For someone who doesn't really know what this game is about, except that it's a space game, can anyone sum up what the incentives for playing are?
It depends on what you mean by incentives. The major problem that new players have with the game, especially those that never read anything or watched videos, etc, is that the game will NOT tell you what to do.
Ever. There is no story, there is no "go here, do this", there is no goal, there is no "beating the game" or even "winning" at anything other than a dogfight. You start the game and you're sitting in your ship's cockpit. That's it. What happens after that is entirely up to you. I mean that in the most literal sense.. the game will give you
nothing to go on. Your incentives and your goals are yours, and yours alone. Want to go bounty hunting? No problem, but the game won't tell you how. Want to go exploring to see a black hole up close? No problem, but the game won't tell you where it is or how to get there. Want to just trade and get filthy rich? No problem, but the game won't tell you where the good routes or items are.
In general, I almost want to be a prick and just say "If you have to ask, then you won't like it", but it's more or less true. I can't think of a single positive impression that came from a player that went in completely blind. Do your homework, read all the reviews, and go watch about ten or twelve hours of gameplay on Twitch. Then decide if it's something you want to jump into. This is not like other games being made today, by any stretch of the imagination. Some consider that a good thing (myself included), because no one can tell me that I'm "playing it wrong". Others consider it a bad thing, those who have gotten used to linear stories and handholding in today's industry.
