How’s the Python treating you? I’ve wondered whether its handling limitations made it uninteresting for combat. The FAS is great; my only complaint really is its inability to handle heat very well. It’s fun to fly nonetheless. I still use my Asp a lot for smuggling and such. The Vulture I should probably sell.
It sounds like the ultimate PVE fighter post-1.5 will be the Fer-de-lance.
Only got into one skirmish so far but she seems to be almost the same as the Asp with the current loadout. Need proper Large weapons but can only afford Medium so far.
Cargo capacity is a little more than what I had with the Type-7 configured for mining so there’s that and she fits in Medium bays as opposed to the 7’s Large. Opens more opportunities for missions with the access to Outposts.
Guess I should sell the Diamondback and strip the cannons off the Asp to make her my exploration vessel. Will be heading out after planetary landing hits. I wonder what surprises the airless rocks out there will hold…
Fun to wing with you tonight!
Likewise! Except for the getting blowed up part. 
Can’t afford much more of those.
I’m pretty much always on weekdays after dinner and weekends when not otherwise occupied.
I expect to spend some of this weekend checking out the beta for Horizons. Starts Friday, IIRC. Not sure when I’ll be going back into the wild black yonder but I need another 49 mil to make Elite. Got that much on my last trip.
The beta was delayed until Monday, Nov. 30, sorry to say.
So, I bought a Python. First thing I do? Almost break it.
…
Ouch.
I got something interesting: three contracts in one system for pirate hunting, all from the same station. 605K total.
Weeelllllll…
I’ve been visiting all of the stations in the Sol system. Seeing the familiar planets gave me such an odd but wonderful thrill!
There was one incident, however. I usually consult the galactic map while the docking bay is setting up the ship for launch, and yesterday at Galileo station (in orbit around Earth’s Moon) I took a wee bit too long doing so. I received a “pad Loitering” warning, and in my panic to get off the pad, got well and truly stuck. Subsequently Galileo destroyed my shiny new Python. Good times.
The Sol system has been good to me; I just had three pirate killing missions in the same nearby system, and two of them paid out more than a million credits each! With my “Dangerous” rank, I’ve been getting more and more lucrative combat missions in general.
Here’s my current loadout for my Python, Fáfnir. This loadout is fabulous for wrecking Anacondas and other large ships.
My only real complaint about the Python is that it is so…fucking…slow…in…super cruise. Interdicting pirates is way faster in my FAS, which is also much faster at killing small ships, but much weaker at killing big ones. The Python’s short jump range is mitigated in part by using a large fuel scoop (5A for mine.)
For anyone lurking about this thread curious about the game, it’s on sale till Dec. 1! If you buy it on sale, you can still get the discount for the upcoming Horizons expansion.
Also, here are some friendly newbie tips I posted over on the Elite Dangerous subreddit.
Finally got my iTunes working again and spent pretty much all day (when not working) getting it set up instead of being in Elite.
I picked it up on the Steam sale and went through a few tutorials. I used a 360 controller supplemented occasionally with keyboard (Q and E, specifically), and the only flying issues I had was getting through the mail slot. Once inside, I had no issues landing (although it took me one mis-try to learn that you have to face the tower).
So far, so good…although when I get a bigger ship, getting through the mail slot properly aligned will be a challenge.
Four pips to SYS, don’t fly too fast: good to go.
Horizons beta should be dropping soon. I don’t have access to it, but of course am keen to read what others think. Exciting!
ETA: Oh, and, one of us! One of us!
I’m re-reading this entire thread from the beginning, but from what I recall there is a Doper group for group play? Right now I’m too dangerous to be around peoples.
Also: “Four pips to SYS” - I can’t parse that. Maybe with more experience I’ll know what it means.
I played EVE Online for about four years, so it’s nice having a game that gives you environment options (solo, group, open).
Here’s the thread about our wing.
Knorf and I have been playing in a private group called Mobius. To join: open Friends and Private Groups on the main menu -> Groups - > search for Mobius -> send join request.
Keyboard: left arrow four times. You probably won’t need to press all four times, though.
Keep your speed under 100. You hit another ship while speeding, you get fined.
Dumbest thing I ever did at a station was ram an outpost while boosting in an arc. Lost my ship and cargo of rare goods.
BTW: Black Box missions have changed since this thread began. Black Boxes are now found in Salvagable Wreckage. Commercial Samples can be found there as well.
Installing now.
Turns out I can’t actually do anything. Fool thing put me in my Diamondback too far from anything that would install the required ship equipment.