*** The Official Elite: Dangerous Thread ***

[bazzabear]

Can anyone in the know tell me whether this loadout seems OK?

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70f,7N75Ap5Ap,303I5K5K2M3S5K5A,03w7QE03wmpT2Uc

What percentage power usage do people aim for?

I'm still having an issue with the lasers stopping firing even when the charge bars aren't empty. I'm beginning to wonder whether my trigger button on the gamepad is just broken!

 

[chef-borjan]

When you accept missions, they tell you where to go and if you press 1 and scroll to the transactions tab, that will also tell you where to go. It is quite daunting to start and there isn't really any hand holding to speak of but stick with it and you will soon learn what the game has to offer.

I would tend to stick with delivery missions to start with and try and aim for a newer ship (the Cobra being sweet), also whilst doing missions, you are ranking up with the system you are in, so if you wanted to get system permits (like SOL), these are very good for that.

There is trader helpers like Thrudds and Inara that help you see what the best things to trade are and where to trade them. I find these both invaluble and a good way of making some credits.

Then there is upgrading your ship and that can be a bit overwhelming but you will soon see what works for you and what is a good loadout.

Plus there is many people here who are far wiser than me in this game that will be glad to offer some advice if you need it

Fly safe Commander

Thanks Gregster.

Yeah, so I found the transactions tab. But it simply told me there was a pirate in a certain system, but nothing about specific plants or stations where he might hand out in.. so I had no idea where to look!

ALSO, when a courier mission says that the items are banned in the destination station... what does this actually mean?

Ah, so each system has its own individual rep.. interesting. So when you do a mission, its advisable to head back to where you started from... I've just been picking up a new mission at whatever station I end up at!

 

[ci_newman]

I really really want to get the DK2 but common sense is telling me to wait, as it is dead money so to speak and not that long till the official launch but man I am arguing with myself big time

The DK2 isn't formally supported on Elite: D any more, I really wouldn't waste your money

 

[Gregster]

Thanks Gregster.

Yeah, so I found the transactions tab. But it simply told me there was a pirate in a certain system, but nothing about specific plants or stations where he might hand out in.. so I had no idea where to look!

ALSO, when a courier mission says that the items are banned in the destination station... what does this actually mean?

Ah, so each system has its own individual rep.. interesting. So when you do a mission, its advisable to head back to where you started from... I've just been picking up a new mission at whatever station I end up at!

I would avoid missions with a white circle and a white + in the middle as you will need an interdicter module and they are quite tough missions and not wise for early play. If a mission has a skull, they are usually smuggling missions and all good so long as you don't get scanned when entering the port and if you do get scanned, you will get fined, which will need paying off or you end up with a bounty on your head.

There is lots of different missions that can earn well like finding Black Boxes (go to the system that it mentions and fly to a Unidentified Signal Source (USS) and scoop them up and even if you get scanned and fined, you will still make a decent profit.

As for reputation with systems, press 4 on the KB and you can see what faction is allied with (Empire/Federation/Alliance/Neutral) and missions for those people will up your rank with each.

The DK2 isn't formally supported on Elite: D any more, I really wouldn't waste your money

Yer I see there is some issues with it at the mo which is helping me hold off

 

[chef-borjan]

I would avoid missions with a white circle and a white + in the middle as you will need an interdicter module and they are quite tough missions and not wise for early play. If a mission has a skull, they are usually smuggling missions and all good so long as you don't get scanned when entering the port and if you do get scanned, you will get fined, which will need paying off or you end up with a bounty on your head.

There is lots of different missions that can earn well like finding Black Boxes (go to the system that it mentions and fly to a Unidentified Signal Source (USS) and scoop them up and even if you get scanned and fined, you will still make a decent profit.

Oh boy, Gregster, I think even just your initial tips has just made this game click for me.

Early days still, but now done a few more courier missions, found a few pirates and took them out with the help of NPCs, plus found one at a signal source and took him out by myself, even though it took a while just with crappy starter lasers... even been indirected a few times, mostly evaded them though.

Popped back to base with about 60K and bought some starter upgrades... but I can already see what people find fun about this. That cobra might take a few days but I'll get there. Still no idea about mining either yet.

Not entirely sure how much more varied it gets how whether it can keep me playing for months, but still, very enjoyable and unlike anything else I've played for a long time.

 

[Hodders]

Oh boy, Gregster, I think even just your initial tips has just made this game click for me.

Early days still, but now done a few more courier missions, found a few pirates and took them out with the help of NPCs, plus found one at a signal source and took him out by myself, even though it took a while just with crappy starter lasers... even been indirected a few times, mostly evaded them though.

Popped back to base with about 60K and bought some starter upgrades... but I can already see what people find fun about this. That cobra might take a few days but I'll get there. Still no idea about mining either yet.

Not entirely sure how much more varied it gets how whether it can keep me playing for months, but still, very enjoyable and unlike anything else I've played for a long time.

Where abouts are you ? I'm currently in Fusang.

If you're not too far we could meet at an outpost and I could drop you some cargo for you to sell....

 

[bazzabear]

Yeah, so I found the transactions tab. But it simply told me there was a pirate in a certain system, but nothing about specific plants or stations where he might hand out in.. so I had no idea where to look!

You just have to keep searching the system. If it's a named pirate you can sometimes find them at unidentified signal sources. But often they actually pop up while you're in supercruise - which means you would need an interdiction device.

I agree to avoid those assassination missions. I've done one, and managed to achieve it because they did eventually show up in a USS, but it took hours!

I like to just explore (use the discovery scanner), try to find courier missions heading to new systems, and pop into the odd USS I pass for a bit of combat.

Smuggling is exactly like a courier mission, except there's a chance that you'll get scanned and then fined as you either leave or enter a dock. I believe the way to avoid this is to enter the dock while running silent, as this makes you loads harder to scan (start off lined up a good distance away, and get up to a good speed before going silent, or it'll take you ages).
But I did one recently and got a warning I was being scanned just as I approached the port into the station. I hit boost to get through the port quickly and then swerved away from it rapidly, and the scan never completed - I think I broke line of sight.

 

[Gregster]

Oh boy, Gregster, I think even just your initial tips has just made this game click for me.

Early days still, but now done a few more courier missions, found a few pirates and took them out with the help of NPCs, plus found one at a signal source and took him out by myself, even though it took a while just with crappy starter lasers... even been indirected a few times, mostly evaded them though.

Popped back to base with about 60K and bought some starter upgrades... but I can already see what people find fun about this. That cobra might take a few days but I'll get there. Still no idea about mining either yet.

Not entirely sure how much more varied it gets how whether it can keep me playing for months, but still, very enjoyable and unlike anything else I've played for a long time.

Good stuff and you look to be doing well. Mining isn't a thing I do and I did in the olden days before limpets and couldn't think of anything more boring, so not rushed back to that

As for longevity, I have been playing pretty much for a year with a 2 month break when my flight stick broke and I still have no idea what the lure is and why I look forward to firing it up but I do and happy days

Just to give you a heads up on advancement and future gaming, you can go exploring the vast depths of space and find new worlds and forever have your name on the map as the founder or you can become a trader of goods and make some fast credits there or you can join a faction in PowerPlay and help your side take over the galaxy. Just don't become a griefer

 

[Freakbro]

I'm just waiting for the HOTAS to come back into stock at OCuk and I'll be joining the space race

 

[chef-borjan]

Where abouts are you ? I'm currently in Fusang.

If you're not too far we could meet at an outpost and I could drop you some cargo for you to sell....

Oh thanks! I will check later tonight where I am... near Kini perhaps? ITs the only system name I can remember right now!

Just to confirm.. cargo still needs to be scooped up right? I have never actually done it, I think I skipped that training mission haha.

I like to just explore (use the discovery scanner), try to find courier missions heading to new systems, and pop into the odd USS I pass for a bit of combat.

So what does the discovery scanner actually do? I saw some frame shift wakes that stated the needed 'scanning' so I tried flying right up to one and activating the scanner... but nothing.

Another time I tried using it randomly and it popped up that new astronomical objects were discovered (but I couldn't tell what was new?).

Finally, seems like I can just scan unexplored planets by just targeting and looking at them. So not sure what the discovery scanner is for...

As for longevity, I have been playing pretty much for a year with a 2 month break when my flight stick broke and I still have no idea what the lure is and why I look forward to firing it up but I do and happy days

Just to give you a heads up on advancement and future gaming, you can go exploring the vast depths of space and find new worlds and forever have your name on the map as the founder or you can become a trader of goods and make some fast credits there or you can join a faction in PowerPlay and help your side take over the galaxy. Just don't become a griefer

Thats good to hear. It was smart of them to reduce the price of the original game to a tenner, now I am seriously considering picking up the expansion... I look forward to where they are taking this. What is planned after Horizons?

Haha, baby steps for now Gregster! I barely know my way around a solar system let alone exploring strange new worlds haha. So is the universe set as this persistent and massive thing (No man sky -esque?).

Gosh, don't even get me started on the commodities tab. Took one look at it and just thought... I'll leave this until later. I presume the idea is to find two systems where one is selling low and the other buying high and just shuttling between the two? Is there a smart way of figuring this out or should I be taking notes everytime I dock at a station?

 

[bazzabear]

So what does the discovery scanner actually do? I saw some frame shift wakes that stated the needed 'scanning' so I tried flying right up to one and activating the scanner... but nothing.

Another time I tried using it randomly and it popped up that new astronomical objects were discovered (but I couldn't tell what was new?).

Finally, seems like I can just scan unexplored planets by just targeting and looking at them. So not sure what the discovery scanner is for...

You need a specific wake scanner for wakes. Discovery scanner is purely for system information.

I must admit, the mechanics of it are a bit opaque. When you leap into system and you get that blue 'astronomical object found' message, that is the discovery scanner working automatically, and spotting the major sun that you just jumped to. At that point, always worth doing a manual scan which may find things orbiting that sun, or another sun if it's a binary system.

Once you've done that, if anything in your contacts screen shows up as unexplored, you can scan it further by selecting it and staying pointed at it (sometimes you need to be within 5 Ls, but sometimes not, can't work out how this is decided. Maybe the size of the object?)

Lastly, the standard discovery scanner has a 500Ls range. So if you're in an unexplored system and there's stuff further out than that from centre, it's sometimes worth flying out and running it again in case it discovers more.

After all that, and if you can get to a system more than 20Ly away without being killed, you can make a reasonable amount of money if you carry on discovering as you travel.

 

[Gregster]

Thats good to hear. It was smart of them to reduce the price of the original game to a tenner, now I am seriously considering picking up the expansion... I look forward to where they are taking this. What is planned after Horizons?

Haha, baby steps for now Gregster! I barely know my way around a solar system let alone exploring strange new worlds haha. So is the universe set as this persistent and massive thing (No man sky -esque?).

Gosh, don't even get me started on the commodities tab. Took one look at it and just thought... I'll leave this until later. I presume the idea is to find two systems where one is selling low and the other buying high and just shuttling between the two? Is there a smart way of figuring this out or should I be taking notes everytime I dock at a station?

Not to sure what comes after Horizons in truth and not really been following the news so to speak but they will be expanding further.

The Universe is huge and I have never played no mans sky, so can't really say but there is over 100 billion star systems to explore, so should take a while

Yer trading is exactly that. It is sweet to find a pair of systems that are close to each other and just go back and forth. I am currently doing some back and forth in my Anaconda with a 14.7 ly jump and making over 1.1 mill on a round trip but it can get a little boring, so I like to mix it up.

And in other news, my Mrs just bought me a DK2 for Chrimbo and my Birthday and it will be here tomorrow for me to play with. Looking forward to head scratching on getting it to work but super excited in truth

 

[Dano]

No Man's Sky isn't out until middle of next year and Elite has 400 billion stars apparently

Horizons season contains planetary landings stage 1 (non atmospheric worlds) and basic resource collecting/crafting in the form of materials and synthesis, throughout the year and I've no idea in what order we are slated to have multicrew ships, looting and crafting, character creator and some volcanic action on landable worlds.

I'm also sure that other stuff will be added by FD but kept under wraps until it's near ready.

 

[Hodders]

Oh thanks! I will check later tonight where I am... near Kini perhaps? ITs the only system name I can remember right now!

Just to confirm.. cargo still needs to be scooped up right? I have never actually done it, I think I skipped that training mission haha.

Looks like you are only about 45 light years away.

You practice some scooping - (its not too hard, delpoy your scoop, use the mini target display to line it up and just take it slow).

We need to find an outpost for the cargo transfer so there is little risk of you getting scanned - might be around over the next couple of evenings usually after about 10:30pm.

My in game name is Hodders. Send me a friend request and we'll be able to find each other then.

 

[Hodders]

I am currently doing some back and forth in my Anaconda with a 14.7 ly jump and making over 1.1 mill on a round trip but it can get a little boring, so I like to mix it up.

And in other news, my Mrs just bought me a DK2 for Chrimbo and my Birthday and it will be here tomorrow for me to play with. Looking forward to head scratching on getting it to work but super excited in truth

I'm amazed you don't make more res farming with the Zach bonus. Trading is so dull compared to blowing things up.

DK2 - you lucky git. Elite in VR is one thing I am looking forward to just so much.

 

[Dano]

We need to find an outpost for the cargo transfer so there is little risk of you getting scanned

Use the abandon option, it's not classed as illegal then, but don't do it near a station else you will get fined for littering

Gregster, extended mode, make sure you use extended mode and enjoy realising the scale of everything

 

[Gregster]

I'm amazed you don't make more res farming with the Zach bonus. Trading is so dull compared to blowing things up.

DK2 - you lucky git. Elite in VR is one thing I am looking forward to just so much.

Mate, I have hit them so hard and went up from 500 mill in assets to well over a bill and whilst I enjoy them, I kinda need a break from it if you know what I mean and I am quite enjoying trading. I had to get my Conda though, as I got killed twice which resulted in roughly 17 mill losses and it is just so slow to do anything lol, so grabbed the Conda and now interdictiions are easy

I warned the Mrs it was probably dead money with the Vive and Rift being quite close to official launch and she said she would rather get me something I want and will use than something that will gather dust, so happy days

Use the abandon option, it's not classed as illegal then, but don't do it near a station else you will get fined for littering

Gregster, extended mode, make sure you use extended mode and enjoy realising the scale of everything

Will do thanks and after any and all tips for the rift. Is it just the 1.5/2.0 that is having issues or ED in general with the Rift?

A crappy screenie from a deep crevice planet but ran out of time to get a better one. They are now adding another patch

 

[maun]

Not to sure what comes after Horizons in truth and not really been following the news so to speak but they will be expanding further.

The Universe is huge and I have never played no mans sky, so can't really say but there is over 100 billion star systems to explore, so should take a while

Yer trading is exactly that. It is sweet to find a pair of systems that are close to each other and just go back and forth. I am currently doing some back and forth in my Anaconda with a 14.7 ly jump and making over 1.1 mill on a round trip but it can get a little boring, so I like to mix it up.

And in other news, my Mrs just bought me a DK2 for Chrimbo and my Birthday and it will be here tomorrow for me to play with. Looking forward to head scratching on getting it to work but super excited in truth

Might I enquire as to your trade route for your 'conda? mines around 24ly and i make about 1.4m, but shorter distance sounds more appealing!

 

[Dano]

The other thing that springs to mind with the rift is to make sure you adjust the HUD to a green colour, it will make it far more readable.

 

[Gregster]

Might I enquire as to your trade route for your 'conda? mines around 24ly and i make about 1.4m, but shorter distance sounds more appealing!

Yer no probs. I am trading:

Spoiler

Koyans - HIP 10587 Palladium/Mineral extractors

The other thing that springs to mind with the rift is to make sure you adjust the HUD to a green colour, it will make it far more readable.

Thanks for the tip and will deffo do that