Topic: SFC:Orion Pirates Patch 2.5.4.10 (Thats Two.Five.Four.Ten) Now Available!  (Read 12094 times)

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Walleye

  • Guest
Big thanks to Dave and all the testers.

I don't know where we would be without you.

<><
 

Tumulorum Fossor

  • Guest
Scipio--

I could be wrong here, but I THINK Corbo was questioning not whether a plasma torp could HIT a cloaking vessel, but whether a plasma torp FIRED by a vessel which THEN subsequently turns on its cloak would lose its tracking.

I THINK in the patch as it stands that the plasma torp LOSES tracking if the firing vessel completes its cloak fade-in before the torp connects with the targetted vessel... but I haven't tried it.

IIRC, that method would be incorrect as compared to SFB [duck for cover!].  The plasma torp has its own lock-on mechanism and does not need the firing ship to maintain lock-on (which the firing ship would LOSE once it cloaked... Can't cloak and ping targets at the same time, can we ? ), so although the plasma ship CLOAKED and lost lock-on to the targetted ship, the plasma should keep on flying towards the target.  That, at least, is how I recall it.

Now, lest this be misconstrued as berating of the patch...
...HECK NO!!!! I can't believe how much this patch made my day!  I think this seeking weapon thing (I hesitate to even call it an 'issue') PALES in comparison to prepatch cloak.  This will totally redefine how I use the cloaking device in SFC (which had been 'not at all' )!

But Scipio, your post did make me wonder: is the ECM Yo-yo actually implimented in SFC?  I thought it wasn't, but I'm not sure. (NOT NITPICKING! JUST AN ACADEMIC/TACTICAL SFC QUESTION!)

Thanks, again, DF and Testers!

-TF
« Last Edit: July 17, 2003, 09:09:58 pm by Tumulorum Fossor »

FireSoul

  • Guest
why don't you go test it yourself?

Tumulorum Fossor

  • Guest
FireSoul:

Just tested it the "firing plasma when cloaked... is lock-on to the targetted ship by the launched plasma lost after fade-out of the firing ship" question.

Three words: Colon, Right Parantheses.

aka  

Great job, guys!  And getting greater the more I play it!



-TF

NCC2012

  • Guest
If I wasn't at work right now I'd download it immediately.  

Thank you very much for the patch!  

Rhaz

  • Guest
Awesome news.  Thanks to all who are keeping OP alive!

TarMinyatur

  • Guest
Hmm, cloak now really makes disruptors and hellbores ineffective. They do not do damage based on true range (as they should when using the cloak chart).  They still use the effective range (R*2 + 5) for hit% and damage. ECM still apparently works to benefit a fully cloaked vessel (though it is unlikely to have the energy to overcome the enemy's ECCM, but it is possible).

So a typical R0 attack now does:

OL Dizzy (83% accuracy vs no shift)
33% do 6 *
33% do 3
33% do 1

OL Hellore (72% accuracy vs no shift)
33% do 19*
33% do 9
33% do 4

OL Photon (50% accuracy vs no shift)
33% do 16*
33% do 8
33% do 4

* pre 2.5.4.10 this is 100%

...for comparison

SFB OL Dizzy (83% accuracy w/ UIM, ECM shift always ignored)
33% do 10
33% do 5
33% do 2

SFB OL Hellbore (72% accuracy, ECM shift always ignored)
33% do 30
33% do 15
33% do 7

SFB OL Photon (50% accuracy, ECM shift always ignored)
33% do 16
33% do 8
33% do 4

Draw any conclusions you wish from that.

Phaser-1's are apparently less devastating at R0 as they ought to be:

EDIT: The following does not appear to be true

Initial Damage; Expected Cloak chart outcomes
16%: 5; 5, 2, 1
16%: 4; 4, 2, 1
16%: 4; 4, 2, 1
16%: 3; 3, 1, 0
16%: 3; 3, 1, 0
16%: 2; 2, 1, 0

All this means is that the average damage per Ph-1 is now just 1.83 (assuming no ECM shift!)
They used to do 3.5 damage. This is a huge change. Take 8 Ph-1's on a G-BCH drilling a cloaked R-NHK on a high speed overrun for example:

Pre-patch: 8*3.5 = 28, which puts a big dent in any shield
Now: 8*1.83 = 14.6, which isn't too bad

EDIT: I'm gathering data. Something isn't right with Phasers vs cloak. The damage is too high.

The immediate disappearance of all seeking weapons targeted on a cloaked ship is really generous. I think that missiles and plasma should still have a chance to lock on (though lower than before). There is now no drama in wondering if you'll shake them off before they hit. It's count to 5 mississippi...blip...all incoming warheads gone.

The SFC cloak is reportedly defensively better than the SFB version in this final patch. If Roms could use WTACs to remain manuverable then they could save some badly needed energy instead of moving at speed 10 to keep a good turn rate while under the massive drain from the cloaking device.

The future looks bright for the Romulan Empire and the Orions. (or maybe not)  
« Last Edit: July 18, 2003, 06:52:46 pm by TarMinyatur »

Cleaven

  • Guest
How does the proxy/cloak relationship work out?  

The_Harv

  • Guest
Thanks for the patch!  It really shows your dedication.  

TarMinyatur

  • Guest
I need to regather data but I'm pretty certain Proximity Photons use the effective range to determine hit% as they always have.

True range: Effective range (R*2 + 5): Hit%

8: 21: cannot be fired
9: 23: 67%
12: 29: 67%
13: 31: 33%
23: 51: 0% (?)
55: 115: 0% (?)

If they hit, they go through the cloak chart:

33% do 4
33% do 2
33% do 1

Up to now they'd do 4 every time.

I also noticed that Erratics don't lower your HET success by 33% as they do in EAW. This isn't a big deal but it is a bug.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2003, 07:47:37 am by TarMinyatur »

MagnumMan

  • Guest
I know the feeling, well, kind of.

David Ferrell

  • Guest
There is a chance that seekers will maintain lock, using an approximation
of the SFB rules.

Thanks,

Dave  

Dogmatix!

  • Guest
Quote:

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts on the release of the OP
patch.

I am not asking you to send any special thank yous, that is up to you ( and
might get me into more trouble than it is worth <imagines Paramount looking
for their cut> ).

I really appreciate all the cool posts I have read here today, that makes
it all worth it.  SFC has been a labor of love for me and getting the game
in to a really cool state has been satisfying.  Working with a commited
group of testers has been very nice and their help has been priceless.

I'll sign off now before I start sobbing like a baby.

Dave  




Heheh..."Thank You" note sent.  Again...thank's for the work doen by yourself and the beta testers.  I'm genuinely excited to see a chance for OP to come off life support and live a normal, productive life...heheh.



 

Tumulorum Fossor

  • Guest
 
Quote:

 There is a chance that seekers will maintain lock, using an approximation
of the SFB rules.

Thanks,

Dave
 





That's awesome!  The more one plays, the more one has to appreciate this patch!

Orion PIrates ROCKS!

...ahem...
...uh...
...Carry on.


-TF

TarMinyatur

  • Guest
Quote:

There is a chance that seekers will maintain lock, using an approximation
of the SFB rules.

Thanks,

Dave  




Well, I'll take my foot out of my mouth, now. That's fantastic.

OP Four Ten makes EAW totally obsolete. I'll have to scour the bargain bins for extra copies of OP. (They'll be free to anyone who installs the SW specs. )

=====

SFC2 Shipwrights

3dot14

  • Guest
Quote:

There is a chance that seekers will maintain lock, using an approximation
of the SFB rules.

Thanks,

Dave  



Wowsers, even I didn't know that! (all seekers faded during my playing)

Cool

David Ferrell

  • Guest
It's at least a theoretical chance.  Looking at the numbers the firing ship
would have to be close and the cloaker's speed high.

Thanks,

Dave  

Cleaven

  • Guest
I have been hit after the usual lock loss time, but I couldn't replicate it so I stopped trying. So I guess I wasn't seeing things after all.  

MarianoDT

  • Guest
Thanks for the patch. !!!  
I will reinstall OP this weekend. After months of playing SFC3, it will be a mayor change.....

Mariano

To all at Taldren....Live long and Prosper.!!!

   

RogueJedi_XC

  • Guest
Mariano, get ready to get your butt handed to you by the AI. Happened to me so often in the last two days I felt like a total newbie.

2.5.4.10 kicks ass, guys! Thanks!