Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - N9.7.7 12-Sep-2024 Second Coming

[RSSwizard]

By the time I tend to get ships capable of using guns, I usually have at least some 25/30/50mm cannons, which are all superior to the charger except in the long term resource requirements.  Based on what I've seen about that laser, it's actually supposed to be an anti missile system, not an offensive weapon at all.

I still dont have any of these and im 1 year into the game. I have the option to build a 30mm cannon but it says I need "30mm cannon parts" and I have not come across any throughout the entire game.

I found a couple Reticulan Plasma Charger parts but sold them before I got the option to build a plasma charger. I didnt know you needed the parts for it.

[khade]

You generally have two options, assemble, which uses the parts of the weapon system, and build, which requires a workshop.  We usually get the parts by taking out non civilian ships, usually by following them and stealing everything when they land, nailed down or not.  They're not likely to land next to your base.

Sometimes I think we can get already assembled craft weapons, too.

Sounds more like you've had a less than lucky first year, though.

[Drasnighta]

Man, I *Never* shoot down Civilian Traffic.

I see Civilians Traffic and go "Abort"...  Thats just not worth even risking a Score Penalty on.

[Dioxine]

Allright, adding some super-hard late game missions to get all the codices you missed sounds fine to me (missions built in a way than makes them the hardest for somoene who choose the opposite codex). However, even with half of VooDoo locked out, you're still getting a ton of toys; and excuse me but wanting ALL the toys on a single playthrough does sound a bit like needy-whiny.

As for the charger laser.... Yeah it does make the early game easier but there are several avenues of getting ship weapons other than buying; raiding landed shippings, doing underwater adventures, researching Airballs... None of them is banal or obvious, but so this goes; if you're doing well, you get stuff. If you go for easiest missions only, you get nothing and stagnate, and I see no point in holding anyone's hand to de-stagnate.

In my current test playthrough I choose the good ol' Green, but got rid of the Charger around June first year already. Just finished building Ventura (November) and it's armed with 2 Sonic Oscillators and 2 50mm cannons.

[legionof1]

But how would you make them meaningfully harder for the opposing choice, when each only grants a somewhat narrow set of additions? And due to rare resource RNG you may not have very many of most of the things you have unlocked on a given path.   

Almost everything that results form the codices, core tech has something to fill the role with acceptable performance. Ghost and witch being the big exceptions.

[Dioxine]

Mind Control can be effected through Master's Cane and Herder's Staff, but Ghost indeed has no real replacement (and I think it's perfectly fine).

[ivandogovich]

So its definitely been a few months since I was able to enjoy this rich PirateZ experience.   Now reading through the changes, it sounds like a ton in the early game has changed once again. 

I too am distressed by the loss of the charger laser as it seemed to me to be the key point for solid income in the early game by farming civilian shipping.  I like this dynamic and it feels right as the gals learn their way through the pirating business and improve their skills as they do so. 

I feel like some early research should unlock at least Something buyable that could handle civ ships.  Even a small caliber cannon would do the trick.

Also, I get the reason for branching Voodoo.  I know that by design the mod is not supposed to allow Completionist Runs and is supposed to be played multiple times for the full experience.  Maybe tying it to the Menacing Hull decision is too early?  Idk.

Now, I'm uncertain whether or not to continue my earlier Mid-Campaign run and go through the Upgrade process (Though I will be locked out of some voodoo schools I haven't found yet), or to start fresh again (for the 3rd time).  Decisions, Decisions.  And its all Dioxine's fault for making such compelling changes in such an immersive environment.

Cheers!

[Drasnighta]

Got caught out by this one earlier:



Loader Armor Bootypedia entry states that it is "Spaceworthy"...  And I launched to an Orbital with that...

...  But of course, Pods everywhere, because it doesn't have a "O-G" version, which I checked, of, course, when I got back....


Are Loaders Intended for Zero-G Ops?

Also, I figure the Loader is Spaceworthy, in the fact that it can be used on the Mars Surface, but has no Zero-G Maneuver option...  Its cool, and I can understand that, I was just...  Caught out and it made me double check things

[Zharkov]

I too am distressed by the loss of the charger laser as it seemed to me to be the key point for solid income in the early game by farming civilian shipping.  I like this dynamic and it feels right as the gals learn their way through the pirating business and improve their skills as they do so. 

I feel like some early research should unlock at least Something buyable that could handle civ ships.  Even a small caliber cannon would do the trick.

You can shoot down civilian traffic with airballs! Not buyable, but easy to research and to build.

[Eddie]

Now, I'm uncertain whether or not to continue my earlier Mid-Campaign run and go through the Upgrade process (Though I will be locked out of some voodoo schools I haven't found yet), or to start fresh again (for the 3rd time).  Decisions, Decisions.  And its all Dioxine's fault for making such compelling changes in such an immersive environment.

I'm thinking the same things... and I'm just in june first year. I wonder when the new missions start popping up. Zombies for example. Can anyone comment on that? How much gametime did it need on an upgraded save to see the first zombies?

[Dioxine]

All new missions start spawning at the start of any new month, in some cases only if a prerequisite research was completed. So you will never miss out new missions (with the sole exception of Save a Sister, which cannot spawn past October 2601), only sometimes they're already too easy, depending on how far in the game you are.

[Solarius Scorch]

For what it's worth, I really think the Loader is perfect for outer space. Just look at it... Straight from a 90's sci-fi movie. I can picture it floating through space better than any other armour.

Any chances of getting more sisters after October 2601? I love that aspect of the game.

[Ashghan]

I think you can get stasis pods with them (most likely from space stations?), as I have a workshop project to release a gal from a stasis pod.

[CaptainCorkscrew]

All new missions start spawning at the start of any new month, in some cases only if a prerequisite research was completed. So you will never miss out new missions (with the sole exception of Save a Sister, which cannot spawn past October 2601), only sometimes they're already too easy, depending on how far in the game you are.

I think I have not seen save a sister.
I think I am slow at playing through. I started with 0.99D only started shooting down craft near the end of the first year.
I am in the second year now and many missions I get are far too easy, especially ratman rodeo but also the academy research, tower and church raid missions. They were all there pretty much from the start and fine then, but now they are no challenge at all and I would take the auto-battle option if there was one. I only do them for the few measly reputation points they give (typically < 100).

Oh, and I would very much prefer if the enemy progression and mission progression was not tied to time. It made some sense for the original game and I did not like it but in the piratez-World there is no alien invasion so it should not matter whether you do the same stuff within a year or five. I simply do not like to be stressed. I would suggest to instead tie this stuff to something the player does, to his reputation perhaps.
That way if you stir up more trouble you get more money, but your enemies get stronger as well. If you keep a low profile your enemies won't notice and stay relatively weak.

[Ashghan]

Well, they're supposed to be your starter missions to get your first loot and captives for research. They're supposed to be easy (later in the game). A temple raid is not a piece of cake if all you have is 6 unarmored gals with muskets and daggers. By definition they will be trivial just like the smaller UFO's (Cutter and Roundabout) are after you get decent gear.  Dioxine implemented it so that these missions disappear altogether after a fixed date, but I think it hurts the unlucky or slow-paced players.

Personally, I find them a nice change of pace even mid-game. Just chill and relax. I'd probably go crazy if each and every the mission required blood, sweat and tears to complete.

Also the mission to help the Lokk'Narrs should not be unavailable past year 2, since it contains a... "SN" that's required for most of high tier research tree progress (since it locks out medicine research). Unless there's a way to get a SN somewhere else.