What are you doing (ingame) now?

[Geopan]

welp

Proud moment for a bunny hunter. ^.^

[thebs]

On-topic portion ...

Now, I've seen my first black hole, thanks Maia B, and I think it's high time I saw one of these barnacles. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Atlas, Maia, Merope?

Merope 5C is always the classic. If you just want to see one. I'm sure it's overmined, and didn't even offer anything, for a time, post-2.1 release.

Also, a final thought.. WTF is up with these NPCs being OP at interdicting.. I get that I am now in Lawless space.. but these NPCs are crazy powerful. Figured out I can scan them for... well I dunno what I get from scanning them, but it's something. Showing up late to an update is..fun.

Yes, avoid Lawless space, if you can. If not, run and drop mines, while rolling (not turning, which will throw them off the path of the mines) and chaff'ing. Works quite well, at least if they are 2km out. Within 1km, not so much.

Off Topic

I only do celsius. I'm trying to break the "another american generation that doesn't know the standard units that the WORLD uses" stereotype.

Indeed. It's best to address the target audience, but that's the consultant in me talking.

► Show Spoiler

E.g., my favorite programming language is the one the client can support best, I just know various methods, plus various, conflicting regular expressions.

Although be aware there are a few cases where it's more than just the system of measure. In engineering, there can be differences between Anglo-American and French diagramming. And in firearms, SAMMI and CIP are radically different on how degrees are used. The US SAE also has similar differences from international measures.

And that's more than just the UK gallon (Imperial-based) v. US gallon (metric-based, reset in the 19th century so the quart was closer to a liter, on-purpose) is why the 40mpg-UK car is only 32mpg-US. It has to do with angles and output, much lie SAMMI v. CIP.

Also, people complain about the FAA and US Customary being used, but it's only a half-valid argument.

Yes, US Customary feet should not be used, totally agree -- including the US military who uses meters, and most of the civilian world have long adopted "yards" to be much closer, on-purpose. But the nautical mile (which is not the UK-US agreed "international mile") exists for a reason, especially in the case computers and navigation becomes unavailable. Unfortunately new pilots are not taught this, and they don't realize why the nautical mile exits (and the dead simple technique to using it) ... and we've had several, navigational accidents due to such, one deadly (because they are not taught the related techniques).

Case-in-point: It's often more than just the units, but the entire reason for a system of measure, including technique that still differs between metric-welding nations. Even if I agree that US customary only adds to the complexity, people have to understand that there are still differences between countries and their systems.

E.g., once I had an Englishman complain about 1/8th inch, but he wasn't complaining about the US Customary measure, but the 1/8th portion. Oh, he shouldn't have gone there.

I.e., there is a reason why 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.0625mm are used as well. Perfect divisions of two (2) are far, far more precise than base 10.

I'd take 50 and a dry heat over 40 and humidity any day of the week.. the humidity with low-mid 30s the past few days has been horrible.. Southern Summer for you there.

I've lived in Orlando almost all my life, so 40C with humidity doesn't bother me like others. I can walk 5 miles in 90 minutes in it, before it finally gets to me. I've done it many times.

Maybe with the advent of Pokemon Go, americans will finally demand a movement to Metric from Imperial.. It gets old trying to explain what a "km" is to people..

Again, one (1) correction, and one (1) clarification there ...

1. (correction) The US does not use Imperial, and has not since the 19th century. That might seem anal to point out, but it's not ...

It's very, very important to understand -- e.g., 40mpg in the UK is only 32mpg in the US. US Customary is 100% based on Metric, the foundation of NIST and the US' support of the French-argued ISO -- at utter odds with the British (enough that the US received 1 of the 5 first, original meter sticks) -- happened 19th century, to the same significant digits as Metric has been itself (5, 7 and then 9 from the 1860s to the 1930s). UK Imperial is not, largely over nationalism (until it was a serious issue 20 years into NATO) -- I cannot stress this enough (and the irony when anyone from the UK insults the US over its "Customary" -- so named in the 19th century to state the US has a "Customary" measurement system to its eventual switch to Metric).

I.e., the US did not have the issues the UK did with NATO ... which was only solved in the '70s by the UK switching to Metric, largely as a result of the SEPECAT Jaguar.

E.g., The US M14 was completely Metric, FN FAL STANAG magazine compatible, unlike the UK SLR which -- ironically -- was actually a licensed copy "converted" (poorly) to FN FAL itself.

2. (clarification) The US officially went Metric in '75, and all children are only taught metric. So what you're actually saying is ...

Americans should demand the US media start reporting Metric ... like all most federal agencies, and all aerospace, electrical and other, engineering entities use already, in the US.

Only a few industries remain customary, because it's more than just Metric ... but the entire techniques (e.g., the aforementioned SAE, SAMMI, etc...). They will likely always remain US Customary, with a "second set" of diagrams for comparison (e.g., SAMMI neck angle != CIP neck angle on a bullet).

E.g., Even in a recent NASA brief on Pluto, they used Metric in the original document, and had to create an "US media friendly" one that used Customary.

Sorry to be anal on this, but it's like many things ... the over-simplification ends up being dead wrong, and more importantly, causes issues. Just like the 9/11 comments by the US media about kerosene melting steel. As any 2nd year engineering student who has statics will tell you, kerosene cannot melt steel, but heat will weaken steel. The resulting reduction in strength will mean that if any other support is taken out, and there's a load off-axis, then you're going to eventually get ... essentially ... fulcrum if don't remove or otherwise support the load with additional structure.

Although the Moon Landing conspiracy theories are my favorite. Oh what two (2) engineers did to prove most people could be duped into applying pre-BC, Aristotle-type observation that would be odds with even classical, 18th century physics ... has now turned into 20% of the world thinking the US faked the moon landings. To date, the only ... and I stress only, conspiracy theory I could believe is that both Apollo 11 and 12 video broadcasts were faked, while they were really on the moon at the time. NASA shotgunned so much in '69 and '70 that camera and other things were an afterthought, and it wouldn't surprise me if the broadcast video footage was not real (but that's it).

All I can say is ... I'm a traditional, American engineer who has worked with a lot of foreign individuals. I try to never be ignorant, but I also have to correct assumptions, quite often. Most traditional, non-American, engineers, do understand most of it ... but many non-American technologists do not, because they've never worked in manufacturing and related, fabrication industry, just modern technology.

Blind faith in any history or science, without understand in the principles, is no different than blind faith in any creed or religion. Just because someone says it's "science" and "everyone agrees" rarely details all the factors and key information, much less contains no "proof." It's something I live by, especially after the "kerosene melts steel" non-sense post-9/11.

[thebs]

I could see how and why people could get disenfranchised with the engineers, if all they do is grind. As I've discovered my 7th engineer, while only unlocking only three (3) so far, I could easily see how people could get annoyed.

I've refused to grind on engineers, especially after spending nearly 16 hours just to get my FSD to level 3. I now only do things sporadically, as part of other things. I get components as they come, instead of seeking them out. I drive on planets whenever I feel like it, and not to get components.

It's really the only way to play the game, leisurely, and not get frustrated. I've ensured I've stuck to that since a lot of wasted time last weekend. Just how I have to approach it.

I might think differently if I was all about PvP. But I'm just PvE.

[Xebeth]

...

I've refused to grind on engineers, especially after spending nearly 16 hours just to get my FSD to level 3. I now only do things sporadically, as part of other things. I get components as they come, instead of seeking them out. I drive on planets whenever I feel like it, and not to get components.

It's really the only way to play the game, leisurely, and not get frustrated. I've ensured I've stuck to that since a lot of wasted time last weekend. Just how I have to approach it.

....

I have to agree, it's only a grind if you make it one, I suspect FD thought that's what would happen, but unfortunately many people feel the need to have the best new shinny immediately and get annoyed when they can't. That's not to say that the RNG isn't a bit daft, but if you don't make grinding materials your focus, then you are less likely to be frustrated when the roll doesn't go your way.

[thebs]

...
I've refused to grind on engineers, especially after spending nearly 16 hours just to get my FSD to level 3. I now only do things sporadically, as part of other things. I get components as they come, instead of seeking them out. I drive on planets whenever I feel like it, and not to get components.
It's really the only way to play the game, leisurely, and not get frustrated. I've ensured I've stuck to that since a lot of wasted time last weekend. Just how I have to approach it.
....

I have to agree, it's only a grind if you make it one, I suspect FD thought that's what would happen, but unfortunately many people feel the need to have the best new shinny immediately and get annoyed when they can't. That's not to say that the RNG isn't a bit daft, but if you don't make grinding materials your focus, then you are less likely to be frustrated when the roll doesn't go your way.

I'm doing a lot of only Level 1 crafting so far ... other than Level 3 FSD Range. I'm actually going to just bring back a lot of exploration data, and go directly to Level 5, skipping Level 4. I'm about to unlock my 4th engineer shortly, and probably get her up to level 3-4 so I can discover another.

That said ... I see EDShipyard lists a Class 4A Gimballed Multi-cannon. I assume this has to be unlocked? Or is it available to anyone without unlocking? I ask because I'm quite disappointed in my Class 4B Gimballed Cannon. Plus Todd "The Blaster" can upgrade it beyond just the Cannon.

Side Note: I know we Americans are big on Gatling Guns, while Europeans are big on the Revolver Cannons. So I'm surprised the game favors the former (6 barrel for Multi-cannon IIRC), although then again, the game also favors the right side green -- the signs on some stations, as well as the ordering of the docks, proves it. But I've always been a closet Gast Gun fan, like the Russians have put to great use. I always wanted to see a dual-Gast Gun (4 barrel) against an American Gatling Gun (4-7 barrel), as they would have similar rates of fire ... but the Gast has no "spin up" and could fire 2 immediately, and get out dozens before the Gatling even fires.

I'm like going to visit Azrael for my first time this weekend. Yes, yes, I know, only do Order of Mobius missions.

[JustSomeGuy]

That said ... I see EDShipyard lists a Class 4A Gimballed Multi-cannon. I assume this has to be unlocked? Or is it available to anyone without unlocking? I ask because I'm quite disappointed in my Class 4B Gimballed Cannon. Plus Todd "The Blaster" can upgrade it beyond just the Cannon.

4A MC is available without unlocking. And it actually sounds like a multi-cannon instead of a minigun.

4A_MC.jpg (109.5 KiB) Viewed 2348 times

[thebs]

That said ... I see EDShipyard lists a Class 4A Gimballed Multi-cannon. I assume this has to be unlocked? Or is it available to anyone without unlocking? I ask because I'm quite disappointed in my Class 4B Gimballed Cannon. Plus Todd "The Blaster" can upgrade it beyond just the Cannon.

4A MC is available without unlocking. And it actually sounds like a multi-cannon instead of a minigun.

4A_MC.jpg

Now that is cool!
I only saw the Size 1-2 Multi-cannons prior.
Thanx for the pic!

[JustSomeGuy]

The sounds could be a little more manlier, but I like those guns, they seem to get the job done.

[Darr Valen]

On-topic portion ...

Now, I've seen my first black hole, thanks Maia B, and I think it's high time I saw one of these barnacles. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Atlas, Maia, Merope?

Merope 5C is always the classic. If you just want to see one. I'm sure it's overmined, and didn't even offer anything, for a time, post-2.1 release.

Also, a final thought.. WTF is up with these NPCs being OP at interdicting.. I get that I am now in Lawless space.. but these NPCs are crazy powerful. Figured out I can scan them for... well I dunno what I get from scanning them, but it's something. Showing up late to an update is..fun.

/brevity]

Really just responding to make it clear to anyone that might have read that long off-topic post, or will read it: In no way did I bring up 9-11, steel beams, the temperature at which steel degrades, deforms, etc, or anything else related to that subject. I am not a "Bush did 9-11" person, I don't make any claims to any conspiracies, and have never said as such.. Considering I watched the second plane hit as it happened, and that's not something you'd forget seeing, I would never do so.

I genuinely don't understand why you'd go off about that. You pulled A LOT of information from the little bit I said about metric (1 sentence?) that was not actually said, stated or implied. I really don't feel the need to dive into all that.. whatever that rant-post was. It just really bothered me, to the point I felt it was needed to make sure in no uncertain terms, nothing I posted was or is to be construed as 9-11 tin-foiling, denial, or even to do with the date or events to begin with, nor do I have any wish to continue such a discussion..





Now, back on to the least bit of relevant-to-elite topics. What am I doing in game? Nothing of note. Idling in the dock of one of these Engineers, after delivering some Meta-Alloys. Trying to play catch up to the 2.x updates so I can figure out how to proceed. I've read quite a bit of references to the results being RNG styled. To be clear, does this mean that people that work through the 5 stages of upgrades will get a random percentage of effective upgrade at each level?

That is, Level 1, possible upgrade 0-15%, RNG crafting turns that into an 8% outcome. Level 2 upgrade potential 0-12%, outcome of RNG is 11%, and so on and so forth?

I think I am going to take a flight out to a nice 1.2G world. None of that soul-crushing gravity that makes landing a pain, or that too weak to drive along without getting airborne fractional-G stuff that exists on most moons/planetoids out in the Verse. Mufrid 3, here I come! You disappearing barnacles can wait for another day!

[thebs]

On-topic portion ...

Now, back on to the least bit of relevant-to-elite topics. What am I doing in game? Nothing of note. Idling in the dock of one of these Engineers, after delivering some Meta-Alloys. Trying to play catch up to the 2.x updates so I can figure out how to proceed. I've read quite a bit of references to the results being RNG styled. To be clear, does this mean that people that work through the 5 stages of upgrades will get a random percentage of effective upgrade at each level?

That is, Level 1, possible upgrade 0-15%, RNG crafting turns that into an 8% outcome. Level 2 upgrade potential 0-12%, outcome of RNG is 11%, and so on and so forth?

It's seemingly possible for it to get worse. That's why I'm starting to get to the point I don't want to waste materials on lower level, and waste more common materials on things I don't care about, to level up.

But I'm still figuring things out myself.

I think I am going to take a flight out to a nice 1.2G world. None of that soul-crushing gravity that makes landing a pain, or that too weak to drive along without getting airborne fractional-G stuff that exists on most moons/planetoids out in the Verse. Mufrid 3, here I come! You disappearing barnacles can wait for another day!

I landed on my first 1.8G the other day ... by pure accident ... with an Anaconda no less. Talk about "interesting" when it came to the SRV and blowing up stones for resources!

The sad thing is, after that, I got cocky.

I.e., when I delivered 452t of goods to a planet-side base the next evening, and saw the gravity was only 0.10G, I came in hot. And when I mean hot, by the time I figured I should have raised my landing gear and immediately boosted as I nosed back up, I hit the ground so hard ... that I was down to 25% hull. Yes, I took out my 5x Boosted (with Level 1 Engineering on every one of those) Class 4A Shields that had around 700MJ of strength.

Last time I ever do something like that ... would have been over a 9Mcr insurance claim, plus another 5Mcr in goods lost. I'm only worth 220Mcr right now ... not enough to pull that crap with a 185-190Mcr valued Anaconda.

Off Topic

Really just responding to make it clear to anyone that might have read that long off-topic post, or will read it: In no way did I bring up 9-11, steel beams, the temperature at which steel degrades, deforms, etc, or anything else related to that subject. I am not a "Bush did 9-11" person, I don't make any claims to any conspiracies, and have never said as such.. Considering I watched the second plane hit as it happened, and that's not something you'd forget seeing, I would never do so.

I know. It was never aimed at you. But many people who say one thing, are often related to the other. Ergo ...

I genuinely don't understand why you'd go off about that.

First off, I used the "Spoiler" tags to fold it, even inside the Off-topic tag.
Secondly, because the same people often get on me for being an American, and our US Customary system (which is not Imperial), often bring up the same load of crud. In other words, they want to take issue and be argumentative. You did not. Never said you did.

Yes, as an American engineer, yes, I have a chip on my shoulder at times. This includes people calling US Customary as UK Imperial, which it's the opposite -- the US system was Metric-based, while the UK was not, 100 years before the UK went Metric (because of all the issues). You related them and I decided to tell you some tales -- stupidly long anecdotes, which I admit they are (but are true) -- of what some people do, not you, in the postscript -- under "Spoiler" tags.

Understand I took what you said as genuine and nothing wrong, and even tried to correct and clarify, not scold you at all.

► Show Spoiler

Unfortunately for them, I'm a traditional engineer, with a full background that breaks through the FUD of US media, which is often proliferated, and distorted even further into non-US media.

Working on a lot of international accounts over the years (being uniquely qualified in many areas) has resulted in a lot of cases like this. The history of US Customary v. UK Imperial is an interesting study. I.e., the same people who assume differences are the same ones who have a lot to say about 9/11 and Moon Landings too ... things that are at odd with basic, 18th Century Physics and, more specifically, both Engineering Statics and Dynamic, respectively.

Short-version: It's very popular to American-bash whenever US Customary is used, and it spirals from there. Just giving some examples, because some people very much do thing of 9/11 and Moon Landings when US Customary comes up. I did you not, some very much do (maybe not the Moon Landings here, given the game, but definitely 9/11 for some).

It's very important for people to realize the US went metric, and even US Customary was Metric-based, to the same precision as Metric itself, 100 years before that. The ones not using metric are the US media. Heck, everything's been dual-unit labeled since '75 for a reason.

The US is officially a Metric nation ... sans the US media. The Weather Channel even tries to dual-unit at times, "testing the waters" on Celsius.

You pulled A LOT of information from the little bit I said about metric (1 sentence?) that was not actually said, stated or implied.

I never implied you said anything, period. I merely ...
1. Moved what you said that was off-topic to the end
2. Wrapped it around in "Off-topic" tags, and ...
3. Wrapped most of my responses around in "Spoiler" tags -- especially my long anecdotes -- to completely hide them

Again, even I decided to put a lot under a "Spoiler" tag, inside the "Off-topic" tag. Skip it if you wish. That's why the "Spoiler" was used.

I really don't feel the need to dive into all that.. whatever that rant-post was.

Because we talked about US Customary.
Again, I used the "Spoiler" tag for a reason, even further inside the "Off-topic" tag. I expect others who do so to do the same when they go off-topic as far as I did.

It just really bothered me, to the point I felt it was needed to make sure in no uncertain terms, nothing I posted was or is to be construed as 9-11 tin-foiling, denial, or even to do with the date or events to begin with, nor do I have any wish to continue such a discussion..

I never said you did, and I put it in the "Spoiler" tags, further into the "Off-topic" for a reason.
I'm just saying that is very common when American-bashing comes up with the US Customary discussion. And being a traditionally educated engineer, who has had to deal with differences in British, French, Italian, Czech and even some Chinese and Russian nomenclature and techniques, it's more than just a system of measurement difference, as even Metric nations have their differences.

► Show Spoiler

Again, it's just very common for 9/11 and/or Moon Landings to come up with any discussion of US Customary. No one will admit it, but some will think of such when they see it.

It's even at the point 50% of Russians now believe both 9/11 was an inside job, and the Moon Landings were faked. I have difficulty working with some, because it comes up any time they see US Customary, It's the highest of anyone, although the Czechs have one of the lowest percentages of any European nation, which doesn't surprise me (given Czech history and some interesting parallels to the US).

I don't remember saying the names of any political figures though. Although if you want me to come up with a real list of why each and every Presidents have sucked, most everything you won't hear in the US media, I can.

But I'll spare the board ... especially my Hillary Clinton is like Thomas Jefferson, and not in a good way.

All good clean fun. I'm a trivia machine, in "Spoiler" tags. Don't read into it too much. I'm twice as hard on my fellow Americans than anyone. We were born to be made fun of, the collective outcasts of the alleged world's most crap-worthy.

But if I wasn't an American ... I'd hate Americans from watching the US media. Frankly, I'm surprised how many hold back.