So... how long until the centre of the universe is found?

- Will it be like a "normal" game where you play it for a few dozen hours and you get there, and experience the storyline, then you just continue to fly around the universe to gather and craft?

- Or will the game be going for years and years and, say, in the 5th year or so, we'll finally see a screenshot or video of someone finally getting there and it will be a genuinely "wow" moment?

Something else? Something in between?

how do you think the game will handle this aspect?

I've found an answer to my own question.

Apparently, if you work really hard and are very single minded about getting there, it will take 40hrs to reach the centre of the universe.

I thought the developers said it was more like 100 hours if you're serious. We'll see I guess. Not really my first priority in the game anyway.

Some people differentiate between the center of whatever galaxy you start in and then the actual center of the universe. It seems there are multiple galaxies. In that case, it could very well be that getting to the center of one takes about 40 hours, while the journey to the center of the universe takes much longer.

I don't remember his exact words, but Sean Murray clearly stated it would be quite an undertaking to get to the center of the universe and that he did not expect everyone to manage.

So the guy who bought a copy for 1300$ said it took him 2 days of playtime to get to the center while visiting 40 planets.

Yeah I've seen a few reports where it says between about 30 and 40hrs for him... so it seems that information I found earlier was right.

brief clarification:
30-40 hours to reach center of ONE Galaxy! Not center of game universe!

There is no center of universe. Neither in real life nor in the game. Daymeeuhn (the guy who bought it early) clarified multiple times that nowhere in the game is there any talking about the center of the universe. Only the center of a galaxy. There are multiple galaxies though.

Also the reason why he got to the center of the first galaxy so quick was because at a certain point in the game he was able to gather a certain ressource very quickly and in big numbers and that ressource sold for extremly high values. So he was able to basicly buy everything super quickly. He said that it was not a bug or an exploit, but a design decision by the devs. Apperently the game was very clear about this ressource and it is placed in very important locations.

hi,
Nice to see you again.
I think devs will revamp it as first update is already on it's way.
Also may be it was because he had Omega Horizon ship (one which comes with pre-order).

Oh hi to you too. :)
I don't know what bonuses the Pro-Oder Bonus ship gives so I sadly can't comment on that. It might be, but I don't really think so since he specificly said that his progress wasn't particularly fast or rushed before he found that one ressource. Only after that he was able to afford everything.
However either way we will see what the devs make of it and what they change with the patch.

Wait hang on...multiple Galaxies?

I thought it was just one ginormous persistent galaxy and we all try to get to the centre.

That first patch will address the 'balance' to the game. Therefore pre-patch, the game may be easier to get to the goal of the game. I am almost accepting these pre-release reports as beta tests instead of real game play. They are doing them a favor though like suggesting last minute fixes like converting C to F for us USA irregulars. I like too that Dayum [sic] hasn't spoiled it and is making suggestions to the developer.

Hopefully they'll make K an option too. Both Celsius and Fahrenheit are a bit too terrestrial for my tastes when it comes to games involving travel to other planets.

If OP had read my post in the pre-order discussion it would make more sense why it would take a shorter time.

No... the starting galaxy is apparently the same for everyone, but when you've moved to another you might be in your very one galaxy. I won't tell you what's at the centre.

I see. ;-)