SPAAAAAAAAAACE! Combat

[luckton]

So we've got some people 'at that point' now, so let's discuss.

Never got high enough to try it out in beta, but I've run about a dozen missions so far the last couple days.  It's pretty much as I expected based on previews and leaks.  What's surprising to me is, as low-frills as it may be, that it's actually well implemented the way it is.  Sure, it's not free-form X-Wing vs TIE Fighter, but of the style/gameplay that's implemented, it works.  I totally expect to be burned out with it in time, but right now, there does seem to be enough variety of missions starting off to get your feet wet and have some fun.

As was suggested to me, I suggest to all that once you get your ship, prior to running any missions, that you fly back to your fleet market and buy a set of Grade I ship parts and stuff. 

Thoughts?

[Thrawn]

As was suggested to me, I suggest to all that once you get your ship, prior to running any missions, that you fly back to your fleet market and buy a set of Grade I ship parts and stuff.  

2nd this (3rd)?  The aren't too bad to do without upgrades, but they aren't that expensive and make it easier.  If nothing else get the upgraded guns and the increased missile bay.

I hope they do more with space, as they are the on rails shooter missions are tedious after 2 maybe 3 runs.  But I just unlocked two more of them and they have a really good "epic" feel to them if they ever improve space combat.

[luckton]

I'm just amazed by the 'fluidity' of space combat.  I don't feel like I'm just playing with a re-skinned version of my character on a planet that's also on-rails.  It feels almost like a separate game engine itself, with how the cursor/weapon tracking works, missile lock-ons, etc.   Repetitive, perhaps, but no way cheap.  The way I can lock-on to battle-cruiser targets from long distances away, fire a missile volley and rack up the kills.. 

[Rendakor]

I like this a lot. Reminds me of the Rogue Squadron games on the Gamecube, which I played the hell out of.

[Fordel]

The level 50 space missions will kick the absolute shit out of you if you don't have ALL the upgrades possible.  



Space Combat in general is great for what it is, a nice little diversion and change of pace from planet-side leveling. It has great visuals and feel, with giant warships warping in and out, crashing into each other, waves of fighters buzzing around etc. The controls and gameplay are simple but solid and the XP and Comm rewards are pretty good. It's SWTOR's version of the much love/hated vehicle quest from WoW. It's just entirely optional and far less clunky.

[Threash]

And your ship is basically player housing also.  I like hanging out inside when im crafting or waiting for a pvp queue to pop.

[sinij]

And your ship is basically player housing also. 

Can you decorate?

[Pezzle]

Not yet.

[Merusk]

I like this a lot. Reminds me of the Rogue Squadron games on the Gamecube, which I played the hell out of.

Yeah I said the same thing yesterday.  Love it so far, great little time waster that also provides some xp.

For those in BC, I can craft you some T2 upgrades just send me a mail. I've got schematics for every standard part but shields.

[ajax34i]

And your ship is basically player housing also.  I like hanging out inside when im crafting or waiting for a pvp queue to pop.

The interior vertical scaling bugs me; there are multiple buttons and pannels that are just too high to reach, and every room is a grandiose hall.  From comparing with the Millenium Falcon / movies, the character models should easily be able to reach the ceiling by just lifting their arms; to me it feels as if they've shrunk the characters to half-size.

[Pezzle]

All races evolved and grew taller by the time of A New Hope.  That explains it!

[Rendakor]

After doing this some more, my biggest complaint is that the missions don't end once you have completed all the objectives; I often find myself just flying around killing shit for half the time because I completed all the regular and bonus objectives too quickly.

[Tyrnan]

And your ship is basically player housing also.  I like hanging out inside when im crafting or waiting for a pvp queue to pop.

The interior vertical scaling bugs me; there are multiple buttons and pannels that are just too high to reach, and every room is a grandiose hall.  From comparing with the Millenium Falcon / movies, the character models should easily be able to reach the ceiling by just lifting their arms; to me it feels as if they've shrunk the characters to half-size.

I remember reading somewhere that high ceilings are necessary in MMO's to accommodate the camera and we just don't notice it in fantasy MMO's because the interiors are something we're not used to looking at. However, with something where we already have a frame of reference it becomes immediately apparent. The last bit certainly seems true given my brief time in STO: three-storey tall corridors and transporter pads just seemed so wrong.

Actually, that may be where I remember reading that explanation, so given that it's Cryptic it may not be entirely reliable 

[Merusk]

After doing this some more, my biggest complaint is that the missions don't end once you have completed all the objectives; I often find myself just flying around killing shit for half the time because I completed all the regular and bonus objectives too quickly.

Just look at it as extra xp.  You get it for each kill so may as well do it.

[01101010]

After doing this some more, my biggest complaint is that the missions don't end once you have completed all the objectives; I often find myself just flying around killing shit for half the time because I completed all the regular and bonus objectives too quickly.

I noticed I was done with my objectives way early as well... But I love that Fury so damn much I will fly it for as long as I can and shoot the fuck outta the cruisers. . . even if I am on rails the whole time.

[Furiously]

Regarding the scale thing. Go into second life and try building a to scale house.  It just looks wrong. 

[CmdrSlack]

Regarding the scale thing. Go into second life and try building a to scale house.  It just looks wrong.  

This. I used to build custom homes and whatnot for people (Yes, in SL). I'm not talking stupidhuge "clubs" or anything. You had to give a few extra meters to make the buildings work. My sense is that you don't really notice an 8 to 9' ceiling in RL, but you do in a third person view.

[Ghambit]

Most of the ships have wookie pilot/engineers, hence the height.

[Mazakiel]

My Inquisitor needs the extra room for his ego. 

[Riggswolfe]

I barely touched the space combat in beta but have made it part of my "rotation" in live. I've gotten two titles so far "flyboy" and "the pilot". I'm hoping there are more. I'm also a cybertech and hope to find some space upgrade recipes soon. I have an alt that is a slicer/investigator/diplomat and I think he'll be one of my sources of new recipes once I get rolling on him.

[Mazakiel]

It's part of my daily routine too.  I know that, when you break it down, it's a pretty straightforward rail-shooter, but it's an extremely satisfying one.  Getting to fly my ship in fleet actions, or dodging through asteroid fields, is just really awesome feeling. 

[Tannhauser]

I enjoy the space combat too.  Hopefully they'll add more and varied missions later.  It would cool if they could implement a Heroic 2+ mission or two.  Wish they would design some stuff for free flight and get off the rails, but I realize the ground component is the main game.

[ajax34i]

Regarding the scale thing. Go into second life and try building a to scale house.  It just looks wrong. 

I'll grant that there has to be space for the 3rd person camera (otherwise it will clip), but don't put buttons and control panels on the upper walls and in areas that the models cannot reach.  Put tv screens or whatever.   It really looks like they just shrunk the models, especially if you move your character next to one of the control consoles (it should be waist-high, not neck-high).  But anyway, pet peeve, let's move on.

[Merusk]

Could be just your ship.  The BH one is scaled appropriately for my avatar.

Then again he's also body type 4, one shy of beefalo, and there's a significant height difference between the last 2 and the first 3.

[PalmTrees]

I barely touched the space combat in beta but have made it part of my "rotation" in live. I've gotten two titles so far "flyboy" and "the pilot". I'm hoping there are more. I'm also a cybertech and hope to find some space upgrade recipes soon. I have an alt that is a slicer/investigator/diplomat and I think he'll be one of my sources of new recipes once I get rolling on him.

I've found many cheap grade 2 blue recipes on the auction house, in the 300-500 range on my server at any rate. Not sure what crew skill finds them, probably not under world trading as all I've ever gotten from those is armor craft recipes.

[Merusk]

TORHead says some of the schematics are found through slicing.   No idea where, because I certainly haven't seen anything beyond other tradeskill missions on the 100+ missions I've run.

[Tyrnan]

The very first slicing mission I sent Mako on earlier she came back with a blue grade 2 missile magazine recipe.

[luckton]

So that's where they're hiding the ship schematics.   

[Sky]

TORHead says some of the schematics are found through slicing.   No idea where, because I certainly haven't seen anything beyond other tradeskill missions on the 100+ missions I've run.

Underworld Trading has been a stingy bitch to me. I've pretty much kept my ship droid out on UT missions non-stop since I got him (why am I broke again?) and I've gotten ONE schematic.

[Fabricated]

If you need a reasonably canon reason for the ships being so big is that as far as I can recall every class' ship is a very very expensive, high end version of whatever class of ship it's supposed to be. More headroom/bunk space/etc would seem to be a reasonable perk of that.

[Draegan]

I've always done the daily flight mission, but last night I finally recovered from my "I just Bought Pilot Training" moment and bought some mods for my ships.  Essentially all grade 1 and 2 grade 3s for my blasters and it makes missions fuuuuuuuuuuun.

I got nearly a whole level last night just doing a mission or two inbetween slicing missions.

[Ghambit]

Truly the best xp grind in the game.  I'm actually trying not to exploit it much because tbh it's an easy way to stay grossly overleveled.
I'm wondering though, do the missions fall off and refresh slowly over time?

[luckton]

Truly the best xp grind in the game.  I'm actually trying not to exploit it much because tbh it's an easy way to stay grossly overleveled.
I'm wondering though, do the missions fall off and refresh slowly over time?

Yeah.  I just 28 this morning.  I got a fresh new escort mission to replace the very first one you get, and also a replacement for the station assault too.  Though the new station assault one really isn't 'new', unlike the new escort; it's the same station assault, except now the X-Wings are shielded, stuff hits harder and the station bits take a missile or two more now to blow up.

[Ghambit]

Truly the best xp grind in the game.  I'm actually trying not to exploit it much because tbh it's an easy way to stay grossly overleveled.
I'm wondering though, do the missions fall off and refresh slowly over time?

Yeah.  I just 28 this morning.  I got a fresh new escort mission to replace the very first one you get, and also a replacement for the station assault too.  Though the new station assault one really isn't 'new', unlike the new escort; it's the same station assault, except now the X-Wings are shielded, stuff hits harder and the station bits take a missile or two more now to blow up.

And there's the rub. m'kay.  So things are nice and frilly at first till reality sinks in; the dollhouse must be maintained or run along.

[luckton]

Meh, I wouldn't get too worked up.  It's still fun, and I welcome the challenge.  I actually almost lost the escort the first time through because they just start hyper-space dropping carriers left, right, up and down near the end