despite “figure out how to use this technical and complicated machine” being one of my favorite video game genres, and how incredibly well-designed Elite Dangerous’s UI is, I couldn’t really get into the game

the problem is that it’s designed to feel unforgiving and dangerous (everything from the sound design to the UI seems built around this goal), and to put a lot of different kinds of pressure (including time pressure) on the player

it isn’t actually as unforgiving or dangerous as it feels, and the time pressures are either extremely generous (7 real-life days) or don’t really matter in the scheme of things, but it creates the illusion pretty convincingly

so despite how much I enjoyed learning parts of its UI and systems, I sadly can’t really enjoy the game overall because it just stresses me out way too much. I had more-or-less the same problem with Hardspace: Shipbreaker

also I don’t find it fun to fly my ship around and I think that’s probably supposed to be the main {fun thing} that you do in the game. it reminds me of Mechwarrior Online where they deliberately made the mechs control like tanks. it’s supposed to be fun that way but for me it actually just makes the game a frustrating slog

to be honest I really wish that this game had a quicksave/quickload system because I think that would remove all of the stress for me. but then of course it couldn’t be a multiplayer game

@kasdeya I had pretty much the same issue. Like... I grew up playing space sims like Freelancer, with the arcadey controls that are relatively easy to pick up.

Elite Dangerous was like sitting me down in an actual cockpit with a thousand buttons and no instruction manual with enemies already shooting at me. I was totally lost. Tried flying around a bit, realized that I would likely never enjoy controlling my ship, and gave up in less than an hour.