Elite: Dangerous

[Guynemer]

Freelancer is quite story driven.
Elite (didn't get the new one yet but I suppose the basics haven't changed) is as Proteus said a sandbox game.
Think X Rebirth with a much more friendly much more easy and more immersive system. (or better yet think of a very much more polished and developed Evochron Mercenary)
The aim in Elite is to "progress" from a status of "harmless" to "elite". (very difficult to do and will take you a very long time)
You get to do that by trading (or pirating), getting better equipment for your ship, get a better ship, travel and be more efficient in space fights.
One very nice aspect is that you'll also get to travel in the real milky way and not through made up systems.

As an Earthling, am I not, by definition, "mostly harmless" to begin with?

[Proteus_MST]

As an Earthling, am I not, by definition, "mostly harmless" to begin with?

In Elite dangerous (and IIRC also in the Elite games before that) Mostly Harmless actually is the second stage of dangerousness on the Elite-Scale

[Bereta_Eder]

Right On Commander

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Pre-launch I was doubtful that post-launch the game will be playable, as there were updates litrally every day in the run-up, causing all sorts of issue, however it seems to have worked out great.

The game is great - a sandbox the size of Milky Way .

Travelled in "real life" last few days, but looking for more of being a "space van" in game for a while until I get to higher level ships (in multi-million credit space), far away still from the top of the range though :-) . The game has promise, once the credits will be accumulated - there is unlimited potential as a space fighting game.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Not sure if anyone else is still playing, but beta of 1.1 is out, and I am in - once again - tx C0ckney

The game is grindy, and half-finished once you go past initial 20-30 hrs, but it still keeps me occupied, getting early access to test the new patch with about a dozen new/improved features and about 200 fixes, is cool as well.

Especially as it contains stuff as this:

[Sava]

I'm keeping an eye on this one

[Nikolai]

I have the game, but need a HOTAS or a joystick to control the game, I am unable to land with mouse and keyboard it turns out. So atm I'm not playing.

[Sava]

Anyone playing this with an xbox 360 controller? How are the controls?

[OneFootInTheGrave]

I have a decade old MS Sidewinder, and it's great. There are players using controllers from what could see on the forums.

Flying is the best aspect of the game, the issue is that other than pointlessly flying there is not too much to do right now.

Still, pointless flying is fun though.

[C0ckney]

i have barely played it. i've been really busy with work and my internet connection is terrible during the evenings.

[Sava]

I have a decade old MS Sidewinder, and it's great. There are players using controllers from what could see on the forums.

Flying is the best aspect of the game, the issue is that other than pointlessly flying there is not too much to do right now.

Still, pointless flying is fun though.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

It is not that bad that you haven't played it.

First 20-30 hrs will be a blast, and after that you see all the unused potential (this potential is all that the game currently has for a long term "occupation" ).

They are continuing to develop though, a first major patch is coming with about 10 minor new features and 200+ fixes, and it seems that they want to keep pace to one monthly update of this size, which is promising.

So if you only get time to come on board at a later stage, it may be for the best.

[C0ckney]

i've finally found some time to play it; it's great. i've done a few missions, a bit of trading, died a few times too, including a pretty spectacular crash into a space station involving another vessel. i'm getting quite good at flying with the keyboard and mouse, but combat isn't going too well. i can't hit anything with my crappy pulse laser and my ship appears to be made of tissue paper, but a bit more practice and i should get it (i hope).

one thing that's annoyed me slightly, at the start of the game there were loads of nearby systems to explore, but now that i've actually started playing nearly everything has been discovered and mapped in my area.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Yes, nowadays you have to go out about 500 LY's from inhabited space to have unexplored systems, but on the positive note, as from the recent patch - exploring pays a lot better than it used to.

I am coming back from one trip.

Infact, did not play much last month at all, as the game is quite shallow after the intial ~50 or so hours (your mileage may vary), but it is a blast until then. Flying is still fun though, but need to find the reason "why" after a while.

Besides that point, I am going back from a long abandoned exploration flight to cash in, perhaps try a new ship or two, and see how it goes with the changes in 1.2

[C0ckney]

yeah i've played maybe 8-9 hours so far. the wife has a 'few little jobs' for me to do this weekend, but i may sneak in a couple more.

i have an eagle waiting for me, so i may try a little bounty hunting next; it may be a good idea to save up for a gimbled laser first, though.