Just a heads up regarding this programme...
Wow, it's been more than 2 years now since I last did this. How time flies!

Fractured space is an interesting game, but is really more like War Thunder or World of Tanks but with space ships instead of tanks... plus an interesting map mechanic as well.

Everspace is roguelike and I like it a lot, but would want more polish on the game before I get to it again. House of the Dying Sun looks awesome and is VR compatible, but just not sure how deep the game is. Gamepad input (as opposed to HOTAS) is a downside as well.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Orbiter:

http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/

I'm eyeing House of the Dying Sun too. Looks great even without VR. I don't have the time or patience for the big sandbox games like Elite, so that one looks like fun.

Thanks for the info fellas, and good post Master, thanks.

I think I have the right one for me at this point. I bought Horizons and I was surprised to see I now had the option to play Horizons or vanilla. I guess I just assumed that Horizons was DLC and I would still be playing the same game, just with additional content. So now I click 'play Horizons', but not exactly sure what I'm getting. Is there any reason I would want to play vanilla now?

None at all!! The good thing is that even playing HORIZONS you can still do Multiplayer with people with Vanilla Elite and vice-versa, but without Horizons you can't land at planetary bases or surfaces, use the SRV (Surface Recon Vehicle) etc.. Also Engineers are out because they are on planetary bases..

Even if you are not yet doing any of those things (Planetary landings, Engineers) there really is no reason NOT to fire up Horizons...

Thanks Recluse, you've been quite helpful. I am not doing any of that yet, no. All I've done is basic flight training, docking/nav training and basic combat training. Somehow managed to log 6 hours just doing that. I have yet to actually join the main game. Probably tonight. Been doing some reading and I think I'll start off looking for a few courier type missions. Good idea?

Yeah, not sure why there's a separate option for Horizons... good luck with your space simming, DBond! You planning to do AARs as well?

Since your little Sidey doesn't have a big cargo hold, look for Data courier missions. Also, with your starter money, purchase the best Frame Shift Drive you can afford or you will be unable to get ANYWHERE. Also, though the purists will disagree with me here, buy a Docking computer as soon as you can afford it. While you most DEFINITELY should learn to dock manually, there is nothing fun about circling madly trying to find the mail slot in a Coriolis Starport. Maybe you have already gotten all the visual cues down and have no trouble with that, but it STILL bothers me sometimes...

Not sure where they start you out these days, but the default station used to be Trevithick dock in LHS 3447 which was a LONG HAUL (91000 light seconds) from the star. Find yourself a nice system with a closer station. The newly created Bluford Orbital in LHS 3447 is only 2000 light seconds out and is a better choice in that system. Another peculiarity of the Elite Dangerous universe is that Frame Shift Drive "High Wake" travel between star systems is fast across multiple light years, but Supercruise "Low Wake" travel within a system is but comparison VERY SLOW....

Maybe I am biased because it is how I started out, but find some buddies and have them wing you up and take you Bounty Hunting. Easiest way to farm credits! You'll be able to move up to a better ship in NO TIME. Again, I am biased from the experiences and guidance of my mentors, but the Cobra Mk. III makes a lot of sense as the "NEXT SHIP". Good general purpose ship for Combat/Trading and has a pretty good jump range when outfitted right...

Also, it would be in your best interests (IMHO) to fly in either SOLO or PRIVATE GROUP to avoid the dangers of Griefers in OPEN at least initially...(LOL or FOREVER )

Thanks for the tips. It's always helpful when starting a new game to know which bits of kit are useful and which are less so.

From the reading I've done where you start is dependent on which option is chosen. Baker's Prospect in Asellus Primus, if you pick the planetary surface start or LHS 3447 at Trevithik Dock if using New Commander. I could be wrong but that's what I think I read. Would you have a preference?

If you don't mind a helping hand, I would advise you look up how to use a collector limpet and then tell me when you're available

Have you read the linked thread above?

Do you mean the thread where you are handing out new ships like candy?

Thanks. And I might take you up on that. But for now I figure I may as well see what I can do on my own while I still have fun working toward a new ship. But probably as soon as I start to feel the grind I'll take you up on it lol.

I really enjoyed discovering what there was to do in E:D and how to do it but I'll be honest there were times when I almost gave up. It took me a while to figure out Super-Cruise,approach speeds etc,that's when I opened up my 'cry for help' thread.With the help of the more experienced SimHQ players it started to come together. I didn't take Ice up on his offer of help (although I was tempted) and decided to just grind out my own credit mountain,which I did by trading. I don't fight. My ships don't carry guns.

I did however use Thrudds trading tool during my credit grind. I found a very lucrative trading route that made it less 'grindy' and I soon turned my trusty T-6 into a credit hauling T-9.

So I started the game last night and began the main game, training can wait lol. Started at that Trevithick dock and bought some leather and took it to a place called Ackerman's Market to sell it. As I was entering the mail slot some huge thing that looked like a whale came flying out and I panicked and jumped up with thrusters to avoid it, and missed the slot completely. I got turned around and got lined up again and made it through, but time was ticking. I entered the station and had no 'target' like in the training, and even though I had been told which pad was mine I must have missed it and didn't know where to go. A little later I would realize it is shown on the HUD right next to the timer. But not yet I didn't. So I saw a lit up pad and went to set down on it but got a warning that I was blocking it. Doh. Just a couple minutes left and I had no idea where I was supposed to be landing. Finally figured it out and was rotating to line up with the chevron when time expired and they told me to get the hell out. I then flew the wrong direction (away from the slot) before turning around and leaving. Managed to get a $400 fine along the way and quit. In training I was like all smooth and cool, but here I was a complete mess.

Cleared that save and began again, and this time it all went really well. Did a few trade hops and a couple of missions and ended the night with 100k in the bank. I know good ships cost millions so not much really, but feels like progress, and it was good practice on basic systems and procedures. Thanks for all of the help, my space adventure is underway.

That sounds like my first half dozen landings It took me a while to figure out you had to land pointing in a certain direction and the best way to approach the pads without looking like a drunk lunatic.

Sounds par for the course!!!! LOL... that's why I recommended the Docking Computer... Sometimes coming into a station your assigned pad might be right below the entrance and you can't see it unless you turn around, which can cause issues.

If you haven't seen the posts yet on Third Party tools, I highly recommend

https://INARA.cz

The Market tool is good to see viable trade route, stations, etc.. and almost everything else (where to buy ships/modules/etc..)

As I mentioned before I would always try to find stations relatively close to the star rather than spending lots of time in SUPERCRUISE trying to cover tens of thousands of Light Seconds as you have to for Trevithick Dock.

Sounds like you are off to a good start!!

Really, no need to clear the save for things like that. Pay and move on with lessons learned. At this stage it is fine, BUT if you get too comfortable clicking that option, you might ACCIDENTALLY clear a save when you have a lot more to lose!!!

I checked your link Recluse and do not see what you are pointing me to. I see an index with lots of stuff. I read that Thrudd's is a good one to use.

edit: I see now you were just pointing me to the list, not a specific tool.

Yes, I had to clear it lol. I won't again, I don't think. But in my mind this one had to go. Plus I was down to like 400 cr and that's no good. Plus I wanted to rename my ship Heatseeker

A good start yes. I was a bit put off that virtually all of the missions available at the starting base were for mostly penniless, and of course I am penniless. So after running 3 or 4 trade hops and getting the bank up to about 4000, I spotted a boom beer delivery for over 80,000 and jumped on it. That was a good one to do!

About 4 times I got intercepted. It transitions in to a screen where I am chasing an escape vector. I successfully evaded each time, but what should I be looking to do here? Can I see who is intercepting me to decide if I want to duke it out? I've made no upgrades or changes to my starting Sidewinder. How should I be looking to configure it? Or will the next ship come quickly enough that I don't need to worry about it? And finally, I didn't see the 'ship shop' to look at potential rides. Where do I do that and how much would the next good ship cost? Is the Eagle the natural upgrade or what did you guys move up to?

When I get intercepted I always cut throttle to idle and submit. Then I boost away and FSD out of there at the earliest opportunity. If you fail to escape by chasing the escape vector then your FSD drive will be on a much longer cooldown and you could be in trouble.

I had my T-6 set up in a way that I could boost almost constantly and I never got taken out once if I remember correctly. In my T-9,not so much.

Hmm that's odd. The link sends me direct to the INARA homepage. You could try Googling INARA Elite Dangerous and maybe it will give you a better link. Thrudd's is good as is http://eddb.io but somehow I keep coming back to INARA unless I need specialized information.

I second Chucky's strategy for interdiction!! Submit so your FSD doesn't get into a long cooldown phase, BOOST AWAY as fast as possible and JUMP. Note that sometimes if a BIG ship interdicts you, you can be mass locked and it takes longer to get into Supercruise. If you select another SYSTEM and FRAME SHIFT out, you will be unaffected by any mass lock. This is hard when a big bad guy is bearing down on you and you have to madly jump around the cockpit doing stuff...but ultimately it could be survival.

As mentioned, DEFINITELY upgrade the FSD on the Sidewinder. Docking computer, MAYBE.. Better Shield generator (which might necessitate a better Powerplant etc..). For weapons, Gimballed weapons are better when starting out as you don't have to aim your ship to boresight them. You will probably want to AVOID combat, so this is not a big deal.

Another GREAT site is https://coriolis.edcd.io/ where you can experiment with different ship builds and see the COST and the effect of the modules on Power/Jump range/etc..

Here's a decent but not totally A-rated SIDEY build to look at. If you are trading you might want another cargo rack instead of the docking computer.. or even downgrade the shield for more cargo room...but a good shield might give you a little more time to escape interdiction..

Sidey Build

The next upgrade IMHO is the COBRA MK III, but if you want to go up to an EAGLE or VIPER, that is fine. Those are more Combat oriented ships, and still lack cargo capacity. The Cobra is a great multipurpose ship with good Cargo space and Good Weapons and maneuverability and Speed. Will cost a few million to kit out properly...but you don't have to do it all at once..

Yes, the homepage. Sorry. Same.

Docking computer? Don't I have one? I mean there's a doodad that tells me how to line up and beeps and tells me when I'm over the pad. Is that not a docking computer? Anyway, if it's not I don't think I need one. Docking's easy once you know where to actually set 'er down.

About the ships.... Good ol' Heatseeker is a fine ship no doubt, but I'm curious as to how soon my next one would arrive, to gauge how much I want to invest in this one. I'll google how to go about this.

Thanks for all of the great tips.

I guess I need to decide what sort of stuff I want to do, and that will lead me to an appropriate ship. I'll keep flying good ol' Heatseeker until I figure that out.

Maybe I'll save up for Cobra as that's a good all-rounder right?