Topic: SFC1

[candle_86]

I didnt see a board for the original classic, and this seems to be the only active SFC board anywhere.  Did anyone release a script to make photons more accurate in the game, playing early game federation, I can get my butt kicked in a CA by a Klingon K5 because of his missles, if my Photons miss every shot. And pointblank wont work, I take spalsh damage and lower my own shields

[Lieutenant_Q]

Four things: 
First know the range brackets for your Photons.  Photons always hit from range 0-1 but as you've noticed, you will take feedback damage to your shields.  Out to 2 you have a 5 in 6 chance of hitting.  Out to 4 you have a 2 in 3 chance of hitting, and out to 8 you have a 50/50 chance.  Out to 12 you have a 1 in 3 chance of hitting, and then out to 30 to have a 1 in 6.

Second, you have alternate weapon modes for your Photons.  Which are available on the MFD for the torpedos.  The first Weapon mode is overload, which double the damage of the photon, but double the power requirements for them.  The hit profile is exactly the same as the standard Photon, except if will not fire beyond range 8.99 (which for game terms is 8 ).  The second is Proximity.  These are the same type of warhead as the standard Photon (same power requirements) but does half the damage on impact.  They cannot be fired inside of range 8, but do have a 2 in 3 chance of hitting out to range 12, a 50/50 chance out to range 30, and a 1 in 3 chance out to range 55.

Third, Photons are VERY vulnerable to ECM.  If the F5 has a 1 point ECM shift, you basically now have 1 in 6 chance of missing at point blank, and a 1 in 3 chance of missing at range 2.  The odds steadily decline in his favor.  If he gets a 2 point ECM shift, you might as well not fire the photons.  (you can still hit, but the odds become even worse for you)  Try to counter his ECM with ECCM of your own, using the EW panel.  The MFD panel right below your sheild panel.

Fourth,  His missiles (drones) will always hit, but unlike your Photons, you can shoot down or even hold those missiles away from you.  When he fires his Missiles, use the 'V' button to toggle your tractor beams to defend you.  These tractors will grab the incoming missiles and hold them away from you, while your Phasers recycle to destroy them.  If you have a Phaser bank standing by when the missiles get within range one, the Phasers will automatically shoot at them to attempt to destroy them.  And unless they are Mark IV Missiles, one Phaser shot is usually enough.  Your CA will have 2 defensive Tractors.  Now, a problem that they fixed in SFC2, but is still present in SFC1, the V key only activates your tractors (in SFC2 the V key is a toggle).  To get your power back you have to go to the defense panel and turn off your defensive tractors.

Hope that helps.

Edited... darn sunglasses smiley, who the heck thought that smiley was a good idea, I always seem to end my parenthetical notations with an 8...

[Roychipoqua_Mace]

Photons aren't all that accurate, but that's to balance them against their crunch power. Try playing on Captain AI level (the enemy uses ECM at that level, at least in SFC2) for a little while, just so you won't have to worry about ECM/ECCM for the time being.

Photons are best at range 4 (hit 67% of the time) and range 2 (83%), and you won't get feedback damage at either range. Normals or overloads will more than down one of the Klingon's shields, so you can hopefully close to range 0 and fire all your ph-1 into his downed shield. If you are playing single player, you can fire and issue orders while paused to get the timing right.

Actually, Taldren did "tweak" the photons in SFC2, but that only raised the hit chances with proximity photons, not normals or overloads.

Darn, Lt_Q beat me! 

[candle_86]

Four things: 
First know the range brackets for your Photons.  Photons always hit from range 0-1 but as you've noticed, you will take feedback damage to your shields.  Out to 2 you have a 5 in 6 chance of hitting.  Out to 4 you have a 2 in 3 chance of hitting, and out to 8 you have a 50/50 chance.  Out to 12 you have a 1 in 3 chance of hitting, and then out to 30 to have a 1 in 6.

Second, you have alternate weapon modes for your Photons.  Which are available on the MFD for the torpedos.  The first Weapon mode is overload, which double the damage of the photon, but double the power requirements for them.  The hit profile is exactly the same as the standard Photon, except if will not fire beyond range 8.99 (which for game terms is 8 ).  The second is Proximity.  These are the same type of warhead as the standard Photon (same power requirements) but does half the damage on impact.  They cannot be fired inside of range 8, but do have a 2 in 3 chance of hitting out to range 12, a 50/50 chance out to range 30, and a 1 in 3 chance out to range 55.

Third, Photons are VERY vulnerable to ECM.  If the F5 has a 1 point ECM shift, you basically now have 1 in 6 chance of missing at point blank, and a 1 in 3 chance of missing at range 2.  The odds steadily decline in his favor.  If he gets a 2 point ECM shift, you might as well not fire the photons.  (you can still hit, but the odds become even worse for you)  Try to counter his ECM with ECCM of your own, using the EW panel.  The MFD panel right below your sheild panel.

Fourth,  His missiles (drones) will always hit, but unlike your Photons, you can shoot down or even hold those missiles away from you.  When he fires his Missiles, use the 'V' button to toggle your tractor beams to defend you.  These tractors will grab the incoming missiles and hold them away from you, while your Phasers recycle to destroy them.  If you have a Phaser bank standing by when the missiles get within range one, the Phasers will automatically shoot at them to attempt to destroy them.  And unless they are Mark IV Missiles, one Phaser shot is usually enough.  Your CA will have 2 defensive Tractors.  Now, a problem that they fixed in SFC2, but is still present in SFC1, the V key only activates your tractors (in SFC2 the V key is a toggle).  To get your power back you have to go to the defense panel and turn off your defensive tractors.

Hope that helps.

Edited... darn sunglasses smiley, who the heck thought that smiley was a good idea, I always seem to end my parenthetical notations with an 8...

ty for that, I used to play SFC all the time skirmish and campign but that was along time ago. I last played back in 2002 lol. I missed SFC2, OP and 3, and seeing the cost on ebay don't think I will buy them now. Its amazing what you forget when you dont play for 7 years lol. Thank you for the ECCM tip, I prolly could have looked at the book I got with the game, Its gold edition, but wasnt sure where to look anymore.

On a side note I remember alot of SFC1 ships avaibile for mod, but now all I can find besides the very low res models from staryards are all for SFC2 or SFC3 no SFC1 ships, any idea where I can find these today, it seems most sites replaced there SFC1 models

[Lieutenant_Q]

My memory on this one is quite bad, but I believe that the only difference between SFC1 and SFC2 mods is that SFC1 does not support light mapping.  Please get someone else to verify this before trying it, but I think that if you remove the light maps from the SFC2 models they will work in SFC1.

[candle_86]

that is the diffrence but no idea what i need to remove lightmaps, its part of the model itself the textures are just where the light is mapped to

[candle_86]

anyone out there willing to tell me what I need to convert from SFC2 to SFC1 aka remove lightmaps

[Sirgod]

Oh man, it has been so long. Might ask the guys in the modeling forum. I wonder if Milkshape can do it, or if you are forced into using 3Dmax?

To be honest, those guys have forgotten more then I will ever learn about the game.

Stephen

[Age]

I know there is mod out there some where for SFC1 maybe Chris Jones.I have seen one.

[candle_86]

got it figured out took me awhile but i finally figured out how to do it in 3dmax

[Sirgod]

He has 3dMax. Lucky bastard.

BTW, Bastard here on these forums is a sign of love and respect. has been since all the original bastards started calling each other on there bastardome, and well, Tractor pulling into asteroids.

Stephen

[candle_86]

meant gmax sorry I wasnt myself earlier lol