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Slow progress

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:57 pm
by PhilHibbs
It seems to me that getting places takes a lot longer than in the original Elite. More encounters with more pirates (which is death when I just have a pulse laser), and when you arrive at the planet, it takes longer to get to the space station. Maybe it's just my imagination and the fact that I don't have as much free time as I did when I was a teen-ager playing the original on the BBC Micro.

Re: Slow progress

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:02 pm
by CptnEcho
PhilHibbs wrote:
It seems to me that getting places takes a lot longer than in the original Elite. More encounters with more pirates (which is death when I just have a pulse laser), and when you arrive at the planet, it takes longer to get to the space station. Maybe it's just my imagination and the fact that I don't have as much free time as I did when I was a teen-ager playing the original on the BBC Micro.
The situation you describe can be alleviated in two ways.

1) Don't fly straight towards the planet (and merchant/police/pirate traffic). Instead, once you've hyperspaced into a system, veer away from the planet and use your torus drives to fly faster in a longer curved route that brings you to the planet by going around the crowded space lanes.

2) Purchase and use WitchFuel Injectors to fly faster when you become stuck in traffic.

Re: Slow progress

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:03 pm
by Screet
PhilHibbs wrote:
It seems to me that getting places takes a lot longer than in the original Elite. More encounters with more pirates (which is death when I just have a pulse laser), and when you arrive at the planet, it takes longer to get to the space station. Maybe it's just my imagination and the fact that I don't have as much free time as I did when I was a teen-ager playing the original on the BBC Micro.
One thing surely is that if you fly using the space lane for traders that you cannot use the torus drive ("j"-jumping). This really makes it slower, especially since many people do not like to shoot down traders.

You can speed up that progress in two ways dramatically:
1) turn away from the planet by 90 degrees after exiting witchspace, fly away from that lane with "J" for a few seconds or a some time longer without "j", then turn towards the space station - you should not be stopped anymore, unless you install deep space pirates (which I suggest once you've got combat equipment).
2) save money until you can afford injectors - then you can pass all those slow trading ships with your afterburners and rush down the lane quite quickly. Injectors also help to escape ecm-proof missiles or to get out of a fight that is too tough.

I did only have 4 kills at all before I had my Cobbie equipped with mil lasers, shield enhancement and such, as I always did fly offside the lane once I did read about it ;)

Screet

Re: Slow progress

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:04 pm
by Screet
CptnEcho wrote:
The situation you describe can be alleviated in two ways.
Wow...it's 50% chance maybe, but you also applied one and two to the same solutions ;)

Screet

Re: Slow progress

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:05 pm
by CptnEcho
Screet wrote:
CptnEcho wrote:
The situation you describe can be alleviated in two ways.
Wow...it's 50% chance maybe, but you also applied one and two to the same solutions ;)

Screet
Great minds think alike. 8)

Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 6:40 pm
by PhilHibbs
Thanks for the suggestions. Also it looks like I might have posted this in the wrong forum, sorry about that.

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:53 am
by CptnEcho
PhilHibbs wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions. Also it looks like I might have posted this in the wrong forum, sorry about that.
No worries. 8)