New DW: Legends v1.7.0.3 Public Beta Available!

[feelotraveller]

Escaping takes time to initiate the drives (you spend this at cruise speed). If you give another order meantime you lose (re-zero) the time already spent charging the drives.

In ROTS I found giving the order to 'move to' something out of the system (can be a random point in space) in the direction your ship was facing gave best results. Though use common sense if you are facing your enemy.

Playing 1702 a day or so ago with computer automation on for all ships/fleets it handled it really well. Did not lose a single ship to monsters/pirates. One or two got a bit damaged but got away.

[sbach2o]

Fleeing ships definitely spend a certain amount of time during which they just flee. You can see when the hyper jump sequence has been initiated by the flashing speed indicator of the selected ship.

The problems I see with fleeing ships are (from memory, I don't have the game right before me):

* A fleeing ship doesn't go at full speed (not sure)?
* It just flees a certain amount of time, even when directly going into hyperspace would be the best course (which it is usually).
* A ship going for the hyper jump does so at half speed. This may be seen as technichal restriction, in which case a certain period of flight would actually make sense (trying to gain a distance). However, not being at full speed during flight rather spoils that.

Anyway, fleeing ships acting dumb or ineffective in many cases is almost the only way that most of those monsters can get in any kills at all.

ORIGINAL: feelotraveller

Playing 1702 a day or so ago with computer automation on for all ships/fleets it handled it really well. Did not lose a single ship to monsters/pirates. One or two got a bit damaged but got away.

This is my experience also. I just cannot stand it when I see how dumb the individual ships tend to act, even when it doesn't lead to fatalities.

I think it would be great, if a hyper jump sequence were always disrupted by a ship being damaged or even when shields receive a hit. This would make those pesky raider tactics the AI now seemingly likes to employ more costly (jump to mining station, kill, jump to the next, all while being pursued by a superior fleet). And if those Kaltors were smarter (i.e. not make a pirouette after having a few wacks at a fleeing ship), they could get in more kills.

[WoodMan]

It just flees a certain amount of time, even when directly going into hyperspace would be the best course (which it is usually).

According to the Tech tree it takes 14 seconds for a ship with the 1st type of hyperdrive to jump to hyperspace.  So logic dictates the first 14 seconds of its fleeing would be at sublight speeds.

[Brynder]

But you also can observe (at least could in ROTS) that while you are in the process of escaping (or aligning yourself towards the target while in peaceful evnironment) the visual cue of engines charging is also flashing in the speed bar. At least did for me. Well, not this time, buddy.

Also can't afford to let AI handle my explorers at the very least. I want to see for myself if a system has something interesting in it and if not... Well, no reason to cruise to the center of the sun to report completed mission nor to circle around the barren planets while somewhere out there is the way of the ancients/darkness, death ray or something else as good to be had. If the game had somekind of "system report on enter" and associated commands of either go for the goodies, baddies, sit tight or go for the next unexplored system - that'd be different story.

Now three scenarios for you to evaluate if there should be some improvement in this thing:

You are escaping a pirate with max speed 46, you yourself are cruise 18 sprint 36 with a functional hyperdrive of any kind. Would you: A) cruise at speed 18 NOT initiating the hyperdrive (as my ships seem to do most of the time). One did so for about a minute while the jolly pirate did what it's best at (counting seconds to jump it could have jumped to hyperspace four times in that time alone with the slowest hyperdrive). B) sprint at speed 36 to a safe distance, then drop to cruise speed and initiate the hyperdrive and off you go (would be stupid because the pirate is faster, but at least it'd show the ship's crew is TRYING to stay alive). C) would you just decide "heck they can pummel me for the 13 or so seconds it takes for this ship to initiate the hyperjump if I'm going to be safe after that - after all I've got shileds and armor" and start charging the hyperdrive right away.

There'd be option D) which would be to initiate the hyperjump - whilst continuing to cruise towards the vector you already are on and not think too much of where in the cold deep space are you going to end - as far as it's clearly out of the harms way. Of course the last would make most sense if we had also directional weaponmounts ("gee you sure have a lot of frontal laser fire coming at me but you are sluggish to turn, I'm going to cut right past you and then let's see if I'm getting out of here alive when you can't hit me anymore".

In ROTS at least the engine charged while you were cruising along and turning to escape as I said before. At least that's what I saw. In Legends I can only say that I know what I see and what I saw was that I didn't see it happen.

[sbach2o]

ORIGINAL: WoodMan

It just flees a certain amount of time, even when directly going into hyperspace would be the best course (which it is usually).

According to the Tech tree it takes 14 seconds for a ship with the 1st type of hyperdrive to jump to hyperspace.  So logic dictates the first 14 seconds of its fleeing would be at sublight speeds.

I rather took the flashing speed indicator as a sign that a ship is initiating a hyper jump. I do not know this to be a fact, but am assuming this. I also think this to be true, unless refuted by someone with inside knowledge. So, if I am right, fleeing ships do not ever initiate a hyper jump right away.

[WoodMan]

Just tested myself and you are correct, it doesn't initiate hyperjump immediately and doesn't move at sprint speed.  But when you said this:

* It just flees a certain amount of time, even when directly going into hyperspace would be the best course (which it is usually).

I thought you didn't know about the initiation of hyperdrive taking 10 seconds+.

I agree when a escape order is given it should start the hyperdrive initiation immediately and move at sprint speed (if its possible to initiate hyperdrive at sprint speed, to be honest i've no idea about this).

However, just jumping straight to hyperspace is not possible, but yes it should be activated and the countdown start right away.

[ASHBERY76]

Is this the final beta update for the weekend? I would like to know before I start an epic new game.

[Erik Rutins]

Nope, one more update coming today.

Regards,

- Erik

[comsolut]

Please add the warning that it deletes your previously saved games!

[Data]

It doesn't, it just creates another folder for them....check in your Documents and Settings, under your profile...search for Code Force or Distant Worlds, dive in and find all of them.

[Bingeling]

Or rather. When you load a save, notice you can go "up a folder". And in one of those other folders you will find your save game, which depends on which version you started the savegame in.

[comsolut]

Thank you. Found the folder. Not seen that with other Matrix games before.

[MasterChief]

Yeah I restarted for each beta patch because I couldn't find my saved game from the previous patch. I know where to go now though [8|]

[tgb]

But is it compatible with saved games?

[Erik Rutins]

Yes, every update since release has been compatible with previous saved games. If we have to break compatibility, we'll let you know.

Regards,

- Erik