's a vast space out there, which makes it more difficult to meet each other, but any hints of where I should go and what I could do to meet other commanders?
And I mean, anybody, even gankers (which are to me one of the fun parts of the game...just need to learn running away from them, find ways to annoy them, or face them with more than enough credits in the bank).
I am eagerly waiting for the next CG, hoping this will gather players in one spot...

Cmdr Geoff'59 (feel free to add me, find me, gank on me, maybe?)

You can try SOL and surrounding systems and follow AX activities, they usually attract gankers.

Also check out stronghold carriers. Players are more evenly spread around the bubble (vs Shin/Deciat before) due to their power play activities. Once you pledge to a power, the stronghold systems of your power become your new Shinrarta Dezhra in terms of getting modules, and it's fun for combat oriented folks to get power play merits by attacking another power's stronghold carrier.

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

[...]so check out stronghold carriers. Players are more evenly spread around the bubble (vs Shin/Deciat before) due to their power play activities. Once you pledge to a power, the stronghold systems of your power become your new Shinrarta Dezhra in terms of getting modules, and it's fun for combat oriented folks to get power play merits by attacking another power's stronghold carrier.

"attacking another power's stronghold carrier"
Is that an official activity from Power Play? That sounds fun, and definitely something that could benefit of players protecting their carriers. How come I never read about it?
I'll have to look into this.

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

[...] and follow AX activities [...]

What do you mean?
Something coordinated on Discord? Or/and squadrons?

 

[zeta]

What do you mean?
Something coordinated on Discord? Or/and squadrons?

There is the axi discord server, and there was even a thread on the forums that directed player's efforts during the Thargoid war. This may be on pause now, imo temporarily.

One of the most prominent axi CMDRs, who also founded XSF, Xeno Strike Force has regular videos on ax events (unsure if I can name a CMDR).

 

[zeta]

"attacking another power's stronghold carrier"
Is that an official activity from Power Play? That sounds fun, and definitely something that could benefit of players protecting their carriers. How come I never read about it?
I'll have to look into this.

I like doing that with a mandalay or cobra5, with the 'funny' hull, SRB rails (can take on few ATRs as well), LR one thermal vent laser, one corrosive multi, just for merits via pve. I don't think it's a thing because one cannot weaken strongholds this way, but when you have 30min to play and want some pew pew and PP merits, it's good.

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

I like doing that with a mandalay or cobra5, with the 'funny' hull, SRB rails (can take on few ATRs as well), LR one thermal vent laser, one corrosive multi, just for merits via pve. I don't think it's a thing because one cannot weaken strongholds this way, but when you have 30min to play and want some pew pew and PP merits, it's good.

Thx, not sure I get half the terms you are using (SRB, ATR, LR...) but I will ask cmdr Google

 

[zeta]

Thx, not sure I get half the terms you are using (SRB, ATR, LR...) but I will ask cmdr Google

SRB is short range blaster mod.
ATR : Advanced Tactical Response unit or something like that. iirc it and the carriers, stations have lasers that bleed thru shield so best to do this shieldless with very high thermal resis hull (mirrored armor with thermal res mod, 1-2 blast resist hull and rest with kinetic hull.

LR: Long Range

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

SRB is short range blaster mod.
ATR : Advanced Tactical Response unit or something like that. iirc it and the carriers, stations have lasers that bleed thru shield so best to do this shieldless with very high thermal resis hull (mirrored armor with thermal res mod, 1-2 blast resist hull and rest with kinetic hull.

LR: Long Range

Thx!
Now I need to decide what Power to pledge for (I'm not interested in the perks). Maybe Archon to attack the strongholds close to where I hang out, and write "troublemaker" on my forehead?