Topic: A couple of surprises for an old geezer

[Mr.Bad151]

After having just returned to SFC I was surprised by a couple of things.  First I was surprised to find that there was really a community sanctioned mod.  A mod that the majority of servers use.  Unless that is what 4.0 is, but I kinda under the impression that is just a starting point, and the list of campaigns are simply ship list changes.  Seems to me that a single sanctioned mod would make it much easier for newbies to get started and old timers (like myself) to come back to the game.  I would think is would also help unify the community as a whole.. StarTrek lovers and those who just want to blow stuff up, as well as make community events easier to organize.  I'm not saying there couldn't be or shouldn't be other mods, I'm just saying there should be one mod a person can download that they can be reasonable certain that the next campaign will be using it.. or even they log onto Gamespy they won't have the wrong mod installed.  Last night I logged on to Gamespy, a couple of locked rooms were using 4.0.. all the unlocked rooms were using UAW and a UAW tourney was about to start.. So I asked which most of the players were using these days.. 4.0 or UAW.. the answer was 4.0   

Which leads me to my next surprise...  I found it surprising that no one has ever stepped up and filled the shoes of Star Lance.  Back in the days before D2, Star Lance was HUGE..  If you logged onto Mpig most of the rooms were people looking for SL games....  Most of the fleets got their start back then.  Is there no replacement for Star Lance because people are afraid it would draw pilots away from D2?

[FPF-Tobin Dax]

The replacement for SL has come and gone. (gamerZ) CUGS is the current ladder with a couple of hundred signed up, but only really 75 or so active players. www.wgleague.com

When starlance went kaput, there were only 1,000 or so of the 5,000 listed that were still active. Now look at 75 active ladder players after 6 years of starfleet command. Why the surprise after 6 years?

I doubt there is little fear of ladder drawing away d2 pilots. The last 1 to 2 years has seen the reverse with former ladder players like myself finding d2, to keep enjoying the game. When a campaign is running, it's nice to be able to log onto the server any time of day and play instead of sitting on GSA hoping that one of several dozen ladder players might actually show up and want to play a league game.  Down time between servers can be hard on the most addicted, but at least there's none of the old posturing and negotiating garbage over battle terms.  Anyone for 185 late? 

 

[Ronin]

TobinDax, you old Fed camper... give me 220 late and you are on! ;-)

Mr. Bad,

When BK folded SL there were two contenders for a replacement league. First out of the chute was the Gaterunner League, followed shortly by GamerZ. Many of us were around in late '99 for the beginning of SL. I was an iCoP, if that means anything to you. And many of us were hurt when SL went the way of the dodo. Some in the community had actually even given money to keep SL going, only to have the doors closed without any real warning.

Of the two leagues that followed GamerZ had a better set of rules and most of those who remained playing the game ended up there. But after a few years of listening to people complain no matter what they did they decided to pull the plug on the traditional ladder league. And then the Divisional ladder was born. 3v3 battles using a rule set designed for such, which became in time the Patrol Battle Rules for SFC.

Numerous mods have come and gone, but Firesoul's creations stood the test of time and most who play here in Dyna or the Divisional league use that mod. It is, in a word, great. In addition, Pestalence has recently supplied something to reduce lag in game (which I believe he ported in from SFC3, which was designed on the SFCOP platform.)

So, there has been a lot going on while you were gone. And things have evolved. Most of us are here enjoying the Dyna and the Divisional league. I hope you will find something to keep you interested and playing here.

Respects,

[FPF-Tobin Dax]

...hmm KCR vs DN+ at 220? Does the DN+ still get 8 shuttles?  I think 145 late would be better Admiral.

[Mr.Bad151]

Thank you very much for your reply Ronin.

 Don't get me wrong, I am not coming back thinking I am going to dominate the ladder system.  I figured that would be a good way to knock off the rust, learn the ships and get a general idea of my comparitive skill.  I don't want to join a campaign and risk VP points while I am relearning to play.  I'd rather go 0-100 on a ladder system then lose a few VP's for my race during a campaign.

[Doctor Lazarus]

Try not to worry about losing points and have some fun. Flying as often as possible with a live wing should help with the rust and make it more fun.

[Julin Eurthyr]

Thank you very much for your reply Ronin.

 Don't get me wrong, I am not coming back thinking I am going to dominate the ladder system.  I figured that would be a good way to knock off the rust, learn the ships and get a general idea of my comparitive skill.  I don't want to join a campaign and risk VP points while I am relearning to play.  I'd rather go 0-100 on a ladder system then lose a few VP's for my race during a campaign.

Typically, not every ship is a VP ship.  It all depends on the rules.

Come on out and fly a few for the team.  You might be surprised on how much you remember...

[Ronin]

...hmm KCR vs DN+ at 220? Does the DN+ still get 8 shuttles?  I think 145 late would be better Admiral.

Hmm... the old CLC entrenchment maneouver, eh? 175 late. ;-)

Ronin

[Ronin]

Thank you very much for your reply Ronin.

 Don't get me wrong, I am not coming back thinking I am going to dominate the ladder system.  I figured that would be a good way to knock off the rust, learn the ships and get a general idea of my comparitive skill.  I don't want to join a campaign and risk VP points while I am relearning to play.  I'd rather go 0-100 on a ladder system then lose a few VP's for my race during a campaign.

Mr. Bad...

One thing that took me a while to understand about Dyna is this... most ships are worth nothing to your side of the war. The cost of a loss is yours to bear alone. And the ones that would be worth VC are generally assigned by those in charge based on who actually wants them. So you would have little to worry about. I am positive that, no matter which side of a conflict you opted to participate on, you would be a welcome addition and that you would soon find yourself a part of a brotherhood of sorts.

The competition here is fierce. But no one will beat you up for losing a battle. Hell, we all lose, right? If you keep an eye open here on this forum you will be kept abreast of any upcoming Dyna's as well as having access to installers that will install the files you will need (assuming you are patched to the last patch and have Firesouls' 4.0 Shiplist installed already) which you can simply uninstall when the Dyna is over.

Hoping to cross swords (or to fight alongside) you sometime soon...

Ronin