Tribunal

I've disabled my automatic update and my windows update features in my control panel, so I don't think that they will be able to sneak that in while I am online... If someone's going to bugger up my computer it had better be me!!!!

You've got a Ti4600? Then you should have the options in the latest Nvidia drivers for sure. I had a Ti4200 and the control panel would let me do that, I remember that well! Otherwise go get the Omega drivers and use those, they let you configure a lot of different options that the normal control panel would not let you. So yeah, your card has the option without a doubt, it's just a matter of your either a: getting different drivers OR b: finding and clicking of the correct box in the video options that you have. Right click on the blank screen, go to properties, then settings, then advanced, then click on the Nvidia tab and go through all the options until you find it.

I just went to the graphics card's options and slid it to always on, and since then no flickering. Nothing too fancy but it worked.

Try turning the vsync on. Once I did that all of the flickering on the stations and jumpgates stopped.

First Impressions: I registered shortly after buying Universal Combat, and after I received my confirmation I decided NOT to post right away. Why would that be? Because UC is not a game about first impressions  that is, for people who have not played any of the Battlecruiser Millennium games in the past. In the past, I was interested in the BC games, but either the timing or other games being out on the market that I wanted more swayed me. Also, there were the reviews, which varied greatly depending on the site I went to. Now, this may not seem like a first impression, but the background is very important because I have bought BCM:UC, and I have not purchased any of the others in the past. The main reasons that I bought this were: One, a decent PC Gamer review which said that the game had more depth than anything out there, despite a steep (huge) learning curve; Two, the price, since I wasnt sure if the game was what I was looking for (or if some of the more negative reviews were correct) and I was more willing to risk twenty dollars instead of forty or fifty for a game that just came out. If I was a fan of the series that would be one thing, but since I was not I was a bit more cautious in spending my money on a game that I was not sure of yet; Three, I have always wanted to play a starship simulator, and from what I read it seemed that the game more than fit the bill. So, I picked it up. This is a game/genre where first impressions should not be taken as lasting impressions. If you have already played the BC series in the past, then UC was a much easier game to get into. However, for people who have just bought it and have NOT played the BC series (like me) it can be a very complex game that can be difficult to get into without a step by step in-game tutorial. Graphically, I love the designs of the ships, some of the textures could be worked on when zoomed in close  but realistically the only time that would happen would be when you are viewing your ship from an external camera just to see how cool it looks, and to have lens flares cresting over some of its angles. In battle, you dont have a time to see if the artists put those extra airlock bits on. The space scenes were nice ( but sometimes the nebulas were overdone) and I like that different systems have different nebula scenes/colors  helps to keep them sorted out a bit. The engine trails were only so-so, even with particle effects on I was hoping for an option for engine glow instead, with an increasing glow for increased engine output. The weapon effects and explosions were all right, but seemed to lack a bit of punch to them (to me, the best effects etc for explosions and weapon hits/explosions are in Hegemonia, but that is an entirely different sort of game, but wow, those explosions were amazing). Im still working on getting my cruiser into the atmosphere without crashing into the ocean (laughs at self) but from what I have seen the amount of work put into each planet is very good. Sound wise its a mixed bag  I love the chatter going on throughout the game, in fact, I think there could be a bit more, but thats just because it adds to the atmosphere. The first time I activated the turrets and the gunner announced that they were being brought online, I couldnt help but to feel in control of a warship It was a nice feeling. After my first main combat, hearing as system by system went down was just as intense, and as I sat there in space with station after station offline, I knew what it was like to be completely helpless. Kudos there! The music ranges from very good, to all right, and there is one track in particular which starts off the EXACT same way as a track from the Aliens soundtrack The opening song I believe. The weapon effects are a bit muted, and I was hoping for more sound effects in the ship (claxons and alerts and the like). The controls are where I can see why reviewers and first time players could get turned off from the game, and not be able to enjoy it to its fullest. I took a look at the cheat card, then went into the options to redo the controls, and found that I could not change the control scheme. That felt awkward, but I went ahead and used the existing controls as was. After a few weeks now, I am getting a hang of the controls, but still they could be streamlined quite a bit. Getting rid of the F2-F8 camera controls and placing there instead the different station controls would have been best, in my opinion. Say, F1 being the captains chair view, F2 being the communication screen, F3 being the engineering screen/damage control. F4 the fire control monitor, F5 the landing bay screen, F6 Navigation, F7 Crew assignments, and F8 security for the ship, and then each station would have its own onscreen controls that you would use the mouse to navigate and access sub-screens on the monitors. I did really like that each of the screens had buttons you could use the mouse to interact with, and that it was not all keyboard/joystick operated. Another thing I noticed was how sparse some of the screens were  and how the F1 cockpit view of the fighter and the cruiser were the same. Maybe a Wing Commander cockpit scheme could have been used for the bridge view and cockpit, which included all the info already present on the screen. It would also be neat to see different screens blow out instead of just showing that they were offline. Also with the control, at times it feels more like a thinking mans Wing Commander, with a joystick control and main guns facing straight ahead. The turrets really help the game to not have to worry about just being like a smarted up WC, but with the main guns being limited to firing straight ahead, and needing a missile lock on the ship in front of you, it brought the feeling of commanding a warship down a bit. I havent really delved into the FPS portion of the game as of yet, but after I have the starship aspect down well enough Ill go into that aspect and see what I think of it. All in all, I keep coming back to the game because I like it. There is a lot of depth to it, and a lot of freedom. I have read that there is a lot as far as mining, recovery, trading and more, but I have not gotten my skills to the point where I am able to enjoy the game to its fullest. In my impression, there are some areas that should be addressed  especially to keep new people from not getting turned off by a huge curve  but the potential is more than there. I have not played a game like this before, and it seems to be a genre by itself. Some people will just say it doesnt have the latest engine, or that it doesnt have the latest bells and whistles but they are missing the point  with this game, YOU are in control, you have freedom, you have more options than any other game I have ever played, and with a bit of tuning, even the most jaded of reviewers and newbies could get into the game with no problem, and see what it is that they have been missing, Thanks for the game, and I cant wait to see what you do with the series from here!