Why should I join a fleet?

[Ben Zwycky]

-Good question! With the fleet team season underway, joining a fleet is the best way to get into some intense team-based multiplayer action. The more people join, the better itÔÇÖll be. YouÔÇÖll also have a head start when the massive MP game goes on line.

- But IÔÇÖm a noob, IÔÇÖll get killed, lots!

- Every fleet has its own training program to help you master the various skills you need to survive in the harsh mp world out there, and they will do their utmost not to shove you in at the deep end too much. (After all, itÔÇÖs in their best interests to have their most experienced commanders do the most difficult and important stuff). They will most likely also be able and willing to help you with any problems you are having with the game, no matter how trivial they might be.

- Multiplayer is nice and all, but I canÔÇÖt save the game like in Single player, so whatÔÇÖs the point?

Yes, itÔÇÖs true that experience points in multiplayer are not saved and all progress you make in multiplayer will be lost as soon as you disconnect.

However, each fleet has its own way of rewarding you for your actions in matches/duels, so although it may seem that you lost your experience points, your fleet leaders will have recorded the results of your match/duel and will perhaps move you up in rank, once youÔÇÖve gathered enough experience points, giving you more access to tactical information, more interaction with higher ranking players in a fleet, more responsibilities and eventually you may end up commanding a team in Multiplayer, just like you could in Single player when you got Fleet Command and Control.

- What other differences are there between Single player and Multiplayer?

* When in a match, you can ask for backup, and even if your not a commander, itÔÇÖs likely that your fleet mates will not let you die and will try to help you, NPCÔÇÖs in single player will simply ignore you, especially if you donÔÇÖt have Fleet C&C.

* You can try out new tactics with your fleet mates for defeating a opponent, like combining firepower, ambushing, stealth, etc.

* Reduced predictability, even though the AI of the NPCÔÇÖs in Universal Combat can be high, the responses from a NPCÔÇÖs can get somewhat predictable at times, like when you enter a hostile region, they will jump at you to destroy you, leading to their death. In multiplayer a member of another fleet will carefully asses the situation and choose to the best way to attack you, or wait for you to make the first move, this makes fighting another ship far more interesting.

* Tactical use of assets, The MegaronÔÇÖs power may be great in single player, but it will be your undoing in multiplayer, as it has many disadvantages that most players in multiplayer know about, like a very slow hyper drive, and it makes a big target to hit when un-cloaked.

-Are there missions?

-Yes! While the "freelance" multiplay game leaves you to your own devices to think of stuff to do and gain Exp Points the fleet has devised several missions that require tactics, concentration, communication, and teamplay. The Fleets have a well defined scoring system that rewards points based on various aspects of the mission played such as which side won, which goals were achieved, and personal victories taking into account the type of ships killed.

-How do you score?

-It's in detail in the Fleet league handbook but the different missions each have a reward for the defined goal(s). If neither side achieves its goal it reverts back to most kills. Each ship has a point value that is used to award personal and team points.

-How can you be stealthy when I see all movement in the chat box?

-That's why we turn it off

-How do you communicate?

-We use Teamspeak.

-What's Teamspeak?

-A free voice communications program.

-But I sound funny.

-We have people from all over the world with varying degrees of accents and it doesn't bother us one bit.

-Can't you all hear each other?

-At first. We meet in a lobby, then we separate to different channels for each side before we join the game. With the chat log off and only being able to talk to you own team this adds another layer of excitement and immersion to the game.

-When do you play?

-Weekends mostly. We attempt to accommodate all players and try to preschedule times with confirmations. Some players work part time and only know their schedules perhaps up to two weeks in advance.

-Can I challenge individual players?

-Yes! As of now two challenges are allowed per character per month.

-How many characters can I have?

-As of now two. Your main guy (usually your forum name) is your Alter Ego. You may have one other character called you Alter Alter Ego or AAE for short.

- I donÔÇÖt want to be in a fleet because I donÔÇÖt want any responsibilities, I just want to play when I feel like it.

ItÔÇÖs true that each fleet requests an amount of involvement from you, but you shouldnÔÇÖt see it as a responsibility, see it as a good way to have some fun. Matches are always planned days, if not weeks in advance, if you canÔÇÖt make a match for any reason, you can just say so to your fleet mates and they will have the time to arrange a replacement for you, or postpone the match to a time you can also make. And just because you are still in training school on a fleet, doesnÔÇÖt mean you canÔÇÖt do anything else, joining a fleet is not another obligation you have to fulfill, itÔÇÖs a enhancement to your gaming experience, and should not limit you in what you can or can not do. In fact it will give you extra options to try out and new challenges to meet, that are not present in single player.

-Sounds like fun, how do I join:

-Choose your fleet carefully and announce yourself in that fleets recruitment thread. Further instructions will be provided.

[ 04-30-2005, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Ben Zwycky ]

[Shadow5731]

Now THAT is something fresh and a wealth of info too...

[Ben Zwycky]

Well, that post includes contributions from myself, Marvin, Chavik and Marc Wubbema, I just posted it.

[DennyMala]

Great work guys!!

Really, I vote for it be added to the fleet faqs page.