Fractal Softworks Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

Pages: 1 ... 104 105 [106] 107 108 ... 116

Author Topic: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes  (Read 639114 times)

Megas

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 12117
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1575 on: May 10, 2017, 10:48:51 AM »

Leadership and Technology have mandatory skills (in the sense that if you want an optimal character, you will spend points here).  Industry (Surveying) too for some people.  Combat can largely be delegated to officers.  The other three aptitudes cannot.
Logged

TJJ

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1905
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1576 on: May 10, 2017, 10:55:50 AM »

Skill tree.

[insert screenshots demonstrating good skill tree designs from a myriad of other games]

[insert exhaustive list of attributes that make a skill tree 'good']
Logged

Alex

  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 23986
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1577 on: May 10, 2017, 12:03:29 PM »

A pirate fleet responded to me blowing a research station around a black hole. As I hid in the ring system, they activated a sensor burst... too close to the even horizon. They then drifted in, feebly attempting to escape, until their fleet was consumed in the center of the abyss.

Have I mentioned how much I love this update?

:D

To me, it seems like something like lvl50 would be a better official cap, considering we now have to "waste" 12 points on aptitudes to get skills on lvl3. It's especially annoying if you want to pick skills from all skill groups and not just heavily invest in one. Feels a bit constricting.

I can see raising it once tech/industry are a bit more fleshed out, yeah.

On a more positive note: I've been playing this game for like a week straight. Shows just how addictive and fun it is.

Thank you :)

Since solo is not a thing anymore, going pure personal skills at cost of fleetwide ones will just reduce my overall power.

This is true, but presumably at some point there'll be more of a reason to have a more compact but more powerful pound-for-pound fleet. That's already true to some extent - fuel and logistical costs, deployment costs, etc - so combat skills, while technically weaker in terms of total fleet power, do make you more efficient.

There are so many things that I just have to take to be able to field a fun fleet; like supply usage and fuel usage reductions.

The supply usage skill is probably a bit too good, while the fuel usage reduction one is not really mandatory in my experience. Overall, I'd say that if certain things feel mandatory that's an argument for adjusting their balance, which the aptitude system makes easier.

(Surveying is... well, I've said it before, but it's very much a stub. If anything, I'd say "skill-point efficient" play requires not taking it.)


Skill tree.

We're just not on the same page there, then. In my experience, skill trees tend to lead to one or two "optimal" builds. They *are* good for managing the complexity a new player is exposed to, but in terms of offering overall build variety I think they fall far short, because the restrictions in how you can spend the points make it much easier to figure out the optimal builds.
Logged

Takion Kasukedo

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 504
  • No longer drinking (Alcohol that is)
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1578 on: May 10, 2017, 12:41:38 PM »

Bad drivers. wdf01000.sys is Logitech SetPoint, nvlddmkm.sys is NVidia graphics. ntoskrnl.exe can possibly be related to graphics as well.

I don't know what you tried exactly, but ideally when changing graphics drivers you'll want to

- Uninstall the old ones,
- Boot into safe mode and run DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller),
- Boot normally and install the new ones.

Will try that, thank you.

I'll inform if it fixes this conniption inducing problem.
Logged
Is now able to cook a decent Creamy Salmon Pasta, amok other things.

Still loves purple. Still not skilled enough to make a mod that doesn't get that one damn error.

Megas

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 12117
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1579 on: May 10, 2017, 12:52:57 PM »

(Surveying is... well, I've said it before, but it's very much a stub. If anything, I'd say "skill-point efficient" play requires not taking it.)
It is, but it sure makes raising money much slower.  I got used to how bounties work, and I can slowly build a profit.  Not so much that I can restore ships willy-nilly.

In a way, I am glad I did not take Surveying because I have those three points where I really want them instead of easy cash, but it sure hurt without it while I was playing toward endgame.
Logged

Voyager I

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 353
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1580 on: May 10, 2017, 01:32:47 PM »

I just adjusted the level cap to 99 without touching the experience modifiers.  I'm in the high-40's now and levels come so slowly even bashing through endgame content that I cannot imagine ever reaching a point where skillpoint bloat seriously overpowers my character or how long it would take to even get like, two and a half trees filled out.

Honestly Alex, I think the soft cap did the job fine.  In practical terms it still limits the development of the player and forces them to make meaningful decisions about how to allocate their skill points, but it still lets you feel like you're making progress.  I know you're not trying to make some Korean MMO Skinner Box but the empty levels in aptitudes and hard cap do create some feelbads and I don't think they're necessary for you to realize your design goals.
Logged

TaLaR

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 2794
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1581 on: May 10, 2017, 01:36:20 PM »

This is true, but presumably at some point there'll be more of a reason to have a more compact but more powerful pound-for-pound fleet. That's already true to some extent - fuel and logistical costs, deployment costs, etc - so combat skills, while technically weaker in terms of total fleet power, do make you more efficient.

I don't think that kind of approach can apply to whole play-through.
Moderate investment into personal skills makes sense as early to mid-stage, but cleaning up endgame challenges (currently Remnant Station is the only example) would likely require fully optimized fleet.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2017, 01:41:56 PM by TaLaR »
Logged

BillyRueben

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1406
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1582 on: May 10, 2017, 04:00:48 PM »

Honestly Alex, I think the soft cap did the job fine.  In practical terms it still limits the development of the player and forces them to make meaningful decisions about how to allocate their skill points, but it still lets you feel like you're making progress.  I know you're not trying to make some Korean MMO Skinner Box but the empty levels in aptitudes and hard cap do create some feelbads and I don't think they're necessary for you to realize your design goals.

For now, I will agree. A level cap doesn't really seem necessary. Later, when there are other things to do in this game than blow *** up, a level cap would be good. It tells the player that they've hit the point in the game where they should stop focusing so much on their player character and start looking at more "end game" activities.

I actually like how the aptitudes are an "empty level". It makes the level 1 (and 2) perks of skills that much more enticing.
Logged

Gothars

  • Global Moderator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 4403
  • Eschewing obfuscatory verbosity.
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1583 on: May 10, 2017, 04:27:05 PM »

This is true, but presumably at some point there'll be more of a reason to have a more compact but more powerful pound-for-pound fleet. That's already true to some extent - fuel and logistical costs, deployment costs, etc - so combat skills, while technically weaker in terms of total fleet power, do make you more efficient.

I don't think that kind of approach can apply to whole play-through.
Moderate investment into personal skills makes sense as early to mid-stage, but cleaning up endgame challenges (currently Remnant Station is the only example) would likely require fully optimized fleet.

We have no real idea of what the final end game challenges will look like, and if we really need to command the most powerful fleet for it. Maybe we can unite the Sector peacefully, or solve the riddle of the gates, or boot out other factions trough market manipulation, or build the strongest industry infrastructure and dominate that way. Or if we fight an boss enemy, maybe as an elite core of a big allied fleet, or as a mobile raider interrupting enemy supply lines.
Logged
The game was completed 8 years ago and we get a free expansion every year.

Arranging holidays in an embrace with the Starsector is priceless.

Gothars

  • Global Moderator
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 4403
  • Eschewing obfuscatory verbosity.
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1584 on: May 10, 2017, 04:57:58 PM »

5 D-mods - Bug or just rare?


Logged
The game was completed 8 years ago and we get a free expansion every year.

Arranging holidays in an embrace with the Starsector is priceless.

AxleMC131

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1722
  • Amateur World-Builder
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1585 on: May 10, 2017, 05:01:03 PM »

5 D-mods - Bug or just rare?

Rare, I believe. Or unlucky. :P
Logged

zaimoni

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 110
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1586 on: May 10, 2017, 05:01:55 PM »

5 D-mods - Bug or just rare?
Rare.  I've had six d-mods on a ship before (started at four, then recovered twice by the virtue of reinforced bulkheads, taking it to six).
Logged

Clockwork Owl

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 790
    • View Profile
    • Starsector South Korean Community
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1587 on: May 10, 2017, 05:59:13 PM »

Combat Endurance skill under Combat aptitude has fleetwide -50% malfunction chance at level 2. Is it intended?
Logged

FooF

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1378
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1588 on: May 10, 2017, 06:27:30 PM »

Rare.  I've had six d-mods on a ship before (started at four, then recovered twice by the virtue of reinforced bulkheads, taking it to six).

Was about to say, I think I have a 6 D-mod ship in my current fleet. It had 4 before dying and being recovered.

As far as feedback goes, I'm trying the Industry-oriented "rust bucket snowball" approach and I have to say, it's a lot of fun. I haven't bought or restored a single ship and just a bit ago, I tried buying something on a military market and realized I had hit the 30 ship limit. I don't have anything above a destroyer in my fleet: something like 10 destroyers, 15 frigates, and 5 freighters/tankers. Most have 3-4 D-Mods on them and their deployment costs are all ridiculously low. I think I can "Deploy All" for about 100 CR and the sheer number of ships is impressive. Autofit is a godsend, though I have to have weapons on hand to outfit all my new acquisitions after a fight. I think I lose 3-4 ships in large battles but everything feels expendable. In previous versions, I'd F9 real quick not with this playstyle. It's quite refreshing.

As has been mentioned in other threads, the only thing that kind of bogs the whole playstyle down is fuel costs. Even though I'm not fielding a huge fleet (logistically), the fuel costs are still pretty high. I know you mentioned something about Tugs being reworked to help with this.

I have fought bounties into the low 200k range and don't feel outclassed yet but I'm sure I'll start losing more than I gain. Almost all my ships are sub-optimal: not just the D-mods but the autofit weapons that I have to use in the field. There are Enforcers with Vulcans in 3 of 5 medium mounts. The whole outfit is laughably frankenstein'd together but...they get the job done.

I don't think I'll be able to do [Redacted] stuff any time soon, mostly because you can't recover those ships: I'll lose by attrition. Still, my zombie-horde is a really cool alternative playstyle. :D
Logged

Megas

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 12117
    • View Profile
Re: Starsector 0.8a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #1589 on: May 10, 2017, 07:45:59 PM »

@ FooF:  I used clunkers throughout the whole game, with a completely unskilled character.  Killing Remnant fleets is easier than you think, if you have carriers.  The bigger fleets in two or three ping systems are a great source of various rare weapons and exclusive fighter LPCs.  Occasionally, you get cores as random loot, and you can consider that as your bounty payment.  Fleets regenerate after a while, so they can be farmed from time to time.

As for battlestations, the weakened ones are... weak, and a fleet of clunkers can destroy it without much of a problem.  I do not know about full powered battlestation; I resorted to range and ECM stacking to make beam Paragon outrange it (in an experiment).

I am more likely to lose ships in endgame bounty fights than from Remnants.  However, bounties have guaranteed income.  Remnants may have special loot.

Astral, Onslaught, and especially Paragon are strong.  Get one in your fleet, even if it is a clunker too.  Legion is good, though not quite as strong.  They are common capitals; even the pirate faction uses Legion as their capital of choice.

My weapons are mostly things I buy from open market, plus some relatively common stuff at Black Markets such as graviton beams, pulse lasers, and Piranha chips.

Clunkers are effective and disposable.
Logged
Pages: 1 ... 104 105 [106] 107 108 ... 116