fight vs stealth

[Cory Trese]

There is a critical balance here that divides hard games from stupid ones.

The question I'm always asking myself is: Is the game teaching the player the rules? Does the game's difficulty forms create learning experiences which improve the next play?

I have found that games that answer yes to both are fun, even if they are ridiculously hard. Games that fail to "engage the player in the rules" fail. I hope someday that ST RPG can answer a resounding YES to both questions.

Until that day we're always looking for ways to improve. Perhaps today I'll try another type of game and see how it goes =)

[Fenikso]

Aug 13, 2011 12:10:11 GMT -5 Cory Trese said:

If you stop doing that, ..., you will find that you can reach Level 70 WELL BEFORE 13,000 using a pacifist character.

So it was not my specialization in Stealth, but everybody liking me, what made me stuck on level 8? Well, I am still learning.

[k0rd]

i usually decide to work for the houses or the syndicates, trying to keep a positive rep in all three of each. usually though, my positive rep is only about a quarter of the neg rep i get from the opposing triple

i know this is due to my play style, of course. i'm trying to find good ways to get positive rep while mitigating _some_ of the negative rep to try to balance my character's overall rep

[Cory Trese]

The advantage of "everyone liking the Captain" is handed out in reduced risk, increased speed of travel (in turns via Trade Permit Turn Reductions) and increased access to Credits, Ships and Exchanges.

Stuck at Level 8? I would not say that's the result of any one particular choice made -- the ST RPG system is multi-layered and I suspect if you find yourself topping out at level 8 it is a combination of several strategic problems.

[slayernz]

I've played numerous games where everyone likes me (hey, I'm a charming guy and all) ... and I've never found that the captains have been limited in XP to the point I can't advance very quickly. There's still plenty of pirates to go mess around with, and don't forget the pleasurable past-time of alien hunting.

Still, Steel Song are once more getting a battering from me all in the name of XP

[Cory Trese]

Aug 17, 2011 0:10:07 GMT -5 slayernz said:

I've played numerous games where everyone likes me (hey, I'm a charming guy and all) ... and I've never found that the captains have been limited in XP to the point I can't advance very quickly. There's still plenty of pirates to go mess around with, and don't forget the pleasurable past-time of alien hunting.

Still, Steel Song are once more getting a battering from me all in the name of XP

I did not mean to say that it was not possible.

Just that you must play more of the game more carefully. If you avoid all Faction ships in Peace (the advantage of Trade Permits) then a wise (rapidly advancing) player will take careful advantage of rumors, indy pirates, conflicts and other game events to ensure a balanced rate of return per turn.

[absimiliard]

Never, if playing the game-style focused on making all the factions friendly to you, forget that you can shoot pirates out of the sky with impunity in most circumstances. (check your status before going to battle stations to be sure you're not tagging someone in an alliance)

I get a good amount of XP, and loot, from downing factional pirates. I just don't enslave or destroy them, and generally the factions are cool w. me.

-abs

[Cory Trese]

Aug 18, 2011 7:36:35 GMT -5 absimiliard said:

Never, if playing the game-style focused on making all the factions friendly to you, forget that you can shoot pirates out of the sky with impunity in most circumstances. (check your status before going to battle stations to be sure you're not tagging someone in an alliance)

I get a good amount of XP, and loot, from downing factional pirates. I just don't enslave or destroy them, and generally the factions are cool w. me.

-abs

That's really good strategy and makes a careful compromise between fighting and making enemies. Privateers are hired by the Prince, but he doesn't necessarily love them.

If you scroll to the bottom of the combat introduction page you should see a list of Alliances / Conflicts so you can skip opening the Status menu and save some clicks.

[phantum]

Ahh there is my problem then, none of my crew ever WANT to do anything that involves getting out of bed...

"Hey wana go for a walk on this beautiful green world where gold grows on trees and the pollen is deadly to all aliens that have landed their fully laden cargo ships near by?"

"Nah I have a headache from the water and have to finish reading my comic book, maybe next time"

Aug 13, 2011 12:12:14 GMT -5 Cory Trese said:

slayernz -- Tactics is a skill that is used when the Crew is being marshaled to do something they WANT to do. Intimidation is a skill that is used when the Crew is being marshaled to do something they DO NOT WANT to do.

Therefore, Tactics appears in Combat, Non-Rumor Exploration, Landing. Characters with high Tactics skills should upgrade Crew on the Ship because more Crew = More Loyal Pawns

[spike]

After also learning the hard way that you can't fool all of the factions, all of the time - it just takes too much time and effort and loss of opportunities - but being basically cautious at heart, I've settled for the strategy of having one House and one Syndicate who are my enemies, and trying to keep the other two Houses and Syndicates on side. This seems to work well in terms of experience and money gain. It's also just much more fun to have enemies that you don't care about offending or destroying. In fact you can take positive delight in it.

[fleshybits]

I realize this one is a bit old now, but I can't help but try to help

As for the "no risk" problem, what if xp was awarded based on the difference in level between the player and the encountered ship, the class of ships involvled
(even though a ship is 5 levels higher I wouldn't expect a reward if it had no guns,) and whether or not it was a friendly ship or not.

So you're a stealthy trader making a death run through torp infested Cadar space, and your skills spare you an encounter from... an unintimidating thulun scout. No XP awarded. On the flip side, if that scout were instead a very heavily armed Cadarian military vessel looking for a meal, and your skills have kept you from being spotted and consequently toasted, a fair XP return should be awarded based on the possible factors above.

I don't know, just maybe rewarded for evading the high risk situations, if it really is a risk situation.

[fleshybits]

That bit about a sensor warning is a good one to go with that too, so you know just how big of an arse ploughing you just avoided

"By the Templars, sir, we just narrowly avoided a Cadarian torpedo cruiser!"
"That doesn't explain a whole lot ensign."
"Sir?"
"It's Cadarian, they're ALL torpedo cruisers."

[blackgauntlet]

There we go with the Cadar-bashing again. We're not ALL Torpedo cruisers, I can assure you. We're just ALL fully loaded with Torpedoes that we will only fire at people we feel are unlicensed traders (i. e. not flying a Cadarian flag).

[nyktos]

Nov 13, 2011 10:05:35 GMT -5 blackgauntlet said:

There we go with the Cadar-bashing again. We're not ALL Torpedo cruisers, I can assure you. We're just ALL fully loaded with Torpedoes that we will only fire at people we feel are unlicensed traders (i. e. not flying a Cadarian flag).

i'll be your wing-man, anytime! ;D
[torps fully stocked]

[fleshybits]

Lolz, Why sir I fly my Cadarian flag proudly I'll have you know!