Elite Game Help...

[brianb]

Wondering if their are any Elite experts out there?   I like to be good at this game but find it hard as hell.  

My biggest problem, besides i'm hopeless in a dogfight, is getting lost.  I select another planet and hyperjump over there.  But then i still seem to be really far away from the planet, and forgot finding the space station thing for docking.   Am I missing something?  Is this game supposed to be hours of flying around in space?
Thx

[brianb]

Elite 1 or 2? In 2 all you have to do, IIRC, is double click your destination on the star map and that will become your active autopilot destination.

Right now I was just trying Elite not Frontier (which i think is elite 2)...   Is Frontier better?  Maybe I should just go to that one.

[brianb]

A few hints for this fantastic game:

When you jump into a system, line yourself up on the planet and hold down the "j" key to "jump" forward in time.  It will stop if you get within range of the planet or if another ship(s) comes within range of you.

If you are attacked, stop your engines and turn and face your attacker(s), line up your laser and blast away.  You should manage to destroy 2 of 3 attacking ships this way.  Once the surviving enemy ship(s) start shooting at you, speed up to 50% and then take them on in a dogfight to finish them off.

To dock without a docking computer you should fly towards the planet until you see the space station.  Now position your ship to fly halfway beteen the station and the planet and as you approach the midway point, switch to a side viewso that you can see the space station entry port.  When you are side on to it, stop your engines, rotate your ship so you face it and then fly in using 25% thrust and rotating with the slot.  If you have to abort, stop your engines, turn 180 degrees and fly away using your rear view to align yourself correctly before turning and trying again.

To make money, find a level 4 or 5 dictatorship naer a level 10 or 11 democracy and fly between them.  Buy food and textiles and the low level planet and sell them at the high level planet while buying luxuries and computers at the high tech and shipping them back to the low tech.  When you get more spare cash, buy the minerals low and sell high as they're sold in grams and you can earn extra cash quickly this way.  Also get a fuel scoop to collect cargo canisters from ships you destroy.

Upgrades in order (more or less):
Better front weapon
Large cargo bay
Fuel scoop
Docking computer
ECM system
Extra power unit
Much better front weapon

You know you're good when you "milk" Thargoids with controlled laser blasts for their little attack ships.  

Thanks so much for the tips!  The _holding down_ the J key is a big piece of the puzzle i was missing.  That along with the tips should help greatly.

Also thanks for some of the modern equivalent games online from others..  Need to check those out too.