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

Poll

Do people play with ironman on?

Yes
- 8 (30.8%)
No
- 18 (69.2%)

Total Members Voted: 26

Voting closed: January 08, 2021, 03:06:33 PM


Pages: 1 [2]

Author Topic: Ironman Runs  (Read 4406 times)

Thaago

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Re: Ironman Runs
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2021, 10:36:25 AM »

Save scumming lets you figure out strategy tactics in a way the simulator can't, afaik. Larger fleet engagements can hinge on what flagship you choose and what orders you give, and it's really fun figuring out how to handle your fleet work at peak performance by smashing your head against that one tough bounty you aren't quite ready to take on.

On the other hand, save scumming removes entire game mechanics (burn speed, sensor strength and profile, fighting retreats, salvage mods and skills) that are really fun.

I've played this way a lot as well (the iron kick has been a more recent preference) and its very fun/satisfying to crack how to win a big fight that at first seems like too much.
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Cyan Leader

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Re: Ironman Runs
« Reply #16 on: January 13, 2021, 11:44:11 PM »

I really don't like the passive, cautious gameplay style that ironman promotes. I rather fight tough battles most of the time instead of always optimizing for safety.
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Rain

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Re: Ironman Runs
« Reply #17 on: January 14, 2021, 12:18:24 AM »

I did a lot of savescumming, mostly before combat or entering potentially dodgy systems, while learning the game but while I've not been ticking the box for fear of mod stability, I've not been doing any reloading in my last ~10 or so games. So, another "effectively IM but not by the box".

I don't think I actually play any different from it either, but whether that's wrong assessment, plain potentially reckless gameplay or both I can't really say. Yeah, it sucks to lose unique or difficult-to-replace ships and whatnot, but I've kind of been looking at such things as a reason to change my focus and try out another flagship/fleet depending on whether me hilariously losing another my Odyssey to a miscalculated Plasma Burn-into-flameout sending me spinning through the enemy blob ends with mandatory flagship or partial-to-entire fleet replacement.
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Sabaton

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Re: Ironman Runs
« Reply #18 on: January 14, 2021, 06:05:56 AM »

An easy way to reduce early ironman pain is to embrace crime and smuggle in the holy trinity (drugs, guns and marines) while also bumping your scavenge skills to get as much loot from those late game battles, also watch out for some mods as one of them (deadly/dangerous sector afaik) literally spawns [REDACTED] near/in front of you in deep space.

IM acts as a speed bump to player progression and could be considered the real hard mode because it forces you to plan and pay attention to mechanics just as others have said.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2021, 06:07:58 AM by Sabaton »
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Avanitia

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Re: Ironman Runs
« Reply #19 on: January 14, 2021, 06:39:18 AM »

I do self-imposed ironman - I roll with what I get and don't reload unless something extremely unfair happens - doomstack I can't avoid for example.
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You haven't played Starsector unless your storage has one thousand Vulcans in it.

Hiruma Kai

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Re: Ironman Runs
« Reply #20 on: January 14, 2021, 12:01:06 PM »

Iron man and self-imposed iron man type runs are there for the people who like prefer consequence and surprise over progression.  It is not inherently better or worse than any other play style, given at the end of the day all that matters is whether you had fun playing or not.

I did find spacer start iron man runs made me engage with more of the mechanics in the game I tended to mostly ignore before.  I found myself using sensor/stealth mechanics.  Less being lazy leaving my transponder on in hyperspace.  Really considering all the pros and cons of various ship and skill choices.  Sensor skills are more valuable in an iron man run since they give you more reaction time.  In a world where you can reload, you can always have the options of knowing what is in the immediate future with zero "risk".

As for fleet composition choices, a Hammerhead is stronger in a straight up fight, but Shrikes have burn 10 and run away much better when a surprise capital fleet suddenly appears out a hyperspace storm.  Buffalos are probably the king of efficient early game cargo capacity, but a properly built Cerberus on retreat is essentially impossible to catch (185 base + 50 SO flux boost + burn drive hits 435 - this thing is almost as fast as thunders when burning).

I don't know if that's a "cautious" or "passive" play style, but it is a different play style than what most would probably consider a normal play through.  And depending on how you view the game, you don't necessarily need to play more cautiously.  If you're more interested in progression, really powerful or unique end game ships, then I can see that view making sense.  If you view the game as a series of missions that simply have some continuity, then each fight can be viewed as standing alone, interesting in and of itself despite what ships you might have.  At which point, it doesn't matter if you wipe and get sent back to a frigate somewhere in the core.  Which actually isn't even that common of an occurrence given the retreat options built into the game.  Assuming one is willing to retreat.

Although, I admit having a high level character with a full skill tree and a bunch of hull mods unlocked with a single frigate is actually a very different play experience than starting normally.  I may have ended in that situation once or twice.

Due to iron man, I've fought and dealt with situations which I might not have otherwise.  In one game, I've literally used a single Shrike to distract multiple raid fleets in hyperspace while my colony finished building its defense station, then went back and grabbed the rest of my rag tag fleet to defend it once completed.  I led them around, and occasionally engaged if they started to head for the jump point. The retreat scenarios I engaged in actually ended with a few dead frigates, the larger ships far behind, and a surviving Shrike.  That is certainly not a typical combat scenario I'm guessing most people have tried.  I found it interesting and different from, say, another Atlas Mk II capital grind late game.
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Thaago

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Re: Ironman Runs
« Reply #21 on: January 14, 2021, 02:52:11 PM »

I have had similar experiences to Hiruma Kai with iron runs: there are a lot of tools available for the player to use that aren't relevant with quick and easy reloading. Prioritizing ships that can run away early game is also something I do, but forgot about. I have in the past used my Shrike (Shrikes are great and I thank everyone for convincing Alex to buff them) with plasma burn (and shield up) to push slower ships along in escape scenarios, which is somewhat hilarious.

I really don't like the passive, cautious gameplay style that ironman promotes. I rather fight tough battles most of the time instead of always optimizing for safety.

Well, playing iron mode one doesn't have to optimize for safety: I prefer to optimize for rewards. But its very true that one can't do the kind of suicidal fights for fun that you can do without it: I've spent a lot of time in not-iron doing the same fight over and over trying out different strategies and plans.

I feel like the most important skill I've developed that allows risky iron mode play is recognizing when a fight is turning bad and retreating before it turns into a route. Even when I massively screw up I can usually save 75%+ of the fleet, depending on how 'stuck in' my forces are and how many fast skirmish types of enemies the enemy has (Radiants are just pure death and pain). Its always painful, especially because a retreat means no loot at all on top of losses, but its better than a wipe.
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blazeroth

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Re: Ironman Runs
« Reply #22 on: January 14, 2021, 10:06:53 PM »

I only play Ironman. There are also a few additional self-imposed rules that I now almost always follow. Taken together, I feel it provides the right level of challenge for me.

If the flagship is lost, I delete the save file (I'm dead)

No tutorial rewards, ships, salvage (The hammerhead provides too much of a head start)

Ships only from own battles that were victories; no ships or weapons from market; no ships from exploration (This forces me to take fights in order to progress, which is generally how I like to play)

No trading with pirates or Luddic Path (I like playing as the "good guys," also trading with them is too economically powerful)

No negotiations with Luddic Path (There are only two things I can't stand in this world: people who are intolerant of other people's cultures, and the pathers)
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