Simple Pleasures in Star Citizen

A Gamer’s Musings are brief random thoughts about whatever I’m playing at the moment. These days it happens to be Star Citizen. I left New World once it became clear, that to have any hope of participating in the territory wars which are part of the end-game content, would necessitate a ferocious grind. Coupled with the RNG crafting outcome, it wasn’t where I wanted to spend my time. I exited New World as one of only three released Triple-A MMOs designed for North America, where I bailed before at least hitting max level.

New World joins the ranks of Warhammer Online, Age of Conan, and Wildstar. Three NA targeted AAA MMOs I started at release but exited before hitting max level.

I’ve returned to playing Star Citizen for the past couple of weeks. My current availability and desire to game happens two to three evenings during the week and perhaps a bit on Saturday. Travel time, missions scarcity, and preparation being what they are, I can only accomplish a small amount of progression in a gaming session that’s under two hours. Compared to other MMOs, the time it takes to get things done is considerably longer in Star Citizen. Regardless, of the things I enjoy doing, it’s definitely an entertaining distraction from the real world.

I spend my time rotating between doing simple PVE Bounty Hunting missions. I haven’t paid too much attention to the reputation of the various factions. Given my limited playing time, I grab whatever bounty missions are closest. Because I do them infrequently, I’m not earning much reputation when spread across each faction. Subsequently, I mostly receive what are called Very Low and Low-Risk Target offerings. They’re minimal threat targets, flying light fighters with small payouts between 4K to 6K. On the plus side, I’m getting used to combat and the updated flight model using my single-seater, the Aegis Sabre.

I do long for any of my professions to make it into the game where I can actively reside on the vessel that’s focused on that profession, instead of drifting about from ship to ship. I mine using the Prospector, which is a tight-fit pokey sort of ship that doesn’t fit my concept of living in space. I do my FedEx missions using the Drake Herald, a crotch-rocket meant for data hacking and running off with the intel. While fit for purpose, it’s a phonebooth-sized ship that I wouldn’t “live” in.

My vision of playing Star Citizen is living predominately aboard a ship that stays in space.

So while I am able to enjoy the diversion, it’s not nearly as fun as it will be when I can live aboard a ship that’s generating my income. It remains to be seen what profession that will be since the Star Citzent roadmap needs to be taken with several grains. However, there are a few slated for 2022. Of them, I’m most excited about Luxury NPC transport as a casual profession where I would definitely be living aboard the Origin 400i. If there are missions suited to the 890 Jump, that would be freaking amazing. Perhaps it will be living aboard the Drake Vulture if salvaging makes its debut. I’m not sure how to reconcile such completely different character roles and may decide to experience the industrial jobs on my second account. Too many choices would be a great problem to have in Star Citizen.