Stories and Experiences

[Dweller_Benthos]

OK, so I definitely had green arrows and red arrows on screen during that fight, so I guess the freighters got mad at me. I also had grey arrows, are those pirates or friendly?

[fragger]

If they're small grey arrows, they mean ships that are way out of weapon range. If they're large, they may be the freighters themselves if they're not hostile towards you, or ordinary neutral ships in the area, like the ones that come in to the space station. There are sometimes blue arrows, which represent Sentinel ships, sometimes one might show up if you accidentally hit a freighter, I've had that happen.

[Art Blade]

Oh f@#k me. Now fragger just HAD to do the same, too!! Is there anyone else who wants to slip in their post before I can? Feel free to do so NOW! 

***

Bloody hell, now D_B squeezed in his five cents as well! 

Grey is neutral, which means those pirates that you are supposed to take out. As soon as you do, they'll start turning red.

***

going to read that in a minute, Binnatics :)

And this time YOU slipped in your post before I could hit "post" :-D

***

Fragger, same story here. Kind of dull, really, that Atlas ending.

I'm just a happy space pilot trying to get my hands on many different ships on my way to.. where, exactly? Indeed, I got pushed away from the core during that stupid Atlas path. And I hate taking the black holes because they wreck my good stuff in my ship and I hate to do repair runs all around neighbouring planets.

And I hate spell checkers that keep telling me to turn a British English word into an American English word and I keep teaching it British English all the time. :-()

[fragger]

 

[Binnatics]

 

[fragger]

Let me guess - the spell-checker wanted to change the word "neighbouring" on you :-()

Funny how American English spellings deviated from the traditional English ones:

Traditional English: honour, colour, valour / American English: honor, color, valor

Traditional English: centre, metre / American English: center, meter

Traditional English: dialogue, catalogue / American English: dialog, catalog

Traditional English: programme / American English: program

Traditional English: aluminium / American English: aluminum

In the last example, the whole pronunciation and syllable stress of the word is different. In traditional English it's pronounced "al-you-MIN-ee-um", in American English it's "ah-LUM-in-um". The presence or lack of that last "i" changes the whole word.

Neither is universally "correct" or "incorrect". They are both correct in their respective countries. In Australia we use traditional English spellings, so that's what I was taught. Some of what I write must look funny to American eyes :)

Interestingly, as I look at this in the edit window, all the above traditionally-spelt English words are being tagged by the spell-checker except for "dialogue" and "catalogue", and the American versions of these words aren't being tagged either. So maybe these spelling are interchangeable in the U.S.?

[Art Blade]

yes, it did  :-() I also was taught the traditional British English spelling. And I got the same, dialogue etc not being tagged by the spell checker.

[fragger]

 :-D

I've cobbled together some thoughts on the game, a month since beginning.

I think it's a fantastic and engrossing game and I will be returning to it, after a bit of a break. I'll be starting anew though. I think you have to be prepared to make your own entertainment within NMS. If you're looking for deep strategy, intricate story arcs, detailed character-building and rip-roaring space action, you're in the wrong game. This is not the gaming equivalent of Battlestar Galactica or a Star Trek movie, which some people seemed to expect. The best and most rewarding challenges in the game are the ones you set for yourself.

Were expectations met? Mine were, for the most part. Re-viewing the promotional videos on Youtube and re-reading some of the pre-release dev interviews, it is true that there were mentions and impressions given of aspects of the game which were not in fact included, or at least had different implications, so the negative criticisms levelled at the game were not entirely without foundation. I can see why some people were disappointed, but I also believe that some took the hate to an unfair level.

I think many people extrapolated some comments made by the devs into gameplay features which were never promised. I remember reading a comment by somebody on Youtube about his plans to "fortify an entire planet" once he got into the game, which was clearly a case of reading aspects of gameplay functionality into the premise that was simply never there to start with, nor was promised. This functionality was what that particular individual wanted there to be, not what the game's creators said there would be. I think there was a lot of that sort of thing - people seeing what they wanted to see, not what was being shown.

I think the best way to approach NMS is to go in without expectations. Take it on its own terms and don't wish for, or expect, things that the game can't deliver. I wasn't disappointed because I went in without any expectations and was prepared to let the game show me what it had, not what I wanted it to have. I think it's a game which provides a lot of entertainment, but you have to be prepared to make that entertainment yourself.

There may be added functionality over time, the devs may introduce new gameplay elements, or they may not. Hard to say at this point, but there is potential and scope for innovation. Whether there will be any now after all the bad press remains to be seen.

[Art Blade]

Interesting read, fragger. :)

I am lucky that I didn't know anything about the game and definitely not more than what I saw in a few videos that mmosu posted. Those videos left me with an impression of a very colourful game with the strangest worlds and even stranger colour combinations as if painted with text markers. And a multi-tool you could blast through rock to get inside of caves that also looked very strange and colourful. I remember the multi-tool in action when it mined some minerals. And strange looking space ships.

That's about all and that's what actually did not make me go all crazy about the game. I only got it because you guys here were kind of crazy about the game and I just wanted to be part of that silly experience when I bought it the very last moment before release :-D

I made my own way through the game -- you know how and what I did. I took my own time after a few strange starts that had made me start over and particularly after a bug prevented me from progressing (unable to create restore points) so, I had a bad start but had learned a lot from my own mistakes. After that, you know the story. I had a lot of fun levelling up and trading. The way I played it, and some of you decided to start over and do as I did, was a very condensed and intense gaming during the early stage of the game, allowing us to achieve what I believe not many players out there were able to achieve.

After we got lots of money and maxed-out equipment, we left the home system as geared-up as one could ever be. That too was fun. It took away a long and painful phase of development and perhaps it was the reason why there was little left to impress us. The only thing that could have and should have impressed us was the path of the Atlas but I think the devs either forgot to finish that path properly or Sony cut out the fun somehow.

However, that doesn't stop me from finding ways to create my own story.. a story driven by curiosity that keeps me going. I am particularly fond of the enormous variety of ships. I have learned to like to fix up wrecks. :-D And there are a few mods out there that allow for additional fun and that make the game easier, most notably the anti-pirate mod in my case.

So yes, only as long as I keep finding stuff that I want to do, which is not story-driven but perhaps part of the original game concept: Explore. And I still like to visit new planets and systems and.. space stations with new ships.  :-D

[Art Blade]

speaking of which.. man, I love this one (my new ship, hehe) in every aspect. Shape, colour.. and the crazy structure the teardrop canopy sits on :-()

It is now officially battle-hardened. During a distress call I took out 17 attacking pirates with it. Sorry, pirates, just leave us alone.  >:D

I do enjoy the teardrop cockpit, such a great view all around. I tested a lot of cockpits by now and I think those cockpits are probably the best because they least obstruct the view and you can see more to the sides and up than in any other cockpit I found so far. :)

[smg id=9230 type=preview align=center caption="nice shape"]
[smg id=9231 type=preview align=center caption="crazy cockpit"]

[Art Blade]

Oh man, there are so many cool ships! At this space station I even had to choose. Since I'm on my way to the core of the galaxy, I can't stay and test them all.. :'(

I definitely need a portable hangar to carry around with me.. oh, if only there were carriers for that matter, something like the Battlestar Galactica! I WANT ONE! With room for at least 100 ships. :-D

[smg id=9232 type=preview align=center caption="left this behind"]
[smg id=9233 type=preview align=center caption="and my old one"]

my new ship: :) Amazing how there are still ships that are cooler than the ones I already had.
[smg id=9234 type=preview align=center caption="long pointed nose"]
[smg id=9235 type=preview align=center caption="cool fighter"]
[smg id=9236 type=preview align=center caption="R2D2 on board"]

[Binnatics]

Love that ship with the needle nose. Very nice :)

[Art Blade]

me too, haven't seen anything I'd want to trade it in for yet  ^-^

[Art Blade]

Well, maybe there is. I did a test with the ship you'll see below, didn't even want to save it yet but instead just take a test flight with it. I wanted to see what the cockpit view was like, before actually considering it, that was the only reason I grabbed it and I just took of with it. Just a test without wanting yet to land again so I wouldn't create a restore point with a probably crappy ship.

Then I had a first time encounter, a bounty hunt!  ??? >:D So I took the little yellow scientific insect ship to the battle, without having changed a thing about its upgrades, no time for that 

Here's the ship I thought looked very cool. I found it funny, it's yellow and got the Japanese sun painted on it -- might as well be some kind of Pokemon Anime Manga whatever, but still it's cool somehow ^-^
[smg id=9246 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 01"]
[smg id=9247 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 02"]
[smg id=9248 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 03"]
Taking off, right behind a big trader.
[smg id=9249 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 04"]
There was a message I didn't find time to capture, it was something that contained "80,000u bounty" and here's what I saw. I flew towards it and gave chase.
[smg id=9250 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 05"]
It is kind of hard to play with a controller, fight some three-star bad guy, and take a screenshot with my keyboard.. so only one screenie but still.
[smg id=9251 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 06"]
Gotcha!  >:D
[smg id=9252 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 07"]
It was a tad more than those promised 80,000 but don't we all know already that they can't do the maths properly 
[smg id=9253 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 08"]

So here's the equipment I was fighting with. Wasn't half bad but totally random. :-()
[smg id=9254 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 09"]

However, I thought that actually the experience was quite cool. So I flew back to the spasta and landed -- I was surprised to see that my old abandoned needle-nose was still there  ??? :) Just to be on the safe side, I took my old ship back.

Now, what to do.. keep this or keep that.. Decisions, decisions. :-D
[smg id=9255 type=preview align=center caption="Japanese warrior 10"]

[Art Blade]

Just by the way, I decided against the yellow ship, cool as it might look. It only had 4 health. Fighters with 6 are already somewhat low.

[fragger]

Cool :) :-X

I've started right from the beginning, with the 16-slot Skywalker Special :-() This time I want to see if I can get all the way up to a 48-slotter just by salvaging wrecks. The first wreck I found was one slot less though, at 15. So I passed on it - the objective is not to downgrade, for heaven's sake... ????

For me, the most fun of NMS is getting everything together and working my way up. Once I get all my equipment maxed, I'll call it a game.

Speaking of "equipment", here's a little contest: Let's see who can come up with the most colourful name for this rather vulgar-looking piece of flora. I've got a head start with Viriditas Penisia, Willy Weed and Junkbush.

[smg id=9262 align=center width=600]

[Art Blade]

(considering the prominent erect three main exhibits)

Triple Whopper Royal

Imperial Trinity


(Else)

Big Bang

Phallow Me


(and why not)

The OMG Factor

[Binnatics]

 

I like the phallow factor :-X :)

I'd say it looks like a Multi tool ;)

[Art Blade]

 :-X

[Art Blade]

One or two or a handful creatures in one place, OK.. but THIS.. ???

[smg id=9264 type=preview align=center caption="legless land shrimps"]

[Binnatics]

I can hear them scream for a grenade 8-X

[Art Blade]

I actually did that. Before I read your post. You do know me well, don't you  :-()

[smg id=9266 type=preview align=center caption="shrimps meet grenades"]

[Binnatics]

  :-X :-X :-X :-X

[Art Blade]

[with a French accent] "Zeris no greenpiss, no animul protecsiurn, so whynot."

>:D

[Art Blade]

Alright, I did it again.. new ship. :-D There are actually a couple of cool ships here. The "Red Baron" to the right is my new ship. It actually got double wings :)

The other one with the yellow needle-nose isn't shabby, either. But the third, the funny bird to the left cracked me up.. LMAO

[smg id=9267 type=preview align=center caption="new ship again"]

[smg id=9268 type=preview align=center caption="red baron 01"]
[smg id=9269 type=preview align=center caption="red baron 02"]
[smg id=9270 type=preview align=center caption="red baron 03"]
[smg id=9271 type=preview align=center caption="Yellow Nose"]
[smg id=9272 type=preview align=center caption="funny fighter 01"]
[smg id=9273 type=preview align=center caption="funny fighter 02"]
[smg id=9274 type=preview align=center caption="funny fighter 03"]