Is there a way of starting at a higher level like in DoP?

[Haigdul]

Can you start the game at say veteran or legend stage like you can in DoP?

[Tuidjy]

A level 1 ship is barely able to start in a level 8 sector, unless it's from a race with built-in computers. Starting at level 25+, let alone 75+ (legendary) would be suicide.

[Haigdul]

Not true, if you use stealth you can level up really quickly just by exploring and using NPCs or Fighters/Bombers/Drones etc

[Tuidjy]

Tried it - level 1 Shadow, level 1 Cyborg and level 1 Drakk in level 24 sector.

Exploring planets/junk/pods takes literally a minute per shot, and awards ~100 xpt. Slow.

Getting any kill xpt is extremely hard. You can hit only with unaimed weapons, and any shot blows you up. You can get races to do your dirty work for you, and this way, I managed to get 7000xpt for a single boss kill, and 15000 more for the quest. It was risky, took me a few minutes, and it wasn't particularly satisfying. All it did is take me to level 4.

I think I level faster when I start my ship at a level 6 sector, the way I usually do. I certainly manage to equip it better at level 6. One thing the level 24 sector has going for it is cash. It's much more lucrative.

Now, I think that it may be worth taking a level 10 ship 20 levels ahead, as long as the ship is designed for it. But you can already do that somehow. I do not know what makes it possible, but I can certainly start higher level sectors with some of my ships, just not with a brand new one. It's something I definitely do with level 60+ ships, which can handle level 75-100 if they are well designed.

But for a level 1 ship, it is not worth it, and for a level 10, it would be mostly only worth for the cash. Which you can get just fine at level 24 with a level 7 ship. I had one lying around and it accumulated 60,000 credit much faster than it could have close to its own level. Winning the sector will be tricky, but I am well on track, by letting all non-Shadow planets become festering disease pits. By the time I am done, I will have made a lot more cash, and maybe some more experience than I would have at level 12-14, where this ship would have usually played.

[Haigdul]

I had a bit more luck than you.
Started level 1, very fast pace, 6 races, tiny sector.
Discovered the races as quickly as possible.
Got all the kill boss/ancient destroyers type quests.
Delivered stuff to two races & got manual protection pact
Got about 15+ completed quests for bosses that killed each other.
Also managed 5/6 rescues
Found 5 dimensional pockets
Put 25 skill points into tactical, 20 helm & 20 engineering & 18 command.
Armed my inceptors(no weapon) got to level 22 in under half an hour without firing a single shot but got a legend win which has slowed things down a bit.
Still using my level 1 stealth device at level 22, works fine.
Slow going from level 22 onwards until i can unlock level 25 I guess.

[Tuidjy]

I guess that if I ever manage to get a command zero hardcore ship to level 100, trying to see how quickly I can get to level 100 would be a new challenge.

In any case, there is no need to have the difficulty levels locked hard - there could be an option to unlock them if one wants to take the risk.