Playing Elite Dangerous with Intent?

[@TheBuurPit]

For the algorithm!! Glad you're enjoying your ED journey. o7 :)

[@RobFarquhar]

Hey! Commander Buur himself! Glad to be reading you, good sir. Thanks for popping over and taking a look!

[@R3dmanactual]

Role-playing in solo is my everything.😊

[@RobFarquhar]

Thank you, R3dman, although I'm a little confused - how do you roleplay in solo? (Says the guy who owns Ironsworn: Starforged and has tried it in solo a few times...)

[@R3dmanactual]

@@RobFarquhar Haha, fair enough. Just my imagination. Characters, crew, backstories, etc.

[@AltoDrowsy]

@@R3dmanactual I do this as well. I could write a book about my CMDR's exploits, as I'm sure you could too!

[@R3dmanactual]

@ yep, I use ai assistance to make their profile pics lol. And to help me create their backstory.

[@KRIZ_MC910]

Hardest game i've ever tried to learn but the community is very amazing and helpful. It's a beautiful game and I get 120 FPS in 4K

[@RobFarquhar]

Glad to hear you're digging it! The community is indeed a great bunch. I'm maxing out at 1080p (though I'm yet to try on my living room TV which supports higher resolutions), and it still looks gorgeous!

[@Eondragon]

I started Elite Dangerous as soon as it came out, I'm over 8100 hours into the game, and I still can't get enough of it.

[@RobFarquhar]

Thank you, Eondragon! That's an impressive play record, sir. Good on you!

[@grehib9666]

Got you, Bro. I'm 3000h in and feeling the same.

[@adrianwilliams6577]

Reached 3000 hours in the last few days and I was late to the party.​@@grehib9666

[@gregbower245]

I like the playing with intent focus of the vid. ED is a hobby for those of us with thousands of hours in the game. There's a number of AU/NZ squadrons and discord servers that will get you all the help and support you might want in all aspects of learning the game. Plenty of us experienced CMDRs love to help out new players when we get the chance. Fly Dangerous 07.

[@RobFarquhar]

Cheers, Greg, and thanks for watching! I've got myself in with an AU/NZ crew who've been very generous with their time, experience and opportunities. Maybe I'll bump into you in the bubble somewhere!

[@derekdjonsgaming]

Great video! It’s awesome to see someone talking about playing Elite Dangerous with intent-it’s such a unique way to approach gaming. For me, gaming stopped being about button-mashing the moment I realized games had secrets hidden in their code, waiting to be uncovered. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about beating levels; it was about discovering the "why" behind them. Over time, gaming has taught me to observe, to train my brain to see patterns and understand outcomes. It’s funny how something as simple as running trade routes or managing fleets can teach you to grasp entirely different perspectives-like NPCs and markets having their own “realities.” It’s kind of wild when you think about it. Games like Elite Dangerous and X4 have been particularly transformative. They taught me patience, strategy, and how to think long-term. That mindset has definitely spilled over into my daily life. Who knew piloting a spaceship or building an empire could be the ultimate mental gym? But it really is, for those of us who dig deep into the code and find purpose there. If a game doesn’t offer me intent, though, it’s basically dead to me. I need that challenge, that reason to keep going. Without it, it’s just pixels moving on a screen. Gaming, when approached with intent, is like this incredible playground where we get to sharpen our minds and grow in ways we might never have expected.

[@RobFarquhar]

Thank you very much for your comment, Derek; I can see that your own channel has a ton of content on E:D and X4! Also glad of your insights on intent and mindfulness in these games and how they spill over to real life.

[@GeoffCottorone]

Your timeline almost exactly mirrors mine - I played a little in 2023 until just before the winter hit here (Colorado), and then picked it back up about a month ago. For some reason I'm enjoying the game MUCH more now than I recall in the past even though I no longer have my VR setup. I didn't think I could even play without it but I find myself now playing with the intent and focus you talk about here and see it's not the visuals as much anymore, it's the story and journey I experience. Thank you for making this video!

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks, Geoff, and glad to hear you're getting stuck back in - sounds like you're digging the game more this time around!

[@SophiaAphrodite]

Owned it for years and now digging in myself. 87 hours so far.

[@SophiaAphrodite]

I bought a HOTAS and started recently myself. 87 hours in and already doing the Sothis passenger loop. Have done the Encoded and raw mat runs too. About to finish out manufactured and start to unlock engineers. Then maybe look at Powerplay. I play solo now but have dove in head first. The game is very relaxing. Even combat has this flow to it I enjoy. Won't do open play til I know some Commanders as concerned with griefing. 8 bought a few ships myself with Ark but managed to hold off using one til about 30 hours.

[@RobFarquhar]

Glad to read that you're digging in, and that you're another HOTAS owner! Thrustmaster as well? I love how chilled E:D is, and there's nothing wrong with playing solo; I did it for ages. And you're way ahead of me; I beard mention of Robigo-Sothis in a KZbin video or two but didn't dig into what it meant. All the best with meeting some Commanders and finding a group! Any favourite ships?

[@neilsmith8427]

Love seeing positive ed videos its amazing

[@RobFarquhar]

I think ED is a subject worth talking about in a positive, supportive manner! (sorry, couldn't resist) Thank you for your comment, Neil!

[@tiago.suares]

Love the attitude, keep it up :)

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks, Tiago! Will do!

[@sinisadovijanic]

welcome cmdr o7, glad to see new cmdrs in game

[@RobFarquhar]

o7 Thank you very much! More like a returning commander after a long absence, but still a newb in a lot of ways. How long have you been playing?

[@sinisadovijanic]

@@RobFarquhar started in original elite back in 87 and now I have around 5k hours

[@mranthonymills]

This is exactly how you should play Elite. Decide on some stuff you want to accomplish and go for it! My recommendations: - Try it out in VR. Elite is one of the best VR games out there. Combat in VR is great. Mining is surprisingly enjoyable. - Go on an expedition. One of my favorite memories in Elite was going on a mapping expedition in a Dolphin through the Perseus Arm and then heading to Beagle Point before returning back home. It really hammered home the sheer scale of the Milky Way! - Go do some conflict zones with friends. - Go find some lists of crazy phenomena and visit them. - Land and take off from a high-G world. - Go canyon racing in an Imperial Courier (fast, with high shields). - Learn how to use pulsars to long jump. - Hop a ride on a carrier to Colonia and explore around there a little while getting access to the Colonia engineers and pinning common blueprints there. - Learn to fly FA Off. - Unlock the Cutter. - Watch some videos by Ghost Giraffe and see if any of those ideas interest you, like SCV racing.

[@RobFarquhar]

Thank you very much, Anthony! GLad to read that you have some strong memories of playing the game. That's a fun looking list. I don't have VR kit yet, but I know that is a bum-in-the-pilot-seat game (mostly), Elite: Dangerous is a prime candidate for a solid VR experience. But flying with FA off? What is this craziness?! :D

[@mranthonymills]

@@RobFarquhar Most space games give you a lot of help (FA = Flight Assists) to keep when spinning off into the void by changing the experience of flying in space into the experience of flying something like an airplane, and Elite is no different. But in Elite you can turn that off! You can learn to fly by directly controlling your thrusters, to the point where you can easily fly in one direction and aim in another. And that's the point where you start feeling like Neo as the code of the Matrix unfolds for you! That said, for most people, you can start by selectively turning FA Off in a dogfight, spinning the ship around, then turning FA back on, allowing you to fire in another direction without having to reorient your "airplane control brain" too much. :)

[@jcollura6766]

Nobody "flies" with FA off. It's just used situationally. Mostly dogdighting. ​@@RobFarquhar

[@RobFarquhar]

@mranthonymills Aha. Brings the Netwonian back into the Netwonian flight model (at least a bit).

[@RobFarquhar]

Well, you say no one flies with FA off, but now that you've thrown the gauntlet down, I'm gonna naaah, I'm not (that much of) a glutton for punishment.

[@00ddub]

Great video, thank you for sharing your enthusiasm 👍

[@RobFarquhar]

You're most welcome!

[@stuarthatter5584]

Awesome mate ❤

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@juliancain6128]

I started when the Titan attacked earth in Dec. I play primarily in solo, but jump to open now and again. I pilot a heavily modified type 8 and focus on salvage and rescue both ground and via collector in space. The things that have aided my journey the most are Utube creators' video's and the EDcoPilot program.

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks, Julian! I came back in around the same time but missed the defence of Earth; did you get involved? I gave my Type-8 up in the reset, but will have to get another one when I build back up!

[@juliancain6128]

@@RobFarquhar I haven't found a better ship yet, not for lack of trying. I did not fight the Thargoids, as I didn't have the means/weapons. I did a few refugee evacuations and completed many supply / infrastructure reactivation missions in Sol and the surrounding systems. Cheers Rob o7

[@johnathanhughes4367]

Enthusiastic and polite comment right here! :) Love your work. :)

[@RobFarquhar]

Cheers, Johno! Glad to read you! ❤

[@Tommytoff]

Hey Rob, pretty good vid with an overview of your take on the game. For someone with fairly new experience, you explain a good amount of the game mechanics. Welcome again to EDA

[@RobFarquhar]

Cheers, Tommy! Glad to be getting to know you in EDA. While I'm tempted to mention that I started playing in 2016 (or was it 2018?), I did leave it alone for years!

[@mikedawe692]

I’d never thought ED as a hobby instead of a game but you’re quite right. I’m sitting on a little planet now just outside of Colonia and loving my time in the black.

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks, Mike! While it can absolutely be played just as a game, I think the sheer granularity makes its eventual hobbyness nigh-unavoidable! I've heard folks talk about Colonia. What's it like?

[@mikedawe692]

@ A bloody long way from the bubble for a start but if you can bring your patience with you it’s an awesome journey. Scan each system as you go, drop in on any large biological hotspots, take repair limpets (I didn’t and had palpable sweat by the time I got there) as your bound to emerge from a jump into the middle of a furnace at some stage. Do this and you’ll arrive with around a billion credits to spare and an ally with whoever you cash them in with. There’s a much smaller range of stations but less distance to find what you need. Far less distance between star systems and a far greater selection. I’m working my way towards my first glimpse of galactic centre and looking at heading back to the bubble the long way, there’s some large patches of black in between and large groups of brown stars make me nervous. The space between the spirals is where you need jump range, the bigger the better for more self rescue fuel options. That being said the fuel rats are everyone’s angles of mercy and one of the truly great aspects of this game, the people who play it and enjoy it for what it is.

[@brandongarrett2309]

I agree ED is more of a hobby than a game. Take it slow and enjoy the journey - it never ends.

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks, Brandon. Fully intend to!

[@scrubadubdub8360]

Great vid!

[@RobFarquhar]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@zenairzulu1378]

a wild take. The view of what we are doing??? Passively admiring the art. Working a shift? Are we "playing" is this play? I have questions no answers. I was a long time watcher for years. Now as of Christmas eve I am....WHO???

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks for commenting!

[@StephenDart]

Try taking the "Sadler's Song" to Guardian Space and get some materials for a Guardian Frame Shift Booster. +10ly on every jump helps a lot.

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks for the tip! I'll look into that when I get to Zenda.

[@FM-hz5sj]

o7 my friend, welcome back to the Elite universe 🌌👨‍🚀🚀🛸

[@RobFarquhar]

Thank you! I'm glad to be back.

[@MichaelTrant-Author]

Took me a couple of goes for the game to click, but when it did... I fumbled my way through it for a couple of years, floundering into the Thargoid war, then signed on with EDA. Great way to play, but figuring stuff out on my own was pretty good too. Though it seems I learn something every week, usually followed by, damn, wish I knew two years ago.

[@RobFarquhar]

Glad to read another EDA member here! The game can be pretty dense at times. Gonna take a long road trip back to EDA space after resetting my profile and work some stuff out on the way!

[@JG27Korny]

One of the most important aspects is that the community is great. You will not have the full experience without it. Something new is coming that will give rise to emergent gameplay that may be worth it. The recent anti-xeno activites were some of the biggest events ever in online multiplayer game. You want to be challenged and simulate real life a* h* you got it too.

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks for commenting! The AX efforts against the Thargoid Titans looked spectacular and while I'm a bit bummed I came back to the game too late to be an effective part of them, the stories everyone else tells are wonderful!

[@AndreiLexark]

Welcome to Elite Commander! We hope you will have a great time, either by reaching Elite in combat, trading to your heart content or plastering your name across the stars! Good luck! o7

[@RobFarquhar]

o7 and thank you, @AndreiLexark! Sadly, there's not a Stellar Calligraphy option in E:D, but we'll see how I go with the other two!

[@AndreiLexark]

@@RobFarquhar pick your favourite start, search it on the map, plot a course (you will need a fuel scoop and a good FSD and go there. On the way you might find never before visted systems, scan them, map and land on a few planets, take some pictures! After you come back and sell your exploration data, your name will be forever written in the stars (of E:D) o7

[@mookithehamster5639]

Welcome cmdr o7 Let me know if you want combat tips or want to practice pvp in game

[@RobFarquhar]

o7 and thanks for the offer, Mooki! I'm glad to report that I'm already part of a community of mad Australian E:D fans who are sharing plenty of advice on combat.

[@RetroCowboy78]

Love this game but would love to join a group and play privatley as I always end up getting ganked in open play. I have a fleet carrier to share if anyone is interested.

[@RobFarquhar]

Are you in Australia? If so, I'd recommend the Elite Dangerous Australia and New Zealand squadron. Links are in my chat with squadron manager T'Verez here on KZbin.

[@CollinBaillie]

Captains? Aren't Commanders? o7

[@RobFarquhar]

Thanks for your comment and very true! Will work on using "commander" instead.

[@fourthrightgaming6476]

Eh up fella EDA member!

[@RobFarquhar]

Woohoo! Glad to read you, Fourthright!

[@robmccafferty7738]

EDA(NZ) Rock. CMDR Hyperion_NZ here. Theyre a great bunch. You'll find my Carrier in Exioce, around O Rourke Colony. You'll know which one it is. And yeah, the MkV is amazing. Currently out in the black exploring in my Mandalay but omw back. If you send my cmdr a friend request, I'll add you

[@RobFarquhar]

Cheers, Hyperion! I will have to add Exioce to my list of places to visit - and actually make a list of places to visit! Will keep an eye out for a creatively-named fleet carrier when I get there.