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[kazi]

Been playing again since the update. Although the update's been good, there are a bunch of mildly infuriating bugs and related stuff that I thought I'd address here in the hopes they'll get fixed. All of the below feedback is from playing on normal.

The bad:

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- Allies' deployed forces count against your deployment limit. I jumped into a massive pirates versus Diktat fight, only to find that I couldn't deploy anything but a single Sunder. Really frustrating in big fights when you're not able to help out with anything more than a small ship.

- The terrain description (that says "Corona", etc.) occasionally renders about half it's width too low and gets obscured by the skillbar. Mashing the "Prev/Next" buttons fixes this.

- It's unclear which factions tolerate an inactive transponder and which do not. Maybe add a sentence or two to the faction description in the intel screen?

- It's unclear where you can and can't be detected by other fleets. I'm going to guess that the sensor ping-ish lines say this, but I'm not sure. Maybe add a pop-up hint at the beginning of the game?

- It took me awhile to figure out that turning on/off a transponder took two clicks, whereas everything else on the skill bar only takes one. Everything on the skill bar should be only a single-click to activate/deactivate.

- Food shortages seem to be a net credit loss in most cases. Sure the rep and exp are nice, but I'd like to at least have a small profit too?

- The intel screen map should be scrollable.

- The intel map gets really cluttered really quickly. Just get rid of completed events instead of keeping them on the intel map and even adding an EXTRA icon to say that the event has been finished and keeping both icons. We also don't need a little "$" sign every time we collect a bounty.

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[close]

Trade missions are REALLY out of balance and are difficult to understand/succeed in. Here's a whole section on those/mission-related stuff:

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- The ones you can't take (not enough cargo capacity/faction is hostile) should be highlighted in red/grayed out or something. The player shouldn't have to look through those (although it'd be nice to know they're there, so you could buy an extra cargo ship, etc.).

- Most of the trade missions are a net credit loss or are very marginal (on normal difficulty). Buy and deliver 100 units of supplies to Cethlenn for a 3000Cr reward? I think not. Sometimes you have to flip back and forth several times between the trade screen and the missions screen before you figure out that the missions actually lose you money.

- It takes like 3-4 clicks each direction to flip between the trade and mission screens, which you have to do all the time (Does the market have the resource I need? Is the mission profitable? Do I even have the money to buy the items? I forgot what I was supposed to be buying, gotta go back and check...). It'd be nice to be able to flip back and forth with only one click.

- Many mission deadlines are WAY too short. A lot of the 10 day ones are simply unachievable due to travel time. Increase the minimum mission length to 20 days at the very least (the "get there in 10 days" and get a bonus is fine). It'd also be nice to know how far a star system was just by clicking on it in the map

- There's also absolutely no way to figure out how long you have left in a mission unless you write down the start time on a piece of paper and stare at the date in the upper left corner. Right now all we know is we got a mission ~2 weeks ago (from the intel screen, which gives the time to the mission deadline that could be anywhere from 0-7 days off. Put an updating bit of text next to the date that has the current mission, destination, and time left to solve this (20 x Drugs --> Cruor ... 5 days left).

- Speaking of missions and travel time, there's really no way to know how long it takes to get anywhere. Right now my best estimate for the time between systems is a little less than 10 days between adjacent systems in a frigate if you really book it and don't get murdered along the way. We should be able to hover our mouse over an object and have a little tooltip popup that says the estimated travel time with our current burn rate.

- There's no way to figure out where stuff is in a destination system. I keep jumping into systems in the wrong spot (which occasionally results in a failed mission if the deadline is tight). When in hyperspace, I should be able to click on a star and have the system map pop up to figure out where the best place to jump in is, then hit escape to go back to the hyperspace map.

- I'd like to be able to set waypoints/routes on the map by right clicking and have a pointer/line on the screen that either points the direction to the next waypoint in a series or shows the path to the waypoint. Would be really useful for missions/trade routes.

- I almost think missions should get their own screen and tab in the UI (either next to intel or as part of intel). This would help with the constant flipping back and forth between them and trade, and also give a nice place to check what missions are active/where they are/which ones are available.

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The good:

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- That Tachyon Lance. Hnnnnnnngggg.

- The Luddic Path are awesome. Please, give them more ships and have them kill me more.

- Terrain implementation is fabulous.

- The Tri-Tachyon music is awesome. Rest of the tracks are ok.

- All of the new art is great.

- The new ships are great. I can't believe that smuggling in a Mudskipper is actually a viable way to play.

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[Pushover]

Regarding the 10 day missions, you can often get the job done by emergency burning, although that obviously cuts into profits. In-system 10 day missions are very doable. Would also make sense if those were the most profitable ones. It would be nice if the game could detect which missions required goods from outside the destination system, and made the minimum on those 20+ days.

Per unit prices might be better if they have 2 values, one if the bonus is reached, one if it is not (rather than just if it is not). I didn't have an issue figuring out if they are profitable or not, simply check per unit price vs the price after tariffs, and the bigger the difference, the more profit. That information could also fit on the mission screen, but then there's a lot of numbers on the mission screen.

I would also be in favor of a dedicated mission tab, especially if missions will get more complicated (such as 'go here and hunt down the TT supply fleet before it reaches its destination')

Also is it just me, or is there no sizeable amount of lobster anywhere? Not even the namesake planet has more than ~50 lobster.

[Sordid]

- It's unclear where you can and can't be detected by other fleets. I'm going to guess that the sensor ping-ish lines say this, but I'm not sure. Maybe add a pop-up hint at the beginning of the game?

The problem is the game only informs you when you're passing the edge of a fleet's detection range, but there's no indication when you're actually in one. It's entirely possible to be inside a fleet's detection range without being able to see either the fleet or the edge of the detection range. In that case you have no idea if anyone can see you or not.

- It took me awhile to figure out that turning on/off a transponder took two clicks, whereas everything else on the skill bar only takes one. Everything on the skill bar should be only a single-click to activate/deactivate.

Yeah, I don't get that either.

- The intel map gets really cluttered really quickly. Just get rid of completed events instead of keeping them on the intel map and even adding an EXTRA icon to say that the event has been finished and keeping both icons. We also don't need a little "$" sign every time we collect a bounty.

I couldn't agree more. There's also this:



That is useless for actually selecting bounties. I have to click them one by one to get the expanded descriptions to get the information I need.

System-wide bounties: Why are you telling me the settlement that issued it? That information is useless to me. I don't know where these places are and who they belong to. What I need to know is what faction issued it and what system it's in. Color-code the settlement name to indicate faction and append the name of the system.

Officer bounties: I don't need to be told they're "Wanted". I kinda get that from the fact that there's a bounty out on them, y'know? Don't really care about their full names either. What I do need is what faction issued the bounty and what system it's in. Preferably what planet too.

[TaLaR]

While I agree that it's hard to judge when enemies see you based on pings, and this part needs improvements, there still is a simple rule of thumb:
If you can see them, they most likely can see you too (assuming both parties with same transponder state and no sensor/phase ships).

[Igncom1]

Also FYI, the system wide bounties also seem to pay out for the surrounding subspace or whatever you call it.

And pirates love subspace, so drawing them out is easy when they are chasing you or smaller prey.

[gigglezp3wp3w]

Hahaha if you haven't outfitted a Sunder with a tachyon lance and a double phase lance yet do it !!!! Squadron of 3 is 240K, very expensive for a support element but they can literally destroy frigates before their shields go down, it's hilarious trust me.

On a another note, not to say that your opinion isn't valid or that your wrong, but a lot of the problems you seem to have with trade missions and the sensor system are more problems (at least to me) with a simulated style of game ? I mean it took me a little bit to figure out the transponder double click too and the sensor system isn't perfect but it's also a lot of fun too, figuring out where the enemy is and trying to minimize your sensor profile is a bit hard but oh so rewarding when you surprise that pirate smuggling fleet. I however think it's hilarious how far the AI will go to get you to turn on your transponder, I've had an elite military detachment follow me through a few systems.

I've also made a ton of money from trade missions, >100,00 net profit from some, the trade system outside of these missions is fairly dull and silly, I mean you've mastered faster than light travel but can't handle feeding people ? The trade missions are, to me at least, are nice step in the right direction requiring you to think about what your trading and where to get it from, as opposed to just responding to "idiots on planet B forgot to feed themselves again" . As well as that I don't think I've ever failed a trade mission due to timeout, I lost the early delivery bonus once but thats about it, you can refit the aug. engines and tailor your ships for free before you take those 10 day missions, at 16  burn you can get pretty far if you willing to drop some supplies, as for not knowing where things are in a system you can just poke your head through a system jumpoint  and pause it to figure out where everything is and jump back into hyper space for free essentially.

I haven't played the game too much yet so I probably missed a lot of cool info, a bit surprised you didn't mention the new radical faction mechanics that just sort of made it into this version haha.

I really don't want to come across as raining on your parade, I agree with everything you said was good about the game and the U.I could be way more helpful as a lot of other stuff you said !  Your review was well worded and inspired me to reply I guess ?   

[SafariJohn]

The missions section isn't very visible. I knew it existed and had a pretty good idea where it was, but it still took me awhile to realize it was above the officers in the comm directory.

[monkhouse]

The problem is the game only informs you when you're passing the edge of a fleet's detection range, but there's no indication when you're actually in one. It's entirely possible to be inside a fleet's detection range without being able to see either the fleet or the edge of the detection range. In that case you have no idea if anyone can see you or not.

Second this. You can try and gauge it by the wave-lines that go over you as you move out of range, but there's no firm way to tell whether a given fleet can see you at a given time. Would be nice to have something as simple as a warning bleep when you single-press the transponder button while another fleet can see you, so you have the choice to press again and face the consequences or keep moving and try again further out.

Also a little grace period would be nice, so you can get away with fiddling with the transponder for a few seconds after going through a wormhole, or if you're at the edges of a patrol fleet's vision.

[Sordid]

The problem is the game only informs you when you're passing the edge of a fleet's detection range, but there's no indication when you're actually in one. It's entirely possible to be inside a fleet's detection range without being able to see either the fleet or the edge of the detection range. In that case you have no idea if anyone can see you or not.

Second this. You can try and gauge it by the wave-lines that go over you as you move out of range, but there's no firm way to tell whether a given fleet can see you at a given time. Would be nice to have something as simple as a warning bleep when you single-press the transponder button while another fleet can see you, so you have the choice to press again and face the consequences or keep moving and try again further out.

Also a little grace period would be nice, so you can get away with fiddling with the transponder for a few seconds after going through a wormhole, or if you're at the edges of a patrol fleet's vision.

Personally I'd just put a number on the transponder icon showing the number of fleets that can see you. Perhaps even several numbers, color-coded for the different factions. Perhaps getting this information could be tied to a character skill.

[gigglezp3wp3w]

I think the number idea is good, maybe not telling you who can see you but saying something like "you've been pinged 3 times", excluding fleets in "dark" mode as it would ruin the point. Maybe a ring around your fleet indicating your sensor range which would be a nice quality of life improvement. Obviously because of how sensor profile works it wouldn't be a foolproof way of knowing whether or not someone can or can't see you but that sort of challenge is the reason we have sensors.

[pigreko]

My feedback takes a lot from what you already wrote, but still I have something to add:

- now more than ever I felt the need of some consequence for my action. After building a sizeable fleet I tried to seize "control" of some pirate sub-system... until they endless piled on me and ate all my CR. Their fleets keep spawning like rabbits during the mating period. We are just looking at the iceberg's tip of this campaign, I know it is normal that the game is like this now, I'm just depressed that I cannot influence the status quo of anything on all these system, just some inconsequential shortage which is going to solved at some point, since my CR do not allow for unending pressure.

- I'm very much stressed by how much it costs to maintain a fleet, and how few income venues I have. Later in my quest of conquest, I resolved in laying in ambush in the Luddic yellow nebula, waiting for a big patrol to ambush and squeeze for supplies. That or going back to be an errand boy, for this or that merchant, which is silly having a fleet of capitals and destroyers. In few words: the quests do not take into account who you are and what you could do. (as before, this is prone to be expanded, but still, this could already be in place so I feel it is ok to mention)

Side note: did they nerf the paragon? Since I "finished" the game I cheated to helm the paragon... man it is underwhelming. With my gorgeous Onslaught I dove into the enemy fleet, guns blazing, Maulers and Hephaestus mauling frigates, and never had to rise my shield. With the paragon I get swarmed in a blink since I'm a sitting duck, and with most of energy weapons having a flux-damage ratio ridicule and it is bursty, missing a kill with a salvo of a big gun means you are probably overloading. Dunno what happened, I remember a full lvl character could own fleets with a paragon, with ease. Man i missed the nerf somewhere


edit cause: I HAVE TOTALLY FORGOTTEN ABAUT THE PROS...

This game is addicting. I stopped played in wait of the new releases. I experimented a bit with an array of mods but ultimately I feel I have not seriously played SS in quite a lot of months. But then, I launch the updated game, build my new commander, and already the blood is rising wait of the challenges ahead... iron mode, do you even lift?

The sensor mechanic is already mature enough to be of use "almost" form the get go (I stayed ON for most of my firsts few hours, I understood what other fleets were doing at it was awesome).I felt a lot like in a submarine, with every ping revealing the larger but also yourself,  I guess it is literally the same mechanic, nevertheless it felt good.

The little snippets of lore are awesome. I totally read every description of every planet and station. Side note here: 2 layers of description often of the same length are a bit redundant. Isn t better to have a much more generic tooltip on the star map, and a very detailed story board once I click on it? Now I often need to pause to read all the description while traveling, only to find another layer of narration on a deeper level. (kudos for the peripheral planet with those mass drivers launching water and other organics to the inner planets, that is very clever concept)

The combat is mind-blowing as usual. Aggressive captains suiciding with my destroyers 2 times per battle is the routine, and yet there are those epic moments where I rush forward with my Onslaught, creating a barrage of ordinance to shield my fellow captain from a deadly salvo of missiles and eventually interposing my MUSCULAR AND OILED body amor between me and his ship, allowing his retreat. Ah such cool moments.

Love you all.

 

[10900209]

My only complaint right now is how hard it is to find the ships I want.  I reeeeeally want an Apogee or an Aurora, but there's only 2 stations in the galaxy where I could conceivably buy one (Hybrasil Astropolis and Nortia in Askonia), and they're never in stock.  I haven't seen any flying around that I could try to board, either, as iffy as that is anyway.

Plus, I had to alienate the Hegemony, Sindrian Diktat, and Luddic Church to get my rep up high enough with the Tri-Tachs and Independents that they'd sell me the ships I want if I ever managed to strike gold and find one for sale. 

So now I'm spending all my credits buying out the inventories of the Indie/Tri-Tach military markets to force them to restock while flying constant round trips between Hybrasil and Askonia.  I'm getting low on credits, and I won't be able to replenish them easily because half the galaxy won't let me trade with them or pay me bounties anymore.

It'd be cool if there was some alternate way of getting the rare ships.  Maybe you could bribe a high-ranking official to procure one for you if your rep is high enough and if you have an obscene amount of money to spend.

[Cik]

might be cool if you could actually have them build you one. most major (non-pirate) factions presumably have a limited ship construction still remaining, so if you are 80+ faction standing and put down enough credits to buy a planet i'm sure they'd go for it fluffwise.

should obviously still take some time, though.

[jason0320]

Hegemony's XIV variants are so awesome. I hope every faction can get their own exclusive variants.

[frag971]

- Something similar to World of Warcraft's quest tracker on the side for all active missions and bounties would be awesome.

- I have no way of knowing if any mission is a net loss or gain.

- Having a constant fight to not run out of supplies. Most of my gameplay is tedious because of it and i'm unable to travel around without running out of supplies.

- Ship AI always gets my ships killed so i'm forced to run a single powerful ship instead of 3 or 4 frigates/destroyers.

- Any big fleet is a waste of time and money because of the aforementioned supply issues. It has to be nerfed by at least half.

- Combat readiness is boring and limits by options severely. If there's a mod that removes CR and nerfs supply demand in half i'm all for it.