NukeIt

And if you are doing it in the game, and it isn't in the manual, you should probably stop doing it before...

You name your CC when you create a character and select your asset type. The asset name prompt is right near the asset type.

You go to the local car dealer and ask for a new OC Asset- and the dealer actually knows what you're talking about...after all, it's the 5th time this week. You are scheming to buy a new computer so that you can run UC 24/7 and still have a machine to use for everything else. Of course, you already have a second machine for playing BCMG. You close the garage doors whenever you have uninvited house guests...just in case. I mean, you never know, and all your marines are on away missions... Nobody, ever no matter what their AI level, pilots your ships but you. You even drop mining drones off personally- and sit there, shuttle powered down, reading magazines while the drones fill up. Bridge officers go to the brig when you're on away missions- all except Resnig, who comes with you at gunpoint because he can't trusted with your valuable prisoner storage space. You wish there were BC model kits so that you could proudly display your CC and its assets on the shelf over your computer.

*Captain's Log, Aestrom class supercarrier ICV Calypso- begin transmission* Well, they've finally done it. "We'll throw you out the airlock," they said. "Better pay and rations or mutiny," they said. The fools have finally gone and done it; here I am sitting a few dozen meters off the bow of my own ship shooting the hangar bay doors with my sidearm while my crew sits inside fermenting in their own stupidity. Ok, so they didn't actually throw me out of an airlock. I had put the CC down on the moon of Nevuela to hide her from several capital ships that were after our blood. Full shutdown; everything but the solar reactor, launch control and life support. Having nothing else to do, I stuffed two grunts into a shuttle and took it out for a spin around the area. Picked up a load of raw materials off one of the mining drones and made a deal on some additional fuel for the Calypso. We had only been gone about two hours, the last few minutes spent running away from a Credian Megaron...how is it that the enemies only want to show up one-on-one when you aren't armed? I finally RTB'd the shuttle and took a nap while it made its way back in. Several minutes later, I woke up in the shuttle cockpit hovering a few meters away from the sealed hangar. Forward thinker that I thought I was, I had confined all of the senior officers but one to their quarters- you don't stay captain very long in this business unless you're willing to stomp on a few idiots along the way. Of course, someone had to make sure the ship didn't blow up while I was out (had that happen once, HQ was pissed beyond belief when I reported back in a MK2 shuttle with no cruiser attached), so I left Flight Ops on the bridge to keep house. Note to all Insurgent commanders- don't trust anyone who has control over the garage door openers. It's just asking for trouble. Hangar doors locked. I try the old routine, jump out of the shuttle and hoof it over to the CC. Apparently, someone was very busy while I was off at the gas station; not a single hatch would open. I tried all of them, even the escape pod covers. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero. You know those warm, fuzzy feelings you get inside when you do something really well (for example, a particularly satisfying OTS barrage arranged to lay out fireballs in the shape of a happy face)? I think my warm fuzzies called in sick today, because all I had was a profound gut feeling that had only one thing to say to me: "Oh, s***." Of course, I began picking up moderately sized stones and pegging them at the viewports, but that didn't do too much. I had the pleasure of watching Resnig, with a six pack of beer in his hand, spin around in my captain's chair, get sick, throw up, and ruin the nice laeather cushion that cost me last month's leftover wages. I swear I gave serious thought to landing the shuttle on the hull, unloading the tank, and blasting the grin off that retard's face. Then again, I like my ship too much to stain its bridge with his blood and guts. That, and it would take a helluva lot of duct tape to cover the hole that would put in the viewport. So I sat there, helpless, for a few hours on the lunar surface. At one point I had half expected the crew to lift off and burn me with the main drives, but I soon realized that operating the ship was quite beyond their capabilities. Odds are that fool at Flight Ops only sealed the bay by lobbing a grenade at the console, knowing this bunch. So I waited to see if they would ever be able to bring the reactor back online. They eventually did, but I don't know- and never want to know- how they accomplished this. Flush toilets and light switches are hard enough for most of 'em. Anyway, the moment the ship was powered up, I jumped back in the shuttle (taking great care to execute the two marines before they got similar ideas), lifted off, and activated the tractor beam. Suckers. So now I had one fully operational (if a little messy) shuttle mk.2, one fully operational (if a bit useless) tank, and one barely functional supercarrier tied to the trailer hitch. I made tracks back to Destiny station, hoping to not catch any heat along the way- my one stroke of good luck, and I eman my ONLY stroke of good luck. Once I arrived, I planted the CC and departed the shuttle, leaving the tractor beam engaged. Apparently, I didn't have to. See, those idiot mutineers had somehow managed to dump most of the fuel while in transit, leaving them with the solar panels. Everything useful was out, including weapons, drives...everything. And I had the only fuel supply available, 143 units of pure Radine. At the moment I heard their pitiful cry for mercy, I think I broke out in laughter. I certainly broke out of something, since I found myself drifting a few minutes later on the other side of the station. I thrusted back over and resumed laughing, shooting the hangar doors for the hell of it. That brings me to the present. Since the CC's fuel reserves are gone, and only solar backup is operational, my crew is screwed. Destiny won't send help; I made a deal with the station CO to donate my assault tank if he'd just let them rot. Who's gonna refuse a shiny new, fully loaded Wildcat tank for a bunch of stupid mutinous carrier crewmen? The sun will set in a few hours; after that I can call in a salvage team to drag that bastard in to dock and crack those doors open. It'll smell a bit foul with all those bodies, I'm sure...I kinda hope the fighter jocks live; they were the only useful crewmen I had. Likely, since they were on alert in their ships when the whole thing wen't down. Oh well. On the plus side of all of this, I might just be able to mount Resnig's head on the wall of my quarters as a trophy once I get back aboard... *End log- transmission terminated*

I'd have to go and look again, but IIRC you can override the Windows key by hitting another key while it is still depressed (at least, you can in most programs, and since the Windows key is used by the OS and not the game, I doubt if it would be any different for BC/UC). So you could prevent its action (going to desktop) before it happens, as long as you don't release the key. I don't know about anyone else, but I notice when I hit the key and suddenly realize that my finger is not where it should be. The location of the windows key on either side of the keyboard does not feel like that of any of the surrounding keys. If you can't confirm what key you're hitting by feel alone, take a quick glance down before you press it. It only takes a fraction of a second.

You could always buy one of those replacement keys from those novelty catelogs...you know, the ones either labeled "Eject" or "Panic" and painted bright red? Alternately, wedge a piece of plastic or a paperclip under the windows key as a safety lock to keep you from pressing it. You may have to do a little bending, but if you do it right you get a nice little add-on that disables the key whenever you don't want it bugging you.

*Captain's Log- BCMk3 ICV Starlight Vengeance- begin transmission* Our current location is somewhere in Nevuela...not sure exactly where. Engineering tells me the computer systems should be functional within the hour, but until then we're flying blind. I am currently rotating shuttle and fighter patrols to spot for the command ship, at least until the sensors come back online. What a disaster. Just getting around the bridge is trouble enough with all the broken equipment lying around. Medical is having trouble keeping up with all the patients. I can't even access the lowest of ship functions to see how well the hull is holding; It's a miracle we even got the engines back. Guesswork and duct tape is pretty much all that's keeping us alive right now. I'm having serious second thoughts about allowing our prisoners to continue breathing- since the last attack a few hours ago, the detention security system has been on the fritz and the marines I assigned as guards are weary from combat. We'll be tight on resources for a while, that's for sure- if, that is, we make it back to Destiny station. This old girl took one hell of a beating... had I been assigned any other ship or any other crew, I would be nothing more than space dust right now. And command called this a "routine patrol." Funny how after years in the navy and then serving the insurgents I still trust the intel division. You would think I'd have learned by now. Naturally, it started out just fine. We took on a full load of fuel before launching- that alone tanked a week's pay and took some creative deal-making to pull off. We had just arrived in lunar orbit when I got the first CAS alert. Just a few fighters, no biggie. Didn't even need the cloak; the PTA turrets nailed the little suckers as they came out of hyperspace. Of course, just as I was wondering where they'd come from, Resnig decided it was time to report the intruders that had somehow gotten on board...don't know why I keep the moron around; the intruders got to shuttle 3 before I could power down launch control. Scratch a tank and a shuttle. Go figure. Note to self: have the marines patrolling shuttlebay assigned to latrine detail. They're issued automatic weaponry to kill things, not to sit there playing cards while a bunch of chumps make off with a mark three and my armor support. Naturally, that's when the supercarrier decloaks off the port bow. I never had any great desire to meet a Firestorm with it's business end pointed at my command, and those feelings have definitely gotten stronger. We lost solar panel two and number four fighter bay before I got the cloak engaged and the ship oriented to respond. We got a few good volleys in to bloody the thing before it cloaked and jumped out. I decided that planetfall was not a prudent move with the damage the ship had sustained, so I took a shuttle and two marines down for a mining run to the lunar surface. Drone deployed, got its load, and returned to the shuttle without incident. Lifted off at around 0800 and set course for orbit. The Starlight Vengeance was right where I expected it to be, in parking orbit 300 clicks from the moon. I set the shuttle autopilot on a return course and sat back for a drink. The marines were busy checking over the mining drone to make sure everything was in order. A few seconds later, the HUD lit up like someone had stuck a cattle prod in it. A carrier and two cruisers incoming, fast. The first two were headed for my CC. It would have been no contest on any other day, but with the battle damage and without me at the helm, this was something to be very worried about. I gave her new orders in the hopes that my bridge crew could handle it without me there. I winced and made a grab for my wallet as I saw a large missile strike the starboard engine. The cruiser had the misfortune of crossing the main gun arc; its captain must have been wetting his pants just before his ship was cut to pieces. I took some major pleasure out of watching that happen. Well, at least until the second cruiser arrived. Then I found out it wasn't headed for my CC, but for my shuttle. Without EMD or any other defensive system, the tin can was something of a sitting duck. A pair of missiles reaming my shield generator re-enforced this point. Naturally, I did the only thing that I could think of in my self-preservationist, cowardly little mind- abandon ship. Too bad I didn't assign SF marines to the shuttle. Too bad I had a full damn load of ore in that drone...marines, shuttle, and drone went up in one hell of a fireball. Well, at least I still had a spacesuit. I thrusted as hard as the gimpy little rockets on it could boost me heading for my CC. Fortunately, the cruiser lost interest after destroying my shuttle. Or maybe not so fortunately, since I was still well over 180 clicks from the CC and I dared not risk ordering her to me in the middle of a battle. Stupid, stupid me. The Starlight Vengeance handled herself admirably, I'm pleased to say...if admirably can be expressed in a hull that now somewhat closely resembles a barfed up chunk of swiss cheese. I'll be lucky if Insurgent Command doesn't space me for this. Either way, I made it back to the CC after a while letting the crew drive it around me in drunken circles. I must remember to not trust the autopilot when the computers are so messed up. Next the ship will be thinking it can fly every time someone short-circuits a light bulb on the sub-deck or something. Maybe with a few months worth of pay and some favor call-ins I'll have the ship spaceworthy in the next few centuries... *end of log- transmission terminated* [ 05-27-2004, 07:09 PM: Message edited by: NukeIt ]

quote:The assumption that the Bridge Viewer and TacOps can only be powered by the nuclear reactor just does not have a solid base.But it does have a solid base...because neither one works properly when the nuclear reactor is powered down! The best uses I can think of for solar so far are powering life support while you wait for a paycheck, and supplementing the main reactor(especially when the main has taken some damage and thus produces less energy). Plus, the shields do charge much faster when both power sources are up and running.

Unless I've got a crapped up install or something, Solar won't power the whole ship. While running solar only, I found that I not only lost all three computer displays, but all weaponry and engines (getting only the velocity of 50 possible with engines toggled off) as well. Shields and cloak worked, but probably only because they have their own fuel source. So despite having more than enough power to run everything at full output, the solar reactor just won't work for certain systems. However, even if you drain all your fuel- I tried this, placing all of my radine on my shuttles along with all my plutonium- the systems powered by that fuel will still work for a few seconds. Shields with no plutonium will raise to 100% then immediately drop to 0%. The reactor will turn on and cut out a few seconds later. After doing this, however, it will not work again. Sort of like running on fumes, I guess. That could explain how APOLLO got his ship fully back online when out of fuel.

I like my solar reactor...I like it a lot. I ran myself out of money for more fuel, so I parked my CC under the protection of a friendly starstation and powered down everything but the solar reactor and life support. So far, no problems, but having the radar at least would be nice. I am wondering how much I could possibly run with only solar power...and what I could do to keep at least some form of detection active. I'd use a shuttle, but I don't know how long they can stay active before recharging. It has uses, but it also has some nasty drawbacks...

Well, I managed to blow my CC(BCMK3 ICV Starlight Vengeance) half to bits...to the extent that it took me the better part of three hours to repair from only thirty seconds of combat(amazing what a few missiles can do to a carrier that forgot to turn on its EMD). I made the mistake of not repairing the tractor beam, and regretted it when I came across a few disabled fighters just asking to be dragged in. In the end I had to settle for delivering them(and a Super cruiser) via shuttle to the nearest station. A few hours repairing sure beats escorting your unshielded shuttles through a warzone. It may seem like a long time, but it is well worth it, as failing to repair something may mean further delays when your ship is actually at risk of further damage. Not to mention the shuttles.

I could have sworn I saw my Starcruiser's PTA firing when the targeted ship was ahead of me and above- dead opposite tractor beam position, almost off the screen. I'm not exactly sure, however, since I was kind of getting blasted to bits at the time.

I have a very good solution to this: keep your TV by your computer with a healthy supply of good tapes/DVD's. Whenever you come to a part of the game which takes a really long time with little interaction, pop something in and have an in-flight movie. I mean, what do you think your AE does when there's not a lot of action on the bridge?

Ouch...my first few minutes playing UC and I've already managed to mess something up. While making what I thought would be a routine planetfall on Mars in my CC(you can do that with the CC in UC, right?), I forgot to chop the throttle and ended up 30,000m below the ground- no reactor, shields, engines, or weapons- as soon as the re-entry scene ended. A second attempt with a new CC resulted in the same problem...it seems my AE thinks the CC is a mole or something. Or maybe I'm just overlooking some seemingly-minor detail that keeps getting me splattered. In space, however, everything was fantastic. I'm sure I'll get planetfall right one of these times...

Note to self: Witty lines in first posts are potentially bad for health. Once I recover from the $2000 hit that was my new computer, I plan on looking around the local cluster of game stores. Between the four of them, one of them is bound to have a copy in stock. Unfortunately I'm still bound by the whims of parental approval when it comes to ordering things online, and the powers that be aren't about to let me put anything else on the credit cards this soon after getting a brand-spanking-new system. Conning a ride out to the mall, however, is a little bit less difficult. I feel like a complete dolt asking this, but it seems to be the one thing I just can't figure out...how do you get your crew to eat their nutripacks? They don't do it when I take them off duty, and the hunger factor keeps creeping up and up- I don't particularly want to have to hire any replacements because I was too dense to figure out how to feed them. [ 05-05-2004, 10:42 PM: Message edited by: NukeIt ]