late-game ideas
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the_holy_thom
- Commonwealth Pilot
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:55 am
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Devious. I like it
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LOLF50 wrote: "Hey Ares outpost! would you let me dock regularly at your station for $$$,$$$ credits?"
"We are loyal to the Ares...wait, how much was that?"
SparcMan wrote:"Sure, we'll take your money. We still won't let you dock, but we'll take your money just the same"
Another great idea!!! Hey SparcMan, can you introduce me to your grey cells dealer? 
As it stands, there is little point in most of the late game, and the technology curve starts to look like someone's had a few cracks at it with a 9 iron. Depending on the luck of the random map generation, enemies are between hard and harder, with access to favourable high end weapons becoming more scarce (and no more skipping ahead for better stuff either).
Rins arrive too late and Ringers too picky for trade and salvage to be of much use so ferian farming is really the only reliable method of building the bank account, which quite often a tedious task even in the freighter, let alone the flying thimble known as the Wolfen. By the time I've accumulated a tidy nest egg, there's really only one thing I really care to spend my hard earned Rins on anymore: my ticket out of this hole. After all, there's only one weapon that can destroy the Iocrym, and it ain't cheap, or available for credits.
A mission-based career with one or more of several major factions would provide the player more avenues for upgrades, a reason to complete more than the minimum necessary to kill the Iocrym, and more than the current grand total of 1 way to do it.
And seriously, I'm supposed to believe I can upgrade a 10MW flying coffin that shoots spitballs all the way to the 1GW flame grilled right butt cheek of satan dealing out death incarnate itself? All from off-the-self components? Capable of defeating an advanced alien race that decided hundreds of millions of years before humanity even evolved to quarantine our corner of the cosmos?
Besides, if one makes or can buy a weapon capable of defeating an Iocrym commandship on the open market, why aren't they ruling all of human space with ease?
Anyway... missions.
Civilian and independent missions such as rescuing slaves, defending outposts, search & rescue, and resupply (eg. finding and returning needed items to the outpost, such as those otherwise useless medical items). Among the useless trinkets they give you in return, would occasionally be a caligraphy scroll.
As I suggested in another thread, the scroll would be a map to a secret location containing an alien artifact of huge power (because your ship is so laughably weak compared to the Iocrym in Heretic, let alone whatever is beyond). For example, a reactor that doesn't need fuel; a virus that can disable the Iocrym's shields; etc. With at least two of several available artifacts required to pass Heretic (kill the Iocrym and/or successfully use the gate), just to keep things interesting.
These items should occur anywhere in the game to ensure the player explores everything, so they would have to be of limited utility outside the Iocrym battle/post-Heretic space. Unlimited reactor power would be very cool pre-Heretic, but no guarantee of dominance. The virus would be useless for non-Iocrym vessels. Any weapons needed post-Heretic would be salvaged from the destroyed Iocrym, and other superpowerful post-Heretic-only artifacts first activated by the gate activation rod.
Corporate and militaristic missions would be done for the advanced factions with markets and technology of direct value. Access to higher grade markets, and various favours from the authorities, would come from completing the equivalent level of missions. To fight the Iocrym, however, you'll need to earn special attention by completing all the missions for a particular faction.
See, the major factions know what you're up to, and they want in on the spoils but without the risk of the Iocrym finding out who's behind it and bitchslapping them back to the remains of Sol. You're their guinea pig, your objective is to seek out items of value, and eventually the aid of friendly races to take care of the Iocrym issue.
The Corporations as always are interested in new markets and resources to exploit and the universe beyond Heretic is no exception, the Commonweath want to reunite the galaxy and say hi to the ancient race of the stargates, and the other factions have their relevant agendas they wish to persue towards the core.
To further their interests, they will provide you a new experimental, race-specific ship upon completion of their missions. Say, a high speed stealth fighter from the Commonweath, a super-shielded freighter from the Corporations, a heavily armed gunship from Ares, etc.
Rins arrive too late and Ringers too picky for trade and salvage to be of much use so ferian farming is really the only reliable method of building the bank account, which quite often a tedious task even in the freighter, let alone the flying thimble known as the Wolfen. By the time I've accumulated a tidy nest egg, there's really only one thing I really care to spend my hard earned Rins on anymore: my ticket out of this hole. After all, there's only one weapon that can destroy the Iocrym, and it ain't cheap, or available for credits.
A mission-based career with one or more of several major factions would provide the player more avenues for upgrades, a reason to complete more than the minimum necessary to kill the Iocrym, and more than the current grand total of 1 way to do it.
And seriously, I'm supposed to believe I can upgrade a 10MW flying coffin that shoots spitballs all the way to the 1GW flame grilled right butt cheek of satan dealing out death incarnate itself? All from off-the-self components? Capable of defeating an advanced alien race that decided hundreds of millions of years before humanity even evolved to quarantine our corner of the cosmos?
Besides, if one makes or can buy a weapon capable of defeating an Iocrym commandship on the open market, why aren't they ruling all of human space with ease?
Anyway... missions.
Civilian and independent missions such as rescuing slaves, defending outposts, search & rescue, and resupply (eg. finding and returning needed items to the outpost, such as those otherwise useless medical items). Among the useless trinkets they give you in return, would occasionally be a caligraphy scroll.
As I suggested in another thread, the scroll would be a map to a secret location containing an alien artifact of huge power (because your ship is so laughably weak compared to the Iocrym in Heretic, let alone whatever is beyond). For example, a reactor that doesn't need fuel; a virus that can disable the Iocrym's shields; etc. With at least two of several available artifacts required to pass Heretic (kill the Iocrym and/or successfully use the gate), just to keep things interesting.
These items should occur anywhere in the game to ensure the player explores everything, so they would have to be of limited utility outside the Iocrym battle/post-Heretic space. Unlimited reactor power would be very cool pre-Heretic, but no guarantee of dominance. The virus would be useless for non-Iocrym vessels. Any weapons needed post-Heretic would be salvaged from the destroyed Iocrym, and other superpowerful post-Heretic-only artifacts first activated by the gate activation rod.
Corporate and militaristic missions would be done for the advanced factions with markets and technology of direct value. Access to higher grade markets, and various favours from the authorities, would come from completing the equivalent level of missions. To fight the Iocrym, however, you'll need to earn special attention by completing all the missions for a particular faction.
See, the major factions know what you're up to, and they want in on the spoils but without the risk of the Iocrym finding out who's behind it and bitchslapping them back to the remains of Sol. You're their guinea pig, your objective is to seek out items of value, and eventually the aid of friendly races to take care of the Iocrym issue.
The Corporations as always are interested in new markets and resources to exploit and the universe beyond Heretic is no exception, the Commonweath want to reunite the galaxy and say hi to the ancient race of the stargates, and the other factions have their relevant agendas they wish to persue towards the core.
To further their interests, they will provide you a new experimental, race-specific ship upon completion of their missions. Say, a high speed stealth fighter from the Commonweath, a super-shielded freighter from the Corporations, a heavily armed gunship from Ares, etc.
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Guest
I like the missions from factions idea (perhaps with different rewards), and the usage of the corps as a faction.
Special endings might be another reason to do missions like Point Juno.
Hero of the Commonwealth.
1. Destroy the major stations in the home system of the opposing sovrigns.
2. Destroy the Fortress of the Charon Pirates.
3. Become Admiral (save Point Juno)
4. Destroy the Ares Communes in Point Juno
5. Defeat the Ares in an epic battle in the Ares system.
Hero of the Ares.
1. Destroy the major stations in the home system of the opposing sovrigns.
2. Destroy the CSC Atlantica.
3. Destroy Point Juno.
4. Defeat the Commonwealth in an epic battle at St. Ks
5. Destroy New Wellington Station.
6. Destroy the station in the first system.
Hero of the Ranx. (Create room for the Ranx by separating the Commonwealth and the Ares)
1. Destroy the major stations in the home system of the opposing sovrigns.
2. Destroy the CSC Atlantica.
3. Destroy Point Juno AND the Ares communes in Point Juno.
4. Destroy All Communes and CSCs between Eta Ceti and Point Juno.
5. Defeat the Ares and Commonwealth (long range communications first) in a random system between Eta Ceti and Point Juno.
There would have to be more to it once post-Heritic is intorduced.
Other endings might include Hero of the Sung and Paragon of Domina or Orucus (sorry spell)
Special endings might be another reason to do missions like Point Juno.
Hero of the Commonwealth.
1. Destroy the major stations in the home system of the opposing sovrigns.
2. Destroy the Fortress of the Charon Pirates.
3. Become Admiral (save Point Juno)
4. Destroy the Ares Communes in Point Juno
5. Defeat the Ares in an epic battle in the Ares system.
Hero of the Ares.
1. Destroy the major stations in the home system of the opposing sovrigns.
2. Destroy the CSC Atlantica.
3. Destroy Point Juno.
4. Defeat the Commonwealth in an epic battle at St. Ks
5. Destroy New Wellington Station.
6. Destroy the station in the first system.
Hero of the Ranx. (Create room for the Ranx by separating the Commonwealth and the Ares)
1. Destroy the major stations in the home system of the opposing sovrigns.
2. Destroy the CSC Atlantica.
3. Destroy Point Juno AND the Ares communes in Point Juno.
4. Destroy All Communes and CSCs between Eta Ceti and Point Juno.
5. Defeat the Ares and Commonwealth (long range communications first) in a random system between Eta Ceti and Point Juno.
There would have to be more to it once post-Heritic is intorduced.
Other endings might include Hero of the Sung and Paragon of Domina or Orucus (sorry spell)
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the_holy_thom
- Commonwealth Pilot
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How about attacking Point Juno instead of St Ks then?
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Guest
sorry I didn't mean pick one of those, I meant complete all of those. New Wellington wouldn't give much of a reward at all, but if you destroy St. K's and Point Juno and...
Not if you have to then run the gauntlet of a hostile St. K's and deny yourself it's options until you meet up with the now-friendly Ares. If there really was a "join the Ares" option, I'd love it to be there. Ares contact you right before Charon and offer you membership....if yuo prove yourself by taking out New Wellington. At this point, you can handle New welington and probably the guards. You can't handle the main St K cluster of stations. Add an unhappy patrol waiting for you, and Your main goal is get the heck to the other side before you die. Once you meet up with the Ares later on and get weapons and stuff, you come back to finish it.Laying waste to New Wellington seems fairly easy to get you any special reward.
It's probably need an intermediate Ares presence, some Ares equivalent of the CSC. (I'd keep the CW ones, then whichever side you pick you eventually deal with an enemy carrier)
I don't really like bribery as a common thing. Not because I'm opposed to it morally, but because it doesn't work that way. Have you ever actually tried to bribe someone? A large percentage of people won't take it on moral principles, more won't take it for fear of losing their job. That's for something small, like letting you into a football game. I realize "everyone has their price" and sure, you could probably get in to a sporting event or a club with a big stack of 100s but you just killed a couple million people (in the case of a CW station). If someone wip[ed out, say Seattle, to pick a place at random, then came to your house and offered you a milliion bucks to let him stay overnight would you do it?
The Ares? No way.
Pretend you're a guard at your nation's top secret facility. A soldier (not just a guy, a soldier, with a gun) comes up to you, somehow you don't shoot him, and he says he'll give you a billion dollars to let him in. Inside, where all your friends are, not mention getting shot for treason. No way. (not to mention Ares don't take CW credits)
I'm all for it for accidental shooting of friendly stations. Pay for damage and a little extra for the trouble, or a pirate station not to attack you (that's actually not bribery) But there are limits.
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Revolver
- Commonwealth Pilot
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I know this is a bit off topic, but does anyone know approx how many people are on each type of ship and/or station and which could you wipe out and still be able to bribe your way out of it?
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Guest
Just a guess:
Ares Outpost 50-200
Ares Commune 300-600
Ranx Outpost 100-300
Ranx Fortress 400-550
Ringer Station 300-450
Ringer Shipyard 500-800
Commonwealth settlement 100-350
Commonwealth station 400-650
CSC 500-600
Charon Outpost <50
Charon outpost like thing with the turbolaser. 50-100
Charon station that looks like a tinker 200-300
Luminous Assembler 0-0 (but robots wouldn't talk anyways)
Ares Outpost 50-200
Ares Commune 300-600
Ranx Outpost 100-300
Ranx Fortress 400-550
Ringer Station 300-450
Ringer Shipyard 500-800
Commonwealth settlement 100-350
Commonwealth station 400-650
CSC 500-600
Charon Outpost <50
Charon outpost like thing with the turbolaser. 50-100
Charon station that looks like a tinker 200-300
Luminous Assembler 0-0 (but robots wouldn't talk anyways)
Why? It's a standard CW Station. If it can support a few million, the others can too. The fact is, you can't tell by 'scale'. Nothing in Transcendence is to scale.I admit those estimites are very low, but Starton Erandi is a special case.
But 650 for a Commonwealth Station?
It takes up to 5000 people to run an aircraft carrier, and none of them have their families on board.
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dvlenk6
- Militia Captain
- Posts: 519
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The only thing an ares, or a ranx, is good for is target practice. I'm only interested in killing them; I don't want to bribe them, I don't want to trade with them, I don't want to see them ( except in the crosshairs of my Fusionfire Howitzer 
). So I guess I like the 'Hero of the Commonwealth'.
I think the Teratons talked about for the next release will give the player some more options for late game.
EDIT - Working for Domina or Oracus is different. They are outside and above human control. I could, maybe, see my way clear working alongside a disciple of Domina that is, say Ares.
). So I guess I like the 'Hero of the Commonwealth'.I think the Teratons talked about for the next release will give the player some more options for late game.
EDIT - Working for Domina or Oracus is different. They are outside and above human control. I could, maybe, see my way clear working alongside a disciple of Domina that is, say Ares.