Help for a beginner!

[Wolfwood]

I'm an ex-elite from the days of C64 and I think I got pretty close with the Amiga version as well.

But with Oolite... I feel like am a beginner again...

I start the game by going to Zaonce to sell some food etc. Then I buy 2 tons of computers to bring back to Lave...

Suddenly, I'm attacked by a Thargoid. I manage to survive that. Then, a Fer-de-Lance comes at me... Ok, I survive that as well...

Then I'm attacked by a whole horde of pirates, led by Cobra MkIIIs and armed to the teeth... I'm dead meat in seconds (what makes it worse is that the pirates seem to eat away half of my energy banks at the moment they enter the radar screen and I hear the warning sound).

And I remembered that the Lave-Leesti route with an occasional trip to Zaonce was supposed to be safe...

What's happened? Am I just that green?

[Rxke]

Welcome WolfWood to the unforgiving 21st century version of an 80's classic!

First: encountering a Thargoid on your very first run is really a case of seriously bad luck...

The others... Well, Oolite *is* harder than og Elite, esp. when you start out w only 100 cr. and a nice ship, but w/o any defensive niceties installed.

A good place to visit is the wiki, esp. : http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Oolite ... g_the_game

One thing you have to know as a new guy on the block: avoid the spacelanes!

when you enter a new system, and fly straight to the planet, you are in a spacelane, and there are cops, traders, but also pirates, so what to do?

simple: exit station, 'H' to new system; upon entering the system, aim at the planet, and then pitch up (or down) 90 degrees, and hit 'j' (jumping at high speed) keep that speed for approx. 10 seconds, then pitch back towards the planet, that way you're safely outside the spacelane, diminishing the chances of encounters significantly (and speeding up the game, because you will not be 'mass-locked' when you come in closer range to other ships.

Oh, and another trick: sell your ship!
Yes, esp. if you install Giles X-ships, there are really good cheap 'downgrades' available, esp Cobra Mk II-X, a good cheap ship, and with thse spare changge, you can buy some much needed defensive equipment (ECM, extra Shield, fuel injectors to outrun baddies, and maybe a fuelscoop, always handy when you happen to cross drifting cargo.)


hope it helps,

have fun!

[Rxke]

forgot to tell you where to find the fine CMkII-x : http://oosat.alioth.net/node/2

(installing that AddOn is discussed on the same page of the Wiki)

[Evil Juice]

Loose thargoids are pretty rare in regular oolite, are you sure you didn't install the thargoid wars oxp? thougher oxps are to be avoided, imho, if you are a novice, however until you aren't able to face strong opponents you can do the dog leg route to a station, that is turn 90°, hyperspace towards deep space for a while, realign with the station and hyperspace towards the station.

EDIT, while i was writing you got 2 other answers, we're a pretty active community...

[the alberts]

What's happened? Am I just that green?

Or may be just unlucky!

A few things that may help when you first start... feel free to ignore - or don't read if you feel it may be cheating...

1. Don't install all the OXPs straight away! Some have some pretty scary ships in them...

2. Avoid Anarchy/feudal systems until you've got good offence/defence, or avoid the trade lanes in those places by jumpdriving at 90 degrees to the planet for a while before heading to a station.

3. Get good at trading. Buy larger cargo space (when you can afford it) and flit between Rich industrial and Poor agricultural planets, buying computers/luxuries from the former, and food/textiles/furs from the latter.
When you have enough money (i.e. still have enough left to continue trading) buy fun (read:expensive!) weapons from hi tech level planets.

5. Get revenge!

Edit: Didn't read the previous posts before posting this one. Doh.

[Rxke]

No, Thargoidwars is set up so that it doesn't start in Galaxy one (to protect beginning, ill-equiped players)

It's just a case of very bad luck. It does happen, but it's rare. Impressed you survived it, BTW!

[Rxke]

Edit: Didn't read the previous posts before posting this one. Doh.

That's what I love about this community: someone is in trouble, and we all race to the rescue, heehee!

[Wolfwood]

Whoa! So much help in so short a time! Thanks, everyone!

I didn't add the Thargoid war OXP, but I did go for the lave.oxp, oldships.oxp, tori.oxp and wolfmk2.oxp...

I hope none of those increase the chances of meeting so many pirates or the Thargoid.

I'll try the roundabout route to the stations from now on and I'll get that smaller ship as well...

EDIT: I don't know how I survived the Thargoid, but I did... At the last moment, he uttered something about hatchlings or some such, but the robot fighters never activated to attack me... luckily...

[the alberts]

Nope, all those OXPs are great but as far as I know don't add more pirates...

When you get all the expensive and scary weapons you'll be keen to add the pirate OXP traps and coves though...

Also IMO, the best tip is to know when to run away!

Not that I ever do, oh no...

[cactuar]

I too came into "contact" with a thargoid on my first trip. Luckily the other ships had weakend it and I just moved in for the kill!

[Rxke]

the Wolf is a *very* nasty opponent, though, most often you'll meet them in the role of a pirate, and you will consider yourself lucky if you're able to tell about it later...

Double laser barrels, fuel injector-style attack mode and they tend to hunt in packs (I kid you not)

IMO, worse than a lone Thargoid...

[ArkanoiD]

Loose thargoids are pretty rare in regular oolite, are you sure you didn't install the thargoid wars oxp? thougher oxps are to be avoided, imho, if you are a novice, however until you aren't able to face strong opponents you can do the dog leg route to a station, that is turn 90°, hyperspace towards deep space for a while, realign with the station and hyperspace towards the station.

EDIT, while i was writing you got 2 other answers, we're a pretty active community...

IIRC Thargoid Wars do not affect the situation in Gal1?

[Cmdr. Wombat]

IIRC Thargoid Wars do not affect the situation in Gal1?

That's correct. It's specifically set to not affect Gal1. I figured running into three Thargoids might be a little tough on a new commander. Once you get to the other galaxies though...

If you run into a Thargoid in Gal1, that's part of Oolite's random ship generation.

[Evil Juice]

ok ok, in fact i was in gal4 when i installed thargwars, next time i'll RTFM. By the way, except forced misjumps and oxp i have only encountered a thargoid twice, and i'm around 1000 kills

[Frantic]

In the Amiga version, a Wolf Mk II took as many shots to kill as a thargoid.

At Elite level, you could come up against a 5-ship star formation comprised entirely of Thargoids and Wolf Mk IIs. Each of these took an entire military laser cycle, and no seperate temp for each mounting either :-)

To offset this though, you were able to dodge shots when dogfighting. As you hear enemy fire, you dodge onto a tangent course and repeat as needed. Not 100% in a big fight, but gives your shields a chance to recharge and your lasers to cool.

Above trick essential when mobbed in witchspace by 4 respawning thargs. If you kill one, another respawns somewhere, not necessarily behind you in the pack you are evading like hell. Only take one out when at full shields and lasers :-)