Returning Player - My thoughts

[ChillAsIce]

Hi! I've been around playing this game on and off since release. I decided to start fresh with a new game with 7.6 (also I don't remember what I was doing in my last save to continue where I left off). Here are some of my thoughts for 7.6. I hope to post stuff over the next few days.

Guidance - The game seems to have changed how guidance worked. It no longer shows the path (that yellow line) for some missions liked it used to. Its like it was a goal to make it harder knowing where to go. I liked it how it was before. Is it really so bad to know the direction to a location to save a ship from some mines?

Waypoint to representative - This one was frustrating for a while. I was looking for the representative so I could find a station selling parts for EMP bombs. I was lucky enough to get the time of day from an SCA ship that I rescued from mines. I made the mistake along the way of accepting a mission and ended up losing my way point to the representative. It turned out that the station was far away, so I spent many hours hopelessly wandering not being able to find it. I gave up. Many many hours later I got another SCA to give directions again, and later I found another station near the core of the map. I would really like it if the game stored the information for waypoint to x somewhere. If I don't make it my top priority (or only priority) to find a waypoint, I lose it.

Active missions - I really hate how the game makes the newest mission you select into the active mission. I was doing stuff before that I intend to finish. I find that missions are rare a lot of the time so I make it a habit to grab everyone that I find (and there doesn't seem to be a penalty for aborting ones that I don't like or can't do).

Buy maps or even subscription - I'm not big on exploring my own maps. I want to jump strait into trading and building stations. I'd rather buy maps or buy a subscription that updates my maps.

Station Building - I like station building, but I have a few things I would improve:
-I want to be able to rotate parts before putting them on the area. Sometimes they snap to an existing grid before you can rotate them to the way you like. In some cases, they've jumped to other mount points.
-Show mission details while building a station. I hate having to close the station designer so I could double check what my mission wants. Also show me what requirements I'm meeting, like does my design include enough turrets?
-Don't hand over station control automatically. Often times I may want the station to be finished being built before handing control over.
-Show the value of a station. It matters for construction missions. Reward = value of the station +50% (max of ...). It'd be nice if I could figure out how much more I could add before reaching the limit.
-Show space available for goods. I recently built a small factory for a client, but it had so little storage space that it could only have enough inputs for 1 or 2 cycles before needing to be restocked. Also, the prices would change wildly after each cycle because the % of space occupied by goods would change dramatically after each cycle.
-Let me adjust the plot size inside the station designer, or let me place large parts and adjust the size later (a 3 dock E does not fit in a 4x4x4 grid).
-Won't let me make loops with parts. It won't let me make a circle with modules. Any module that would break that rule can't be placed. This makes placing a lot of disc defense platforms problematic.
-Have it tell you why you can't place a module: Is it too big, does it go out of bounds, does it make a loop, are you trying to make it occupy space already taken by another module, does it need extra space for ships to move around (common for many dock modules).

The tutorials - Its nice to have some tutorials outside a map or game. Doing them inside a map can be troublesome if some Xenon interrupts you with weapons fire, or you have to build up the cash so you could do the station building tutorials.

I also didn't like how the tutorial menu screen starts talking right away, and how the basic missions pushed me strait into the timelines story line (I was expecting to move on another tutorial at the time).

Strafing - Is there anyway to strafe forward only a little bit? I'm still crashing my ship because when I strafe, the movements stop when I lift the buttons, but moving forwards and backwards keeps the momentum unless I precisely adjust my speed to 0. I hack a lot of signals so precise movements is what I want. Having 2 or more movements systems is confusing.

Quick dump specific inventory items - Is there a way to dump all illegal goods into my vault at the HQ? I can manually place individual items into my vault, but I can't push a button to dump all my eggs, hacking software, illegal computer hardware, unstable crystals, and so forth unless I'm happy to dump everything else. I have to do it manually, and I have to remember which inventory items are illegal. My HQ is in an unclaimed sector so it tells me nothing about the legal status of my stuff. I wish there was a UI where I could tell which items I want to deposit every time I return to the HQ.

Highways - I'd like to be able to build my own highways. It would help develop the sector. Make traveling be more convenient.

Station building simulator - I like it. You can jump right in or even force build it.

[Crimsonraziel]

Guidance - The game seems to have changed how guidance worked. It no longer shows the path (that yellow line) for some missions liked it used to. Its like it was a goal to make it harder knowing where to go. I liked it how it was before. Is it really so bad to know the direction to a location to save a ship from some mines?

I don't think anything changed about this. The yellow line still exists. There is none if you haven't uncovered the gate connection to the sector yet, if finding the target is the whole point in the first place or if your current step in the mission has no particular target (like get 3 AGI processors).

[vvvvvvvv]

Guidance - The game seems to have changed how guidance worked. It no longer shows the path (that yellow line) for some missions liked it used to.

It shows the path, but only if you've uncovered the gate leading towards target. Otherwise it switches to "find" text and you can ask NPCs to lead you to mission goal.

Station Building - I like station building, but I have a few things I would improve:
-I want to be able to rotate parts before putting them on the area. Sometimes they snap to an existing grid before you can rotate them to the way you like. In some cases, they've jumped to other mount points.

Hold Ctrl to disable snapping.

[Gavrushka]

Hold Ctrl to disable snapping.

Godsend, thank you!

I recently returned to the game as well, and it does feel a little overwhelming at first.

The two main grumbles I have still are how I have to spam teleport to my stations to buy 1* pilot seminars and also pause to have ships put down a mass of laser towers around a gate or other defensive positions. - Oh, and the inability to get my ships to work to supply a different faction's specific build storage/factory.

But other than that, the changes are superb, particularly the automatic ship replacement.

[vvvvvvvv]

Hold Ctrl to disable snapping.

Godsend, thank you!

I recently returned to the game as well, and it does feel a little overwhelming at first.

The two main grumbles I have still are how I have to spam teleport to my stations to buy 1* pilot seminars and also pause to have ships put down a mass of laser towers around a gate or other defensive positions. - Oh, and the inability to get my ships to work to supply a different faction's specific build storage/factory.

But other than that, the changes are superb, particularly the automatic ship replacement.

Also, if you hold shift while rotating modules, you get snap turn. It can be configured in options, which are in the "gear" icon on the top of the screen. In the same menu you can disable module collision.

And make sure you use "right click --> copy sequence" and "copy module" while building and using module chains. Speeds up building a lot.

Those options are useful, but not immediately explained in the game.

[BitByte]

-I want to be able to rotate parts before putting them on the area. Sometimes they snap to an existing grid before you can rotate them to the way you like. In some cases, they've jumped to other mount points.

You can rotate modules even if they are red when you make sure you won't unselect it.

-Don't hand over station control automatically. Often times I may want the station to be finished being built before handing control over.
-Show the value of a station. It matters for construction missions. Reward = value of the station +50% (max of ...). It'd be nice if I could figure out how much more I could add before reaching the limit.

Make sure you don't fullfill requirements and it won't handover the station. If you want station be larger / better equipped finalize last required module at the end of build process.
Station estimated value comes visible when you accept design. It won't prevent you to continue making changes except it will place 1st module and that will be removed until real build process starts in case you move once accepted design.

-Have it tell you why you can't place a module: Is it too big, does it go out of bounds, does it make a loop, are you trying to make it occupy space already taken by another module, does it need extra space for ships to move around (common for many dock modules).

Borders will change red in case module goes over the plot outlines. If module clips with other modules it will turn just that module as red.
1 way how you can make building more flexible and don't need worry about lacking space is that you make plot large (for example 10x10x10) but don't buy it yet. Desing station and confirm building. Now you can decrease plot size to minimum what your desing requires and then pay the plot fee. Note that this does not work in your own sectors and may not also work in neutral sectors (in case Egosoft haven't yet fixed game to work so).

[grapedog]

Guidance - The game seems to have changed how guidance worked. It no longer shows the path (that yellow line) for some missions liked it used to. Its like it was a goal to make it harder knowing where to go. I liked it how it was before. Is it really so bad to know the direction to a location to save a ship from some mines?

This works as it always has.

Waypoint to representative - This one was frustrating for a while. I was looking for the representative so I could find a station selling parts for EMP bombs. I was lucky enough to get the time of day from an SCA ship that I rescued from mines. I made the mistake along the way of accepting a mission and ended up losing my way point to the representative. It turned out that the station was far away, so I spent many hours hopelessly wandering not being able to find it. I gave up. Many many hours later I got another SCA to give directions again, and later I found another station near the core of the map. I would really like it if the game stored the information for waypoint to x somewhere. If I don't make it my top priority (or only priority) to find a waypoint, I lose it.

Faction representatives don't change locations unless a station is destroyed. So while you may have lost the waypoint to the faction rep, they're were they were when you first asked for directions. Most faction reps are easy to find, but trying to find an SCA rep could be more difficult if you have to cross deep into Teladi territory and you are in Argon space. One suggestion I would make is to, in the very beginning, take a ride on the ring highway all the way around... that will give you a decent baseline for finding stations in the future... at least putting you in the right quarter of the map.

Active missions - I really hate how the game makes the newest mission you select into the active mission. I was doing stuff before that I intend to finish. I find that missions are rare a lot of the time so I make it a habit to grab everyone that I find (and there doesn't seem to be a penalty for aborting ones that I don't like or can't do).

Aside from directions, if you accept a mission, you don't lose it by accepting a new one. You can go to the mission page and activate the previous mission, while keeping both. Missions are not rare though, each station in the game will typically offer 2 to 3 missions which will respawn every so often if not accepted. As you gain rep with factions you will also open up war and guild missions. There are tons of missions.

Buy maps or even subscription - I'm not big on exploring my own maps. I want to jump strait into trading and building stations. I'd rather buy maps or buy a subscription that updates my maps.

At 20 rep, you can purchase a trade subscription, which doesn't remove the fog of war, but will give you permanent trade updates on all stations you have discovered from that faction. Personally I'll usually use some of my early funds to purchase cheap ships, and set them to explore sectors as I find them. I could have 5 or 6 cheap ships each exploring a different sector at the same time. You could do custom fly and wait waypoints to make it quicker, but I pretty much fire and forget my exploring ships... and when a sector is finished, i send them to a new sector. This way I don't have to manually fly around the sectors, I can do missions or trade while my ships do the exploring work.

Station Building - I like station building, but I have a few things I would improve:
-I want to be able to rotate parts before putting them on the area. Sometimes they snap to an existing grid before you can rotate them to the way you like. In some cases, they've jumped to other mount points.
-Show mission details while building a station. I hate having to close the station designer so I could double check what my mission wants. Also show me what requirements I'm meeting, like does my design include enough turrets?
-Don't hand over station control automatically. Often times I may want the station to be finished being built before handing control over.
-Show the value of a station. It matters for construction missions. Reward = value of the station +50% (max of ...). It'd be nice if I could figure out how much more I could add before reaching the limit.
-Show space available for goods. I recently built a small factory for a client, but it had so little storage space that it could only have enough inputs for 1 or 2 cycles before needing to be restocked. Also, the prices would change wildly after each cycle because the % of space occupied by goods would change dramatically after each cycle.
-Let me adjust the plot size inside the station designer, or let me place large parts and adjust the size later (a 3 dock E does not fit in a 4x4x4 grid).
-Won't let me make loops with parts. It won't let me make a circle with modules. Any module that would break that rule can't be placed. This makes placing a lot of disc defense platforms problematic.
-Have it tell you why you can't place a module: Is it too big, does it go out of bounds, does it make a loop, are you trying to make it occupy space already taken by another module, does it need extra space for ships to move around (common for many dock modules).

-I think others have already answered the part about attaching and/or rotating modules around the plot.
-Mission details would be nice, but they're also pretty basic... and it isn't like the station gets built instantly... it will take a while to build a station... so you can look back at the mission without losing anything. Most defense station missions are pretty similar, but one might require 2 piers and 2 docks, or 1 pier and 1 dock... i usually build a baseline NPC defense station blueprint that I save, and I just plop down in each plot I need it. It's beefy enough to work for the higher end defense station missions, but I can easily pull parts off that I don't need for easier build missions.
-Most NPC stations don't need a ton of storage, but you could always opt for larger storage if you want. I can't say that I've seen a station build mission where the storage was that bad off. If anything you could report that to the tech support/bug forum... it could be a mission that just needs to be fixed.
-I feel like a number of these items you listed will just become things of the past as you get more familiarity with the game. Like I know if I want to use a 3E pier, i will need to increase the base plot size... but if I turn the 3E pier 45 degrees, i dont have to increase the base plot size quite as much. I think the 3E will fit in a 4/4 diagonally... but it may require a 5/5.
-and different factions have different built methods... but you can also use defense pieces to create new shapes as well if the faction has funky ones. Like the Split defensive piece shaped like a Y will allow you to make some different sized loops.

I also didn't like how the tutorial menu screen starts talking right away, and how the basic missions pushed me strait into the timelines story line (I was expecting to move on another tutorial at the time).

I think this has been brought up quite a lot. this isn't the first time I've seen this gripe with the game pushing new players into Timelines. It can be neat, but it can also be really frustrating.

[ChillAsIce]

Terribly sorry about the silence. I was busy.

Hold Ctrl to disable snapping.

Also, if you hold shift while rotating modules, you get snap turn. It can be configured in options, which are in the "gear" icon on the top of the screen. In the same menu you can disable module collision.

Thanks for the tips!

Anyways, I've using EMP bombs to get most of my blueprints. After some testing, I've found that you can steal blueprints for module types such as other, processing (recycling junk ships), and welfare modules without the need for research.

Speaking of which, I'm having trouble building a Terran version of the scrap processor. I have 2 blueprints for the scrap recycler (1 Terran and 1 non-Terran), but I only have 1 for scrap processor. I can't even buy a Terran scrap processor blueprint from the Terran rep.

[BitByte]

Speaking of which, I'm having trouble building a Terran version of the scrap processor. I have 2 blueprints for the scrap recycler (1 Terran and 1 non-Terran), but I only have 1 for scrap processor. I can't even buy a Terran scrap processor blueprint from the Terran rep.

Head to Pioneers Spacelab to meet their representative as they have recycling related blueprints not Terran.

[ChillAsIce]

Speaking of which, I'm having trouble building a Terran version of the scrap processor. I have 2 blueprints for the scrap recycler (1 Terran and 1 non-Terran), but I only have 1 for scrap processor. I can't even buy a Terran scrap processor blueprint from the Terran rep.

Head to Pioneers Spacelab to meet their representative as they have recycling related blueprints not Terran.

That is where I was. They don't have a Terran version of the scrap processor.

I later discovered and followed a tug ship back to their homebase, then I tried to use an EMP bomb to steal the blueprint. It didn't work.

FYI, perhaps you thought I was trying to buy from the [TER] faction, not any Terran faction such as the Segaris pioneers. I did visit the [PIO] rep. Let me be clear, I looking for a blueprint for a scrap processor that is built using computronic substrate and silicate carbide, not claytronics and hull parts.

[BitByte]

That is where I was. They don't have a Terran version of the scrap processor.

I later discovered and followed a tug ship back to their homebase, then I tried to use an EMP bomb to steal the blueprint. It didn't work.

FYI, perhaps you thought I was trying to buy from the [TER] faction, not any Terran faction such as the Segaris pioneers. I did visit the [PIO] rep. Let me be clear, I looking for a blueprint for a scrap processor that is built using computronic substrate and silicate carbide, not claytronics and hull parts.

Scrap Processor can be build either Universal or Terran method - no separate blueprint needed.
From Recycler there's 2 versions - Universal and Terran like you already pointed out.

[Falcrack]

In the Plan Build screen, there is an option to indicate the build method, Universal or Terran. This will change the required materials needed to build it.

[ChillAsIce]

I might be blind. I can't seem to figure out how this works. I tried to add a scrap processor to one of my plots but I can't seem to make it use Terran construction components.

[BitByte]

In build mode on right side panel - first there's module list, then "Station-wide module loadouts" and then "Preferred Build Method".
You need uncheck "Use global setting"-box and then selection list becomes active where you can choose "Universal", "Closed Loop" or "Terran".

In case you have ongoing construction project in the station then preferred build method change will not take effect until current construction is ready.
For new stations or expand of existing ones you can change this setting and it becomes active immediately.

[ChillAsIce]

I see the box and list now. Not easy to find if you don't know what to look for.

So you are saying that even if you change what kind of parts the station should use to build the scrap processor, it will not display correctly until it is its turn to be built?

I did some testing with a new plot. The scrap processor will show that it requires Terran components if it is the first module to be built. It gets weird if I try to mix the two module types. The second will say it uses the same resource type as the first even if you try switching. This may have added to my difficulty seeing the different required resources as I was trying to add the other version to a blueprint of a scrap processor station I was designing.

I don't like the UI for this. I think its needlessly complicated and it was not covered in the tutorials. I think it would have been much simpler to have a scrap processor and (Terran) scrap processor like we have for the scrap recyclers.

Do any other station parts work this way?

[BitByte]

I see the box and list now. Not easy to find if you don't know what to look for.

So you are saying that even if you change what kind of parts the station should use to build the scrap processor, it will not display correctly until it is its turn to be built?

I think it works like this (I haven't tested completely but just quickly checked yesterday with 2 plots): In plot where you have ongoing construction (builder ship is working) build method stays original until existing plan is completed. Let's assume build method was "Universal" when construction was started and you change it to "Terran" and add Scrap Processor it will still requires Claytronics + Hull Parts.
If you have new plot or you add more modules to existing plan (where construction ship is not working at the moment) and change method to another one then it will follow this and shows resources modules need (e.g. if you set it to "Terran" then scrap processor building requires Computronic + Silicon Carbide).

I did some testing with a new plot. The scrap processor will show that it requires Terran components if it is the first module to be built. It gets weird if I try to mix the two module types. The second will say it uses the same resource type as the first even if you try switching. This may have added to my difficulty seeing the different required resources as I was trying to add the other version to a blueprint of a scrap processor station I was designing.

I don't like the UI for this. I think its needlessly complicated and it was not covered in the tutorials. I think it would have been much simpler to have a scrap processor and (Terran) scrap processor like we have for the scrap recyclers.

Do any other station parts work this way?

With new (or existing) plot design you can use alternative build method and it will be used when possible. For modules where alternative receip does not exist (e.g. Teladi Teladianium-module) it will use "Universal" resources (Claytronics + Hull Parts). So you can mix modules as you want.
There's "Closed Loop" method what VIG & RIP are using. That relies to Claytronics + Hull Parts also in some turrets and shields (+ ship equipment). Not all turrets and shields are possible to build in Closed Loop method.

You're not alone trying find these build methods. Changing build method came later and before Tides of Avarice there wasn't modules which could be build using different receips. So devs needed make this addition to UI side.
In case you build Shipyard, Wharf or Equipment Dock there you also can choose preferred build method what is used to build ships and equipment. This is selected from Station Info panel.

[ChillAsIce]

Thanks.

I think I'll drop this topic now. I don't want to derail my own thread. This could easily become its own thread.

[ChillAsIce]

At first the station designer simulator wouldn't let me have access to welfare modules. I thought it odd that it didn't show them considering it shows everything else. However, now that I've unlocked the gambling den in the main game, it now shows up as a module I can use.

How many welfare modules are there?

[jlehtone]

How many welfare modules are there?

I know of Den, Casino, and Gallery. The Gallery unlocks with completion of the Boron Terraform mission.