Re: Starfury FAQ
Even though the game is older, I'm new to it--I just discovered and bought it two weeks ago, and I've been hooked ever since.
When I first started playing, the suggestions in your strategy guide would have helped--I kept rushing into combat too quickly and getting demolished by single pirate destroyers. Eventually I stumbled my way through, running across many of the things you mention in the guide on my own. Currently I'm near the end of the 2nd campaign, flying an Abbidon battleship.
I read your guide all the way through this afternoon. I think you've done a great job so far. Since there is no other SF FAQ/walkthrough/guide in existence, I think this is a worthwhile thing to pursue, and I have a couple of suggestions for you:
First, here are a couple of additions you might want to make.
1. The star system map has a (relatively) hidden little waypoint feature that I've found to be tremendously helpful. When you toggle on the "show waypoint" option of the system map and then ctrl-left click anywhere on the map, it sets a waypoint that is then visible on the HUD, just like something you have targeted, only it is white. Using this feature, you don't have to worry about knowing the degree heading for the direction that you want to travel--just set the waypoint on top of wherever you want to go and fly toward it.
2. A tactic that can help when facing overwhelming odds is to fly to a planet/starbase with a spaceport to repair in the middle of combat. This almost feels like cheating, but--if you have the cash--it can make an otherwise impossible mission possible. Your time spent on the planet takes up no game time, so you can fly back to the battle to resume where you left off. The fact that looting your targets nets you a tremendous amount of money makes this tactic worthwhile as long as you don't have to do it too often--the most I spent on a repair was around $38,000 when my battleship was almost completely destroyed (I think I had rammed a small planet on accident and survived).
If you set your waypoint on top of the nearest planet with a spaceport, it makes it even easier--no struggling to get your bearings in the middle of a heated firefight. Just fly toward the waypoint, target the planet, and shuttle over.
This tactic doesn't always work if you're trying to complete a mission under a short deadline and the nearest spaceport is across the map--disengaging from combat, flying across the map, repairing yourself, and flying back to combat can eat up a lot of time.
3. When you start reaching higher levels, the engine rating for upper level quantum engines helps you save space in your larger ships--e.g., the battleship. How? The total speed you can fly = the engine rating for all of your engines added together divided by the number of engine spaces your ship has, limited by the maximum speed for a particular ship design. Since battleships have a top speed of 600 and have 9 engine slots, higher level quantum engines can allow you to retain the 600 average even though you might not be using all 9 slots. For example, my component level right now is 21, and I'm using 6 level 20 quantum engines, which saves 30 kt of space. This means that each engine has a rating of at least 900 (900*6=5400; 5400/9=600). I'd have to look in-game to see what the actual ratings are. Anyway, the extra engines are unnecessary (unless you want reserve engines in case your engines get damaged).
Additionally, there were a couple of things you wrote that didn't quite match up with my experiences so far:
1. Tachyon cannons made my life a whole lot easier early in the game. At some point you state that tachyon cannons don't become available until late in the game, but somehow I was able to get my paws on them quite early (in the neutral systems). Because of their ability to bypass shields and the fact that point defense cannons can't disrupt them, they were more valuable to me than any missle weapons. Throughout the game so far I've ignored all other weapons and focused solely on tachyon cannons. Although, after your discussion of toxic injectors, I think I may give those a try. My current battleship is equipped with 6 tachyon cannons (two front, two side, two back) and two graviton hellbore launchers in front.
2. From my experience (and I was only playing on normal, not expert or advanced) the medical bay wasn't so vital to my survival. There were a few times when enemy toxic injectors caught me off guard, but I was able to take out the ships carrying them quickly enough that I didn't die. Also, the fact that you can fly over to a spaceport and recover your crew instantaneously helps, too. I just haven't found that I've needed a medical bay.
3. Obviously the game was meant to be very flexible when it comes to ship loadouts, and I'd be interested to see some discussion about different strategies for equipping your ship and the difference it makes on gameplay/combat strategy. For example--near the end of your guide you mention that, by act 3, you want to start using shield regenerators, repair bays, etc. Well--I started using them as early as I could, i.e., as soon as I had a ship with a little room to spare for them (I think in my Terran Cruiser Mark III during act 1). But this brings up an interesting question. Is it better to spend the tonnage on shields/armor or "extra" componenets that boost your ship's stats (i.e., attack/defense rating, shield/armor/hull regen, etc.)?
For instance, my philosophy on ship equipping has been: after the basics, load up two cargo bays, and put on my tachyon cannons. Then load up the most useful stat-building components (anything that replenishes shields and hull, and anything that gives a boost to attack/defense OR lowers my target's attack/defense). Then load up nearly equal amounts sheilds/armor, putting heavier shields and armor in the front, and spreading the sides and back out evenly--this is because I prefer to use my front weapons, so my front is exposed to enemy fire more often than my sides and rear. With what's left I load some point defense cannons and heavy weapons, if I have room.
You make the point in your guide that the ships just seem too small--and you're right--but it really forces you to make interesting choices about how you build your ship, which is part of the fun of the game. Unless you mod it, you can never really attain the uber-ship that has everything. You always have to make choices.
Anyway, great job so far--I think this will help people that are just starting out with the game. Like I said, I wish I had seen it when I first started playing. :-)
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