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Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:25 am
by Hengest
Hello, I pleayed Elite back in the Commodore 64 days and Frontier on the Amiga. I am not a heavy gamer by any means but knew I had to get this game...... and I am struggling so far.
Playing around the Eravate area I find that if I dare to venture too far I end up dead. I have done the combat tutorials and watched various Youtube videos but it just seems that when it comes to doing it for real I can't cut it.
Is it just me or is it a learning curve that all have to go through?
Anyway, glad to be here.
Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 9:23 am
by Flip
Welcome aboard, Commander! And don't worry, it's not just you. It takes some time indeed, but it'll get easier and easier. And feel free to ask questions here. You'll find we're a good bunch of helpful people.

Good luck and fly safe!
Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 11:32 am
by Corsaire31
Welcome, I met you the other night in Eravate but may be you didn't see my message ?

Been also a C64 Elite player, but never left the stick since then...
Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 4:05 pm
by Emanon
Greetings commander! It will become second nature soon so keep at it and those YouTube videos are a good start. I'd say down the road investing in a good joystick or HOTAS setup could help too, just makes everything more natural (and the Thrustmaster T Flight X HOTAS is the lower end but works just fine for the price).
Ask questions in here and in game if you see players around. And look on the official forums at some of the guides and stickied topics.
What are you having the most trouble with right now?
Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:17 pm
by Hengest
Flip wrote:Welcome aboard, Commander! And don't worry, it's not just you. It takes some time indeed, but it'll get easier and easier. And feel free to ask questions here. You'll find we're a good bunch of helpful people.

Thanks Flip, that's why I joined.
Corsaire31 wrote:Welcome, I met you the other night in Eravate but may be you didn't see my message ?

Been also a C64 Elite player, but never left the stick since then...
I'm sorry, it wasn't personal

Multi tasking is not on the cards at the moment! I get so used to the usual scan messages that I have not been taking much notice.
Emanon wrote:Greetings commander! It will become second nature soon so keep at it and those YouTube videos are a good start. I'd say down the road investing in a good joystick
What are you having the most trouble with right now?
Thanks Emanon, yes a joystick is definitely on the agenda once cash allows. It is really combat that I am struggling with. I am still in a Sidewinder with some upgrades so maybe that is a lot to do with it. Initially I struggled even getting hostiles in front of me until I learned to use reverse thrust etc. I can get ships in my sights now and get some shots in, I have even bagun shifting power between system and weapons etc. I am not looking to get into combat, just trading until I can get a better ship, but I keep getting blown to peices and losing everything.
Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:27 pm
by General Specific
my only tip, being no good at combat myself!) Get the best shields and the best guns you can! I was running an A rated asp with 4 beam lasers and 2 missile racks, anything less than a tricked out python was easy meat in that.
Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:41 pm
by Emanon
Hengest,
Well hopefully you are playing in the Mobius private group (or if they can't add anymore now because they are too full just play solo to start out and later you can join Mobius private group or Open when your feeling more confident).
So are you getting blown to pieces from NPCs interdicting your or just accidents? Either way, always have enough insurance to cover yourself no matter what - unless you like risking it!

But if you are getting interdicted by the AI (an NPC) while trading it is really easy to get away. First, just submit - bring your throttle to zero (a throttle zero button is a good hotkey for controllers or Joystick/HOTAS setups as is a 75% throttle, but that is another topic). As soon as you are pulled out of supercruise and see that NPC behind you, probably saying something like, "Your cargo is mine!". Just start hitting your boost. When I'm trading I usually just fly with 2 pips in shields, 4 pips in engines, and no pips in weapons because I don't even have weapons on a trading ship. So if engines are maxed, just bob and weave, move left, right, up, roll, etc. and keep tubroing. It won't be long for FSD to be ready to use again if you submitted (I think only 5 seconds or so). Then just weave one last time and hit your jump button. You may get tagged a bit when your charging, but I find that after even a couple of boosts the AI just isn't that smart and doesn't really keep up with you.
I realize some commanders like to turn and fight, so if that is the case then you will obviously need weapons but I say still submit just to make it easier on yourself with less interdiction wear & tear damage and your FSD will charge faster. But if your dying in fights, maybe its good to just run until you can afford a good fighter (like a Viper or Cobra) that you can later outfit for some butt kicking!
Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:46 pm
by Flip
I found the training missions very useful for getting comfortable in combat, when I started. You don't have anything to lose, in training, and I even found it lots of fun to fight the ship you're supposed to hide from because it's set to be impossible to beat.
Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:52 pm
by TomoRosso
Are you using a 360 controller? I used one for a week or so but found it limiting, it was hard to get he controller to do everything I wanted and still give me the ability to use lateral thrust when engaging hostiles, so I got an x52 and it's now a far better experience - As you're in Eravate running Marine Eqt from Cleve Hub to Ackerman Market and Tea on the return will give you a good 900+ cr per ton to get you started (assuming you have the credits to buy the stock) Cleve Hub is currently my home base but I trade around systems about 30 ly away, might see you around commander. Corsaire is often in Eravate keeping the AI pirates at bay

Re: Hi, struggling noob checking in
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:56 pm
by Malphator
I got a late start waiting around for my HOTAS to arrive. I even got tired of waiting and jumped in and acclimated to mouse/kb (which I still use, agh. lol). I have only recently got into a Cobra. I had purchases one earlier, when I only had around 500,000 cr. I quickly realized this was not wise, as all the Cobra's class 4 modules get super pricey super fast! lol. Just a heads up!