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Author Topic: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes  (Read 574302 times)

Alex

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #750 on: November 19, 2015, 03:11:13 PM »

Thanks, guys!

Hmm... you need to be stationary to take advantage of planetary rings, but if you stay still they just slide out from underneath you after a few seconds. That's very awkward. Maybe stopping on top of them should "anchor" you to them and keep you immobile relative to them.

Hmm, yeah. Note: you can move slowly without losing the bonus. One-two second bursts to somewhere very close by are ok.

Must admit was totally (repeatedly) bushwhacked by not understanding the sensor mechanics immediately ... but yeah, once you start to use them, and think about how to use them, I think they really do work nicely.

Maybe there is some tweaking to do on ranges for starter fleets, to try and avoid the 'newbie trap' (those first few pirates really, genuinely, just came from nowhere :)), but then, maybe not (now I've learnt my lesson, I understand it is a key mechanic and can start to skulk about, skirting around the 'genestealer' blips hanging around in space). Looks like there will be a lot of discussion on this, anyway :)

You know, this very closely describes my own experience during playtesting. I even played around with sensor ranges and reduced fleet speeds, but somewhere along the way reverted it to the original values and found I'd just gotten used to it. And now getting bushwacked by pirates is not a thing that happens very often.

One other point about pirates: if you've got the transponder off, they won't go after you until they see you as more than a blip. So you get a bit of a grace period where you're able to start evading before they start pursuing.

Still, it's a good point and is echoed by others having trouble with the same thing. Not entirely sure what to do about it, though - just blanketly raising sensor ranges wouldn't be a good solution.

One thought I'd had is adding a new ability - call it "High Alert" - that would give you, say, +500 sensor range in exchange for increased maintenance costs. But you'd have to know how to utilize that, so, again, not exactly newbie-friendly.



A question though: How do you catch things in bigger ships with the Navigation skill changed to what it is now? Do you just have to be sneakier?

Sneakier, using terrain opportunistically, using emergency burn.


- I found New Maxios had supplies @ ~350 ea... blew my entire balance on super expensive supplies (~120 ea) from the nearby Tri-Tach base to make a quick buck..... then returned to New Maxios to find supplies @ 40 ea  >:( Restart!

Disruptions last for a month, so to help avoid this sort of thing, make sure there's enough time left on it for you to make it there.

My one complaint is that this release didn't provide me with a replacement mouse!
I'm stuck playing with a RMB that doesn't work properly! The micro-switch often double clicks, leading to both undesired overloads & unintended hull damage  :(
Ordering new mouse right after I finish this post; can't have it spoil my SS enjoyment.

Good luck :)

Greetings new player here only had this game last week i think, but i played nonstop of previous build but i must say this build is even more amazing, i'm really amazed and i love fighting side by side with the hedgemony against pirates and everything this update is about. The whole sensors thing is really cool and truly gives me a feel of a space commander even more than the previous build i played, nicely done thanks :D

:D


The game sometimes freezes before combat begins, and I need to exit the game; I suspect lack of memory.  (I do not have 64-bit Java on my machine.)  I should try dev mode to see if that fixes the problem (after I get a bigger fleet).

Hmm. I don't think it's a lack of memory. Vanilla barely uses 200MB. Not sure what it could be, though. Generic things to try: video drivers; rebooting.

Game seems harder to start than before.  It is easy to get ambushed, and it is hard to find weak or small targets to pick off.  Joining battles is a double-edged sword.  Sometimes, you get to join a big battle and earn some XP and loot.  Other times, you just stumbled unknowingly into an impossible fight, and you need to flee (and get pursued).

Right - as per my reply to mendonca, it definitely feels like that to start, but is very much something you can figure out how to work with. Had tons of trouble with it in early playthroughs, and very little in later ones.

Two of the new systems are dead duds - no markets, no enemies, waste of time.

Not exactly; lots of times named bounties will hide out there.

Safety Override is good for some ships stuck with short-ranged weapons.  I use it on the Lasher.  I tried it on my Wolf with Heavy Blaster, but not being able to vent hurts too much.

Personally, I'd ended up using it a lot with a Pulse Laser-armed Wolf, to what felt like very good effect. And once you get some points into Target Analysis, that makes such a huge difference. Ostensibly low-damage weapons like the Pulse Laser and Swarmers can all of a sudden take out cruisers.


Okay, here's the biggest problem that's obvious to me immediately: Quick Load doesn't work in battle. You have to quit aaaaaall the way to the main menu, then manually load the game via the load game menu.

Hmm, might not be a bad idea. Not the most trivial implementation-wise, though, would have to do it very very carefully.
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theSONY

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #751 on: November 19, 2015, 03:42:26 PM »

need more pirates, in my game pirate faction is getting owned & i don't have anything to hunt  :-\
& its a struggle to maintain in the universe ( supplies !! ) i dunno, maybe i'm doing something wrong
or maybe i must reLearn to play the game                                                                                                                                                                                                       :P
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Alex

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #752 on: November 19, 2015, 03:45:04 PM »

I'd recommend going to where the bounties are, if you're not doing that already. Also, if you join a battle, how much salvage you get depends on the damage you do.
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Tartiflette

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #753 on: November 19, 2015, 03:48:37 PM »

Quick early thoughts:

- If you counted on the "joint battles" to ease the early on difficulty, you failed >< The game is much harder and quite prone to jump on you by surprise early on. The "Oh you didn't detected that other pirate fleet that will join my side to wreck your brand new ships? That's so sad" Effect...

- The economy seems completely random: every market is flooded and I even had a "Food Shortage" that raised the price of ration to a whooping 30 credits... Of course I didn't paid attention and 30 creds was the normal price where I bought them.

- Detection range visual cue isn't really readable given the distance to the fleet, I often wonder if I'm way inside or way outside. Also the shortcut doesn't do anything?

- Lastly DAMN THOSE CRAZIES LUDD FLEETS!

Well, tomorrow will be update day for Scy for sure ^^
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Alex

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #754 on: November 19, 2015, 03:55:42 PM »

- If you counted on the "joint battles" to ease the early on difficulty, you failed >< The game is much harder and quite prone to jump on you by surprise early on. The "Oh you didn't detected that other pirate fleet that will join my side to wreck your brand new ships? That's so sad" Effect...

I think once get a feel for those mechanics, it gets a good bit easier :) I mean, I get what you're saying, but from personal playtesting, the early game feels a lot smoother than it ever did. Again, once I got over the "getting bushwacked" thing. Which is definitely a thing.

- Detection range visual cue isn't really readable given the distance to the fleet, I often wonder if I'm way inside or way outside. Also the shortcut doesn't do anything?

What shortcut?

- Lastly DAMN THOSE CRAZIES LUDD FLEETS!

Just pay them off :) Or put SO on your own ship.
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HELMUT

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #755 on: November 19, 2015, 04:08:12 PM »

Yaaaay update! Thanks god, some modders started to lose their mind with wait.

Anyway, i played the campaign a bit and it felt so good! So much new stuff, ships, weapons, reskin, and juicy secret lore! Also cats skulking in the portrait folder.

The game also felt harder to me, but i think it's mostly due to the new sensor system. Like (i think?) everyone, i was also caught by surprise by ninja pirates ambushing me. It was also probably due to my playstyle adapted to the previous version where my finger was constantly locked on the "accelerate time" button in campaign. Now it's much riskier to do that. Fortunately, once i learned when to de/activate the transponder and use the emergency burn, things goes much smoother.

Another reason why the game felt so hard at the beginning is probably because of the Wolf. It's quite a glass cannon and the front shield coupled to its long profile make it so vulnerable to flanking. I personally switched to a Lasher with safety override and unstable injector. Strapped two annihilators, a truckload of machine guns and yelled "RAMMING SPEED!" at every targets. It's brutally efficient, even destroyers are food for a dakka-lasher.

Expanded battles can be quite fantastic as well. Just at the beginning of my campaign, a huge brawl between the Hegemony, independents and pirates exploded in hyperspace. Ships everywhere.

Spoiler

Only the tip of the iceberg, many pirates were still hidden in the fog of war.
[close]

Had some troubles with ships explosions though. With the mods, i forgot about those blinding flashes when big ships exploded. I know this have been a suggestion for a long time, but i hope this will looked at in the future, it's genuinely painful to the eyes.

And yeah, Luddic path ships are pure evil. So freaking fast and agile, and absolutely everywhere!
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Midnight Kitsune

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #756 on: November 19, 2015, 04:13:40 PM »

Yaaaay update! Thanks god, some modders started to lose their mind with wait.

Anyway, i played the campaign a bit and it felt so good! So much new stuff, ships, weapons, reskin, and juicy secret lore! Also cats skulking in the portrait folder.

The game also felt harder to me, but i think it's mostly due to the new sensor system. Like (i think?) everyone, i was also caught by surprise by ninja pirates ambushing me. It was also probably due to my playstyle adapted to the previous version where my finger was constantly locked on the "accelerate time" button in campaign. Now it's much riskier to do that. Fortunately, once i learned when to de/activate the transponder and use the emergency burn, things goes much smoother.

Another reason why the game felt so hard at the beginning is probably because of the Wolf. It's quite a glass cannon and the front shield coupled to its long profile make it so vulnerable to flanking. I personally switched to a Lasher with safety override and unstable injector. Strapped two annihilators, a truckload of machine guns and yelled "RAMMING SPEED!" at every targets. It's brutally efficient, even destroyers are food for a dakka-lasher.

Expanded battles can be quite fantastic as well. Just at the beginning of my campaign, a huge brawl between the Hegemony, independents and pirates exploded in hyperspace. Ships everywhere.

Spoiler

Only the tip of the iceberg, many pirates were still hidden in the fog of war.
[close]

Had some troubles with ships explosions though. With the mods, i forgot about those blinding flashes when big ships exploded. I know this have been a suggestion for a long time, but i hope this will looked at in the future, it's genuinely painful to the eyes.

And yeah, Luddic path ships are pure evil. So freaking fast and agile, and absolutely everywhere!

It is in the config file already Helmut!
For those that don't know where it is, it is in the settings file. Look for this line and set it to false like it is here: "enableShipExplosionWhiteout":false,
« Last Edit: November 19, 2015, 04:18:17 PM by Midnight Kitsune »
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Gothars

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #757 on: November 19, 2015, 04:14:42 PM »

This is so much fun! And so exiting!  ;D


I'm playing as an iron mode bounty hunter at the moment and while I got ambushed by pirates three times now I could beat them back every time. I just visited my first other system and bought the first ship for my fleet, another Wolf :)

I haven't fully understood all the sensor mechanics yet, but the cat and mouse games are already a blast. A pirate fleet tried to jump me and I dodged into a patrol which chased them over the horizon and left me laughing :) I thought it might be helpful if hovering the cursor over the TRIPAD sensor range indicator would show a circle of the same? The pure numbers seem very abstract.

Got to sleep now, but can't wait to continue this tomorrow!




e/ Oh and I forgot to mention, my girlfriend told me to tell you that the star coronas are really beautiful, Alex ;D
« Last Edit: November 19, 2015, 04:16:44 PM by Gothars »
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Tartiflette

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #758 on: November 19, 2015, 04:19:06 PM »

I think once get a feel for those mechanics, it gets a good bit easier :) I mean, I get what you're saying, but from personal playtesting, the early game feels a lot smoother than it ever did. Again, once I got over the "getting bushwacked" thing. Which is definitely a thing.
Here's how I see it:
In 0.65 you got thrown alone in the water, but if you kept your eyes open your only threat was to engage a fleet too strong. And once you got the hang of it, you could get a sizable fleet of cruisers in under 2 hours.

Now? Well you can get caught of guard early one with little chance to prevent it. Pirates fleets tend to happily gang on you. Loot has little to no values with the economy so filled with huge stacks. Shortages take much longer to reach and are often less profitable.

So yeah the games is much more interesting, and it's smoother in the sense that you don't gain a lot of power too easily, I feel it is harder overall.

Quote
What shortcut?

Show sensor range, the fourth one.

Quote
Just pay them off :) Or put SO on your own ship.
That I did, but SO is very costly before a few levels in tech. (but it so great in a Lasher!!!!)
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ciago92

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #759 on: November 19, 2015, 04:19:49 PM »

The first couple times I got bushwhacked but I'm learning quickly. One odd thing is the fighter (torpedo bomber) ai when joining in a fight. They tend to linger and not do much and not move as they get shot unless they can actively shoot something. Two of three Tridents had already expended ammo but there was a carrier on the field. Will turn into a bug report if I can document more, just thought I'd bring it up for you/others to be aware of.

Two "watercooler" moments already: one was joining my first big battle in my little lonely wolf and just seeing a ton of ships already in the middle of combat. Great experience, even if I barely got anything for helping out. (Newbie trap: joining battles and spending more on supplies than you earned for helping)

Second was new mechanics, decided to plant a comm sniffer. Lingered out of range of anything, killed transponder, went dark and crawled in, planted the sniffer, eyeing up every ship as it slowly crawled past, sensor range just not quite hitting me. Finally finish up, just as a patrol swings my way. Moving in the opposite direction from him so he loses me, then he does an active sensor burst. I panic and hit the emergency burn, he does the same, I just outrace him and turn away and hit go dark as he flies by, not noticing me. Slowly crawl back to the station, barely remembering to turn my transponder on before I get there. Great experience, loved every second, and entirely from new mechanics.

GREAT JOB ALEX!!
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TJJ

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #760 on: November 19, 2015, 04:22:58 PM »

Hammer Torpedos are *nasty*!

They seem to be guided for the 1st few ms?, fly as fast as a Harpoon, but hit like an Atropos; ouch!
« Last Edit: November 19, 2015, 04:26:45 PM by TJJ »
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orost

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #761 on: November 19, 2015, 04:26:57 PM »

One thing I dislike about the sensor business is how damnably zealous about enforcing transponders patrols are. I mean, sure, you saw me with transponder off for a couple seconds on the edge of the system, but is that really worth commiting a 25-ship battlefleet to a week-long chase involving multiple emergency burns? Hell, they'll even get that mad if I have my transponder off somewhere in deep hyperspace between systems and they happen to see it.

I feel that a patrol's reaction to transponder off should strongly depend on where it happens. Right next to a market - proabably a smuggler, definitely needs to be pursued. Somewhere in the system - will probably investigate, but will give up if it can't catch up quickly. Somewhere in hyperspace outside of faction's space - will probably be ignored unless there's a reason to do otherwise.

Also, it should depend on the fleet's size. A couple unidentified frigates is no huge deal. An unidentified large fleet could be an invasion force trying to sneak in for a surprise attack and should be vigorously investigated by patrols.
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CrashToDesktop

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #762 on: November 19, 2015, 04:29:00 PM »

Had some troubles with ships explosions though. With the mods, i forgot about those blinding flashes when big ships exploded. I know this have been a suggestion for a long time, but i hope this will looked at in the future, it's genuinely painful to the eyes.
There's a ship explosion whiteout option in the config.  I turned it off.
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HELMUT

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #763 on: November 19, 2015, 04:37:29 PM »

It is in the config file already Helmut!
For those that don't know where it is, it is in the settings file. Look for this line and set it to false like it is here: "enableShipExplosionWhiteout":false,
There's a ship explosion whiteout option in the config.  I turned it off.

Ah thanks, will do that.
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Aklyon

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Re: Starsector 0.7a (Released) Patch Notes
« Reply #764 on: November 19, 2015, 04:45:23 PM »

One thing I dislike about the sensor business is how damnably zealous about enforcing transponders patrols are. I mean, sure, you saw me with transponder off for a couple seconds on the edge of the system, but is that really worth commiting a 25-ship battlefleet to a week-long chase involving multiple emergency burns? Hell, they'll even get that mad if I have my transponder off somewhere in deep hyperspace between systems and they happen to see it.

I feel that a patrol's reaction to transponder off should strongly depend on where it happens. Right next to a market - proabably a smuggler, definitely needs to be pursued. Somewhere in the system - will probably investigate, but will give up if it can't catch up quickly. Somewhere in hyperspace outside of faction's space - will probably be ignored unless there's a reason to do otherwise.

Also, it should depend on the fleet's size. A couple unidentified frigates is no huge deal. An unidentified large fleet could be an invasion force trying to sneak in for a surprise attack and should be vigorously investigated by patrols.
I'd agree with this. I'm only two frigates damnit, it can't be that worthwhile to chase after me!
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