Choose Your Starting Level?

[Roger Wilco Jr]

If FD is so worried about people thinking the game is too hard to learn and they'll leave if they can't easily get a lot of credits and into bigger ships quickly, then why not just let people choose their own starting level? They could pick any ship, equip it however they want (minus RNGineer upgrades), start with as many credits in the bank as they want, and even choose their ranks. It's not like it really makes a difference to me whether someone starts out as a noob in a Sidey or a billionaire in a Conda, but I'm sure some will complain that it's not fair, especially for a multi-player game.

Given the opportunity, I'd love to start out without a ship and without even two credits to rub together. Of course, the game would need to support this style of game play. Maybe you could get a job working for the station - perhaps loading and offloading cargo, driving trucks, working as air traffic control, or even flying security ships (work your way up?). Or maybe you can steal a ship and fly it until you can abandon it and buy something of your own (with a clean record if you don't get caught) - maybe a used pile of junk that needs a lot of work. And there's always the old wished-for option to join the Navy and let them provide the ships.

They already have an exponential growth curve where it comes to making credits, where the rich get richer very quickly. This is realistic (as they currently don't tax it away in the game). I just wish they'd make it a little more realistic about the poor staying poor until they work their way out of it, w/o success being handed to them on a silver platter. And if you don't like that, then just choose a higher starting level for an easier go of it.


How many would choose the easy route over the hard route, or maybe something in between?


Well, that's my 2-credits (assuming I have them).

[Kiltrathi]

I always start games as the unlikely underdog, it helps me to set up my persona in the game. Elite was no different, but I expected it to be like that.
Start in a borrowed Sidewinder and work to get into a bigger, better ship etc. I went from a Sidewinder and learned how the game worked to a Viper to learn how to fight, to a Cobra-III and learned how missions work, to a Type-7 for trading, then onto an Asp Explorer and learned how to explore. In the meantime I discovered what I'd enjoyed best (run missions to random places) After I could afford pretty much anything I'd want, I knew pretty much how Elite worked. I thoroughly enjoyed learning the game this way, made mistakes on the way (and still do) and learn what works and what doesn't.

In short, the hard way, please.

[TorTorden]

And nobody would play longer than twelve hours.

[Malphator]

It's just one of those things that sorta depends on the person, to be sure. I'll use my experience with playing Skyrim as an example. Played for hours and hours, getting the best weapons and gear, but once I got to that point, I found myself suddenly bumping against the glass ceiling and realizing I don't care to play anymore, story quests left to do be damned. haha.

Some people could hop right into an Anaconda, and have a field day. Some, like myself, couldn't. I kinda need the grind. Which is ironic, since I tend to HATE grinding. Funny how that is. LOL.

[Avedis1134]

I kinda need the grind. Which is ironic, since I tend to HATE grinding. Funny how that is. LOL.

I only feel like something is a grind if I'm not enjoying it. if it's fun, it's not a grind

To answer the OP, I'd be a hard way kind of person. I got out of my sidey rather quickly, but kept the adder and cobra for a good bit. I don't think I'll be getting anything new anytime soon, either. The Asp Ex was a nice upgrade and it's serving me well so far.

[Xeyder]

As someone who is new, I wouldn't chose that route at all. That would just ruin the whole game for me. While I wish there was a little more money to be made at present time, and I understand what's happening is just a bug and being fixed so in due time I will fine.

[stereoBear]

Story time:
I totally enjoyed the hard way back in early 2015, slowly working my way up one ship at a time after having to reset my save two times (I was that bad), actually using a Hauler and then an Adder for a while. Finding out about rares trading when I had a Viper (that I then switched for a Cobra I could barely afford) which suddenly made a steady income a thing. Getting the Asp. Being finally able to afford a Clipper. Grinding out the rank for that thing in one hazy weekend. Working my way up to being able the afford the Python 1-2 millions per evening, just to boost my Clipper into the station wall on the way to picking it up and deciding to do a few more rares loops. Dat Python.

Then I took a break because of some polish game , and when I came back there was a ship called the Vulture and a feature called Powerplay which suddenly let me earn around 5 millions per hour with bounty hunting, an additional 100 millions over 2 quite grindy weeks, all of which which was invested into the Python, which bumped bounty hunting to 10 millions/hr (at times). Trade-Conda, FdL, Combat-Conda, Cutter...

Sooo I guess what i'm trying to say is, yeah, the hard way please, but that influx of money during my summer of PP... well, it admittedly helped my enjoyment of the game immensely
I think I was very lucky seeing how all hat went.

TL;DR: Had a slow start, then got rich quick, loved all of it.

[Sevin Church]

I'll admit that I didn't last long in the game at first till a few friends started playing. Then the learning curve was lessened.

That being said, if the rest of the game was handed to me I wouldn't have lasted much after that. Now those friends are gone and I'm in Mobius making new friends. Even if those friends are 1,000s of lys away it's still nice that we all have our own goals and work to do.

I log in at least once a day and figure out how I'm gonna earn money. I have enough to buy all but my most expensive ship again if I wanted to. But I like the idea that I can keep earning. I like the idea, and accomplishment, that I just bought military grade armor for my Vette and didn't even cut my balance in half. Because time is money, and I've had the longevity to put in to the game as it is in order to get here.

[Myrm]

Sorry, no offence, but I think that allowing people to choose a starting level by choosing what ship they want, its equipment, and the amount of credits they possess is an absolutely awful idea. The whole point of the game is that you start off with the basics and you work for what you want. What about if people find combat hard? Should we give them indestructible ships and one hit one kill weapons? No. i think FD have it right as it is.

[Lanceor]

At first, I scoffed at the idea of giving ships to players who can't afford one, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Real life is full of jobs where you operate a company vehicle, whether it's a truck, freight train or a passenger jet.

There could be a range of jobs like:

• Pilot this hauler/T6/T9 from A to B and back.
• Patrol this system/RES for pirates with a company supplied Eagle/Viper II. You will be paid by the hour plus a small bonus for each pirate that you destroy.
• Use this Diamondback Explorer to go to system X and survey all bodies. You will be paid a flat fee and a 10% cut of the exploration data payout.
• Sneak this Sidewinder into X station. If you get scanned, our agent will deny all knowlege of you.

A range of missions like these could give players experience with other ships and playstyles. Missions and ship types will still be limited by rank or reputation, but it should be much easier than grinding to buy the ship itself.

As in real life, there will be some limitations on company ships:

• The commander can't just go anywhere s/he wants! The ship computer may allow jumping only to certain systems, or disable the engines if the commander strays too far from the specified area. The ship must be returned as soon as the job is done.
• The ship will be as cost-effective as possible - almost everything will be E-rated and modifications wont be allowed of course.
• Losing some cargo to pirates will result in a small reputation loss. Failing the mission or writing off the ship will result in a great reputation loss. If reputation falls too low, the commander will have a hard time finding jobs!
• Penalties apply for unexplained cargo losses.
• Any crimes committed while piloting a company ship is the commander's responsibility.

Because of the lack of freedom and permanence (and high end ships) owning a ship would still be far better, but jobs like the above will add a little variety to the game or both beginner and experienced commanders alike.