General question

How many of you play player vs. player and how many of you play in private groups? I've been playing ED now for several months and I exclusively play in private groups.

I play exclusively in Solo mode myself. I guess that stems from playing the first couple of Elite games which were single player only. Just feels right to me.

PG pretty much exclusively here.

Mainly solo here (when I play,which isn't often since they ruined exploration...but we won't go there)

I had no clue what Elite Dangerous even was until a German member of SimHQ introduced me to the game early this year and I've been hooked ever since. I now have an almost-fully engineered Anaconda and Python for the combat role and I have a heavily engineered Type-9 Heavy for mining and scavenging.

I've done all of it. Mostly solo and PG, but I've flown a lot in Open as well. I don't purposely seek out PvP encounters, but I've had some, especially in CNBs. PvP doesn't interest me much in Elite, but just the possibility of it adds some spice when I am bored. It gets the senses fired up.

I can see that. For me I avoided Open play simply because I didn't want some human-controlled Federal gunship pouncing on me while in my lowly Sidewinder or Cobra.

Statistical inevitability

Private group here

working towards owning every ship in the game I can (I know I'll never have a Cobra 4 )

The German guy who introduced me to the game has a Cobra 4. I don't think he's mentioned though to me how he acquired it. I sold my Sidewinder and Cobra once I got my Python and Anaconda. I saw no need to keep weaker combat ships around. I do however have the Asp Explorer as my dedicated exploration ship. I really like it.

PM,
A number of us are in The_Nephilim’s PG. We do mostly combat when hooked up. If’n you feel like hopping in some time, post your CMDR nick and I’ll have Neph shoot you an invite. A lot of times, we just on TS but in different systems just doin our own thing.

Play solo here, but have had the odd game in open as well... Love my Cobra III, got it decked out with top spec weapons and equipment for combat.
Also have a Vulture for combat duty, but the Asp Explorer when I want to go walk about!

PG with the Nephilim Group for me. It's always more rewarding for myself to play with buddies. If your having a problem let us know. Someone will be around to help you with it. How's the Opel gold rush going? Is it still a thing? Personally I think Frontier made a mistake changing Community Goals the way they did. Most of us couldn't wait to go bounty hunting. Now meh****. Hollar if you need assistance though.

Hey Bo, how they hang'en?

Wingy

Hanging just fine, Wingy!

Backer exclusive.

I think it's a bit of a dog anyway, but folks tend to want what they cannot have (see salt piles at FDev boards)

Mmm... salt. There ARE a bunch of whiney entitled posters, eh? Gamers are among the whiniest people.

Ps D, loved your comments in the “ship renaming but” thread.

Haha thanks, but none took heed. Fools

Tru dat!

yup

I get it. I wasn't a backer... so I don't get one. but some just want want want....

it's not rocket surgery....

I can afford to buy a Cobra IV, but don't want one as I'm more than happy with the III series

I should also disclose that I definitely got the "easy fast track" when I first started playing the game. My German friend was gracious enough to give me about 25 canisters of low temp diamonds and 25 canisters of void opals during my first week of playing the game so I was able to buy a Cobra and an Asp Explorer pretty fast.

The “fast track” deal is all good. Nice to get a leg up starting out, this game is grindy enough. Engineering, faction ranks, commander ranks, mat gathering are all a perpetual slog in the FDev world. Funny you mention the CM3 and Asp, two ships I’ve never own or flown, and I’m a Founder member.

Yeah, and money's trivial since the advent of core mining. Honestly, I think if I were to start over I could have any non-rank-locked ship inside 3 days.

Things were different 3 years back. I don't begrudge new players this fact, but money's no issue these days. I have billions and nothing I want to buy.....

Yup, this is absolutely on target. I've only been playing the game for a few months and I currently have 1.5 billion in my treasury. Having a void opal and alexandrite hot spot location helped a lot.

thats why I'm collecting ships... don't cost any to store them.. so....

I think Frontier should try to make a deal with Disney and CBS/Paramount in order to get Star Wars and Star Trek ships into the game. I guarantee that the number of registered players for the game would sky rocket.

Want a Star Destroyer or a Sovereign class Federation ship? It's yours for just 10 billion credits.

Not much of a ship collector, but I’m almost at the point I’ll have to grab a few to use as module storage. About the only hole in my fleet is a dedicated miner. Python and Krait 2 are the best choice, imho. But, since I already have one of each for different roles, I’d like something different. For some reason, multiples of the same ship strikes me as heretical.

I picked the Type 9 Heavy for my dedicated miner simply because of the massive amount of cargo it can hold plus it has a very good armor rating which is more than enough to allow me to escape if some #%&*$# pirate attacks me. The only drawback is the relatively low jump range I have right now and I've already maxed out the engineering levels for my FSD.

I’ve a T9 set up for heavy haul. My preference is a medium ship to mine in so as to have no issues landing at an outpost. I did have a Keelback specced for mining at one point, truly underwhelming. I’m prolly just too picky

I was a ship collector, but sold more than half of them. Bo's simple approach to fleet composition showed me the light.

The T-9 was sold way before that

Boo, D. The Space Cow is love!

I play Solo almost exclusively, with just a bit of PG.

I love my Type-9. Great cockpit views, hauling capacity, and it's just all around fun.

For mining, when I last played IIRC I've got my Corvette setup for that role. Previously it had been outfitted for Thargoid killing (battled a few Cyclops, but never scored the full kill).

Of all the ships though, my Cobra Mk3 has to be the "daily driver". So versatile.

I love my Python for close in dog fighting. It really makes a huge difference when you max out the engineering on the weapons like the beam and pulse lasers. I also use my Anaconda for dog fights but I have to be a bit easier on the stick since the ship isn't exactly maneuverable.

The Python really is among the best ships in the game. It can pretty much do it all. Mine is set up as an armed cargo vessel/ utility. Room for 192 tons and packs 3 beams and 2 multi’s.

The Python was sort of made redundant for me by the introduction of the Krait II. I at first resisted it, but eventually assimilated. The Python is perhaps the best looking Elite ship to my eyes, but the Krait is just better suited for me in most ways. It also stole most of the Python's modules

They are very similar. I find the Krait more agile so I use her as my medium combat ship. Cargo missions for the Python. Sadly, since I’ve the Covette, my Krait has languished in Shinrarta port for the most part.

I think my next ship purchase will be the Krait II. Maybe it's time to have a multi-role ship?

U really can’t go wrong with a Krait 2. It’s basically a more agile Python with a less cargo. Has almost exactly the same module slots. Better view out the pit, also.

Yeah, more agile, better view (especially overhead), faster. Tradeoff is cargo capacity, but that's not an issue for me any longer since hitting trade Elite. And for core mining it holds plenty. I bought a snazzy new paint job for it too. For me to do that, I must plan to keep it.

Best all-rounder in Elite I reckon.

I like my combat Krait, but I prefer my Python for core mining. I like the larger hold, and I carry a LOT of limpets.

My current cargo capacity in my Type 9 is 512. I think that's sufficient for now.

Exactly, JC!

Generally, I’ll fill the hold to about 3/4 with limpets. If I hit a good spot and am refining faster than I’m expending collectors, I’ll dump ‘em as I need to. Better to have too many than too few, neh?

I do about the same. I’ll shoot limpets at practically anything too, so I go through a bunch of ‘em.

I’ve got another question that is a bit off topic but not entirely.

Have any of you encountered any female ED players either in game or in the forums? I would be curious to know if ED is the type of game that could actually appeal to female gamers. My gut feeling says no....

Then your gut feeling would be wrong Mr Panzer. Although I have yet to meet the female species in game,there are some that stream on Twitch and they are very good players.

I follow quite a few women on Twitch who play World of Tanks,World of Warships.

I'll be honest,I never thought that games would appeal to the ladies,especially war games and their ilk. I'm probably basing that on my previous experience with the ladies in my life. They loved cats. They loved horses. They loved cross-stitch and other girly stuff. But why am I playing that 'stupid war game' again?

LOL Chucky. Thanks for your input.

In addition, there a several of the fairer sex on the ED forums.

That's definitely nice to hear! It's always a good thing in my book when a gaming community isn't a 100% sausagefest.

100% solo, even though it would have made no difference for my last endeavor, a trip to Colonia via a looong route through the Formidine Rift to Colonia (2500 systems visited; posted the link earlier already). Unlocked and leveled the Colonia engineers as well. But all that happened between April and June; Soon after I stopped playing again, to come back later, I guess...

You must have received quite a lot of money when you turned in all of that cartographic data!!

Yepp, it's in the first post of the linked thread, >3 billion. Which is also the first time I crossed the 1 billion cash mark, and I started the game back in beta
I don't have a big fleet either - a Type 9, a Python, an Imp. Clipper, an Asp Explorer, a Cobra Mk3, and a few Markerwinders (marking notable systems/stations).
Not much "goldmining" or "min-maxing"...

Holy cow! 3 billion. lol


I'm at 1.5 billion right now but almost all of it is from deep core mining.

Got to watch out though when you have built up a lot of info to cash in... if your ship gets destroyed before you get to a station, the whole lot is lost!

Indeed => solo
And I "sacrificed" a slot for shields to take the thrill out of planetary landings and finally docking again. Launched the trip at a time before the addition of another slot (an earlier "deep-space" trip outside the bubble I made without shields!)

Yes mate... I play mainly solo, but even when out exploring, I still get 'interdicted' from time to time when returning to a station.
I usually manage to evade but have been unlucky too.
Do you still keep weapons when exploring? Or do you ditch them.

I think though the interdiction attempts by the AI only happen if you are carrying any valuable stuff in your cargo hold. Surely the AI doesn't know if your ship computer has a lot of cartographic data stored?

No weapons for me, and I also did not load any cargo, despite the big cargo rack: Jolly Jumper (as configured on the trip, that empty slot is a new one that was not yet available when I started on the trip) Now I would maybe swap cargo rack with the bigger guardian FSD booster, and add an AFMU, maybe moving the cargo rack even to the empty size 1 slot.
This ship also runs very cold (<30% cruising), so less likely to be picked up on scanners (at least in normal space, not sure about super-cruise).

Interdictions usually only happen when you actually have cargo in your holds (and be it just a limpet), with no cargo the pirates scan you, mutter something and move on.

I finally did some planet surface mining a few days ago and I wish I would have done this earlier. I collected more selenium in about one hour than I did from mining several hundred asteroids over the course of a few days. Lol.

For the rare stuff like selenium and niobium, planet surface mining is definitely the way to go.

PM,
For all the higher grade raws EXCEPT selenium, there there are a few systems about 1500 ly out that have biologic sites where you can farm to your hearts desire. Google “crystalline shards”. I’ve made 2 trips myself. After filling my storage, I just use the mat trader ( and his usurious rates) to trade for what I actually need. Works best for me since I absolutely hate surface prospecting.

I use the SRV for my raw mat gathering. My home system has over 30 landable planets with just about every type of raw mat (maybe missing one or two?). An hour in the SRV and I'm usually good to go again.

A couple of buddies and I just picked this up on a steam sale to tide us over until Wildlands 2 comes out...and now we are completely sucked in! It has a real Wing Commander Privateer feel to it (I never played the earlier Elites) Right now we are in the bumbling-around-have-no-idea-what-we-are-doing phase and wonder if it will lose it's luster after we get out in front of the grind a bit... we are doing a 3 man private group so we don't get blown from the sky by a twelve year old as we are figuring out our key binds...

I have about 600 logged hours in the game so far and I have yet to play on the open server and I have no plans to. All of my game time is in private groups.

Open's not so bad. There are two keys to enjoying your time in open in my view. Wilful PvP is another thing altogether.

The first key is to know how to split. In open you should always have a high-wake destination selected and ready to go on a single key press. Too often I see folks try to escape by low-waking, which is affected by masslock.

The second key is to avoid flying in open in the noobtrap systems, like Deciat or Shinrarta, unless of course you wish to engage is emergent social interactivity

My Courier is fun to use as it boosts 800+, and nothing is going to catch me, aside from another speed demon, but I rarely see any humans flying these ships. It's all Cutters and Corvettes. So if I see a hollow approaching I can just permaboost to gain separation. It's in supercruise where I feel vulnerable, as my insane speed is no help here. Once I submit I can get away again with the high speed. Portside operations are fraught with peril though, as there are commanders who specialize in ruining your day around starports (or inside them for that matter) Situational awareness is vital.

So open's not bad as long as you don't play in to the griefers' hands. And you need a ship that's suitable. Either one that is super fast, or one engineered to the nines that can survive PvP.

Occasionally I will take out my DBX or the Orca, both of which are unarmed and run at less than 15% heat which makes them hard to target. And in the case of the DBX it's difficult for another pilot to follow my jumps unless he can also jump 70+, and most griefboats can't do that. Very rarely I do like to take the FDL in to Compromised Nav Beacons and mix it up with other pilots. I value my low death count so don't do this often

Awww, hop into Open for a spell, why don't ya, so I can rob yer ship... err... inspect yer cARRRRRgo!

Yo ho ho.

/jerkmode engaged

500 hours in Open myself, but I stopped playing three or four years ago once the population dried up. Had an awesome time, too, while it lasted. Never had an issue with griefers or gank squads, because a good pirate is a slippery one. I could get away from basically any situation unscathed, and there was little to no chance of them findin' me after.

Must be quite boring in group mode knowing your only threat is predictable artificial intelligence. :P



One admission: Wings was probably the second worst addition to the game, because they forced social behavior if you wanted to pvp. Some of us are too tired after a day's work to partake in social excess, and prefer simpler, more antisocial endeavors. The third worst addition to the game was engineers, because that forced folks to grind away their life to have competitive ships.


However, the first worst addition to the game was solo and group mode, and combining the ships, currency and gains of these modes with Open mode, so you could move back and forth, and safely farm away in single player until you were super rich before going into Open. This wrecked the pirate/trader economy. Still, I have many hundred(or thousand?) satisfied "customers" that made my time there satisfying.

To each their own of course. I've managed to have quite a lot of fun simply mining asteroids and exploring planet surfaces in my SRV. Also, I've engaged in combat against high level AI ships and while I almost always win, it's still a good challenge. I gave up the stress and frustration of PvP in PC gaming over 10 years ago.

Well, made a ton of money... So I went shopping for the fleet.

Adder, kraits, viper, anaconda, diamondbacks... All sat in my collection after my shopping spree.

And I still keep going back to my Python.

Ah well. Next is a mamba.... Then do I go feds or empire first.....

Well, Empire obviously.

Heretic!!!

The Federation is a festering pit of corporate excess. Corruption, intolerance, greed and oppression. What man would fail to stand against such tyranny?

The Empire offers promise. It offers hope. What man would not stand for his freedom? Slip your chains and bask in the pale blue light of the stars of Achenar!

Fly sexy, luxurious Gutamaya starships!

The ladies turn up their noses at pilots who arrive in dumpy, industrial, corporate Federation brickships.

But the sleek, provocative lines of Imperial ships have a magnetism they cannot resist!

See your local Empire recruiter today!

Haha just messing around. Ya know, I've never flown any Fed ship. And the only Imperial one is the Courier. I remember when I had the goal of owning a Cutter, and now I don't even care about it. Reaching Elite trade rank put paid to that nonsense

What he said!

I joined the Aisling Duval because that queen of theirs is frigging hot!

That's Aisling Duval!

And yeah, she's a looker



One more reason to join the Empire!

Beam me up, hottie!

Yeah, I'd tract her beam, and you should see the Fed chicks. Sheesh.

Compare the lovely and fetching Aisling to this...




The choice is clear. The Empire has the babes

LMAO DBond. The contrast is indeed striking.

Haha, ignore the Imperial medallion, that's a false flag. She's a Fed chick for sure

You mention making a ton of money. Are there exploits or other rapid wealth accumulation paths in place now to make a 'conda not require endless hours of mundane repetition?

Once you have yourself a ship outfitted for deep core mining and you find a planet with void opal and LTD rings you can rack up hundreds of millions of credits in just a few days.

PM's got it right. I made nearly a billion in 2 or 3 nights of dedicated VO mining. It's fun too!

Not that you need a link since it's just a couple threads down, but some useful info in this thread

https://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4466456/mining-essentials#Post4466456

Hmm. My Clipper should be adequate for that task. I got a slightly less old GPU off Craigslist to replace my ailing 670 GTX--now I have a 970 GTX, so I have an itch to test it with everything.


edit: (don't know why I said Cutter, I own a Clipper, darn it )

The rocksplosion will look glorious!

Kaboom!

....profit.

yup.
making my money opal mining...
and anything else that turns up like Diamonds or any ore's... (I never turn anything down.. but it's easy to eject lesser cargo when I find a rock to mine...)

started mining my Keelback, then moved to my Python.

I should think about moving the mining to my Type 9 or my 'Conda.. but.. I really like my Python...

I use the Type 9 Heavy as my dedicated deep core miner. It's nice to have 512 slots of inventory space.

oh soon I'm planning to A rate my Cobra and heading off to do the Tribute stations... (Fisher's Rest, Pratchett's Disc, Lenard Nimoy)