Elite had more available player ships in 19 84. A common occurrence is that an enemy jumps in half a second after the ship you are escorting has jumped out, leaving you unable to follow while they are being attacked in the next sector over. This is even worse if you are escorting another ship.
This coupled with the high enemy spawning rate (or jumping-in rate) makes even casual travel from point A to B an exercise in frustration. Scrappy Mechanic: In The Darkening having hostiles anywhere near you will prevent you from initiating a jump.
