To Clear or not to Clear, that is the question

[Xebeth]

Indeed RP opportunities abound with doing this, you could be a former military officer accused of a crime you didn't commit (cue A Team music), or someone who became disillusioned with the corruption/slavery/in-fighting/poor coffee and lack of doughnuts of you former faction, so you gave it all up and joined the Pilot's Federation.

I've often regretted not keeping a proper log of my progress, but at the same time I think I would just be frustrated if I started over and it would become a rush to get into a good ship again, but then perhaps I don't have the imagination.

[Walter]

Your "harmless" ranks would be a bit of a lie based on what's in your head, not what's on your commander's log.

Not necessarily so.
Had ED been RL, you would not have taken on your first Sidewinder without a huge amount of the sort of background information and training that newcomers to the game lack. You would have grown up with knowledge of simulations and real experience, space, ships, navigation, trade, exploration and so on. Your whole life up to that point would have been preparation.
Starting again not quite from scratch (as I did in January), will probably give you a more realistic beginning in the game, with the chance to set your own objectives and reach them in a way that is more satisfying that blundering your way towards them.
Newcomers to ED are thrown in at the deep end.

[Gorf]

Your "harmless" ranks would be a bit of a lie based on what's in your head, not what's on your commander's log.

Not necessarily so.
Had ED been RL, you would not have taken on your first Sidewinder without a huge amount of the sort of background information and training that newcomers to the game lack. You would have grown up with knowledge of simulations and real experience, space, ships, navigation, trade, exploration and so on. Your whole life up to that point would have been preparation.
Starting again not quite from scratch (as I did in January), will probably give you a more realistic beginning in the game, with the chance to set your own objectives and reach them in a way that is more satisfying that blundering your way towards them.
Newcomers to ED are thrown in at the deep end.

Well that's pretty much what I said. For an experienced CMDR wanting to reset the game, your role play existing experience can be gained from other places (such as working for Eddie Stobart 1276 years from now) then taking the plunge with your own new loaner ship.

Considering the game and extending that to role play, I don't think your typical, totally green CMDR has spent any time in simulators, researching trade and exploration, tactical combat (or the avoidance thereof) until after their first few sidewinders have been vapourised. I reckon that in RL there are going to be exactly zero CMDRs who have never lost a ship, and that of all ships lost, the overwhelming majority will be sideys. That statistic has to be accommodated in any role play lore.

[Dree]

I maybe lost ten before I decided to learn how to shoot back.
At the moment it seemed a few days lost but now I think it wasn't.

Dree

[Panzertard]

Don't clear it.
You can still forge your own path from where you stand today.
You cannot reverse your decision to clear save. Your new save may not turn out the way you like down the road in about 6 months or so, you may have change your opinion again.
Living with your account and your current path allows you to change your path again yet again (and again) later on.
I'm currently living with my choices from my early days, but I'm no longer following my initial path.
And I'm about to change it again now, shortly ...

Good luck, bud. Stay safe. o7
-Cmdr John Stoutbeard

[Loriath]

Wow!

Ok, many of you have sided with not clearing, but none of the reasons given are compelling to me.

I have no fear of being penniless and have my rankings go away. Doing the "pretend you are broke" idea would not work as the temptation is there. Pretend you are a rich relative just seems too fake to me.

Yes I agree, that my experience in the game will give me an advantage, and where I end up I may not be happy with but I am at this point leaning on the clear.

I have so much story in my head that feeds from the starting out perspective that I think it is the only way to proceed. If I get bored with it, I am always just a few weeks away from lots of money grinding trades.

So unless anyone else has a perspective that sways me, I think I will return back to civilised space, turn in my discoveries (yes I want to keep my name on the first found objects, maybe found by a distant relative) and the clear the save.

It will probably happen later this week assuming I make it back intact.

Thanks for all the input. Now I need to write my characters first chapter.

[Panzertard]

Respect, everyone choose their own paths.
Good luck, and fly safe.
~S~

[Dree]

Good luck, we like to hear how it feels to be poor

Groet Dree

[Cmdr Kharma]

So unless anyone else has a perspective that sways me

You'd be a twat !!!!!!



On a serious note...I can really see where you are coming from if you are serious about writing......

Starting from scratch would give you the first-hand detail to write about......

You will make a point of noticing everything and including the fine detail, which people can relate to.....

Whereas the only thing I notice is the amount of beers in the fridge......

[TorTorden]

This is personal opinion but i would at this point (having spent almost 500 hours on this save) rather just buy another account than clear my current save.

That way you could even pick a different name if you want for your commander RP/fan fiction wise.