Planning for the 7th Transcendence succession game

[pixelfck]

Wouldn't it be interesting to try a succession game without the freighter (or bag of holding) and try to work within the limits of the cargo hold?
Most previous succession games ended with an ridiculous amount of money available, something which is (in part) prevented by unlimited loot hauling.

Just a thought

Cheers,
Pixelfck

[PM]

Without freighter or BoH, I stash anything and everything within a burnt-out station (or crate on top of something if Dynamic Systems is play). I make getting a jumpdrive top priority so I can reach stashes as quickly as possible.

After the first few systems, Dynamic Systems made the game easier by vastly increasing the loot. Extra capital ships and stations exploding then respawning, and repeat. It is a loot and wealth farm.

[Autohummer]

I think the difficulty of DynSys is no longer in gaining money, instead, it shifts to salvaging in hot zones and taking down Ranx/Ares Dreadnoughts for your first Kiloton Cannon/Ranx DN hull/Area Plasma Archcannon. I argue that the early game is much harder, as enemy numbers and firepower are overwhelming, and it is easy, especially in succession games, to lose someone else's ship. However, once we acquire our first capital ship, things become easier.

BTW: Is the "bug" with Dwarg Behemoths spawning en masse and following you everywhere fixed?

[RPC]

BTW: Is the "bug" with Dwarg Behemoths spawning en masse and following you everywhere fixed?

Pretty sure yeah, but I will double check code just to make sure.
I need to add more difficulty in higher systems other than the conventional "kill or be killed" because being a war profiteer is too easy in Dynamic Systems. You're just looking for a lucky break when looking for loot but I think that adding something like stargate checkpoints and putting stuff in Elysium should make passive gameplay a bit harder.

[Autohummer]

Agreed, DynSys succession games often turn Transcendence to a 2D fleet combat simulator/tactical arcade game rather than a game where you are supposed to be an individual adventurer/a small party scraping and scrounging up to survive to the end. Not to mention sorting out the loot gets painful after a while without some kind of inventory system designed for massive lists of goods.

Actually, if I may be so bold, I would like to propose the challenge of having no capital ships (nothing with more than 1~2 operating crew) for this succession game. (I may regret it later, but I think this better follows the way the game is meant to be played.)

[RPC]

no capital ships

I'm up for it.
The thing is it's a bit too easy to be invincible in a capship so

[PM]

If ye want a little bullet hell, try Triggerhappy. It makes the NPC good guys shoot faster too, but there are more enemies than allies.

EDIT - I could try to add a game setting to enforce no capitals (or ships bigger than some size). I will miss my capitals. I love flying in a big ship and gunning down everything in sight.

[FourFire]

I also want to add http://xelerus.de/index.php?s=mod&id=1240 to the list.
I've updated the xml for compatibility with 1.3's new turning stuff and it is attached.
I'm all for playing a game without freighters or capital ships so long as I get to use this mod, that is...
It will make us pick and choose our loot more carefully, when we suddenly can't have that much of it.
This is desireable because it IS a pain to sort through 1547 items without a categorized cargohold mod, and even then, with it, in stores and so on.

[PM]

We need to define what we mean by "capital". The Starbridge has more linked fire weapons than most stock destroyers or cruisers.

Edit: I will work on a weaker Starbridge update.

[TVR]

A short update on everything accomplished so far:

-Added Descendence to the mod list, along with the following challenge mods:

Triggerhappy
Extreme Slicer
No Domina Powers
Possibly also AI ships follow through gates

-Reviewed several other mods for succession (Read: Most of Xelerus)
-Mixed "Black Market Extension" by Pixelfck with "The Crowd Roars" by (^o^)
-Will mix "Crystal Clear Iocrym" by digdug with "Extreme Iocrym" by (^o^)
-Modified "Start With Free Targeting Program" by PM into "Start With Galactic Map"
-Added workarounds for serious PDmod/1.2 conflicts that crash initial system generation.
-Performed compatibility testing with all mods and 1.3

I would say that Dynamic System is amazing as is, it's just that combining it with Rotolooter seems to make it less fun to loot or salvage. When flying near wrecks, the ship automatically picks up everything, junk low level items included, spontaneously reducing thrust. Getting that thrust back requires playing an inventory management game to figure what junk was just picked up versus the valuable stuff that was there before.

With Descendence, I propose disabling the universal fuel and shield orb drops, as they are extremely common and effectively provide infinite fuel and shields.

No need to worry about capships though, initial testing suggests that the game will be incredibly hard with Triggerhappy and DySys combined.

On a final note, don't forget nominate some more mods!

[RPC]

No Domina Powers

I look forward to our many, many, many deaths.

I am ok with disabling fuel/shield drops as well.

[PM]

PSD already includes game settings to give targeting program and galactic map (and enhanced visual). If you include PSD, there is no need for Start with Free Targeting Program, which is only useful for non-PSD games. When starting game with PSD6+, do not forget -> as soon as possible to enter game settings. (Once there, get your free programs and ships, and no friendly fire.)

More nominations...
Items Pack 912 has been included in the past. Now it has become the two mods Drake Technologies Alpha and Items Pack 912 v7. Might as well include them to add to the ever growing pool of items.

If capitals are allowed, I like to see the Lindworm. Although 72 facings are ideal, the older 40 facings version is probably better since AI still cannot handle 40+ facings. Some ships even have trouble with only 40 facings with 1.3's new maneuver system.

[quote="TVR"]With Descendence, I propose disabling the universal fuel and shield orb drops, as they are extremely common and effectively provide infinite fuel and shields.[/quote]
I recently adapted Descendence to PSD6+. I will see if I can add in-game settings to disable the drops.

EDIT: I decided it is not worth it. Descendence has other balance wrecking features beyond fuel and shield powerups for those concerned about it. Some weapons are very overpowered if found or fabricated. Fusion cannons are practically god weapons. (Level 9, high antimatter DPS, 100% passthrough, max WMD.)

[TVR]

Added both the 72 facings Lindworm and Drake Technologies Alpha.

I figured that we only need to start with the Galactic map - playing a topology mod without one and with multiple players might be tedious, though that will be an option to vote on later.

[PM]

Something I just discovered. Hayari Noosphere and Corporate Command do not mix. When I tried to play a game with both, I get constant OnGlobalUpdate errors. Does anyone else get these errors?

[Shaman]

Works fine for me. Tested with 1.2 and 1.3b1