tankadillo Posted September 20, 2012 I've always played on normal, but tonight decided to check it out on easy (partially to cheese my way through some achivements) and wow the difference is huge. I actually stopped playing around sector 5 just because I got bored, it was so stupidly easy. Normal is still so hard though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainFish Posted September 20, 2012 I really love this game! Beat it on easy a couple days back, and on normal this evening***, both times with the Stealth Cruiser. It was weird getting used to not having shields starting out. Beams and asteroid fields suddenly became this incredibly dangerous threat compared to how they are fairly easy to avoid on other ships. I've had a lot of luck and am at like 6 ships unlocked. I think the achievement system is really nice, as it gives you smaller goals to work towards other than just victory while you're learning all the systems, and doles out nice rewards for accomplishing them. I can definitely see myself trying to get all the different layouts and ships to see how different they are. One thing I wish this game had was a log. Just literally printing at least all event text to a .txt file with a time/date stamp title would be a lot of fun to go back to. It would be even better if it could record battle logs or (and this is probably undoable and not worth the effort it would take) had a full replay system. My favourite thing to do so far is probably boarding. I've had some weird issues though. A ship I had boarded in the helm jumped away while I was fighting the pilot, and i lost a couple of other crewmen learning that cloaking blocks the return teleport signal. Also, when you try to attack a door you no longer count as being in the room you're in, for the purpose of getting recalled out. I don't think I've unlocked a teleporter focused ship yet (that's probably the mantis) but I can't wait to try a playthrough with that as my focus. ***Edit: Forgot to post my little crew breakdown. It contains an I. Thumb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurboPubx-16 Posted September 20, 2012 Could anyone who is hot stuff at this game please make a video of one of your playthroughs and give a bit of commentary? I had the third stage boss down to three hull points with his shields reduced to blazing ruin and I still lost. I also find easy mode to be totally cheesy now, in fact at this point 90% of the battles are [Mortal Kombat voice] flawless victories. Maybe I just get bad rolls on the boss. I still feel like when I trip up in the slightest, the game pushes me over and stomps on my balls for good measure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gormongous Posted September 20, 2012 Could anyone who is hot stuff at this game please make a video of one of your playthroughs and give a bit of commentary? I had the third stage boss down to three hull points with his shields reduced to blazing ruin and I still lost. I also find easy mode to be totally cheesy now, in fact at this point 90% of the battles are [Mortal Kombat voice] flawless victories. Maybe I just get bad rolls on the boss. I still feel like when I trip up in the slightest, the game pushes me over and stomps on my balls for good measure. I think it's really just that the boss requires you to have been prepping since maybe the fourth or fifth sector to beat him and him specifically, if only because he has three different incarnations that each foil certain specialized builds. If I had a dollar for every time I got to the Last Stand and realized A) I won't last long enough for my boarding parties to disable his weapons, I've relied too heavily on a beam-cum-missile build that has no hope of getting through his second, drone-heavy form, or C) his shields are recharging too fast for my laser build to punch through -- and therefore have to quit or just let myself get destroyed -- I'd be able to fund every gaming kickstarter out there. Honestly, the boss is playing by different rules than you, unlike every other enemy. You're not allowed to upgrade your weapons, drones, and reactor to sport the kind of weaponry he has available, which is why I've only been able to beat him through cheese (either cloak-and-teleport or, once, a perfect storm: two dual-missile lauchers with a beam weapon and pre-igniter that barely overwhelmed his defenses every time, before he could kick my ass). You've just got to avoid being tempted to invest in upgrades beyond what is absolutely necessary, so that you'll be able to have the cloak and teleporter that can kill the boss. As a side note, I feel very very strongly that this game will have only an occasional presence in my life after I unlock all the ships. I really enjoy the structure there, even if it's largely random in execution (have W system at X level in Y system and win Z encounter), but once that's gone I have no clue what will motivate me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurboPubx-16 Posted September 20, 2012 I think it's really just that the boss requires you to have been prepping since maybe the fourth or fifth sector to beat him and him specifically, if only because he has three different incarnations that each foil certain specialized builds. What I need is a strategy for his second form; in this last run he took off 85% of my hull and there were no repair nodes to help me out afterwards. Not only do you have to build specifically against his builds, you also must be an expert in a wide range of weapons and strategies in order to accommodate what the game gives you. What I've just come to realize is that if I see a weapon or droid I like, I have to buy it then and there, even if I won't be able to use it for another three sectors. Top-tier items only seem to show up once per run. I have a few questions if the ace pilots would be so kind: 1. On average how much scrap do you float? 2. Assuming you have a ship that can handle it, will you make more scrap going through a red sector than a green one? Are green sectors only for a ship that's struggling a bit, or should they always be taken? 3. What is your strategy for the boss's second form? Is it possible to disable his drone system and thus the power surge ability he gets with it? 4. Can you beat the game consistently? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrobbs Posted September 20, 2012 This game was driving me nuts last night. Played for 5 hours straight, been a long time since something has held my attention for that long. Not tried on easy yet - just playing normal. It's hard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colourful Stuff Posted September 20, 2012 I tried a normal run using the Engi layout B ship helmed by a lonely Scoops. For those who don't know Engi B has a focus on automation, starting with one crew member, two systems drones and an anti-personnel drone. The ship also has no scanners so you can only see your room and the drone room. My paranoia about fire and boarding led to the decision to drain oxygen from most of the ship and fly around with the doors open. This was a problem when a rebel ship with beam weapons destroyed my systems drones, my drone room and door system. Scoops' ship was methodically dismantled until life support was destroyed, causing him to slowly asphyxiate in the tomb he had created for himself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted September 20, 2012 That's a fantastic story! Oh man I'm taking the Torus for a spin (Jeremy Clarkson style) in a moment. Giddy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electricblue Posted September 20, 2012 What I need is a strategy for his second form; in this last run he took off 85% of my hull and there were no repair nodes to help me out afterwards. Not only do you have to build specifically against his builds, you also must be an expert in a wide range of weapons and strategies in order to accommodate what the game gives you. What I've just come to realize is that if I see a weapon or droid I like, I have to buy it then and there, even if I won't be able to use it for another three sectors. Top-tier items only seem to show up once per run. I have a few questions if the ace pilots would be so kind: 1. On average how much scrap do you float? 2. Assuming you have a ship that can handle it, will you make more scrap going through a red sector than a green one? Are green sectors only for a ship that's struggling a bit, or should they always be taken? 3. What is your strategy for the boss's second form? Is it possible to disable his drone system and thus the power surge ability he gets with it? 4. Can you beat the game consistently? 1. 80-100 usually, enough to buy the more expensive stuff should it be available 2. Maybe? You get attacked more often in a red sector but green sectors seem to have more of the "special event" stuff that can also get you scrap 3. The times I've beaten him I had fully upgraded shields and I focused everything on taking the drone system out (teleporter, ion cannons, missiles). The last run I made I played it too conservative and teleported to take out his missile launcher and the drones overwhelmed my shields, which is a pretty quick way to die 4. I beat the game maybe 70% of the times I've played on easy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brkl Posted September 20, 2012 Easy is easy: However: Man, those drones in the second phase. It seemed like they had made the drone room impossible to harm as well, because no matter how many volleys from those four lasers I shot at it, they would just miss. I'm still not getting any of the special quests that give you more ships and I've played 9 hours of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted September 20, 2012 I just beat the boss with the very strong Federation Cruiser with the inbuilt artillery beam. Had a lot of luck getting good weapons: a fire beam, an ion cannon and a second burst laser II. I also managed to get a very strong boarding crew together! Two fully powered Mantis warriors (one of which was Remo, who once fought an enemy Scoops). Boarding is so much fun! I get the feeling you get a lot more scrap if you successfully eliminate the enemy rather than destroying their ship. As a result I was swimming in scrap and had everything fully upgraded. If you get lucky early on with a teleportation unit in shops and two mantis, you are pretty much set for riches. I had two ship-getting encounters (one for Mantis, the other Rock), but I blew them all. That was disappointing, but it only encourages me to try again and get ALL the ships. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dibs Posted September 20, 2012 The ship collecting is great. It gives your little nuggets of reward amongst the crushing failures. I'm having a bit of an issue with how samey the fights can be, Especially early on, and then again once your ship and crew have matured near the end. I feel the need to drag out the earlier portions to get more loots, but those same portions are the least engaging. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurboPubx-16 Posted September 20, 2012 If you get lucky early on with a teleportation unit in shops and two mantis, you are pretty much set for riches. This is exactly what happened to me and I finally beat the game on easy. Half way through the game I had weak shields and lousy weapons but with stealth, a fully upgraded teleporter and four mantis boarders the game was a cake walk. The second form boss only did two points of damage to me, which I eagerly repaired with a hull repair drone. Thank you for the tips everyone! And sorry to Bruce Geryk, trusty, hardworking second-string boarder who got kicked out the airlock the second a mantis showed up to replace him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colourful Stuff Posted September 20, 2012 I really want to try a boarding build. Every time I've tried in the past it has been after upgrading weapons. That results in my being to frightened of killing my boarding party to send them in most cases. Also flashbacks of Chris teleporting his crew onto unmanned ships haunt me. I'm still finding medium brutal. I've played fro 20 hours and still haven't taken down the boss, however I've killed it several times on easy. I have reached a point with my knowledge of the game that I know why I'm losing, I've just not been lucky enough to get loot which matches my plans for victory. The lesson that FTL teaches is that planning can help you up to a point, but if your plans become dogma you will die in the vacuum of space. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted September 20, 2012 In space, no one can hear you accidentally depower the doors and med bay and commit yourself to a slow inexorable death. A really important moment in my career as a captain was when I figured out that upgrading doors and the camera system didn't require a bar of reactor power. Now they're easy picks when I upgrade. Also, does anyone ever upgrade the piloting gear? It seems useless to have an autopilot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colourful Stuff Posted September 20, 2012 Autopilot is useless but it is worth putting a point into it. If you don't then one hit can reduce your evasion to 0%. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electricblue Posted September 20, 2012 I really want to try a boarding build. Every time I've tried in the past it has been after upgrading weapons. That results in my being to frightened of killing my boarding party to send them in most cases. Also flashbacks of Chris teleporting his crew onto unmanned ships haunt me. All the unmanned ships look exactly the same for me I did teleport into one once only to see there was no air and got them out just before they asphyxiated Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted September 20, 2012 On the subject of evasion, what is the difference between it and the dodge mechanic in the engines? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dibs Posted September 20, 2012 It's the same isn't it? But if your helm isn't manned you get zeros from either helm or engines. I think what he means is get it for the extra power bar buffer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colourful Stuff Posted September 20, 2012 Yeah, losing the helm will reduce evasion to zero, regardless of your engine's condition. I like to put a buffer bar in autopilot before fighting the boss as one perfect volley from that thing can cripple your ship. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electricblue Posted September 20, 2012 do you get more scrap for killing off the crew without destroying the ship? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrobbs Posted September 20, 2012 I'm getting that impression from other stuff that I've read. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erkki Posted September 20, 2012 If you get lucky early on with a teleportation unit in shops and two mantis, you are pretty much set for riches. I must try that. I've only boarded once, but I've tried to suck out oxygen from other ships. Have done it a few times, but it's hard -- if they fix it you end up causing enough hull damage that they just blow up. Have to use non-hull-damaging bombs for this, probably. I just beat the boss ... I was swimming in scrap and had everything fully upgraded. Was that easy or normal? Just had my first victory on easy. Was actually too easy, so I'm playing on normal next. I had pretty high dodge + full shields and cloak. Didn't use the drones until quite late, but they ended up being very useful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erkki Posted September 20, 2012 Also, does anyone ever upgrade the piloting gear? It seems useless to have an autopilot. I did for captain Turing's ship -- since he was without crew for most of the journey (but then I found a guy for the engines -- other end of ship), I thought it might be useful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erkki Posted September 20, 2012 do you get more scrap for killing off the crew without destroying the ship? Definitely seems so. I got what seemed like 50% more than I normally would have gotten (this is of course a guess) whenever I asphyxiated an enemy crew. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites