Think my Knights have built in heaters...

[thundirr]

First off, wanted to say thanks for all the great games you guys make, big fan of ST:RPG and recently bought CK and TA elites as well to give them a go.

I've read the help file included with the game and looked through a few topics on the board regarding heat buildup and ways to avoid/lower heat, but it seems that no matter what I do that my knights run hot...

I've tried evading encounters, running from encounters (I've only one kill to my name in 6056 turns and that was a hound I couldn't outrun), doing small time package runs with a single job computer, resting in different hotels for additional chances to reduce heat, but it seems that no matter what I do I'm almost always running at 20+ heat for no reason that I can see. I'm playing the Elite game on Simple difficulty until I understand the mechanics enough to play on harder difficulties.

On this character in particular, I've been trying to build up reputation with the Los V areas doing runs from V's Warehouse against Yakuza, Streets and one KH job. In some instances, just moving from The Fenns to Roxbury Crossing with no job, I submitted to a police (0 heat, 14 rep) and they called me Criminal Scum and my heat dove up. Since I've played ST:RPG more than this game, I got accustomed to submitting to police searches by allied ships if I wasn't carrying any illegal items, so that confused me as well.

Any tips or suggestions on how to better manage my heat would be greatly appreciated, as it is trying to do a normal package run (taxi ride one way and walking back as I only have that contact) usually ends in my heat spiking due to avoiding/retreating from encounters almost at the same rate as a previous gunslinger character who killed in the encounters. I'm pretty sure I'm just overlooking some key items by the concepts of it are just mystical to me at this point heh. Thanks in advance for any comments/suggestions.

[grävling]

1. You cannot reduce heat by sleeping at the same hotel you slept at last night, or the night before, or the night before that. You need to move around.

2. Stealth exit instead of normal exit your battles.

3. Buy a taser or stunna, and just knock your targets unconscious instead of killing them. The neighbourhoods take it a lot better.

4. If the heat gets bad -- particularly after 'the spy attack burns you' head for a hotel. If you keep walking around you will keep attracting enemies, and the more you fight them the more your heat grows. It's Death Spiral time.

5. If you have a good rep in a neighbourhood you won't notice the heat -- or notice it as much -- there. Thus you need to build up your rep with some faction or 3. The secret to getting a good rep is to do more good for them between sleeps than burns off every night.
The more good you do for them, the longer it will take for it to burn off. If they only slightly like you, they will be quick to forget you. If they like you a lot, then each bar of liking will endure longer -- the relationship is not linear. But it is very hard to do enough jobs to get liked that way when you have only a 1 job computer. Upgrade to a 2 job one as soon as you can.

Try to find work that gives you 2, and then later 3 jobs in the same neighbourhood. If you spend all your time travelling from job to job you will never build up the necessary rep.

so 6. Don't be afraid of cancelling jobs. I.e., go to the Yakuza Gambling Den with a 2 job computer. Take a job. It will either be to Los V (in Roxbury Crossing) or somewhere in Fennian land. Then take another. If they don't match, cancel one and keep drawing another job until you get a pair. You will gain rep by not travelling all over that offsets what you lose if you pick a Connector who has limited choices in where he sends people.

7. Walk instead of using taxis unless it takes you more than 2 hours to walk there. All taxi rides take the same amount of time -- and the thopters and the water taxis take no time. If you are spending all your time in taxis you will never improve your rep enough for it to matter.


more later if I think of it. And

welcome, good luck, and thanks for writing.

Grävling

[fallen]

grävling - as always, thanks for the great, concise advice to players! I hope you do not mind that I syndicated this to our blog in your name (grävling the Expert).

tresebrothers.blogspot.com/

[cybergenesis]

In terms of 2 job comps - where is the cheapest one? Cause i see new comps all over, but they're just prohibitivly expensive

[blackgauntlet]

Back Bay Importers are your friend...

[grävling]

1. of course I do not mind, fallen.

I forgot to mention that heat goes up every round that you are fighting enemies. So if it takes you a very, very long time to kill or stun them, this will be bad for you. Just kill enough that you
can run away and escape out of battle, and, if this is your problem stop taking capture and threaten jobs which make (if the threatening doesn't do well) you have to deal with everybody.
And work on your fighting skills.

Also 2 job computers for ~3500 are available many, many, many places. It's the 3 job computer for ~8600 that is rare. Mars Corp Importers in Charlesbank has one.

[grävling]

thundirr: there is a second taxi contact that is easy to get -- you just go to the store and buy it.
I won't spoil your fun by telling you where, unless you ask, but it will make your life a lot easier.

[Cory Trese]

Nice post