Elite: Dangerous. I broke down.

[Grim.Reaper]

Some details I found at the official forums about the friends and private group settings...pretty nice how you can play in MP with only people you want to....kind of a nice go between in playing solo and mp.




Private Group – Players in this group will only be matched with other players in the same private group

Players can create their own private group and invite people into it
To help facilitate inviting players into a private group, players can be indicated as friends in game and can be selected easily for sending invites out too
Any player can be invited into a private group regardless of friend status so player name searching and direct in-game selection is possible
A player who accepts such an invite will be removed from their current group upon the next hyperspace jump and be placed in the private group of the inviting player
A player who refuses such an invite will remain in whatever group they were already in and the option to ignore future requests from that player during the current gaming session is presented
Players can only invite other players of the same type (normal, iron man) to a group
Players can save private group settings including players to invite to allow quick selection and set up of groups
A player can set an option to allow friends to "quick join" into their private group
They can change this option at any time
Players will be able to see on their friend list that other friends are in private groups and that some may have a symbol indicated they're free to "quick join" into the group without needing an invite
The "quick join" option can be extended to allow friends of friends in freely also
A player wishing to join another player's private group will have to message them asking for an invite as there is no way to formally request admission into the group
Players will thus typically set the "quick join" option if they don't want the hassle of their friends having to message them when they want to join in with the group
Only the original private group creator can invite others into their group. They can also do the following:
Kick other players out of the group
Disband the group resulting in all the other players entering their own individual private groups with "quick joining" disabled (gives them the opportunity to play solo or decide to join the all players group)
Pass their leadership and thus all these options to someone else in the group
Upon disconnecting, logging off or leaving the group automatically passes leadership to the oldest private group member, i.e. the first player to accept an invite into the group that is still present
When creating a group the player creating it can decide how the group will react to crimes committed by players while in the group
The player can decide to either count only crimes committed against other players, or against AI ships
The player can decide if a player who earns a bounty is either kicked back into the all players group, or can be kept in the private group

[Grim.Reaper]

I added you as a friend btw JH.

Anyone who wants to add me in game, it's JudgeDredd  8)

I added you in, thought I would give it a shot:)

[Con]

Ok I am getting slowly sucked into the vortex as well

It's a bit pricey though
$75 for the game
$120 for new saitek x52 controllers
$140 for trackir (it's too cool not to have with this game)
Total $335

So to try and save costs I see someone is selling a saitek x52 on Craigslist here in boston for $60 (joystick and thruster) supposedly in excellent condition. Any advice if I should go with the used one and save $60 or am I only going to get headaches buying this used?

Thanks
Conrad

Wow...your going all in from the start!

Actually looking at the price tag I am reconsidering....maybe getting a thrustmaster stick for $60 instead and waiting for the trackir until later.  I just want it all....hard to justify though since my gaming time is limited

Con

[Gusington]

I have a Thrustmaster that I got on sale for 18.00. Poke around and you can really save some money on them.

[RooksBailey]

Apparently a lot of people are now searching for joysticks to play Elite Dangerous with, so PC Gamer just posted a review of all your options:

The best PC joysticks

When I jump on the E:D bandwagon, I will probably go with the Thrustmaster HOTAS X.  That will be the first stick I have purchased in...a decade?

[undercovergeek]

came across 5 or 6 guys today just doing their trading, heading from a - b, no animosity, one guy sent a message with what he was carrying and what the prices were - all very friendly

used the stick for the first time today - something happened that i didnt expect, although the mouse and keyboard were fine, it didnt feel like i was flying my ship, it felt like i was using tools to move something around on screen, but with the stick - its my ship, im in it and im flying it, docking and landing feel awesome - cant explain why, it just feels great, breaking through the blue haze of the entry port and seeing the inside and then finding your bay, and the music change - its just great

not doing much at the mo, just haulin' fruit and veg to Beagle and bringing back tech to Azerban, going to note some prices as ive seen the hauler at 22k - i need some more sexy products to shift

all in all - awesome

Did I miss it earlier, what flightstick did you end up buying?

Just the thrustmaster hotas one - feels good so far

Ok I am getting slowly sucked into the vortex as well

It's a bit pricey though
$75 for the game
$120 for new saitek x52 controllers
$140 for trackir (it's too cool not to have with this game)
Total $335

So to try and save costs I see someone is selling a saitek x52 on Craigslist here in boston for $60 (joystick and thruster) supposedly in excellent condition. Any advice if I should go with the used one and save $60 or am I only going to get headaches buying this used?

Thanks
Conrad

Wow...your going all in from the start!

Actually looking at the price tag I am reconsidering....maybe getting a thrustmaster stick for $60 instead and waiting for the trackir until later.  I just want it all....hard to justify though since my gaming time is limited

Con

I loved the thought of track ir but as others have said it's not the most important.... the stick is, and freelook around the cockpit is one keypress away

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

A decade without a stick?  That's unpossible!

I think I may have a sickness for I seem to collect sticks like some gear collect Steam sale games.  I've got 3 MS Sidewinder 2 force-feedback sticks (still the best stick ever made, IMO);  a Logitech G940 Force feedback HOTAS (piece of junk); a CH Products stick, throttle, and pedal setup that I won playing IL2: 1946  (nice setup but I prefer force feedback and I am not a fan of pedals), and a Saitek X-55 RHINO (I use the throttle with my MS Sidewinder 2.   I really like the RHINO stick and throttle but I prefer FFB.  I like the backlit panels on the throttle and the overall accuracy of it.  I have had problems getting some games to recognize inputs from the rotaries.  I'd also prefer it if the toggle switches would hold position either up or down instead of re-centring so I could tell at a glance what settings I have but overall, it's a very good setup.) 

[undercovergeek]

lol, this is my first joystick since 1986 when i shredded my last with Daley Thompsons Decathalon

[Grim.Reaper]

lol, this is my first joystick since 1986 when i shredded my last with Daley Thompsons Decathalon

I have really liked the thrustmaster stick so far for this game as well as others.  Just seems to have the right feel and I didn't have to spend a fortune on it (picked it up for $18) in a past sale.  Combining this with the voiceattack program, it has enough buttons and such to meet my needs.  Although trackir is not essential, I do like using it for this game and others, just because it feels a little easier for me then using the pov stick on the flightstick.

Certainly a lot of toys at your disposal if you want them:)

[JudgeDredd]

I always felt my head was on a spring with TrackIR!

[Grim.Reaper]

I always felt my head was on a spring with TrackIR!

It certainly takes a little time to get used to the feel, but completely understandable that it does not workout for everyone.  It does feel weird sometimes wearing a hat with the sensor as you are sitting in front of your monitor playing a game:)

[Jarhead0331]

A decade without a stick?  That's unpossible!

I think I may have a sickness for I seem to collect sticks like some gear collect Steam sale games.  I've got 3 MS Sidewinder 2 force-feedback sticks (still the best stick ever made, IMO);  a Logitech G940 Force feedback HOTAS (piece of junk); a CH Products stick, throttle, and pedal setup that I won playing IL2: 1946  (nice setup but I prefer force feedback and I am not a fan of pedals), and a Saitek X-55 RHINO (I use the throttle with my MS Sidewinder 2.   I really like the RHINO stick and throttle but I prefer FFB.  I like the backlit panels on the throttle and the overall accuracy of it.  I have had problems getting some games to recognize inputs from the rotaries.  I'd also prefer it if the toggle switches would hold position either up or down instead of re-centring so I could tell at a glance what settings I have but overall, it's a very good setup.)

I don't think I ever had the sidewinder 2, but I used to swear by the sidewinder pro. I used it for damn near a decade and replaced one when it wore out. Only stick I ever liked so much, I actually bought it again. What is the modern equivalent of the pro?

...and yeah, those guys around here who can't stop buying steam games....real sickness. I hope they get help...whoever they are...what? Why are you staring at me?

[Jarhead0331]

Well...I left the Eranin system for the first time last night. I ended up in the asellus system. Found a station there that sells a much wider selection of gear, weapons and even ships. They have a hauler and a viper in stock. The viper isn't cheap, but I'm still not sold on whether it's worth it, or if I just save for a cobra. Nobody really seems to use the viper and I have been unable to find any opinions on it.

Anyway, I was going to buy a rail gun for my top turret, but the power output is ridiculous. I would definitely be sucking air with no life support. Instead, I just bought a docking computer to make the process faster. I don't mind docking, in fact, I enjoy it. However, I sometimes have trouble finding the stupid entrance on those coriolis stations. Also, when you're trying to raise credits quickly, it would be nice to save some time where you can. It was only 4,500.

Does anybody use any weapon other than lasers? Cannons? Missiles? What combo do you find is most effective?

[undercovergeek]

im not sure anyones as rich as you!!

does the docking computer play music?

warning by the way - i read a few posts about how easy it is to rack up the cash and upgrade, apparently this is a strategy by frontier so the testers get to use all the gear, find out what works, find out whats balanced etc, come the actual release - MUCH harder

[Con]

Apparently a lot of people are now searching for joysticks to play Elite Dangerous with, so PC Gamer just posted a review of all your options:

The best PC joysticks

When I jump on the E:D bandwagon, I will probably go with the Thrustmaster HOTAS X.  That will be the first stick I have purchased in...a decade?

Thanks for the link

I too have not used a joystick in over a decade and my last one was a logitech cheapo one (that I threw out over 5 years ago because it was just gathering dust and taking up space) so its interesting to see how they have evolved.  I am thinking the Thrustmaster X HOTAS as well just becuase I dont want to drop the money on something I dont know if I will use enough.

Interestingly though there was no review of the Saitek X52, anyone here use this stick and what do they think of it?  It sort of bridges the gap price point wise between the Thrustmaster and the more expensive ones

Thanks
Con