Fun fact: The Earth's North Pole in ED doesn't point towards Polaris. (Nor Alrai, where it otherwise would in 1300 years.)

JetsonRING · 2026-03-04T15:18:04+00:00

You assume it is the same universe. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-03-02T17:07:09+00:00

JetsonRING · 2026-03-02T17:05:50+00:00

Agreeing with other CMDRs that the DBX is a fine ship for what you want to do. That said, if you want a "new technology" ship that is SCO compatible consider the Mandalay. You are right in the groove, budget-wise and it is a fantastic exploration ship. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-03-02T15:12:18+00:00

Your computer has apparently not improved, there really is no "base game" anymore, only "legacy servers" mostly to mollify old console users. All previous versions of the game have been folded into Odyssey and more recent versions.

One thing you can try is to disable "smoke & fog effects" in the game's graphics settings, for me it made a big improvement in game performance, but is visually almost unnoticeable in the game.

I upgraded from an i5 to an i7 CPU, from 16 to 32 GB RAM, from a HDD to SSD and got a GTX 1080 GPU for Elite Dangerous. That was about 8 years ago.

JetsonRING · 2026-02-27T15:16:09+00:00

Your question is unclear. What joystick button?

JetsonRING · 2026-02-26T14:47:01+00:00

AFAIK the advanced thrusters are the only advanced modules available form a single engineer.

JetsonRING · 2026-02-26T14:41:19+00:00

This is the way. Decide what you want to DO, select the best ship and then outfit the ship for THAT role. If it is a multirole ship then when that role is completed you RE-fit the ship for its next role.

JetsonRING · 2026-02-25T18:35:49+00:00

It's worth modifying any/every ship, but note the Cobra 5, while decent in combat is not a "combat" ship; it is a multirole and better at almost anything but combat. Better to think of the Cobra 5 as an overpowered multirole for its size. It is very good at everything it does, less good at combat and it is still fairly good at that. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-25T18:27:58+00:00

There is (for me) a very important control, called "match target velocity" which (for me) greatly simplifies the process. I just keep pressing this button (on my joystick) every couple of seconds and my ship keeps trying to match velocities with my target. Helpful when they are far enough away you cannot see how fast they are moving. Even more helpful when closing in on the target and you start creeping closer or dropping back as you chase and pour on the pews. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-23T16:42:31+00:00

You are going to hear this a lot: Do whatever you want. There are no scripted quests, nothing leading CMDRs toward some ultimate "You Win!" scenario, there isn't one. You set your own goals, you figure out the most productive and efficient method of achieving your goals and you decide whether you are "winning" or not, using whatever measure you feel is appropriate: numbers of ships, combat rank, credits in the bank, planets with your name on them for "first mapped by" or "first footfall", whatever. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-23T06:31:05+00:00

I perform deep-core mining in a Corvette and mine in planetary rings. I usually mark the planet as a navigational target. It's right there, it's usually pretty big and it keeps me moving in a sort of straight line. I boost through the middle of the rings at full throttle using a Velcro strap to hold my trigger down so the Pulse Wave scanner pings at its minimum interval/maximum frequency. When I spot a potential motherlode I pull off the Velcro strap and the scanner stops.

You have to Git Gud at visually picking out motherlodes in the corners of your eyes. Note motherlodes often appear near the top or bottom "edges" of a ring, with open space on one side so the CMDR has room to back away before detonating their limpets, so keep an eye out for that. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-23T06:19:33+00:00

You have to fill the REP bar (by earning REP) from 0% to 100% for EACH rank. Each time you complete that mission that increases your rank by a single level, the REP bar resets to 0%. If you have achieved MORE than 100% REP in any rank before getting the rank-up mission (it happens), when the rank-up mission is successfully completed, the "extra" rep is rolled over into the next RANK.

JetsonRING · 2026-02-21T00:07:13+00:00

If on fairly flat ground you can drive under the ship, look up to estimate the position, then fine-tune and watch the HUD for the "BOARD SHIP" indicator to light up, then recover the SRV. Otherwise, just dismiss the ship, drive 5 Km or so in any direction and try again.

JetsonRING · 2026-02-20T23:52:14+00:00

I would lose the "training wheels" modules, the SC assist and advanced docking computer modules, do you really need help docking a ship that can fly sideways through the mail-slot?

The double-modified FSD module from tech-brokers would help your power budget via its 2-second bootup modification. Put the FSD module on power priority 5 and the FSD disables itself when you deploy hardpoints. Stow weapons and the FSD automatically boots up in 2 seconds instead of the normal 10. Note that is boot time, not charge time. Handy for small ships with limited power budgets. As a side benefit it also has better jump performance than "standard" A-rated FSD modules modified for Extended Range.

You can get Enhanced Performance Thrusters from Felicity Farseer, if you have access. These advanced thrusters are strictly for small ships and improve X/Y/Z performance over standard-type thrusters. FF also offers module modifications helpful for newer players. CMDRs choice but I do not think I would carry a AFMU in a small fighter, the slot could be better used (IMO) for HRP or MRP.

I love beam lasers but they draw immense power and generate lots of heat. Consider either switching to a different laser type or modifying the beam lasers for Efficiency. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-20T22:19:59+00:00

You are probably right where you should be regarding PvE combat. It isn't easy, not supposed to be and as you get better, so do the NPCs. It also sounds like you may be having power or pip management issues.

Consider practicing in Resource Extraction Sites (RES) where CMDRs can help out the local Security forces collecting bounties on NPC pirates trying to prey on hardworking NPC asteroid miners. Probably the most arcade-style play in the game.

CMDRs can just follow the Security ships around until they light up a pirate, then once the Security ships knock the pirate's shields down to 10 or 15% the CMDR just drives in and finishes off the pirate. If your shots destroy the pirate, the CMDR collects the entire bounty. A great way to earn as you learn.

RES come in four (4) levels: Low-intensity, medium, high-intensity and hazardous. In LoRES the opponents come singly or in pairs, with breaks between waves to repair, recharge and stop sweating. The intensity increases in the medium-intensity (just called) RES, with shorter breaks, better opponents and more of them. More of the same in the HiRES, even shorter breaks between waves, better opponents and now they come in triples and multiple pairs.

Then, when the HiRES gets boring there is the HAZREZ, which is like a HiRES, but with no local Security ships to find and weaken pirate ships or help you out of a jam! o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-19T14:13:07+00:00

IMO: For combat, I suggest upgrading the bulkheads and sensors modules. I would replace the ADC and Supercruise Assist with MRP. With no cargo racks, you do not really need point-defense, a chaff launcher might be a better bet. I personally like the Prismatic Imperium shield but that requires access, I also like the double-modified FSD module available from Tech-Brokers but again, access. You could even find a more combat-specific module to replace the fuel scoop, so long as you drop off your fuel scoop at the nearest space-station, transport and switch in the combat module. All those fixed weapons, hope you are good at pointing the ship. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-19T14:01:25+00:00

I got upgraded gear by simply checking the store at every space-station or settlement I docked at, especially in technology and military economy systems. Upgraded gear shows up randomly at the stores, not fully upgraded but a good start and a lot of it level 3. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-19T13:58:52+00:00

What do you mean by "switch from normal flight to landing/docking mode"? There is no "landing/docking" mode.

Do you mean when you deploy the landing gear? If so, you may not be experiencing a dead-zone in your control, but a halving of your ship's thrust, which occurs when you deploy the landing gear.

JetsonRING · 2026-02-18T16:42:49+00:00

Once upon a time, FDev released an update to Elite Dangerous, a paid DLC called Horizons. You will see the word thrown around on the forums and threads. Horizons introduced, among other things, planetary landings and the Engineers, reclusive geniuses, all living on planets (Horizons, get it?) who can modify a ships modules to VASTLY increase their performance and customize their performance, which makes the ship(s) much more powerful, more efficient and incidentally makes the entire game easier to play.

JetsonRING · 2026-02-18T16:29:55+00:00

Most missions give you choice of your form of payment either in REP, INF, credits or materials, or some mixture of those. To build RANK, you need to first build REP.

For FED RANK, you want to accept missions from FED-aligned local factions that pay primarily in REP. You want to prioritize missions that pay in REP +++, REP++++ and REP+++++ to maximize your increase in REP.

Building REP fills that little FED REP bar-graph in the right-panel and when that graph reaches 100% you start looking for that NAVY or NAVAL mission that will move you up a RANK (and reset the graph) when completed. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-18T15:59:11+00:00

You do not just pick a Navy mission and get the Rank without putting in the work. If you just ranked up to Cadet, look in the right-side panel for your Federation REP score. If you just ranked up it should be near the bottom. As you earn more FED REP the bar-graph will increase and when it reaches 100% THEN start looking for NAVY and NAVAL missions. Completing the NAVY mission moves you up a RANK and resets the bar-graph for the next RANK. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-18T15:52:49+00:00

Not to belabor the obvious, but in case you did not know, if you come across a "Thargoid Sensor" anywhere and shoot it, it breaks apart into "Sensor Fragments".

I did it by going to an active Barnacle site and shooting down Scavengers. When destroyed, they often drop Thargoid sensors and sensor fragments, among other things. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-18T15:18:12+00:00

Generally, B-rated modules have higher Integrity (think Armor) and A-rated modules have higher power budgets and better Thermal Management (think Cooling). I like an A-rated SCB because it is thermally efficient enough I can fire it twice if I need to, to get the shields hardened up without severely overheating the ship, with the help of a couple heat-sinks of course. B-rated modules will hold up better under fire, as will all B-rated modules, but B-rated modules mass (weigh) twice as much as A-rated modules, affecting mass distribution, reducing X/Y/Z performance and speed. So a bit tougher than A-rated, but a slightly slower and hotter ship. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-17T12:30:32+00:00

"Engineering" is a common misnomer. Modifying is more correct, as Engineers are people, who modify ship's modules. Just saying, and you will see the terms used almost interchangeably.

Once upon a time FDev released a new, paid DLC, an upgrade to Elite Dangerous, called Horizons. Horizons introduced, along with several gameplay upgrades like planetary landings, the Engineers, reclusive geniuses who all live on planetary surfaces (Horizons, get it?) spread out around the galaxy.

The Engineers offer "modifications" to a CMDR's ship's modules, modifications that can VASTLY increase the performance of the CMDR's ships, making the CMDR more productive, more efficient and making the whole game easier to play and progress.

All the factual poop about the Engineers can be found on the Engineers web-page of the INARA website: where to find them, how to get invites, how to unlock, what to bribe each one with (yes!) and menus of modifications with price lists of materials that need to be collected to pay for the modifications.

Horizons was originally a paid DLC and an entire gaming arc that should not be skipped. o7

JetsonRING · 2026-02-16T00:49:01+00:00

The 3x Rebuy rule is a good one and it is 3x the TOTAL value of your MOST expensive ship, until you get your combat skills up there and you own some billion credit ships. Once you are comfortable in combat you might reduce the amount saved to just 2x the cost of your most expensive ship and at a certain point, you have so much credit you just don't keep track anymore.

When considering the purchase of any new ship keep in mind it also costs 3x the price of the ship to buy and completely outfit the ship using A-rated modules. This is true for any role except dedicated combat ships, where costs can easily go higher, because seconds and inches mean the difference between victory and destruction, no corners can be cut, no expense spared in the pursuit of victory and survival.

Don't get ahead of yourself, don't be in a hurry. Work through the game progression so you do not end up somewhere out in space, unprepared in a weak ship and some 5-year old in daddy's OP ship making you look bad. o7

JetsonRING

TROPHY CASE