Welcome a pilot back with a vomitous spew of knowledge!

[Dukov Nook]

So, I was cleaning out the office the other day and found my HotasX sheet for ED, and was like 'damn, haven't played that in a while'. I last played, according to my forum posts, around the end of April last year. I understand much has changed.

So as my launcher slowly get's me installed, what can you tell me? What's new. IIRC, I'm sitting in a kitted out Type 9 with I think 25 million in the bank. But I'm in the mood to play Buck Rogers and blow some things up. Obviously, the Type 9 isn't really the thing for that. I remember I was trying to do the long grind out for an anaconda. I remember the grinds being LONG. Are they still long or is money easier to come by?

I see a new expansion (mostly land stuff, yes?) Will I be fine with just the stock game? I noticed new ships, do I need the expansion for those?

Should I trick out a Cobra or Viper for now to play Pew Pew Pew, or am I close enough to a new ship that I should just keep with the type 9 for now and ground out 10 more million or so?

So many question, I know. Pick 1, pick them all. Be a kind pilot and welcome a brother back into the fold

 

[aRJay]

The landing game lets you get axis to Engineers who will enhance bits of your ship, they tell me I can't say myself as it is unavailable for my set up.

The NPC's fight/fly better now especially at the highest levels, and even produced their own super weapons to the terror of us mortals and the surprise of the Dev's, their one shot Anaconda kill ability has been removed.

The stations are MUCH chattier now, and the outfitting has been reworked a lot.

Bulletin Board has been respelled Mission Board, with lots of internal changes including mugshots and global sign-up to the Community Games.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Welcome back!!!

So I assume you got to about 1.2 community goals back before you left.

That's:
1.3 Powerplay
1.4 CQC
1.5 Ships
1.6 Missions

Lots of tweaks fixes and changes. Limpets for collecting cargo, refuelling and prospecting asteroids. Ice mining. Tons of new ships. CQC arena mode. Powerplay factions. Player factions. Alien artefacts in game and literally a ton of other stuff, I've probably missed major things.


I'd personally get back in the game gently with a small ship as the AI is massively improved since last year. You don't require the new expansion but for £20 giving you all content up to 3.0 it's worth it. I'd try the game again and if you like what you see and want to get back into Elite then go for the expansion season pass. Planet flying is awesome, Engineer modifications to weapons and modules are fun.
Personally I'd open up youtube and watch some of Obsidian Ants ones on the updates, you may have to scroll a bit, that guy posts a ton of videos.

Content in season 2: https://www.frontierstore.net/games/elite-dangerous-cat/elite-dangerous-horizons-dlc.html

Spoiler

2.0 – Planetary Landings

Available Now
A whole new angle on the galaxy. Journey from the stars to the surfaces of strange worlds, and hit the ground running in the new Scarab Surface Recon Vehicle.

2.1 – The Engineers

Available Now
Introducing an expanded mission system and game-changing loot. Craft exotic weapons and modules for your spacecraft and build a ship unlike any other.

2.2 – Guardians
Still to come
Take what comes and strike back with double. Bring a second ship to every combat encounter with Ship-Launched Fighters and defend your passengers against the deadliest threats in the galaxy.

2.3 – The Commanders
Still to come

Team up and stand together. Forge your own identity with the new Commander Creator, then share your bridge with Multi-Crew and fly with friends.



2.4 – TBA

A secret revealed in Elite Dangerous: Horizons’ final expansion.

 

[Bill Clement]

So, I was cleaning out the office the other day and found my HotasX sheet for ED, and was like 'damn, haven't played that in a while'. I last played, according to my forum posts, around the end of April last year. I understand much has changed.

So as my launcher slowly get's me installed, what can you tell me? What's new. IIRC, I'm sitting in a kitted out Type 9 with I think 25 million in the bank. But I'm in the mood to play Buck Rogers and blow some things up. Obviously, the Type 9 isn't really the thing for that. I remember I was trying to do the long grind out for an anaconda. I remember the grinds being LONG. Are they still long or is money easier to come by?

I see a new expansion (mostly land stuff, yes?) Will I be fine with just the stock game? I noticed new ships, do I need the expansion for those?

Should I trick out a Cobra or Viper for now to play Pew Pew Pew, or am I close enough to a new ship that I should just keep with the type 9 for now and ground out 10 more million or so?

So many question, I know. Pick 1, pick them all. Be a kind pilot and welcome a brother back into the fold

aRJay covered most of your points. I'd strongly recommend getting a cheap ship to find your feet again, though. The AI has been beefed up, you're likely to be rusty and that Type 9 is a very expensive rebuy!

I can heartily recommend the Diamondback Scout if you want to go blow stuff up. It's fast and agile, can carry a decent weapon fit and power everything. It's also pretty cheap!

Welcome home, Commander!

 

[Pville_Piper]

+1 on the Diamond Back Scout, good, fun and cheap to fully kit out. I favor the Vulture over it a bit but it is more expensive to kit out and the rebuy is steeper.

 

[GJ51]

Welcome back

Yeah - T-9 is the way to go...

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

I heard playing the game is fun.
You should prolly avoid anarchy controlled systems, like faction controlled.
Start with a ship you can afford a good few rebuys as well.
You'll be rusty and things are not the same...though I can't speak for your level.

 

[Dukov Nook]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

So, things that are new to me. I think when I last played, almost every system was considered 'lawful' and my biggest worry was being ganked by random pirates once in a great while as I FSD'd to an outpost to drop off a load of cargo which I normally just outmaneuvered the interdiction and went on my happy way. From what I'm reading, that's no longer the case. I dug into the galaxy map, and maybe I missed it, but what or where is the indicator for lawful vs whatever not lawful is listed as?

Also, anyone have a link to a lot of detail and explanation on Powerplay? That's all new to me, but judging by the globs of colors in my Galaxy Map, they're important.

Also, true story. I made the mistake of thinking my hotas config was cloud stored, not local, so when I went to take off, and that counter is working down from 5:00, and finding not a dang thing on my control map matched what was actually mapped to those keys, i wound up with a 750 credit fine and 2500 credits in damage. Also, one big bill for paint replacement on the inside of Yembo station. For a brief moment, I was contemplating the potential future of having an angry bunch of Yembo-ites blow me up for being such a bad pilot. That red 'trespassing' counter (stuck in the entrance because my hat switch WASNT doing thrusters as I remembered it did and I went out, came back in, got stuck on a wall that triggered the trespass warning. ) got down to 10.

Anyway, thanks for the help so far. I'm trying to figure out if the game has changed towards the 'you'll get blown up a lot more' as IIRC I've only had a ship blown up once (again, by a station) in the past.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

So, things that are new to me. I think when I last played, almost every system was considered 'lawful' and my biggest worry was being ganked by random pirates once in a great while as I FSD'd to an outpost to drop off a load of cargo which I normally just outmaneuvered the interdiction and went on my happy way. From what I'm reading, that's no longer the case. I dug into the galaxy map, and maybe I missed it, but what or where is the indicator for lawful vs whatever not lawful is listed as?

Also, anyone have a link to a lot of detail and explanation on Powerplay? That's all new to me, but judging by the globs of colors in my Galaxy Map, they're important.

Also, true story. I made the mistake of thinking my hotas config was cloud stored, not local, so when I went to take off, and that counter is working down from 5:00, and finding not a dang thing on my control map matched what was actually mapped to those keys, i wound up with a 750 credit fine and 2500 credits in damage. Also, one big bill for paint replacement on the inside of Yembo station. For a brief moment, I was contemplating the potential future of having an angry bunch of Yembo-ites blow me up for being such a bad pilot. That red 'trespassing' counter (stuck in the entrance because my hat switch WASNT doing thrusters as I remembered it did and I went out, came back in, got stuck on a wall that triggered the trespass warning. ) got down to 10.

Anyway, thanks for the help so far. I'm trying to figure out if the game has changed towards the 'you'll get blown up a lot more' as IIRC I've only had a ship blown up once (again, by a station) in the past.

Yes you have anarchy systems which have no security. Under the system map for stations you can also see prohibited cargo. Hazardous Res and Compromised nav beacons have no security presence. Not sure on the rest, it's not my area of expertise if im honest.

Powerplay... Ah ok. Each faction (10 total currently) owns space, they earn income from the systems they control and that also gives upkeep. Every cycle (weekly thursday morning) they expand or contract depending on the actions of their pilots fortifying, expanding and undermining other factions. They can go into income deficit and be unable to expand (only shed systems).
For you as a pilot: You can pledge to a power. Each power has a unique weapon you gain access to after 3 weeks pledged to them. You get an income every thursday based on what rank you were for the previous week. That rank is dependant on how much you contributed to the power the week before (merits).
Each power also has bonuses associated with their space that anyone can use. For example some sell certain goods cheaper, some like Li Yong-Rui give discounts to anyone that buys ships or outfitting stuff (15% off) in their space.
Merits decay weekly so a constant activity is required to maintain the higher ranks.
You can defect to other powers or unpledge. Defecting keeps half your existing merits but you'll be hunted for a few days depending on your rank. Unpledging looses your stored merits and stops you picking a new power for a day or so.

Have a read and let me know about any specific questions, you can access it via the left hand panel.

Warning: Powerplay will dramatically increase the number of interdictions you face and may lead to attacks where if you retaliate you become wanted since for example you were in their space etc.
You can avoid powerplay entirely if you wish by not pledging.

It is more dangerous, there are ways to combat that by flying more carefully, picking targets etc. It's not a "you will die" as in Dark Souls but sometimes you have to be really on the ball

 

[Dukov Nook]

Well, this sucks.

I started the day in Naddour terminal on the Mobius PvE group, which, I thought, didn't allow PVP. So, I look at the power play maps, find out I'm in Archon territory, which apparently is weak and supports criminals, so I plot a point to Brandi, figureing it's Federal, 2nd ranked faction, and probably safe. I jump to my first nav point, and then see I don't have anything on my HUD to say 'aim this way for next one' which, maybe I'm wrong, but there used to be. So after some aimless circling around, i see the next nav highlighted when I finally catch it (by luck) from my spiraling, jump, out, and repeat this for 5 jumps (all with a full load of resonating seperators). I eventually make it to Bandi, when Wendt Hub. I jump out, and just as I get to with docking request distance, I get a DM from a 'Jacob Pulowski' (AI?) saying 'all your cargo is mine, fact'. Then a bunch of explosions, I'm hulled, all within 7500 meters of the station, and I'm back at my start point, 3 some odd million poorer with the insurance rebuy and loss of cargo.

This never happened before. Was that an AI pirate who took me? The game was never like this before. Is this now the new normal?

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Well, this sucks.

I started the day in Naddour terminal on the Mobius PvE group, which, I thought, didn't allow PVP. So, I look at the power play maps, find out I'm in Archon territory, which apparently is weak and supports criminals, so I plot a point to Brandi, figureing it's Federal, 2nd ranked faction, and probably safe. I jump to my first nav point, and then see I don't have anything on my HUD to say 'aim this way for next one' which, maybe I'm wrong, but there used to be. So after some aimless circling around, i see the next nav highlighted when I finally catch it (by luck) from my spiraling, jump, out, and repeat this for 5 jumps (all with a full load of resonating seperators). I eventually make it to Bandi, when Wendt Hub. I jump out, and just as I get to with docking request distance, I get a DM from a 'Jacob Pulowski' (AI?) saying 'all your cargo is mine, fact'. Then a bunch of explosions, I'm hulled, all within 7500 meters of the station, and I'm back at my start point, 3 some odd million poorer with the insurance rebuy and loss of cargo.

This never happened before. Was that an AI pirate who took me? The game was never like this before. Is this now the new normal?

Yep Mobius is no PvP but that doesn't stop the NPC's
Do you have shields or point defence? Missiles got a huge buff to unshielded stuff recently.
The way to go is on the little blue dot radar to the left of your main radar.

Yes it was an AI, players all start with CMDR prefix and are hollow on radar not solid.

Trading has been stomped recently, without knowing your ship loadout I can't say but the AI have got a massive increase to skill since 1.2 era.

 

[Bill Clement]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

So, things that are new to me. I think when I last played, almost every system was considered 'lawful' and my biggest worry was being ganked by random pirates once in a great while as I FSD'd to an outpost to drop off a load of cargo which I normally just outmaneuvered the interdiction and went on my happy way. From what I'm reading, that's no longer the case. I dug into the galaxy map, and maybe I missed it, but what or where is the indicator for lawful vs whatever not lawful is listed as?

Also, anyone have a link to a lot of detail and explanation on Powerplay? That's all new to me, but judging by the globs of colors in my Galaxy Map, they're important.

Also, true story. I made the mistake of thinking my hotas config was cloud stored, not local, so when I went to take off, and that counter is working down from 5:00, and finding not a dang thing on my control map matched what was actually mapped to those keys, i wound up with a 750 credit fine and 2500 credits in damage. Also, one big bill for paint replacement on the inside of Yembo station. For a brief moment, I was contemplating the potential future of having an angry bunch of Yembo-ites blow me up for being such a bad pilot. That red 'trespassing' counter (stuck in the entrance because my hat switch WASNT doing thrusters as I remembered it did and I went out, came back in, got stuck on a wall that triggered the trespass warning. ) got down to 10.

Anyway, thanks for the help so far. I'm trying to figure out if the game has changed towards the 'you'll get blown up a lot more' as IIRC I've only had a ship blown up once (again, by a station) in the past.

I've seen one real pirate since the game went live. Good luck finding them, they're rarer than hens teeth! NPC ones sometimes spawn when you take missions- the harder/more lucrative the mission, the bigger and badder the pirate. Which is great fun! I came to grief the other night in a Type 7, but only after surviving multiple interdictions and taking a couple of real beatings. I enjoyed it so much I've kitted out a Federal Drop Ship to take some more.

There are a lot of player killers around. Usually they pick on new players or weaker ships and they're usually found around Community Goals and the starter systems. I've been ganked in a Sidewinder, but ignored in a Type 6, on the same night in the same system. Don't worry too much about them, though. In spite of their big claims on the forums and the garbage they spam in the chat window they tend to be lamentably bad pilots. Hardly surprising when their usual victims are beginners or unarmed, poorly shielded traders. Some Player Groups have formed and hunt them whenever they get a chance. Watch your back when you head to CGs and you should be fine.

If you leave 'report crimes against me' on (right hand panel, far right options) system response is a lot quicker than it used to be. Worth knowing when you do get back into trading- like I said, the AI is a lot tougher these days.

Edit- just read your last post. Ouch! You have my sympathy. If you have a key spare you can bind the next waypoint to it, that might help? Boosting hard for the station as soon as you're in real space is a good idea, too. If you're power playing it might be worth getting a more combat orientated ride. You could start small- Cobra III is fast, earn some credits with that and move up to a Clipper or one of the Federals- the Federal Assault Ship is the best one in a fight, although I prefer the FDS for running cargo.

 

[Dukov Nook]

So, seeing as I have the funds, looks like it's time to buy a Vulture. I guess trading isn't the safest profession right now... Meh.

Again, thanks to all for the feedback! If you feel the need to add anything, let me know. I'm off to grind credits bounty hunting.