Game Longevity

[Guest Shingen]

I'm wondering what the stardates are in the current BC/UC games for the truely diehard BC fans here.

I've two BC game running, one is UC (on a 1.6ghz), that has a star date of 08/13/3030, and a BCM game (on a 600mhz), with a stardate of 02/12/3011 (both off of savegames and dedicated systems.)

My whole point:

I'm wondering how many people have sat down and watched the BC universe over time..days, weeks, months. Not really play, but watching..

It seems to me that most people who whine about BC gameplay is because of the way the AI is coded...and because they don't play long enough to see the madness behind the monster.

Threads with spelling errors in the subject, usually get deleted. Consider this one a freebie.

[ 07-25-2004, 08:31 AM: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[Cerebus]

What are you overall stats for the UC game(XP, artifacts, medals etc)? I'm nosey.

As for watching the BC universe, I almost always find myself doing that, even to the point of watching more than playing. My F10 key is getting well worn. TacOps is fantastic for taking it all in, and zooming into areas of interest. (I consider TacOps one of the most staggeringly powerful features in *any* game.)

I'm a self-admitted UC voyeur.

[Supreme Cmdr]

The best way to watch the universe at work is to start a new Roam profile and not do anything except use probes launched into various regions, then observe those regions over time.

[Guest Shingen]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cerebus:

What are you overall stats for the UC game(XP, artifacts, medals etc)? I'm nosey.

---

IN the UC game, I've mainly been working on pilot stats. Right now most of my pilots are cloning at 60+ ai, Dogfighting 45%, Bombing 52%. Bridge crew is cloning at 70+ ai. This is because during the early-game I kill them off to hardcode the ai clone lvls.

I don't much use artifacts except the TA shields and K reactor, random and decoder.

quote:

---

As for watching the BC universe, I almost always find myself doing that, even to the point of watching more than playing. My F10 key is getting well worn. TacOps is fantastic for taking it all in, and zooming into areas of interest. (I consider TacOps one of the most staggeringly powerful features in *any* game.)

I'm a self-admitted UC voyeur.

---

The double-edged side of BC is that the game really doesn't kick-in till around 3-10 days of gametime. Which means, if you play 2-3 hours a day, it takes a least 2 weeks realtime to get there.

[Cerebus]

"This is because during the early-game I kill them off to hardcode the ai clone lvls."

What do you mean by hardcode? Does this help spur IA 'growth'? Or is this some nefarious Raider technique?

[Guest Shingen]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cerebus:

"This is because during the early-game I kill them off to hardcode the ai clone lvls."

What do you mean by hardcode? Does this help spur IA 'growth'? Or is this some nefarious Raider technique?

---

No, the first time you clone a pilot or crew member, they revert back to thier initial AI number.

The second time you clone them, they revert back to lvl of the last time they died.

Maybe Derek can explain it better.

[Supreme Cmdr]

Whats there to explain? Their stats is cummulatively stored; just like a saved game.

[street228]

I hope this is in the right place....so here goes...

I suppose, most people, have their own way of playing UC, in single player(ROAM)

mode. That's just the way this game is. I am going to give an example,

as to how I play the game.

I have been playing my present game, just following the release of the

(.11) patch. I have since installed the latest (.12) update, and have continued

playing the same game.

I assumed the identity of a Ter/Mil commander of a Garid, and launched

from Galcom; Earth.(04/04/3030) ROAM, with full NPC Generation.

Immediately after launch, I decide, to land on earth for a little mining. I was

about 70 meters from Earth (20 meters from planetfall), when a a mk1 came out of nowhere, and started

pounding my shields. I tried to turn and take him on, but the shields were already

down to 30%, and he stayed on me as I was turning. I noticed, I was only about 10 meters

from entering planetfall,now.

About the time I heard the first " warning

damage", I changed my mind, and decided to try and enter the atmosphere. I thrust the controls

in the opposite direction. Momentarily, there was a pause in the sound of bombardments against the

hull. It felt like the commander of the MK1 had initially second guessed me correctly,

AND my impulsive dive toward the planet had shook him loose. The shields had just started

to slightly charge, and that "warning damage", which had already began to sound like a broken record,

suddenly stopped. I heard "Warning......"; and suddenly, was watching planetfall. Thus: it Begins!

I spend the next two weeks, mining and exploring earth(And doing repairs).

I only use one mining drone, at a time. I enjoy, taking my time...extracting and deploying each evening.

Then, using the shuttle to make runs to the StarStation for money, parts, upgrades,and etc.,every few days .

I leave the game running, 24/7 and only spend a little while after work, or a little while before

I go to bed, playing. This is about an hour...it might be each night...or it may be, up to 3 days

apart....but the game...I leave running, as I have it on a dedicated system.

Of course, this means: making damn sure, my ship is in a safe place, or has adequate

protection, when I leave it. I DONT want my ship destroyed, while I am asleep, or at work.

This means landing it someplace, or finding a place, where there is little, or no enemy activity.

I do both, depending on my assessment at the time.

after a couple of weeks on earth, I decide to check out the moon. I spend a week there, doing the same.

Leaving the moon, for earth, and on to mars; I have most of the Necessary upgrades, and am doing much

better, with the occasional Enemy trying to off me. I dont attack them, but Only engage, when given

no choice. This eliminates unecessary delays, doing repairs and such, Until getting ALL

the upgrades,and the ship stocked to the gills. At this point, my only concern, is survival.

I spend a few days hanging around mars, and getting the ship maxed out, with upgrades, missiles,

plutonium, and Radine and etc. All my crew AI are 100%. It has taken me about a month,

(Realtime and Gametime)to get to this position. I am On the bridge about an hour each night,

but I am "always" playing. (MICROMANAGEMENT: I love you!) On friday nights, I put in

(a little?) more time. On Sunday afternoons, I spend the day staging ground assults on

the MUL/RAI bases on mars.

Now, I am ready, to move out.......And see what is REALLY out there, and what I can do,

to make my mark!(5/04/3030)

I jump to jupiter, and start attacking red blips...always ready to jump and run, if things get

overwhelming. I only have had to do that a couple of times, to get reoriented (get the

shields charged) and continue the fight. After my crew gets exhausted, I jump back to the mars region.

The Mars region has become disturbingly quiet, I have been able to just hang around,

without fear of attack. I shut down the engines, and the shields and let the crew go on about

their business(just a little management, of course)

The next day, I come home from work, and send all the officers to medbay, and put a skeleton crew

to work. Giving the rest of the crew, time off. This takes about 5 minutes, then, I go on about

working at my other computer and/or working on my various projects. The UC computer, Always running.

When my crew is rested, I put the officers back on duty.

After a reasonable amount of time, I can make a jump into hostile space, and fight

for a few minutes, to an hour...retrieving cargo pods and such. When my crew is ready for a break,

I jump back to a safe Region, or land.I shut down Engine, in logistix ,to conserve fuel.

I Do a save, Resume, and go to bed.

Everyday, is roughly a similar routine, but doing various things... Like " buying supplies or

OTS MUL/RAI bases, to up my experiance points; thus increasing my salary. This,

builds all week long. I find it is sufficiant at $200000 to support nightly or bi-nightly excursions by

the date (5/11/3030).

I treat the UC system, as I have always treated my computerized chess board, of the past.

I use to set it on infinate, and leave it running, while I went on about my business.

It would move, once about every two days.

I find UC is this kind of game. I can play while working, reading, or watching TV. I can jump in

for a few minutes to an hour, anytime or when the klaxon sounds, just as I could move a chess piece,

when the board beeped, "YOUR TURN". I love, that in UC. Along with the added benifit, of moving

whenever you choose, too.

My newest strategy, is to capture MUL/RAI Pixan, through a seige. I have cleaned out most of their ships.

(I hope). Their ODS is history. It took me a week of hit and runs, to get the Lennen Region clear of

hostiles and neutrals. I have now been cruising around with my shields down, for about 7 days.

Once, I got as close as 2000 meters. I turned and abandoned my attack, when a TER/MIL MK1

jumped to the base and was blown to pieces(not too awful far, ahead of me).

That was the last time, the station dispatched any ships. 2 ravans. I took them to out,

when they came after me. That was 5 days ago.

When I need supplies, I jump in a shuttle and run to Lyrius region, and dock with wraith.

I then rush back to my ship, for fear it may be attacked, while I'm away.

Pixan, has some impressive defense capability, and I am being very careful NOT to get blown

away by the station. All the while, trying to find precisely how to approach it, for a missle

bombardment. I still dont know how long I will have to maintain this seige.(I love it)

It is now 5/25/3030(51 days of actual game time) I have one violation, I have $8,333,336 credits.

My inventory value is $13,823,150 I have 53841 exp points.A Salary of 200000 credits.A

full crew compliment for a GARID, except those recently replaced, are at 100% AI.

I have NO awards, yet. I am sure oportunity will arise, where they can be earned, as well.

I find the Garid, much more of a challange, than playing with a battlecruiser or Supercarrier.

I liken the whole strategic capability of the game, equivalant to Chess, but with the RPG and

first person graphic playing ability included.

I am sure, everyone has a different preferance of play, within the single player(ROAM) enviroment,

but I just wanted to share...my way of playing and enjoying the game. I know there are many who,

just, flat..."DONT get it". I felt, they would be the one's to benefit from this.

[ShoHashi]

Interesting read there, street!

[Supreme Cmdr]

That was just beautiful. *sniff*

[Guest Shingen]

Street, you and I play much the same way, although, I'm much more agressive when I'm playing. However, when I'm away, and the game is still running, I'm generally parked on some moon or planet, or I've warped into nullspace.

Perhaps a bit off-topic, but I've just watched one hellava battle in UC just now.

Currently, I've shelved my Raider game and am playing as Insurgent ('cause they get carriers), and I've been working out Pilot training techniques.

Anyway...I was lurking in Lyrius doing a little intel on the Wraith station there, doing repairs to FCs and cloning from a previous battle with two Ter/Mil Garids and a Ter/Ear Aestrom.

Lyrius was quiet for the longest while and I was standing off the wormhole to Sol, looking through all my probes in different areas of the Universe, when the alarm sounds!

I frantically click on the probe thingy in TacOps to get me back into Lyrius, and watch as a Gam/Mil BCMK3 jumps over to engage WraithHQ.

Now, I'm thinking that this guy is toast before he even gets outta hyperspace, but I was wrong.

The BCMK3 makes it outta hyperspace and proceeds to pound the hell out of the Starstation! The station launches a mass of fighters, missles, and PTA fire, but still the Gam carrier keeps going!

I've got the carrier zoomed in Tacops, laughin' my ass off, watching as the station's shields drop and it's armor starting to fall! The carrier has also launched all it's fighters and they are getting eaten alive by the station, but that damn carrier keeps going!

About this time two Raiders jump in. A Garid and a Stormcarrier ( I thought Raiders were limited to heavy cruisers! )?!

Anyway, these two Raiders also target WraithHQ and jump! I zoom back to the BCMK3 and watch as it finally goes boom, but then I get over my comlink "There's something out there". That Raider Stormcarrier had cloaked or there was another cloaked ship in system.

WraithHQ had no shields, it's armor is at like 5000 or something, and again, that Garid makes it out of hyperjump and starts pounding on the Starstation! BOOM!! WraithHQ goes up in a big massive explosion at the same time as the Garid!

Cargo pods, fighters and stray missles galore! My tacops screen was so full of stuff, it looked like a big mass of different colors! Never once did my game drop below 25fps.

I'd wish I had taken a screenie, but at the time I was laughing too hard to think!

Damn this game rocks!

[ 08-28-2004, 03:15 PM: Message edited by: Shingen ]

[gdwnet]

Maybe thats something some gamers can't get used to? The fact that they are NOT the most important thing in this games universe?

I had a recent battle near Pluto, Saw a transport getting picked on so I thought I'd hyperjump over and help.

The distance was a lot more than I thought so i watched the fight on TacOps when all of these TER/POL craft beat the hell out of these two raiders. By the time I get there the TER/POL craft are saying 'Nothing to see here, move along!'.

In most games the choices the player makes will determine how successful the overall mission/war/campaign goes, but with UC the universe doesn't care. Sit there and it will do it's thing, take part and it still doesn't care!

Sometimes I think things are going on inside the UC universe when I'm not even playing the game......

[Guest Shingen]

I think I cleared over 25 million Galcreds just from Cargo pods!!

I think there was sixteen pods in all, and amoung other various items were 5 OTS missles(various), 6-7 ODSes (various), a numega, trellis, and other high-end items!

The crew is gonna have beer and pizza for quite awhile!

[Marvin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Shingen:

The crew is gonna have beer and pizza for quite awhile!

---

Sheesh, are you cheap. After an exceptionally good day, my crew get steak and lobster.

This part I can understand.

[Guest Shingen]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Marvin:

Sheesh, are you cheap. After an exceptionally good day, my crew get steak and lobster.

---

My crew, they don't get into all that high-brow stuff. They just want damn good beer and damn good pizza, and they're good to go.

Besides, haven't you seen the price of beer and pizza these days??

[Joe_mrbiz]

epecally on wraith

[gdwnet]

Why not stick Resnig with the bill?

He's daft enough to hang around when all the other officers have other places to be!

[admiraltigerclaw]

Remember that your crew run off your Ship Account. As Resnig is part of your crew, he's more than likely to make the bill even HIGHER if there's no one there to moniter him.

I simply recruited master Ferrous Chef Sasami Masaki to do the cooking. She gets a handsome salery for her work.

As for anything else... Some intruders beamed aboard yesterday, into the Library, I was like... 'We have a LIBRARY?'

Well, at least now I can go and read some books.

[Guest kenny87]

There's also a gym.

I find it supprising that the 'rines don't spend most of their off hours in the gym. Or maybe a set of weights is standard issue with a combat kit.

[street228]

It is 05/29/3030

The attack went as planned.

I had called in 2 mk1, and 2 mk2; along with their compliment

of 16 mk1 and mk2 intercepters. Wraith had been willing to

assign 2 corsairs, 2 intercepters, and 2 ravens.

Every last ship was assigned to do nothing, but defend the

primary attack craft. The GCV-Coy: a measly little Garid!

We had determined, there was a realitively weak defensive

position, which we could attempt a fleet attack, without

loosing the whole fleet. And GVC-Coy, was going to fly

straight in, surrounded by the fleet.

GCV-Coy jumped to planet lennen, and got into position, Then

the fleet jumped to the little Garid, and got into Escort

mode. The little Garid, headed straight down that MUL/RAI

space station, "PIXAN"'s throat.

One of the intercepter pilots, got a little brave, and

had gotten himself blown to bits, early on, when rushing

to formation. Everyone had jumped in, dangerously close,

to the outer range, of Pixan's main forward beam. The pilot

must have strayed, a bit, on his jump.

When everyone, crossed the 225 (kilometer?) line, we lost a

corsair, that had dirfted a little too far to the left. I

literally cringed, when I saw his ship explode, on the

left lower left, corner of my screen!

suddenly, Pixan launched two ravens..a minute later, two more.

There was launch after launch. I dont know how many there

were, but when I clicked on the red dot, There was a list

of red fighters, and 1 shuttle that streatched down the screen.

I notice, ALL the fighters, were launched straight at GCV-COY,

"MY LITTLE GARID!!"

Every intercepter, both corsairs, and both ravens took off!,

their mission clear....PROTECT COY!

The 4 Battle Cruisers stayed just behind Coy, to the right,

and to the left.

Getting close to the 123 mark, I noticed, we had lost several

intercepters, and several Raiders, had bitten the dust as well.

The closer, we got, the more often, the probe, would announce,

another ship destroyed. So many, and caught, in the moment, I

could only sit back and PRAY, I was'nt next. I was surprised,

how well the intercepters were doing, in holding off that fleet

of fighters, Pixan, had launched.

closing to about 30 kelometers, I was sure, my luck was going

to hold out. I launched a whole bararge of VAGRANTS...One MK1-

BC, was taking damage, and was getting the stations full,

attention. He, in turn, had turned his attention to the station.

The two mk2's headed off toward the Enemy Ravens..PTA's firing

everywhere around the Garid. The AI, had taken total control,

NO FLEET control was necessary. So I could focus my attention,

to the job at hand:" TAKE OUT THAT STATION"

I was getting about 15 kilometers from the Station, when the

first VAGRANT landed. I was screeming, full speed head on. Shields,

somehow managed to be floating between 30-50, while being

battered. Intercepters and ravens, were buzzing, shooting

missiles, and PTA's glowing. Forward guns blazing, missiles

exploding, Slowly, their shields glowed RED, and failed.

The second half of the missile volly landed, and the station

turned into a fireball.

The probe, obediently reported

The loss of one of the MK1-Battle Cruisers among those scrolling

reports. I was feeling a sense of LOSS, for those

brave crews. Crews, sacrificing their little NPC lives, to

protect, me.

I immediately set course to a jump gate, and jumped.

Every missile, every MUL/RAI Raven had left, seemed to launch,

as we entered hyperspace. Sheilds, suffered a minor breach, just

as we jumped. No problems: Navigation, suffered an overload..

Engineers jumped right on it.

This split their force, which was formidable. I believe, Pixan had

launched everything, in desperation. The PTA, of the remaining 3

BC were cutting up a chunk of the fighters, while another chunk

jumped to meet me at the end of my jump.

While traveling through hyper, my shields charged, I locked EVERY

missile I could on one of the fighters in front of me. That was

only about 2/3 of what was there, waiting. I did notice, a corsair

and 4 TER/MIL Intercepters, had already arrived, and joined the

malee at the LYRIUS, jump gate, upon my arrival. Thats when I noticed

that SINGLE shuttle, launched by pixan. It was giving it everything

it had to reach the gate. I ordered ATTACK, on the shuttle. and

the PTA's were working on the fighters, inflicting their usual

pounding. I also noticed, the Ravens had almost

stopped shooting missiles. I believe, they were beyond desperation.

We Took out the shuttle, Very close, to it making it to the gat

Then we jumped to the planet Lennen. took out a few fighters too.

This created a another thinning, of their fleet(or what was left of it).

The battle cruisers cut their opposition, down to about 3, when those three

jumped, to help the 6 or 7 comrads, they had left. ALL were making

one last attempt to gang up on my Garid. But, now they were,

considerably weaker.

I took a glance, at who was left, in my fleet. There was 4 intercepters, 1 corsair,

1 raven, 1MK1 Battle Cruisers(empty of fighters) and 2 MK2 BC(also empty).

The 6 fighters, we had left were taking on about 9 Raider fighters that were left.

the Garid, had its PTA's and missiles firing. The number was cut down to 4 enemy

fighters, and 4 Terren fighters, by the time the 3 battle cruisers arrived.

Their heavy PTA's helped us finish off the remainder.

Now, after the smoke has cleared. I sit, guarding the station....Empty husk,

being regenerated, through some mysterious force....waiting. I dont know

if this will work, but I have to try. What is left of my meager fleet, will

sacrifice themselves, if necessary....If that station comes to life.....to defend

this little garad, sitting in the blind spot....waiting.

3 beat-up battle cruisers, 2 intercepters, 1 corsair, 1 raven, and 1 garid.

That is all that is left....(sigh!). In the end, I hope it was worth the loss!!

We are going to CAPTURE Pixan......"maybe, then I can get the respect I deserve!!".

echoes through the corriders of the GVC-Coy.

quad: Terran

Sector: sirius Sector 8

Region: Lennen

Date 05/29/3030

time: 04:18

Experiance points=59541 "Strategic Commander street, out"

[Joe_mrbiz]

wow, i dont know why you dont write books to that effect, maybe with resnig on the back saying something dumb like "theres a red dot moving towards the green dot"

[street228]

quote:

---

wow, i dont know why you dont write books to that effect, maybe with resnig on the back saying something dumb like "theres a red dot moving towards the green dot"

---

LOL, not so DUMB, if it is an accurate discription...huh?....seriously, I never claimed to be a writer...merely attempting to share, no one twisted my arm, to post these. Maybe, next time

[Malakie-USN]

Hi:

I must be missing something.. Isn't the NPC generation random in each sector? I have never left my game running while I am away as many of you all seem to do. But in doing that, are you not in danger of getting blasted away while your Battlecruiser basically sits there with no one issuing commands?

Doesn't the game randomly generate NPC encounters continually no matter 'how' or 'if' you clear out sectors? If I take out a station (capture), is the NPC random generator stopped for some reason? If this is so, I would like to see that reversed.

I personally think and would like to see NPC random encounters tweaked up a bit for more battles at times. Especially when you enter any sector that is hostile to you. I am finding that sometimes when I enter a hostile sector, once in a while I get a nice 'spawn' of NPC action but after that initial battle, things go 'dead' and no more NPC generation occurs.

To me, I would think a battle station or star station would continue to launch assets until I was either dead or it ran out of them. I mean I am the enemy and I am there to kick its ass. I would also like to see the space marines spawn around the station once I get close enough and bring down the stations defenses enough to capture it.

Heck, I think it would be MUCH more intense if the only way you could capture a station were with your marines and/or yourself flying in space to the station and entering it to capture it rather than just using the ship - and you could only do that AFTER you killed all the enemy space marine spawns the station send after you and your marines to stop you from boarding.... and of course you would need to hustle because if the station gets its systems back online quickly, you and your BC will become toast!