Odd things in game I'm wondering about

Bralth · Post by **Bralth** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:10 am

I'm old and my first game like this was Elite, so when I saw that there was an indy game of the same genre I had to jump at it.

There are a couple of quirky things though that I can't quite figure out and I don't know if its because I'm new or the game is still being developed.

Mining: I started out mining and quickly figured it out. Its not difficult I know. I was making boatloads of money, and all was well but it just doesn't make sense. It seems the asteroids don't really matter, especially once you get a mining beam for plat (or diamonds). The only issue then is local price. You don't need an asteroid field, you don't have to hunt for a high yield asteroid, you just find one, sit there, fill your hold, sell, warp back and repeat. Same asteroid.

Added compared to missions, mining will produce far more cash at far less chance of loss. I can sell 25 plat for 120k+ and in the same system the best mission fighting 5 fighters would be 80k. Being how little time it takes to mine 25 plat with a plat laser, it doesn't make sense from an economic stand point. Why are people paying that much for stuff thats obviously very abundant.

The prices themselves are just randomized based on the local area. The news feed for one system I was in said plat was in high demand price was about 1120 a unit. I jump one system over and it says its in low demand, price 5500 a unit.

Commodities: Seems to sell for less than the raw materials. No point in being a trader.

Hostile systems: I can't really see what makes one system like me and another want to kill me. Being escape with your fulcrum drive is very easy its not a life or death issue usually, its just a "why do they hate me?".

Afterburner drive: This most likely doesn't belong here in this post but just an observation. It uses energy I get that, but while my max speed is close to 4k or so without it, with it, it runs out of energy and then I'm done at about 2k. If it made your ship accelerate faster but switched over to standard AB when it was done that would be good. This is just a waste of a slot unless I'm missing something.

Well I'll continue to explore!

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:31 am

Hi Bralth, mining is how most of us got our start. Trading comes in after you have a good supply of money so you can buy and sell things that (higher priced) have a better margin of profit. Trading is most about finding what to sell to whom. I believe you are right about the afterburner drive for common use but it does have a use.

Busch · Post by **Busch** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:05 am

Yo Bralth! Welcome to the game/sim and forum. Ya, TBird's got it. Mining, trading, finding that right combination is what's been wired into the game environment. True, one doesn't have to fight the Vonari, or do the kill-contracts and anti-pirate contracts outside the war and conflict zones. It just depends on what you want to do, and the frame you fly, and the gun/laser/missile combos, and etc. ad nauseum. It's all your choice! Admittedly though, there are parameters within the game environment itself. Learn those and use them to your advantage. Start with completing the basic IMG quest missions. And please don't be afraid to ask for help on some of them. You'll know which ones, when ya see 'em. There's lots of more experienced pilots a-flight, who've actually completed that Quest (!), and would be very helpful if approached.

Post by **Marvin** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 5:42 am

From post: 125411, Topic: tid=8494, author=Bralth wrote:Hostile systems: I can't really see what makes one system like me and another want to kill me. Being escape with your fulcrum drive is very easy its not a life or death issue usually, its just a "why do they hate me?".

Mostly because the hostile systems are full of Federation pilots ... and you're an Alliance pilot. Hatfields and McCoys.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:02 am

LOL...Marv......

:P:P:P:P:P

Hi Bralth, welcome to the game and forum...Hope to see you out there some time!.....

Also about that mining of platinum still can take a long time even with a Platinum mining beam unless you find an astroid field or cave that is pure platinum and they are out there and you can mine them much faster with the platinum mining beam then a regular astroid and/or regular mining beam! So there are treasures to be found and to explore!.....

[Edited on 1-23-2012 by Maarschalk]

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:07 am

Hi and welcome Bralth.

Hope to see you in MP!;)

Flying Brick · Post by **Flying Brick** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:33 am

Hi Bralth, and welcome!

In addition to what the guys have already explained, I'll try to shed a bit more light on some issues.

First, about the profitability of mining: yes, it's quite profitable in the beginning. You'll see later on that it pales in comparison to other money-making methods (trading). Let's just say orders of magnitude.

Second, mission payoff, and a few other costs in the game, scale with your - wealth, or civilian rank (not sure which of the two, but they're directly connected, so it's all the same). In other words, as you make more money and/or increase your civilian rank, missions will give you more and more money - measured in hundreds of k (and maybe more, that's where I am right now).

Third: prices for metals vary in two ways: first, within a given system, there will naturally be some random oscillation of prices around a base value (think various local events that increase or decrease demand - you can find those events in the news console, F3). Second, across systems, metals are more or less valuable depending on the type of the system and planets around - you can find out about this also in the news console/system information, F3 default key.
For instance, metals will probably not be very valuable in backward agricultural systems, but may be very valuable in industrial or hi-tech systems.

Commodities: you can combine some of these in constructor stations, and make even more money from the finished product...

Hostile systems: this all ties in with the Evochron universe history, the Alliance and Federation, etc. If you're Alliance, then you'll be hated in Federation systems, and vice-versa.
Note that in SP, you can actually change your reputation in a system so they're no longer hostile towards you - but it takes a looong time...

Finally, afterburner-related issues.
Your max speed is 10k or more (never bothered to try, but search around for reports). You can't reach that in IDS mode, but you can accelerate forever in inertial mode.
The purpose of the afterburner is a bit different - the whole point is to get a _temporary_ burst, usually to help get you out of a hot spot, or when you're gliding towards your target and want to reach it a few seconds faster, since your regular thrusters accelerate veeeery slooooowly...
So, it's not intended to help you reach max speeds - you can do that in inertial mode, and fly as fast as you want, without afterburner.

Hope this clarifies a few things, welcome again and enjoy the game!

mikeuk · Post by **mikeuk** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:55 am

Welcome Bralth from an old Elite pilot, see you out there;)

Rubber Chicken · Post by **Rubber Chicken** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:37 am

Welcome to the Sim! Don't worry about being 'old'! I stared gaming with original NES. My first flight sim was Microsoft Flight Simulator version 1. My first space combat sim was original Wing Commander + expansion packs.

I haven't done much mining lately, but it seems that the news console is somewhat localized to the planets in the system.

For example if you read the planet Sapphire news then jump to planet Rivoch in Sapphire System you will find the prices to be much different. Also the prices are fluid so they may change while you are in process of jumping there.

As for AI, the reputation you have with different factions is also localized to the System. The Sapphire Navy might love you, But the Aries Navy hates everybody! Also If you're in a system that the - for example - Navy is friendly and you see a Red Navy ship, it may have jumped in from a system that the Navy is currently hostile to you. Either that or another player was shooting at Greens and they got ticked! Usually if ALL players in the system leave then return the hostile ships will reset to a friendly stance. Once a player ticks off a Green, the AI doesn't discriminate about who it wants revenge on!

Hope this helps. See you out there!

Bralth · Post by **Bralth** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:55 pm

Thanks for the welcomes and replies.

I'm still figuring out the ins and outs, the lack of documentation doesn't help but its understandable with the on going development.

Flying Brick · Post by **Flying Brick** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:04 am

Bralth, if you have specific questions, I encourage you to ask - a lot of folks have been playing these games for a long time, and should be able to answer pretty much anything you might throw at them.
On the more general side, take a look at http://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegen ... lguide.htm - it's the guide for a previous Evochron game, but most stuff is still valid, and a lot of topics are covered in great detail.

For specific issues - ask away, it's much better than getting frustrated on your own! We'll be frustrated as a group!

BraveHart · Post by **BraveHart** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:19 am

"Welcome Aboard Old timer Bralth"...from one old timer to another. I hope to see you online in MP oneday

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:34 am

Again, I must put in a plug for SeeJay's website: http://evochron.junholt.se/

Especially the Tutorials.