Combat is too hard with a keyboard

[Nite Owl]

Traffic Lights by Stranger is a good alternative or addition to the I.L.S. system. Been using it for a while now and find it very useful in many ways. It not only cuts down on Main Station queue wait times but also provides a nice set of docking lights. The download link is available in that thread towards the bottom.

[vaxon]

A chance, yes! Back when docking protocols were disabled by default, I was running as an outlaw and rapid, queue-jumping, manual docking was the only way to go. I don't recall ever getting wiped-out by a launching ship. Unless you're unlucky enough to get one actually in the slot, you should be able to dodge or hop over any obstacle. I was once shoved backwards by a launching Viper though - rather strange, that.

I'm looking for a way to eliminate any chance of getting killed. That's why no docking protocol is not an option for me. However, looks like there's no way do do so. Even if you never fight, just run and hide from everyone (which it kind of boring), there's a chance to hit a bunch of Thargoids in the middle of a witch jump. What I've seen so far is no matter what you do, you get killed one way or another: kamikaze Thargoids, kamikaze pirates, ECM hardened missiles. I don't know if the naval energy unit and military shields help, I just never get a chance to get them. I always get killed before my ratings is high enough for a mission. I can use lasers alright. I can fight 4-5 pirates at the close range, but one of them eventually gets too close, fires a missile, and that's it. Even if I have extra energy unit and shield boosters and the ECM, I can't survive a single missile. Alright, I get hit with a laser once in while, but my shields are 75% full and it's still not enough to survive a single missile. Even if I enable the ECM system. And there's simply no chance to maneuver and use fuel ejectors. It happens in less than a second. Here you're fighting and thinking you're winning - bang! and Bob's your uncle. I've tried changing my tactics, but nothing helps so far. Yeah, I know, use escape pod and stuff, but that just another way of cheating. Neither skills nor equipment matter.

[dybal]

If I understood it correctly, when you die you are going back to a new Jameson in Lave with 100Cr, right?

If so, you are setting yourself up for a lot of frustration... there's no such thing as risk-free in the Ooniverse, core-game of full OXP collection... as I said, we all have our heads handed to us now and then.

The harder you can reasonably play is IronMan: when sh#@t happens (and sooner or later it always does), you take your lumps and use the insurance built in the game: the character you are playing stays in the game, with the experience and reputation he managed to amass: he's ejected in a space suit with cryo, recovered by some passing ship and wakes up in the station: loses the cargo, ship, equipment, but keep his banking account and can start with a smaller/weaker ship. Or you can get an escape pod and when you lose the escape pod auto-eject and you keep the precious metals in the vault and the parcels, and have better options of ship to continue.

Your expectation of going from new Jameson to a ranking high enough for the interesting contracts without a mishap is not "oolistic" ...

[vaxon]

If I understood it correctly, when you die you are going back to a new Jameson in Lave with 100Cr, right?

Yeah, that's how crazy I am. I heard people talking about killing 300 without being killed once. I can only get up to 40ish. Or does "not being killed" mean ejecting in the escape pod?

[Cody]

Playing Ironman is harsh - even heart-breaking! I played Elite: Dangerous as Ironman from scratch. Needless to say, I didn't get very far. In Oolite, I once tried to circumnavigate the fifth octant in Ironman mode. I got killed two jumps away from making it.

[vaxon]

Playing Ironman is harsh - even heart-breaking! I played Elite: Dangerous as Ironman from scratch. Needless to say, I didn't get very far. In Oolite, I once tried to circumnavigate the fifth octant in Ironman mode. I got killed two jumps away from making it.

Yeah, it's harsh. Sometimes it seems like the game just won't let you continue creating booby traps like fuel leaks in the witch space where a bunch of Thargoids is waiting for you or something similar.

In Oolite, I once tried to circumnavigate the fifth octant in Ironman mode. I got killed two jumps away from making it.

That must have been frustrating. Did you have your naval energy unit and military shields then?
BTW, were flying a Cobra Mk3?

I'm sort of still hoping that the right equipment on the right ship could help me linger out there much longer.

[Cody]

Aye, frustrating - but great fun. Made a good tale out of it too. Commander Cody has always flown a Cobra MkIII - there's nothing better! And yeah, she would've been iron-assed by then - kitted out with all the core equipment.

[vaxon]

Aye, frustrating - but great fun. Made a good tale out of it too. Commander Cody has always flown a Cobra MkIII - there's nothing better! And yeah, she would've been iron-assed by then - kitted out with all the core equipment.

So, my thoughts about MkIII are correct. Looks like there's no shame in using escape pods if even the best of us piloting the best iron-ass Combra can be taken down. Was it an ECM-hardened missile by any chance? I think they are a bit too strong. Seem to take all 4 energy units + what's left of the shield at close range.

Do you use auto-escape? I think I'd never make myself hit Esc twice deliberately.

[another_commander]

Was it an ECM-hardened missile by any chance? I think they are a bit too strong. Seem to take all 4 energy units + what's left of the shield at close range.

Kinetic energy is taken into account when missile damage is calculated. A missile hitting you head-on will cause much more damage than a missile hitting you in the back after chasing you for a while. When a missile is fired against you, if you cannot somehow counter-measure it, make a quick decision and turn the side of the ship that will suffer less towards it. Most of the time this will be the aft side and the aim is to get the missile to hit you there while chasing you. This will result in the least possible damage, usually around one energy bank or so.

Edit: And avoid direct head-on approaches with enemies when they've been hit hard and are low on energy. It's usually then when they decide to fire a missile and there is a greater chance for a forward collision which will most likely result in maximum damage.

[Cholmondely]

I'm looking for a way to eliminate any chance of getting killed. That's why no docking protocol is not an option for me. However, looks like there's no way to do so. Even if you never fight, just run and hide from everyone (which is kind of boring), there's a chance to hit a bunch of Thargoids in the middle of a witch jump. What I've seen so far is no matter what you do, you get killed one way or another: kamikaze Thargoids, kamikaze pirates, ECM hardened missiles. I don't know if the naval energy unit and military shields help, I just never get a chance to get them. I always get killed before my ratings is high enough for a mission. I can use lasers alright. I can fight 4-5 pirates at the close range, but one of them eventually gets too close, fires a missile, and that's it. Even if I have extra energy unit and shield boosters and the ECM, I can't survive a single missile. Alright, I get hit with a laser once in while, but my shields are 75% full and it's still not enough to survive a single missile. Even if I enable the ECM system. And there's simply no chance to maneuver and use fuel ejectors. It happens in less than a second. Here you're fighting and thinking you're winning - bang! and Bob's your uncle. I've tried changing my tactics, but nothing helps so far. Yeah, I know, use escape pod and stuff, but that just another way of cheating. Neither skills nor equipment matter.

• kamikaze Thargoids: the three times I got dumped in with Thargoids in a failed witchspace jump I had enough fuel to inject away (and even clobber one or two with my rear laser).
• kamikaze pirates: isn't the Missiles Modification .oxp supposed to help with this?
• ECM hardened missiles: again, I've always managed to inject away or shoot them down from distance with the rear laser.

[vaxon]

Was it an ECM-hardened missile by any chance? I think they are a bit too strong. Seem to take all 4 energy units + what's left of the shield at close range.

Kinetic energy is taken into account when missile damage is calculated. A missile hitting you head-on will cause much more damage than a missile hitting you in the back after chasing you for a while. When a missile is fired against you, if you cannot somehow counter-measure it, make a quick decision and turn the side of the ship that will suffer less towards it. Most of the time this will be the aft side and the aim is to get the missile to hit you there while chasing you. This will result in the least possible damage, usually around one energy bank or so.

Edit: And avoid direct head-on approaches with enemies when they've been hit hard and are low on energy. It's usually then when they decide to fire a missile and there is a greater chance for a forward collision which will most likely result in maximum damage.

Thanks for your advice! Yeah, looks like it's not a good idea to shoot them head-on. That's when all those last second missile or kamikaze attacks happen.

[vaxon]

• kamikaze Thargoids: the three times I got dumped in with Thargoids in a failed witchspace jump I had enough fuel to inject away (and even clobber one or two with my rear laser).
• kamikaze pirates: isn't the Missiles Modification .oxp supposed to help with this?
• ECM hardened missiles: again, I've always managed to inject away or shoot them down from distance with the rear laser.

Thanks! I'll try the OXP.
I'm too scared to use injectors in witch space since I need some fuel to complete the jump. I've decided to avoid Thargoids in witch space at least for now.

[Cholmondely]

Ahaah! But there is an .oxp for that one too! My Sainted Great-Grand Uncle George would have loved Oolite - he was a doctor famous for prescribing pills as the solution for absolutely everything in life & death. In Oolite he could have done the exact same with .oxps!

Try either Fuel Collector (listed under Equipment in the Expansions Manager) or else Interstellar Help (listed under Activities).

The first modifies the game mechanics so that your fuel scoops can scoop very slo-o-owly in witchspace (and allows other fuel scooping activities too - some of which seem to involve pure and unadulterated handwavium - I hope to edit them out if my Javascripting skills ever allow). You will need to fork out some 2,000cr for a fuel collector.

The second allows you to buy an electronic thumb for a mere 985cr in order to buy some fuel from another witchspacer who is better supplied.

[Cody]

There is of course interstellar rescue - no OXP needed.

[vaxon]

There is of course interstellar rescue - no OXP needed.

Is there? How does it work?