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Newb question: how not to get killed constantly?
Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:45 pm
by frankie
Hi everybody! (Hi Dr Nick!)
So, I figure I know Elite-type games on Mac (Universe2 circa 1990, EV:O circa 2000) and I'm okay at Freespace2 (3D space shooter). Therefore Oolite looks like a good bet ... except that I find myself completely flummoxed by the standard pirates. I can't outrun them, I can't dodge them, and I can barely ever get them in my forward view, much less actually land a shot on them.
Clearly I don't grok the combat paradigm here. Is there no help for the widow's son?
Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 5:02 pm
by Selezen
Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 5:56 pm
by Rxke
it boils down to this: if you start out, only travel between safe systems, avoiding the spacelanes, if possible, then invest your gains in fuel injectors to get some more chances to get out of dangerous situations, then gradually expand your defensive and offensive equipment...
It's the whole: start humble, grow big thing...
Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:06 pm
by frankie
Rxke wrote: gradually expand your defensive and offensive equipment...
Hurm. The problem is that even if I had better equipment, I don't have any feel how to dogfight here. Whereas in Escape Velocity I felt pretty comfortable surviving a pirate or two with my initial low-end shuttle after just a few minutes of play.
Maybe it's the dearth of target information. In other games I've played there were easy ways to toggle through all ships in range and figure out how to maneuver around them. In Oolite I can't even tell who someone is unless I get them in reticle at close range, after which they quickly end up on my six and I'm screwed.
Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:06 pm
by winston
Until you get something approximating an iron ass, you must stick to safer systems and be fairly conservative. Stick to Democracies and Corporate States. You may even want to avoid the busy witch point to station route if you want to be really safe.
Witch fuel injectors are a good idea as something to get early on - at the very least, they allow you to run away (and run away from ECM hardened missiles too, which can pretty much destroy a standard Cobra). A good combateer knows when to run. Without witch fuel injectors, you will have trouble running.
Re: Newb question: how not to get killed constantly?
Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:10 pm
by ArkanoiD
frankie wrote:Hi everybody! (Hi Dr Nick!)
So, I figure I know Elite-type games on Mac (Universe2 circa 1990, EV:O circa 2000) and I'm okay at Freespace2 (3D space shooter). Therefore Oolite looks like a good bet ... except that I find myself completely flummoxed by the standard pirates. I can't outrun them, I can't dodge them, and I can barely ever get them in my forward view, much less actually land a shot on them.
Clearly I don't grok the combat paradigm here. Is there no help for the widow's son?
Sell your MkIII and get a MkII with necessary equipment - should be enough to get military laser, shield boosters and witchdrive fuel injectors.
Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:12 pm
by Rxke
frankie wrote:can't even tell who someone is unless I get them in reticle at close range, after which they quickly end up on my six and I'm screwed.
The scanner targeting enhancement is helpful in this situation:
http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Scanne ... nhancement
Or rather: it's quite essential if you want to pick up fights...