Elite: Game talk
11 Oct 2021, 8:48pm
I could accept small tweaks like only experimentals.
Or small boost, not +400% to shields.
But in my opinion one of the biggest "XD" in whole balance is HD hull. When for example explosive resists improve explosive resists, and DECREASE other resists heavy duty...
Improve raw hp, AND ALL RESISTS.
11 Oct 2021, 9:01pm
SakashiroEpisparhMost effective way for raw materials is visiting crystalline shards in Horizons.
Today I needed some high grade raw materials to trade down. The station with the material trader orbited a planet with "depleted reserves". Lazy me landed there anyway and in a relatively short time found several metallic meteorites with goodies like these:
Depleted reserves, my arse.
Reserves are system based and don't have any effect on the raw mats you pick up bouncing in your SRV. That is purely based on the percentage and the ratio to other mats of similar scarcity (which is why selenium is so hard to find despite being classed as an uncommon mat).
I last farmed HGE about a year back. Now I've got all ships engineered and not thinking of buying any more, I just pick em up mining, missions, combat etc. Pretty much always maxed out.
There again, I've never experienced the grind that others talk about. I get bored too easily and there's always plenty of other shit to do.
Today for example - Settlement raid, killed 12 of 15 scavs, then back to the SRV to restock. Went and had tea, watched tv, came back - I hadn't actually got into the SRV so had asphixiated standing beside it! Another stupid rebuy, Another mission failed.
11 Oct 2021, 9:09pm
HeilriderIt only show, how broken system is engineering.
I could accept small tweaks like only experimentals.
Or small boost, not +400% to shields.
But in my opinion one of the biggest "XD" in whole balance is HD hull. When for example explosive resists improve explosive resists, and DECREASE other resists heavy duty...
Improve raw hp, AND ALL RESISTS.
Oh most definitely. Some engineering options are simply not worth looking at as other options are just so unbalanced, there's no point to choosing any other options. In my opinion, engineering should have been much more focused on improving the trading/mining/exploration aspects of the game while leaving combat virtually unaffected. Greater jump range, more fuel efficient engines, more effective scanners, scanners that could be engineered to finding specific resources instead of always having to just guess and hope you are right, more efficient mining equipment, collector limpets, make it so you need to engineer cargo ships to haul hazardous material (that would be more valuable to trade) similar to how thargoid stuff needs special cargo racks, etc... here's an engineering idea that I wish could be added to the game, when you are in an asteroid field, you activate a pulse scanner and some asteroids appear amber in color to indicate certain resources. Why can't we engineer a system that keeps track of what asteroids you have scanned/mined so as to not have to worry about probing the same asteroid?
Otherwise, and maybe I'm just crazy here, but I personally believe certain size classes of ships should just simply not be able to easily engage in combat against other size ships. Very small class ships shouldn't have an easy time bringing down the big 3 regardless of engineering. Similarly it feels wrong at how easy I can just take my Cutter out and stare down a Farragut and chase it off without ever taking a dent to my shields, all while ignoring all the enemy ships trying to defend said Farragut that are also shooting at me. It should be difficult for me to chase a battlecruiser off. I should not just be thinking "oh look, more free credits."
11 Oct 2021, 9:13pm
Light-Hawk I can basically solo low level CZ's in my Cutter without even deploying hardpoints. Just ram everything.
Can you do that?
I always thought that purely ramming didn't count as a kill and got no money. I always end up firing a missile at them when they are low on hull.
11 Oct 2021, 9:15pm
QuillmonkeyLight-Hawk I can basically solo low level CZ's in my Cutter without even deploying hardpoints. Just ram everything.
Can you do that?
I always thought that purely ramming didn't count as a kill and got no money. I always end up firing a missile at them when they are low on hull.
Not literally. There's a reason I said "basically." That being said it's still funny to go into 3rd person view and watch enemies just bounce off you and explode.
11 Oct 2021, 10:01pm
HeilriderWe can gather everything by normal gameplay.
Except you can't. You have to go to certain types of locations for most of the high grade ones, and information on where to go for them is negligible or non-existent in-game. You can use the material trader but the trade ratio is so low it will still take forever trading up. There is no non-grindy way to play the game when it comes to materials. There is less grindy and more grindy. Regardless of how you play, you always will come up against the material gathering wall sooner or later. If you only have a few ships it isn't too bad but heaven forbid if you have a legit fleet.
11 Oct 2021, 11:29pm
HeilriderAbout material grind (for ships)
I will tell you secret.
You can gather materials from:
signals
nearly 70 abandoned settlements
dozens crashed ships
scanning ships
destroying ships
missions, which represent majority of activities in game (I'm serious, you even don't know, how common are simple missions with rewards like 5x G5 material, which can be traded down)
material traders
They only real problem can be in raw materials, so only mining, or driving around planets.
So each time, when I see "gRiNd tErRiBlE, I have to relog for endless hours in hge each time when I want to upgrade something" I can say only 1 thing- your choice, your pain. We can gather everything by normal gameplay. If someone want to farm everything like bot by relogs- ok, your choice, your pain. I prefer having fun, and treat materials as natural consequence of my missions, next kills, or ships, which I scan before attack them (fun fact- after single combat CG I was nearly full all important, g1-g4 materials).
Of course, excluding guardian epsilon data, and some G5 materials. But I don't feel, that I lost something by ignoring some level of upgrades, or not completing current. Who need ONE additional m/s on boost? Or next 184 shield, if your 5k is more than enough for everything, what isn't other player? I made enough builds on coriolis- I don't see single point in participating in this stupid rat's race to "full G5 on all modules". Pointless outside pvp. Absulutely.
Does it require time? Yes. But When I see amount of possibilities, I think, that elite never was game for people, which want insta gratification/are bored by game after 20 hours. To be honest I prefer taking few missions, earn conductors, and trade it, than sit as duck in single HGE for hours.
To people, which want to just buy materials for credits- years after years, earning credits is such absurdly easy, that better just remove ALL materials, and upgrade ships by money, than using meaningless money for buying materials, which will be used to upgrade. 1 station less
I guess it's because I'm a completionist.
I can't settle for grade 4, or even 95% grade 5. I do pick up materials casually during normal gameplay, but when I engineer a new ship from scratch, I always run out and have to get more. And then I can't do it casually any more because I want to get that ship finished ASAP. I can't stop until it is exactly how I planned it in EDSY.12 Oct 2021, 12:24am
Sakashiro I guess it's because I'm a completionist. I can't settle for grade 4, or even 95% grade 5. I do pick up materials casually during normal gameplay, but when I engineer a new ship from scratch, I always run out and have to get more. And then I can't do it casually any more because I want to get that ship finished ASAP. I can't stop until it is exactly how I planned it in EDSY.
Well, if you want to go the 'get materials as you play route' it will always take longer than doing a straight cheesy grindfest. I too hate the relog farming grind but not as much as the constant back and forth to traders to keep my mat levels partially empty so I don't lose mats I can't pick up.
The best way I've found to farm mats from ship killing is doing bounty hunting/assassinate missions of High Threat. Many of the rarer to HGE farm mats (Pharm Isolators, Supercapacitors, etc.) drop much more often there. Also you get the mission reward so those mats count too.
12 Oct 2021, 9:54am
KurakilHeilriderWe can gather everything by normal gameplay.
Except you can't. You have to go to certain types of locations for most of the high grade ones, and information on where to go for them is negligible or non-existent in-game. You can use the material trader but the trade ratio is so low it will still take forever trading up. There is no non-grindy way to play the game when it comes to materials. There is less grindy and more grindy. Regardless of how you play, you always will come up against the material gathering wall sooner or later. If you only have a few ships it isn't too bad but heaven forbid if you have a legit fleet.
Ratio is low only if you feel, that you have to push to G5 grades, G1-3 is one of the easiest "grinds" which I know in online games
And no. Not always you will come up against grindwall. Fact, that we have 5 grades of upgrades doesn't mean, that we have to grind to last stage. As I said- after 3 years I felt mythical "grindwall" only once- during guardian slf unlocking. All other materials I have by completely normal gameplay supported by material trader and my ignoring "late" grades. Compare price of example g4/5 with combined g1-3. Not worthy grind if you aren't pvper. I think, that after 3 years nearly 100% of my G5 material to shields is from trade, not special signals in special system during special, rare state. I can push G5 upgrades, if I have more materials than enough, but if I haven't- no big deal, when I bought crusader and outfited it to combat for first 2 months I fought with g1 upgrades, because...I forgot make better, not because I hadn't materials
Other, more grindy games teached me it. In rpg language. Better have 15 defence for 2 millions, than 18 for 20
Sakashiro
I guess it's because I'm a completionist.
As I said- your choice, your pain
When I created AX cutter I had plenty materials, and RNG were good for me (each next roll is better, but you know, sometimes roll give nearly 100% of grade, sometimes less than 50%), but when I saw that next roll on thrusters will give me only 1m/s of additional speed...I ignored it, without bad feelings. For me "complete grade" non exist.
There is only "price-performance" factor. And for "late" grades it is extremally bad ratio. Something like in classic rpgs, where you can upgrade your sword to some level onl by gold. But last upgrade (which will add onl few % more damage) will require tons of gold, dragon's heart and other "special" indregients
BurstarSakashiro I guess it's because I'm a completionist. I can't settle for grade 4, or even 95% grade 5. I do pick up materials casually during normal gameplay, but when I engineer a new ship from scratch, I always run out and have to get more. And then I can't do it casually any more because I want to get that ship finished ASAP. I can't stop until it is exactly how I planned it in EDSY.
The best way I've found to farm mats from ship killing is doing bounty hunting/assassinate missions of High Threat. Many of the rarer to HGE farm mats (Pharm Isolators, Supercapacitors, etc.) drop much more often there. Also you get the mission reward so those mats count too.
This is very good tip. I think, that I found more pharm isolators in combat missions, than in HGE (because it require specific state, which isn't common thing)
Last edit: 12 Oct 2021, 10:21am
12 Oct 2021, 11:15am
Sakashiro
I guess it's because I'm a completionist. I can't settle for grade 4, or even 95% grade 5. I do pick up materials casually during normal gameplay, but when I engineer a new ship from scratch, I always run out and have to get more. And then I can't do it casually any more because I want to get that ship finished ASAP. I can't stop until it is exactly how I planned it in EDSY.
I understand you perfectly. But it's just that there are people who enjoy eating each pea individually
12 Oct 2021, 11:44am
HeilriderSakashiroI guess it's because I'm a completionist.
As I said- your choice, your pain
I'm sure there's a name for my mental disorder.
But then again, I've played other games, too. For example, in my Skyrim and Fallout 4 playthroughs I always try to collect complete sets of body armor with no missing parts, even though mixing and matching from multiple sets might give better overall stats. But those other games never make the grind feel boring and/or repetitive. In Fallout 4, materials are integrated into the game's economy. So if you're missing a screw to complete your weapon modification, you don't have to wait or "savescum" for the game to spawn a desk fan or toy car you can loot. You can go to a vendor and buy what you need. Same thing in No Man's Sky.
ED's separation between commodities and materials serves no purpose other than to increase the grind. Separate traders for raw, manufactured and encoded materials that do not accept payment in credits and never appear in one spot serve only one purpose: to waste your time without enhancing the gameplay. Every aspect of ED appears designed to make things slow and tedious and to keep you from doing the things you actually like to do. I've never seen anything like that in other games.
12 Oct 2021, 12:32pm
SakashiroEvery aspect of ED appears designed to make things slow and tedious and to keep you from doing the things you actually like to do. I've never seen anything like that in other games.FDev teaches us to withstand pain and suffering.
12 Oct 2021, 1:09pm
MeowersSakashiroEvery aspect of ED appears designed to make things slow and tedious and to keep you from doing the things you actually like to do. I've never seen anything like that in other games.
FDev teaches us to withstand pain and suffering.
12 Oct 2021, 1:26pm
SakashiroHeilriderSakashiroI guess it's because I'm a completionist.
As I said- your choice, your pain
I'm sure there's a name for my mental disorder.
But then again, I've played other games, too. For example, in my Skyrim and Fallout 4 playthroughs I always try to collect complete sets of body armor with I've never seen anything like that in other games.
I seen similar mechanics in few different games, and trust me or not- they were much worse (of course, not in singleplayer rpgs). I could say, that after playing in this games grind here is fart against hurricane of real grind. Maybe it are reasons, why I don't see much problems in elite.
Firstly, I'm not completionist. I really, don't care grinding more power for meaninfull bigger numbers, if I currently have more money, shields, damage than I need.
Secondly, 99% of things, which I have I can earn by normal gameplay, not forcing myself to anything, at the end ocassionally dropping in CLOSE signals during my own business, gather 2-3 high grade materials after destroying this pirate in big, expensive toy, or taking conductors instead money after complete mission + scanning this few ships during landing with mixed Fa off/on isn't big trouble.
Aaand- I seen worse things. In the grim darkness of the other game genres there is only grind, which will change your soul in ash. Into cursed, rotted ash. It was too terrible even for me.
So sorry, but my conclusion is simple- For 99% of time I don't see this boring, long, terrible grind which is one of the hottest topics in elite, if we count only existing content, not mythical ship interiors
I'm just doing my own business, and I don't remember any, even the smallest problem in materials for engineering. Single week of random pew pew could yield me enough materials to not worry about it for very long time.
Long live of material traders o7
Last edit: 12 Oct 2021, 1:38pm
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