Alien lv cap

[Deleted]

I just bumbed into a terrox alien, 370% of my level, a lv656 and I was lv170. I attempted to board it twice at short range, both times it prevented me from boarding and gunned me, breaching my engines and then executing me. My warrior skill is 200% my level, pilor 110% my level, and 50 tactics. I had 50 weapons, an MO, Templar, bodyguard. My ship was a carnifex, upgraded with dreadnought, hyperion, battleship, cargo pods +10 and escape shuttle, so my stats were 40 hull, 31 armor (6 being dreadnought and 5 hyperion), 42 engines, 42 sails, 318 crew (93 being battleship crew), 110 cargo, 40 guns, 16 torps. I was carrying 0 artifacts. Now unless I'm missing something, I couldn't have been stronger in boarding. But not only was this enemy stronger in boarding than me, I wasn't even able to board him! Some suggestions:

- Don't have any alien AI gun more than once at short range when a) he's over 3x my level and/or b) the player is attempting to board
- Have a "maximum level" for all aliens in proportion to your level (eg 300%) when not carrying artifacts, as well as a "maximum level" with carrying artifacts (eg 400%)
- have aliens with a base lv (not when carryng artifacts) more than 300% your level only in certain areas (like denomic nebula)
- Significantly increase boarding power (like A LOT) with leviathan system vs. Aliens at zero range, AND increase boarding power (like A LOT) with leviathan system vs. Aliens for board transitions
- make another upgrade significantly increasing the chance of succesful boarding transition, especially vs. Aliens and board power vs. Aliens (prehaps another specialized crew upgrade like mercanaries, a combat upgrade like leviathan)
- have the leviathan system increase the templar officer's board bonus (like how spice increases pilot officer"s pilot bonus, metals increase mechanic officer's repair bonus etc)
- increase the templar's/vet's board and ram/warrior and pilot bonuses vs. Aliens significantly, and/or give the templar/vet more board and ram/warrior and pilot bonuses vs. Aliens
- special upgrade that, when vs aliens, automaticly provides major pilot/stealth bonuses. To make up for such a bonus, the upgrade could proide a pilot/stealth penalty vs non-aliens
- have chemicals decrease alien attack power by 0.5-2% per chemical unit, prehaps with an increase with templar/vet
- make an upgrade that significantly increases success chance for ram attack, as well giving pilot officer such a bonus, with the upgrade having an increased bonus vs aliens
-give the zealot a board bonus vs aliens (all dice, not just zero range nor just transitions)
- make a new profession with special board bonuses vs aliens (like an alien hunter, templar etc) and some type of combat penalty vs non-aliens to make up for it
- anything else that would allow me to have a fighting chance vs. a lv656 terrox alien with 500 crew, whether via board or ram

I know aliens are supposed to be hard. I want them to be hard. But there should never be an alien so powerful that no matter what you invest your XP in, no matter what officers you have, no matter what upgrades you have, no matter what ship you fly, no matter what cargo you carry, it will alwayes be physically impossible to defeate it, alwayes. I have a feeling if I invested every xp in pilot, had a quick ship, a pilot, MO and vet, had hyperion bridge, titans and battle prow, and attempted to ram such a ship, I would also fail. If one or more of these suggestions could be implemented in a future release, I think many others would appreciate it as well

[fallen]

@starfixer - thanks for the feedback. Aliens are hard. You're character will eventually die

Some light reading about that:
tresebrothers.blogspot.com/2011/03/hardcore-games-youre-going-to-die.html

[Deleted]

I know. But normally when you die (which is inevitable I agree) it was preventable. That is to say, there was some fault of yours, something that could have been done to avoid it. If you get a hull breach from being rammed, it could have been prevented by investing more in pilot or getting a quicker ship. If you got torped seven times by a bounty and then died by boarding, it could have been prevented by investing more in stealth or getting a quicker ship. If you got several mutinies in a row and died that way, it could have been prevented by investing more in Intimidate. But with this, it seems like there was just no way out. It would be like traveling in an RPG and having your captain just die randomly out of nowhere. It just seems so... unpreventable.

[fallen]

When playing a game based on dice, there will always be that moment when it is out of your hands. You tossed the dice (they left their hands) and its now in the realm of chance.

[martyparty]

It's just not so nice when you're rolling these dice

[Deleted]

+1 martyparty! That's exactly how I feel!

Look I get that this is partly a game of chance, but dying should never be entirely chance. There should alwayes be SOMETHING that is your fault. I mean, when was the last time you were playing a video game and out of nowhere came an act of god that struck you down and it was game over? Yeah sure there are videogames wth enemies you don't have a chance with, but there's alwayes SOMETHING you could've done to prevent it. You shouldn't have been traveling in a certain area, you didn't have the right ship, you didn't have the right upgrades, you didn't inest enough in a certain skill, you invested too much in another skill, you should've carried a specific officer (or two), you shouldn't have carried a certain cargo and etc. And its alwayes been such a case, until now.

Surely asking for the maximum enemy lv 300% of your lv isn't so much to ask. I mean 300% of your level is still rediculously high. You can still easily die. But at least then there's a chance that you can devise such a strategy to give you a chance, it won't be some act of god stricking you down out of nowhere. And with artifacts it can still be so much more. At least do something to give players a chance.

[fallen]

@starfixer - I can guarantee that a fair set of dice were rolled during the combat you were reporting. So... I don't see how it is "set in stone" that you lost.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Deleted]

Jan 23, 2013 19:52:02 GMT -5 fallen said:

I don't see how it is "set in stone" that you lost

The enemy was 4x my level, its ship was fast and quick, it had 500 crew, and its AI probably bosted the effective of all 500 of his crew as well as decrease the effectiveness of my weapons. There are no upgrades that help vs aliens and only one officer that really helps a lot for boarding. A loss seems pretty set in stone to me.

[slayernz]

Hey Starfixer ... it sucks to lose a well established captain, especially one that you have honed into a boarding maniac. My understanding though, is that you've been playing on Impossible level, and have gotten quite far into the game (number of turns are in the multiple tens of thousands). Chances of survival of any encounter is lowish. Chances of survival with an Alien is a fraction of that.

Is there anything you could have done? You had an escape shuttle, so was ramming not working as a defense? Also, if you had higher Tactics stats, maybe guns might have worked (your current approach of "get in fast and board quick" had no plan B). In saying that, given the level of the Alien, plan B probably wouldn't have worked either.

Impossible difficulty is unfortunately not one that lends itself to long-term survival. I'm still impressed you got as far as you did!

[erikem]

Well I think Starfixer was trying to say that he was doing some serious min-maxing and was as ready and capable as a captain could ever be and then he got into the combat (not by his own will) in which the chance of survival was less then 0.01%

I'ts not that bad when you die because of your own fault but when you realize that no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try and how much effort you put in it, the life of your captain is determined by just a mere randomizer and there's literally nothing you can do.

I personally think that no matter the difficulty if ur the super-pro you should survive for quite a period of time and your death should be your own doing i.e. your own mistake not just game throwing "you loose" dice from time to time.

[slayernz]

Point taken - there should almost never be a situation that isn't survivable. It's that "almost" that is the key here though. In Impossible difficulty, there will always be a percentage chance that you're going to come across something that will wipe you out before you can even squeak.

Put another way - when you're playing basic, you're the hunter, driving around in a M1A1 shooting at sloths.
When you're playing Crazy level, you're the lion, formidable and skilled at the hunt, but occasionally you'll be shot at by some poacher. Most times you'll survive if you have your wits about you.
When you're playing Insane, you're the domestic cat. You are the master of your domain - just watch out for the neighborhood dogs.
In Impossible, you're the mouse. oh ... you're the mouse in a house populated by the cat lady and her 25 cats.

There is a distinct possibility that every corner you turn will result in an encounter with a cat. High Pilot skills will help you scoot your mousy behind out of harms way, but sooner or later, you'll just be lunch, whether you are skilled or not.

[BlastGT1]

I'm sorry, but I'm going to be blunt here, because that's just the way I am, and it needs to be said.

Guys, this is like saying there should be some way for a tractor-trailer to take on a freight train and win. Seriously, if you don't want to die at all, there are two solutions. Play a lesser difficulty level, or don't play at all. Both will mean your captain doesn't die. It isn't the answer you want, but you don't always get a choice in real life either. Maybe you think you should always get a situation like "Horatius At The Bridge", where you have a bottleneck you can use to your advantage against superior numbers, but that doesn't happen all the time, and would make the game pointless. I've yet to play above Demanding, and I recently lost a Level 8 captain to a Narvidian ship, but seriously, when an enemy has you outclassed at EVERY level, why do you feel you are entitled to a magic wand that gives you a loophole to win? Sometimes, nothing you can do makes a difference, and you're going to go down in flames, both in a game AND in real life.

The whole reason the level is called Impossible is because it's IMPOSSIBLE to live forever. The point is that you just try to survive as long as you can, by hook or by crook. There are many games out there that have a play mode where a level is infinite, and you simply go as long as you can, Tetris being a prominent example. It's often called SURVIVAL mode. The farther you go, the harder it gets, and eventually EVERYONE loses.

I really get the feeling that some people expect a game to be tailored to their every whim, and the only way this happens is if they create a game for themselves. No, I'm not naming any names, and if anyone takes offense to this post, consider WHY it offends you, then read it again before you reply. Cory, Andrew, et al, have made a spectacular series of games, and every step of the way they've listened to their community and improved things. They've even gone out of their way to accommodate specific individuals when it comes to certain devices or issues that come up. These guys are very open and forthcoming with their explanations and reasoning. To treat them like they should be coding every aspect of the game to meet one individual's desires is, honestly, ridiculous. You might as well ask them for a debug build and a full manual on how to manipulate game factors so that the game gives you everything you want. These guys have poured their heart and soul into their games, but some people insist on practically DEMANDING that certain changes be made, or that every algorithm be explained in detail. We may have paid our $1.99 for the game, but that doesn't give any of us the right to expect an experience custom-tailored to our own vision of what the game should be. We didn't create this game, THEY did.

Cut the Trese Bros some slack. They are a shining example of what you should be able to expect from developers, and considering they do this outside of their already hectic work lives and barely break even doing it, is there a good reason to hassle them for every little thing that you personally believe should be part of the game? They have their own vision of how it should work, and given the amazing job they do in listening to their customers, I frankly think they do an outstanding job in every aspect.

Am I just sucking up? No. I've never been that kind of person and never will be, regardless of the fact that I could have put myself in a better position in life if I had done so. I refuse to surrender my dignity, and I'm also passionate about what I believe in. If I say something, it's because I mean it and believe it, not for any other reason.

So now I ask you, what's more important? Should the Trese Bros create an individual build of their games for each person's preferences, and in so doing waste precious time, money and resources, or should they create games that appeal to the vast majority, and in so doing build on their success?

[Deleted]

@ erikem - exactly. You totally get what I'm saying

@blast - I appreciate you being straightforward. The truth is though, I'm not demanding anything. The point of the forum is to report things about st you may not like, as well as make requests. I appreciate what cory and his brother have done, and I'm not saying I expect them to cater to my every whim. But this is am issue I want to adress, and on the forum, it's a good place to addresses it. I don't EXPECT anything, but I'm allowed to make requests and HOPE that something is changrd. If not, I'm not upset. This isn't an an an angry st is horrible thread. It's WISHES. The developers made a wish list section for people to make wishes. I don't mean anything by it, but there is a wish list so if people have wishes, they can post them.

There are people like erikem who get what I'm trying to say. Surely I can't be alone on this issue.

[BlastGT1]

As I said, I'm not naming any names, but if you choose to reply because you feel that I'm addressing you, then so be it.

The root of the problem is, this is not an "issue" as you say. It is by design. That makes your statement into a wish/preference, not a "fault" in the game. Of course you have the right to post and request or report things, everybody does. However, regardless of whether anyone else will or won't say so, many of your posts are asking to make changes to the game, most of which have either been replied to saying it's not possible, or that something doesn't balance, or sometimes simply by "thanks!", which if you read into it, is more likely a courtesy reply than anything else. Many others are from your insistence that something is a bug even when it has been stated that you are the only one experiencing it, or something that is intentionally designed. Your insistence that button-mashing should work the way YOU want it to work is readily called to mind. Honestly, I've read too many of your posts where you say "PLEASE CHANGE" or "PLEASE USE" or something similarly said in all caps, as well as many where you will argue the perceived validity of your point even if it's been told to you that it is not a bug/issue/design flaw by the Treses.

Can you WISH to see something implemented or changed? Yes. Can you HOPE that your suggestions contribute to gameplay? Of course! You should reread some of your posts though, if you don't see what I see. I have often been in the position of being the only person willing to speak up about an issue, even when others agree, so I have no qualms about putting myself out there and possibly facing criticism for it. You say that you can't be alone on this issue, and you are quite likely right, but since we're playing that card, by the same standard, neither can I be alone on my viewpoint. Go back and read some of your posts and the replies to them, and imagine this is someone else posting, or that YOU are in the Trese's shoes. Put yourself on the other end of it and think about how it may come off to other people. Your laserlike focus on the game is great when it comes to playing the game, but it may not translate so well when it comes to improving or balancing the game.

Don't get me wrong, starfixer, I somewhat admire your dogged tenacity and persistence in wanting to learn every single nuance of the game so that you can defy the odds. I really do. For all I know, you could be the king of Impossible! You've contributed to updating the help file, you've reported bugs that were genuine and got fixed, and some of your wish list items have made it into the game. However, I perceive that while you have been a contributor, you are also acting as a detractor at times. Sometimes I think that you may not realize just how much the Treses have on their plate, and at other times I get the impression that you may not care, and that it's all about what you want. I really don't have any idea of what a typical day is for you, but I know what it's like to put in fulltime hours at work, and then follow it up with managing projects that consume a significant amount of your down time. The projects sometimes become a chore, even if you love what you're doing. When I ran torrent sites, people were ALWAYS asking to change this, that, or the other. Many times what they asked was simply too much work to reasonably expect in the way of coding or implementation, and while some understood, others were quite ungracious about it, no matter how much sense it made. Though the people who demonstrated the lesser side of humanity were not plentiful, their bickering, complaining, and arguing contributed to making mine (and other staff members') experience worse as a whole. Priorities are a part of the game, and many large things happen during renovations, not during maintenance.

I'm not trying to call you out or rip you for no reason. I don't have any desire to do that, and if I did, I would be a lot less courteous than I am right now. I'm pointing out the good and the bad, not focusing on the negative while ignoring the positive. I genuinely LIKE the Treses, even though I've never met them, and I wish I COULD meet them, I think it would be a great time! Just to get to know them outside of ST and see what makes them tick, what makes them who they are. I have a LOT of respect for these guys, just from what I am able to ascertain by their forum posts and their work. Maybe I just feel like everyone should view them the same way I do, I don't know. I'm just saying that they have a formula and a set method, and a lot of what you ask for are things that should be done during a renovation, not during maintenance, if you get what I'm saying. If you're looking ahead like I am, I would bet money that a huge chunk of what is said in these forums is on the docket for integration into ST2. Have some patience. Slow down. Take time to smell the roses. Good things come to those who wait.

The cake may be a lie in Portal, but not when it's branded with the TB logo. With them, you get to have your cake and eat it too, remember that every time you post!

[erikem]

Hmmm I'm just thinking... usually difficulty changeless your skills not your luck. I think it should be the same way here i.e. if ur skill is the maximum possible than you will accept and beat the challenge. And beating a challenge usually brings one pleasure and satisfaction.

But when it is mere luck (fate or whatever) that decides whether you will leave or die you will soon realize that it is no longer you beating the challenge but the in-game randomizer that sometimes favors you. And in fact your skill, wits, your brilliant strategic thinking play almost no part in your survival. It's no longer you playing the game but the randomizer playing for you. At this point it may become much less fun than it was initially intended.

And we play games for fun, don't we?