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31

Announcements / Re: Starsector 0.95.1a (Released) Patch Notes

« on: December 19, 2021, 03:06:59 PM »

I think the Scintilla should have a different ship system. Recall device doesn't work particularly well with any of the drone fighters, not even the Flash. It could have Targeting Feed instead, or even Fortress Shield to make it really hard to kill. I'm using use five gamma-cored Spark Scintillas as a way to get officered interceptor carriers without actually spending officers on them, and they're acceptable enough, but not really tier 5 skill material like an alpha core Radiant or 10 gamma core Glimmers is. They're not really doing anything that 5 Drovers couldn't.

32

General Discussion / Re: Termination Sequence

« on: December 19, 2021, 01:08:24 AM »

The reason that the Tempest lost HEF was because "it can get damage spikes that are just too much". HEF was replaced with a ship system that provides large energy damage spikes, but very poorly. Buffing Termination Sequence to provide better damage spikes more reliably is not a solution; high damage spikes are the entire reason the Tempest was nerfed. It's a cool system, but it's not the right kind of system for the Tempest. A more basic defensive system would be better for the ship, and lead to less AI issues and player frustration with Tempests throwing away their PD.

33

General Discussion / Re: The State of Phase in 0.95.1a

« on: December 18, 2021, 06:00:55 PM »

The Harbinger exists to be player piloted and shred things with 3 HSA Phase Lances and Phase Anchor, and maybe do dumb things with butt-reapers. Any other use is a waste. It's in a bad spot where the player can use it to punch really hard with a very specific build, but trying to do anything else with it might as well be throwing away 20 dp.

34

Suggestions / Re: Two approaches to fixing Neural Link

« on: December 18, 2021, 05:26:32 PM »

I've never been able to use the ship switching in a way that's actually good. Doing fancy stuff like rapidly switching between ships to double team a single ship gets undercut by the AI doing what it wants on the non-controlled ship, and at best is marginally more effective than an eliminate order. You get your skills on two ships, but not some of the really good effects of the skills like doubled missile capacity. The ideal case is probably using neural link on two very important ships that the AI tends to overextend with (e.g. two dooms) and being able to pull them both out of the fire when they're in trouble, but the transfer time when combined DP is over 50 makes that less effective too. The skill feels like it was a good idea at the start, but had all the good use cases sanded off until the only thing you can really do with it is pilot a Radiant; perhaps because you can use it to pilot a Radiant. I'd gladly trade being able to pilot a Radiant for a buff to the other use cases.

35

Announcements / Re: Starsector 0.95.1a (Released) Patch Notes

« on: December 18, 2021, 03:02:23 PM »

The Phase ship sensor profile reduction applies inconsistently; sometimes it's on, and sometimes it's off. It still works if you have your transponder on, when it does work.

36

Suggestions / Re: Make ordinance expertise a combat tree skill

« on: December 16, 2021, 01:57:17 AM »

The only thing I'm sad about is that one of my favourite combat effects, increased venting speed, is now in the tree I have no other use for. I'd love to get Polarized Armor just for the elite effect but that means I can't get all three Combat/Leadership/Technology capstone skills.

37

Announcements / Re: Starsector 0.95a (Released) Patch Notes

« on: August 28, 2021, 09:12:05 PM »

We do need better ways with of dealing with Pathers that doesn't involve babysitting.

I'm pretty sure that's planned. The unused and non-functional "Orders" tab in the colony management screen and the vestigial High Command upgrade for the Military Base implies quite a bit. I wouldn't hold your breath about it though, it's at least one or two major updates out.

38

General Discussion / Re: how to put update ?

« on: August 24, 2021, 03:37:17 PM »

Redownload and reinstall the game from the release page: https://fractalsoftworks.com/category/releases/
The installer will automatically remove the previous installation's files and replace it with the new version. Your savegames will remain intact.

39

General Discussion / Re: What are your favorite "bad" ships?

« on: August 08, 2021, 06:02:19 PM »

The humble Mudskipper. It has 70 cargo capacity and 40 fuel capacity for the low upkeep cost of 2 sup/m, 1 fuel/ly, and a tiny skeleton crew of 5. As a starter logistics ship it's perfect; incredibly cheap in both initial and long term cost, has a moderate amount of everything, enough op for 2 logistics hullmods, and can later be used to house additional crew or marines.

40

Announcements / Re: Starsector 0.95a (Released) Patch Notes

« on: April 21, 2021, 05:59:56 PM »

Flux Regulation having the DP threshold increased to 240 while Phase Corps' DP threshold being unchanged is the scenario I was afraid of. There is no point to taking Phase Corps now; Flux Regulation is better for players using enough phase ships to consider spending skill points on a phase ship specific skill, as well as buffing the rest of your fleet. Phase Corps needs to have a 60 DP threshold in order to be worth taking. At about 60 DP worth of phase ships, that's a doom and 3 phase frigates, Phase Corps' benefit is halved to 15% reduction in hard flux generated and +90 PPT. The reduction in hard flux generated while phasing is more than made up for by having +20% base flux capacity and dissipation, while more PPT alone is not worth it considering the multitude of ways to get more PPT.

41

General Discussion / Re: Low tech is being left behind!

« on: April 18, 2021, 02:59:48 AM »

Going forward, officered frigates are going to be a critical part of any fleet strategy, that much is clear. Low tech has 1 (one) good combat frigate, the Lasher, and it's merely acceptable. I understand that monotech fleets are not the intended way to play the game, but the absolute dearth of options for low-tech style frigates severely limits the range of fleet styles. If I want my frigates to be bulky distractions, I'm far better off going with Centurions, Monitors, or Omens. If I want my frigates to be fast killers, I can choose from the Tempest, Hyperion, Afflictor, Shade, or Wolf. The Lasher barely rates as a bulky anti-fighter option, and even then almost any of the aformentioned options would be better. A Lasher buff and one or two more military grade low-tech frigates would go a long way. Maybe a really fat 8 DP frigate with Damper Field for escort duty?

42

General Discussion / Re: Does everyone end up in an endless war with Hegemony?

« on: April 18, 2021, 02:20:57 AM »

Have you tried not breaking the law? It's completely possible to set up profitable, high custom production cap colonies without AI cores or even colony skills. AI cores let you do the impossible, but the humble capabilities of regular human beings will still produce more than enough fruit to live on.

43

General Discussion / Re: Recovery Shuttles Balance (?) Discussion

« on: April 15, 2021, 02:00:47 PM »

I love this hullmod because of the decisions it has players make. You have a way to reduce the amount of casualties your crew take in battle, but it will reduce the performance of your ships by wasting OP. And it is absolutely a waste of OP; crew is very replaceable. Life is very, very cheap in the sector. By not using this hullmod, you as the admiral of your fleet acknowledge that you don't give a *** about your crew except that you have enough to keep your starships operating. That amazing little bit of flavour more than justifies its existence.

44

Announcements / Re: Starsector 0.95a (Released) Patch Notes

« on: April 14, 2021, 01:17:13 PM »

Ahh, so it doesn't raid success chance? The codes tend to cost about 30k, and 30k is worth 150-200 marines, so the break even point would be around 150-200 marine casualties prevented, not counting the time take to find a set of codes and the chance of not getting to use it in time due to patrols and other unknowns.

It's not worth it if you're raiding some backwater for supplies or drugs, but if you're raiding a heavily defended system for a nanoforge or blueprints it's well worth the price.

45

Suggestions / Re: Kinetic Shot Size vs Officered Hull

« on: April 13, 2021, 08:47:32 PM »

Alternatively, the +150 armor for DR calc could become the Elite effect and the -50% kinetic damage taken by armor could completely disappear.