Getting back into Discovery after a very long hiatus.
Where have I been? Besides working my butt off for a several years to get to a pretty comfortable spot in my career, I've been playing Elite Dangerous for almost two years now.
I find the game really fun, but I also feel it is an entirely different sort of space game from Freelancer. In FL and especially DiscoRP, I feel like I'm playing a character in a staged setting. In ED, I feel like myself exploring the galaxy in MY spaceship. What ED does for me is give me the feelng of being there...even more accentuated when you get a chance to see it in VR.
However, it does have some major drawbacks. Interaction with other players is limited. There is no such thing as creating a bottleneck to catch pirates or traders. It is pretty easy to avoid anyone. I've been asking on the forums that they have hyperjumps end in normal space at nav beacons, giving pirates, hunters and traders an opportunity to interact but that doesn't seem to get any traction. Social aspects of the ED just don't hit that multiplayer string for me. Without some kind of system chat, it is impossible to call for help when interdicted by a pirate, unless you are in a wing. But, you still can't get help from folks just passing through.
Weapon variety is still very limited. The next update promises more variety with crafting but I'm always suspicious of crafting (no way I'm spending an hour clicking a button to turn Iron Ore into Iron in a space game).
Ship selection is fine. These are pretty detailed ships, so I can understand the pipeline for them being slow.
Even with those gripes, I still very much like Elite Dangerous. Elite Dangerous: Horizons added the ability to land on airless bodies and get out and about in a surface vehicle (SRV). It is a cool feature, but mostly it adds a ton more places where I can land my trade ship (Type 9) and reap profits. (landing a fully loaded T9 on a planet with earth-like gravity is deceptively tricky...if you aren't careful you will enter an unstoppable free fall into the ground)
Also, the first expansion after the initial release of the current season, 2.1: The Engineers, is due out this spring/summer. It looks like it is going to massive overhaul missions and aims to improve a lot of the core features of the game. Hopefully it makes the game content more engaging and interesting. As it is, I'm mostly enamoured with the flight model. Flying slow lumbering ships like the Type 9 is a real test of forethought and spatial awareness. Conversely, flying a combat ship demands quick reflexes and smart power management.
You can find me on the Frontier forums as Monk, surprise!
In game, I am Monk Edgecomb (any folks from the BAF that flew with me back in the day will remember that one)
Nice getting an Anaconda.
I just spent my time pimping out my Cobra MK3
Even got a custom paint job, which btw looks bloody awesome.
My Cobra is by default worth 300k mine is worth 3.6 million
The conda is currently valued at 181 million credits and I've got a another 150 million invested in other ships and in available cash. Amazing how much I've amassed, though, I did have quite a bit on DiscoRP before I let the server wipe my profile.
Working on Empire rank so I can grab the Imperial Cutter...beautiful cow
(04-07-2015, 07:10 AM)ryoken Wrote: Currious if anyone here is playing this new space sim? http://www.elitedangerous.com/
Have it, think it's good. Though my issue is the pricing scheme seeing as how Horizons isn't much of an expansion for the price-tag on it and what i paid for the original game. Good graphics and optimization though and it ran very smoothly. Not played it in a while though it is quite a fun game and i'd recommend if for those who like roaming around space exploring things or just owning the most badass ship. - In addition, the effects are kinda impressive. I.e cracked cockpit glass and whatnot. Enjoyed every hour i spent playing it thus far
Word of warning though, i'd recommend you play it with a controller of some description (Joystick, 360 controller etc). As it's kinda awkward with a keyboard and you don't really get the control precision with simply pressing a button, for example when docking as you do with a controller. Precision is a thing you need in a few tasks. Mining, docking etc.
I just couldn't do it lol. It was literally impossible to aim/do anything properly. Kept smacking into stations and stuff. Racked up quite a few fines as a result (Major lol)
However, folks who play kb/m with fixed weapons will make for a bad day for you.
DMG buff vs gimbals plus tight accuracy with mouse.
EDIT: oh and with the pricing model (full disclosure...I'm a lifetime expansion pass holder) I'm hoping that we have some big surprises coming up. I'm pretty excited about 2.1 as it brings in a new interaction with game through engineers who can craft and upgrade modules.
Multi-crew is a pretty big deal on paper, but given the lonely nature of most players I don't think it will get the attention it probably deserves. Multi-crew will only be fully appreciated once we can hire NPC Crew.
Character creator is nice, but not worth getting excited about in my book.
Ship launched fighters...oh man, I'm very happy about this one. As a Type 9 pilot, you often spend your time spooling up your FTL while a pirate drains your shields. No more! Let the AI make some basic defensive maneuvers on the ship and launch into battle in your stowed light fighter. WOOO
And then there is one more, yet to be announced feature. My bet is on volcanism and an introduction to atmospheric flight (no planets with advanced life though).