Sword of the Stars Multiplayer game (for inexperienced players)

[Heliocentric]

Next weekend I want to get my piaow piaow on. If I don't get enough random menaces I'm coming for you guys.

[Tikey]

don't worry next session we'll get to turn 100. You'll get the pk all for yourself

[Heliocentric]

don't worry next session we'll get to turn 100. You'll get the pk all for yourself

I can't wait to get a collar on it.

[Tikey]

I hope the Von Neumann don't get the same idea. Being that they can actually do something like that.

[karandraz]

Does something bad always spawn on turn 100?

[Tikey]

Not necessarily, but the games likes it. It's a nice round number.

[karandraz]

Well I hope it keeps out of my systems, ive got enough problems as it is!

[Heliocentric]

Not necessarily, but the games likes it. It's a nice round number.

If a big bad shows up it can't be before turn 100 and you only get one. But that doesn't include vonn neumann or space bees etc. Indeed some of the worst things that can happen are not "galactic menaces".

[Tikey]

I'm hoping for the PaceKeeper. He's awesome.

Edit: Even if you're curious don't google him. His first appearance is a magical moment in gaming.

PS. Like all the cool kids I've started my own blog!
Interesting stuff some time in the future.
This will be a nice way to practice my english. Feel free to correct my grammar and spelling.

[Heliocentric]

Icarus Revealed
Write up with explanation will follow

Bonus video of the asteroid monitor,

Note these 2 lack HD I miss it, but I can record epic battles without lag this way.

[Heliocentric]

A complete tech tree, remember you wont get it all.

[Sorbicol]

That's kind of a small picture there

[Tikey]

Open it in another window.

[Heliocentric]

Sorry, I forget some people don't have 8640p monitors. The or yunno, right click on it and open in new tab.

[Tikey]

Let's start the "ask helio about techs" talk show.

Is Predictive Gunnery a tech worth having if you have a ballistic focused race?

Also. How much does trading improve income? Is it significant or just a small bonus?

Is Reflective coating good against plasma cannons?

[Heliocentric]

Let's start the "ask helio about techs" talk show.

Is Predictive Gunnery a tech worth having if you have a ballistic focused race?

Also. How much does trading improve income? Is it significant or just a small bonus?

Is Reflective coating good against plasma cannons?

Reflectivity tech only impacts lasers (shots bounce at steeper angles and higher energy types) and beamers (flat damage reduction), not plasma you could use deflectors shields or keeping at range, they miss a lot.

On fire control. There are 3 kinds of weapon.
Always hit: emitters, missiles, tracking torps.
Nearly always hit: lasers, as mass drivers, beamers, and phases.
Rarely hit: kinetic weapons(mass drivers), plasma/fusion/antimatter cannon, Dumbfire racks.

The first category gets nothing from fire control, the second likes it as extreme range and the third makes great use of it. The just remember that those least accurate weapons are brawler for up close use and using them on a ship with a delicate command section (like fire cobtrol) might not be a good idea. It also forgoes use of shield deflector or disruptor sections.

Trading:
Trapped on 3 nearby planets with little investment opportunities elsewhere? Building a fleet of trading ships can double your planets income, maybe more with cruiser trade ships, but any attacks on those planets might hurt doubly so. The combat traders run less risk of piracy but trading can still be blockaded by a big (thus not sneaky) pirate fleet.

Hivers can trade but it's a bad idea because of the abstract distance of the "trade sector" notably they CANNOT pirate ever, humans cannot trade effectively because they cannot hope to chase out pirates or even effectively secure the whole trade sector.

Zuul don't trade at all, evah.

[Tikey]

Nearly always hit: lasers, as mass drivers, beamers, and phases.

AS mass drivers?

Hivers can trade but it's a bad idea because of the abstract distance of the "trade sector" notably they CANNOT pirate ever.

Why is that? Is Trade somehow defined by distance?

[Heliocentric]

AS mass drivers?



Why is that? Is Trade somehow defined by distance?

Sorry, AP mass drivers, armour piercing.
Hivers are too slow to catch people. I think node races and non node races are segregated too.

More here
http://sots.rorschach.net/Trade

[Heliocentric]

Apparently node races are not isolated from non node races.

Good to know I guess.

[Heliocentric]

Great and unexpected match tonight, however short.

I have a whole ream of excellent write up fodder I best get to it.