Posts by Drakon

  • Crossfire 1.8 release

    Quote

    Originally posted by SWAT_OP-R8R
    there is no mrs


    I imagine there are some amongst us who envy that. ^^


    It's too bad that there have been difficulties with the missions by the way. I got so used to there being missions everywhere that I never realized there were problems using new factions in them. To be honest on MP I don't recall ever having seen a Nomad mission in Alair (didn't someone say they existed once in a different thread?). Anyway, I suppose there are times when the game works in mysterious ways. On the bright side, at least the bulk of the other features work. It's all good.

  • vs Discovery mod

    Quote

    Originally posted by {LP}Admiral-(NL)


    This is the best answer you'll get. Try both out if you want to know which one is more fun.


    I agree with this. I've played several mods, and most of them are quite easily playable and can be enjoyed given one's preferences. I don't like the mods that lay heavy on creating separate, but neighboring "universes" (Babylon V, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, so on). Simpler expansions on the vanilla game have been interesting, but by and large what hooked me about CF was that it expanded upon the storyline continuum, reaching both forwards and back. Perhaps it's just the bias of having played a long time, but the features in this mod feel to me like they'd be closest to what Digital Anvil would have made of it given the same story-arcs; I can't find satisfaction in playing vanilla anymore. It feels too simplistic and meat-and-potatoes compared to what many of the game's best modders have produced - OP certainly amongst them. There are pros and cons to every mod, but some simply stand out from the others in terms of sheer excellence.

  • Credits to easy to obtain...

    Quote

    Originally posted by SWAT_OP-R8R
    ok - the way i see it is that the money earning via missions, pods, looting wrecks, probably even mining is good the way it is


    but the reward from the trains is too high? right?


    My experience has been that when one is starting their first char on the server, or creating a char in singleplayer, it is a very slow start if one doesn't trade black market goods in a freighter and ladder up to a APC or BP3 before getting a Soulforge. Alternatively, a person can spring for a VHF and do missions (but the pods are much more valuable than the mission rewards themselves). Once a person has a train, like Azadur said, it comes down to how much time per hour a person has to trade. If the person trades BMGs there's no excuse not to be making credits hands over heels. The dynamic economy is awesome, and it will be great to have the option of experiencing that in SP in upcoming versions.


    That having been said, there are some soft spots when it comes to viable ways of making credits. Mining or trading legal commodities tends not to happen outside of Rhineland - and people only really keep a freighter after having enough for a train if they want to team up with somebody who is flying a train and trade between stations with no moors. Capital ships are not viable for decent, unassisted credit-making due to their small cargo holds and inability to sell pods (i.e. there are no bases that pay full price for pods that have a mooring fixture). Lack of moors in many of the added systems also impacts where trade occurs. That makes sense though; youve explained in the past how it would unbalance trade.


    To answer your question, OP, BMG makes the reward from the trains a tad high. Trains trading legal commodities are not as profitable, but still decent. I dont know how that sort of disparity would be addressed though, given how smuggled goods tend to inherently be more profitable. Perhaps the police and navy patrols should be powerful enough to pose a threat to a train? I dont know. Just a few thoughts. I've played mods where the credits are much easier to make than here, and others where it is so difficult that I felt inclined to quit playing before finishing my first char. Im quite pleased with the system as it is, all-around. :)

  • CF1.8 development process

    Very much impressed by all these changes being listed and the in-game footage. I'm not sure if it's something I've already said in another thread, but seeing how this has progressed and literally watching some of the new features in motion... there is a feeling it evokes that may not have been felt since first buying Freelancer and excitedly setting out to explore and finish the storyline the first go around. It's hard to describe really, but reflecting upon past versions of the mod it is remarkable how far you've come with this. Huge thumbs up! *grins*

  • The Eastern Coalition

    I love it when a storyline gets fleshed out like this. A plot is best complete with a colorful history, and with additional facts that may not be at first relevant to the gameplay a foundation gets laid. There is always potential to be built upon this, whether it takes the form of new game features, continuation of the plot, or allowing enthusiastic players to tailor their RP to fit the story. Would be great to see an Alliance description if he gets around to it. :)

  • CF1.8 development process

    Quote

    Originally posted by SWAT_OP-R8R
    yes - the dk will be removed from there in 1.8 (except a few raids)


    It will be interesting to see how that effects trade. Wonder if there are any trade runs that don't involve cardamine or artifacts that may make planets Crete or Malta highly lucrative... tried to check a few times before in a Soulforge, but those gunboats really love it when pilots jump in with a level 7 shield. :P

  • Crossfire 1.9 Features

    Quote

    Originally posted by SWAT_OP-R8R
    you almost sound like Minni_mouse


    Warm and fuzzy monikers are not to be underestimated! Kermit may be a conscientious, caring muppet... but he also spends his spare time coordinating system-wide military campaigns, shipping convicted felons to prison facilities, hurling explosive projectiles at pirates, and icing doughnuts (which, incidentally, can be interpreted in at least three ways). The point is that some of the most terrifying people out there are the ones who adopt disarming, adorable names. Don't let your guard down for a second, OP, it's all it takes! ^^


    That having been said, I stand beside him on this. I deeply admire the pace of the work you are doing but none of us wants for you to end up overworked and with too many responsibilities to shoulder. It's endearing. That having been said, it's good to see so many concepts being laid out. Plans are necessary for everything, and with any luck this is the first step towards what will one day be yet another finished modding project. :)

  • CF Balance

    I agree with Black. To continue to enjoy PvP I have completely switched over to use of capital ships. All my other chars are a variety of VHFs that only fight NPCs (if it can be helped, at least). It's true that guns-only can still work if one's marksmanship is extraordinary, but I whenever I fly a fighter that isn't a lagg - lining up the guns is pretty much impossible to do without the target already turned to face me and firing a missile salvo - needless to say, the opponent will inflict several times as much damage if I don't break off (in which case I'm being chased by a more agile, heavily-armed fighter).


    In terms of weaponry there is often a balance between firepower, defenses, and speed. For VHFs to be balanced, if a ship class has exceptional ability in one area it must be lacking in another. It's only an idea, really, but I do think fighters would be much better balanced if there were tradeoffs between agility, number of weapon slots, and hull + max shield class. People flocking to a single ship class indicates imbalance. CF has dozens and dozens of marvelous VHFs, and yet most are relatively useless for PvP right now. x.x