Debris field exploit (since you asked so nicely)

[Spuzzum]

Or maybe you didn't ask at all, and I got too bored with no one asking that I decided to go ahead and post it anyway. I don't remember which.

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Anyway, here's how to get those debris fields on your side! It's time consuming to pull off, and you might lose a shuttle or two, but if you manage to do it, it's a lifesaver.

First off, fight around in a hostile space region, until you manage to disable an enemy fighter with your PTA. Only disabled fighters work for this exploit... other ships can repair themselves. In my case, I disabled a Templon fighter.

Then, tow it to some quiet space region, like the Moon, and shut off the tractor beam to let the fighter go, very soon as you enter the region.

Next, hyperjump to the debris field as normal, and fly in to a distance of 150 km.

Unload all of the drones and ATVs from your shuttles. They'll need the room.

Now, target the disabled fighter, and hit F10 to engage the target camera. Hit F1 to return to your bridge.

You'll notice there's cargo pods there. Try the same thing again; target, F10, F1. Now, there's a bunch of new cargo pods there!

See where I'm going with this? Launch all of your shuttles with cargosweep orders. Intersperse them slightly so that they are spread out and target different pods... otherwise you can be there for ages.

Once they nab all of the cargo pods, target, F10, F1, and you'll have anywhere from 4-10 brand spanking new cargo pods to swoop up. And if you get a measly three or so pods, you can just retarget until you get a bunch you like.

You'll be amazed when your shuttles get filled to 100% capacity with expensive upgrades and spares, tow everything back to you, and then go out for another big haul!

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Of course, there are some risks. If you're not careful, your shuttles might smack into a crab mine, and that's that. If there's cargo pods near mines, though, just repop the field until you get one that isn't too dangerous.

Also note that all of the mines are refreshed when you refresh the cargo pods. That means that even if you clear the mines, they'll be there once more when you use the target-F10-F1 exploit.

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Don't you just love obscure exploits?

I'm not sure, but this might even work without the fighter-disabling mess, in Tacops. It refreshes the field based on the fact that the camera comes near when flying the BC, so its possible but I'm not sure.

[Papi]

You don't need disabled fighter, all you need to do is switch to tacops and back to the bridge and new cargo pods are generated.

I usually rotate my shuttles, if you send them all at the time they'll probably will all just try to retrieve the same cargo pod and possibly will collide each other and get damaged.

[Jigoku San]

Cool! I gotta try that. hehe.

[Eclipse]

Or to simplify even more, whike in Tacops, just zoom out of the debris field and zoom back in.

[Guest Lug]

The way I do it is slightly different.

At the mars debris field I send out my shuttles on cargo sweep orders, get the pods and return my shuttles, and unload the cargo.

Then I save and continue, and when the game loads up my bridge, there are new cargo containers, and I just keep repeating this intill I fill my BC.

[Supreme Cmdr]

..this exploit will be plugged in BCM

Just in case you were wondering

[R_wilco]

So, do you mean that there will be a limited number of cargo containers for an area? Or that they'll have a "spawn time" where they appear after about 12 hours of game time?

[Supreme Cmdr]

Due to memory constraints, the debris field wasn't cached. It was re-created each time you or an NPC entered it. And flushed when you left.

In BCM, it is stored and updated, just like any other data stored in the player api. So, if you completely loot a debris field, you'd have to wait until it is actually reset again - which can take quite a while. Going in and getting out, won't reset it any longer.

[Joel Schultz]

And how long is a long while?

[Steve Schacher]

What would be cool is if radar didn't work in debris fields (meaning if you're outside of one you can't see into it -- you have to go in to see), if raiders hid in debris fields (alone or in packs), if raiders dumped their loot in debris fields, if raiders dumping their loot in debris fields was the mechanism for refreshing debris fields...

I'm heading for the airlock now, but it would be cool...

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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And how long is a long while?

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yeah, like am going to tell you that. Cheating bastard

[R_wilco]

Lol!

Anyone play EverQuest?

Cmdr_D00d broadcasts,"Camp check!"

Cmdr_Wilco broadcasts,"Debris field is camped"

Cmdr_Newbie broadcasts,"Train! SC to zone!"