Sorry for the newbie questions but...

[Shoujo]

...I have to ask. I used to play SE IV, but quit just as Gold came out. While I wait for my copy of Gold to arrive I've been digging around the forums in an effort to find out how the game has changed. I apologize in advance if the answers to my questions are going to be in the manual, but being the type of person that I am I've already started daydreaming about the kind of race/strategy I hope to use once I get my grubby hands on Gold. Well thanks in advance.

1) The patch readme mentioned something about damage types. Is this the same thing as damage engines, shields, weapons, etc? Or is there some entirely new system?

2) I've been seeing a few threads about emissive armor, but most of them had too many numbers and tables for my liking (I'm not a math person). In a nutshell does Gold make emissive armor useful? Are they the all-purpose armor, or does regular armor III still have a use?

3) One thread mentioned how Meson bLasters and Torpedoes were viable candidates for the early game. Back when I used to lurk around these forums regularly, these weapons were hardly ever mentioned. Has something been changed about these weapons to make them more useful? I've always preferred DUCs in the early game... What reasons would I have to switch to Meson BLasters? (Torpedoes get a +hit. Fact or rumor?)

4) What good are drones? I'm probably not looking in the right threads, but drones don't seem to be mentioned very often. Uses I've read about: mix in with fighters/missles, use as early attack ships. What's their tonnage?

5) Has crystal tech been given a boost of any sorts to bring it up to par with the other racial techs?

6) Two fairly long threads talked about the horrors of playing against players using the Talisman. Hopefully, PBW hasn't suddenly become filled with Talisman Users... Roughly, what percentage of PBW players use the Talisman?

7) Is the Allegiance Subverter & Computer Virus combo still as nasty as it was pre-Gold?

8) Do seekers and fighters have a place in a fleet, or are they generally still considered PD fodder?

9) Gold supposedly adds new stellar phenomena (or is it -non?). Do these significantly alter gameplay in any way?

10) WPs get better range? Are they useful now as planetary defense?

11) For a non-organic race, is there any reason to not decrease farming when making a race?

[Phoenix-D]

"1) The patch readme mentioned something about damage types. Is this the same thing as damage engines, shields, weapons, etc? Or is there some entirely new system?"

No need to concern yourself with this unless you're a modder/playing a mod. The patch added new damage types. (half, quarter, double damage to shields)

:2) I've been seeing a few threads about emissive armor, but most of them had too many numbers and tables for my liking (I'm not a math person). In a nutshell does Gold make emissive armor useful? Are they the all-purpose armor, or does regular armor III still have a use?"

Regular armor has a use; it's cheaper. Emissive is much more expensive both to research and use.

"3) One thread mentioned how Meson bLasters and Torpedoes were viable candidates for the early game. Back when I used to lurk around these forums regularly, these weapons were hardly ever mentioned. Has something been changed about these weapons to make them more useful? I've always preferred DUCs in the early game... What reasons would I have to switch to Meson BLasters? (Torpedoes get a +hit. Fact or rumor?)"

Torps do NOT get a + to hit in the standard game. These weapons are attractive early-game (esp. mesons) because they are really cheap compared to the APB, and pack a decent punch. DUCs are even cheaper but are rather ineffective.

"4) What good are drones? I'm probably not looking in the right threads, but drones don't seem to be mentioned very often. Uses I've read about: mix in with fighters/missles, use as early attack ships. What's their tonnage?"

Drones are pretty big; around 100kt. They're stored and launched like fighters, but built like ships. Very expensive in the standard game, and they're one-shot attack only weapons; once they're launched they cannot be recovered and can only be given attack (not move) orders.

"5) Has crystal tech been given a boost of any sorts to bring it up to par with the other racial techs?"

No boost. However, two words: crystalline armor.

"6) Two fairly long threads talked about the horrors of playing against players using the Talisman. Hopefully, PBW hasn't suddenly become filled with Talisman Users... Roughly, what percentage of PBW players use the Talisman?"

Dunno.

"7) Is the Allegiance Subverter & Computer Virus combo still as nasty as it was pre-Gold?"

Same as before. Only with drones you now have another option to counter with.

"8) Do seekers and fighters have a place in a fleet, or are they generally still considered PD fodder?"

PD fodder except in larger numbers and/or paired with drones. Since drones use standard ship components and are fired on by PD, they make really good PD sponges.

"9) Gold supposedly adds new stellar phenomena (or is it -non?). Do these significantly alter gameplay in any way?"

No. Not in the unmodded game.

"10) WPs get better range? Are they useful now as planetary defense?"

Very much so. Even in 1.49 they are IMO.

"11) For a non-organic race, is there any reason to not decrease farming when making a race?"

Not really.

Phoenix-D

[Ragnarok]

"6) Two fairly long threads talked about the horrors of playing against players using the Talisman. Hopefully, PBW hasn't suddenly become filled with Talisman Users... Roughly, what percentage of PBW players use the Talisman?"

"Dunno."

I'm not for sure about this. But I'd venture to say that almost 50% of PBW players use it. Although I have a feeling that's going to be dropping a little bit. People are starting to figure out how to beat the talisman, thus the people playing with the talisman will see that it's starting to become a waste of resources and racial points as it's not becoming as effective as before. Although it's still great to have, you never miss. But from those threads that you've seen you can make it so you hardly ever miss without the talisman as well. Load up on fleet exp. and combat sensors and ship exp. Many ways to get up to like a 95% chance to hit. That's plenty chance to hit a ship.

[javaslinger]

There are some great questions in here! Is this the best you pros can do??

[Ragnarok]

"Is this the best you pros can do??"

Well I don't consider myself a pro at answering questions yet so I can't say. But for me that's the best I could do yes.

[Lord_Shleepy]

.........[quote]............
Originally posted by Shoujo:
9) Gold supposedly adds new stellar phenomena (or is it -non?). Do these significantly alter gameplay in any way?
.........[quote]............

** Lord_Shleepy strides behind an annoyingly overexcited Lieutenant as he tours his newly constructed MondoCruiser...trying in vain to remember the chattering fool's name and why he wasn't enjoying a nice mid afternoon nap. **

Lt. Fool: "And through the main viewport on the left you may catch a glimpse of the magnificent Omega Growth...a gigantic system eating organic parasite that..." [Continues yammering ad infinitum]

Lord_Shleepy: "Ooooh...Aaaaah....lovely."

**Lord_Shleepy stares at the gigantic greenish glob in fascination for a few moments...temporarily mesmerized by the swirling strands of goo...becomes rapidly bored, flushes the Lieutenant throught the nearest airlock, lets forth a satisfied sigh, and shuffles back to his shuttle pod for a quick snooze**

Answer: No...they don't do much...but they're perdy.