Topic: Is it too late to be a noob?

[Trasd]

I bought Starfleet Command ten years ago.  I've installed it many, many times on two or three different computers, but never really played beyond a certain point.  I've taken the tutorials many times and even ran a few missions.  Believe it or not, I even ordered additional missions from Interplay back when they were selling them (if memory serves).  I never played SFB - though I have played many board-type games.

I recently installed SFC 1 again and really want to play.  I don't like FPS and have only ever played two MMOs; DDO and LotRO.  I play DDO all the time, but only play LotRO once a month or so.  Sometimes I just want to play a good strategy game, not necessarily fast moving, but requiring me to use my brain.

Two of the main issues I've run into that stopped me from playing are; I could never win a battle (except the tutorials, and even these took me a long time); I simply can't get my marines to deploy in the tutorial.  I realize - by the number of dedicated people - this must be a good game, so I really want to give it a chance.

Any help and advice would be appreciated.  If I can wrap my head around SFC 1 and enjoy it and the community, I will buy the latest incarnation.

With all this in mind, I would like to ask some questions:

• Is SFC 1 still active (multiplayer)?
• Is SFC 3 the latest version and is it still active (multiplayer too)?
• Is this a good strategy game?
• Any suggestions on how I can win a simple battle (if someone still has SFC 1 installed and can run a simple skirmish, record it, and send it to me, that may help - I'm open to other suggestions too)?
• How do I deploy my marines in the tutorial (same thing with the recording, if tutorials can be recorded)?
• Hints, tips, suggestions, etc.?

If you've read this far, I thank you.  After ten years of owning the game, I really want to play this time.

[Roychipoqua_Mace]

Welcome Trasd and glad to hear the interest in SFC!

I hold SFC as my favorite game because of the depth that you can have in a battle between two even players. There's nothing better than the multiplayer matches that last for an hour or more and are tense for every minute of it.


1. SFC1 is not as active as the others, unfortunately, but I do recall reading here about some players who did use it for multiplayer. The most-played version is SFC2:Orion Pirates, probably because it had the most potential to be modded. I don't have much Dynaverse experience, but I *think* there are at least a couple servers for campaing-based multiplayer games. SFC2:OP has the most players for standard multiplayer games on Gamespy Arcade and GameRanger (standard multiplayer can be as small as a duel or as large as a 3v3).

2. I still think SFC3 has some Dynaverse and Gamespy activity, but not as much as SFC2:OP, since it is a much different game from SFC1.

3. YEAH! 

4. The tutorials are good, but there is no harm in messing around with simple skirmishes -- if you need to, you can give yourself a bigger ship and eventually give the enemy an equal ship as you get the hang of things. Do you know of a race that you have an inclination with? The Federation is the "standard" to start, but is in many ways more complicated than other races (the Gorn might be a good starter).

5. Marines can be tricky (the interface seems a little buggy sometimes), but it be sure to make sure that the facing enemy shield is down before sending marines, and that you are within range 5.


There has been some nice news about SFC2:Empires at War and SFC2:OP being sold here at Dynaverse, so there is no problem in getting a copy of OP if you are interested in playing OP online (OP is the stand-alone expansion and doesn't need EAW or SFC1 to run). SFC1 is very similar to OP, so I would recommend playing SFC1 for a while and see how it goes.

As a final thing, the SFC series isn't great with the newest versions of Windows. The online Dynaverse in SFC2 has trouble with Vista and Win7, but some experienced D2 players would know more about it. But since you're playing SFC1 and it's working, SFC2 should work (and standard multiplayer is more forgiving with Vista).

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[knightstorm]

EAW and OP are both based upon the same source material as SFC 1, so you shouldn't have that much of a problem adopting.  SFC 3 is a completely different game based more on canon trek.  It lacks the micromanagement features that imho made the franchise unique.  Its also horrendously expensive because Activision terminated its licensing agreement with paramount before the market was saturated.  As Roy pointed out both EAW and OP are available for legal download here at a low price.  A word of warning for you, multiplayer SFC tends to be very brutal on noobs.  Mainly because the AI is stupid, and does a poor job of preparing you to fight human players.  Also, the tactics which take out the AI the fastest tend to be suicidal against humans.  So when you do start logging on, expect to suffer humiliating defeats at first, but don't get discouraged.

[762_XC]

First, welcome to the rich and rewarding experience that is Starfleet Command.

Second, if you are new to the game I would recommend jumping right to SFC2:OP (Dnet sells it for 6 bucks). It is a more mature game than SFC1 by far, not just so far as additional content (which it has a ton of) but also some questionable gameplay features from SFC1 which have been corrected. It has also been patched a lot more, and had a lot of additional fan-based content created for it, such as FireSoul's OP+ shiplist, which includes just about every ship ever published for Star Fleet Battles (the board game that SFC is based on). As Mace said there is also a multiplayer community still, which you are not likely to find at this point for SFC1.

SFC3 you can probably give a pass to. Even if you find it for less than an exorbitant price (I hear it can be got on eBay for $50-60) tactically it is not as deep as SFC2, since Taldren made the controversial decision to base the game on what they saw on TV and what they thought would sell well (read: Feds are overpowered), rather than on what made the rest of series so successful, namely the SFB gaming system. As a result a lot of the game mechanics are dumbed down to the point where tactically you have fewer viable choices in any given situation.

SFC is not so much a strategy game, but it is a definitive tactics game. There is a strategy component vis-a-vis the Dynaverse (the multiplayer campaign map featured in SFC2 and later) but the majority of gameplay is on the tactical level. The game is rich enough that people who have literally been playing for a decade can still learn new tactics. If you like being confronted with a difficult tactical situation and figuring out a way to beat it, SFC is a wonderful game.

(One thing I should add is that the Dynaverse will not work on Vista / Windows 7. The MP community as it exists now is mainly based on GameSpy. Dynaverse.net (which now owns the source code) is trying to patch this.)

As for tactics and advice, look around the forums here. You'll find quite a bit that has been posted over the years. If you are having problems with a specific battle, post the details (what ships, what you are trying) and someone will be sure to offer up advice.

[knightstorm]

The MP community as it exists now is mainly based on GameSpy. Dynaverse.net (which now owns the source code) is trying to patch this.)

Actually we've switched over to Gameranger since it doesn't have the port issues.

[762_XC]

What he said then. 

[Trasd]

Thanks folks!  Terrific responses.

I run XP Pro 32 bit and will as long as I can (lots of history here), so the Vista / 7 issue shouldn't be a problem.

$6 isn't a lot of money, but I will hold off a bit and make sure I can get into it and understand the basics - I have a cabinet full of games bought with the best intentions.  Some were a big let-down, two my system won't handle (but I still want to play when I get a new system), and the rest were just too simple to figure out and I quickly lost interest.  That's the biggest problem I have with computer games (and I bet a lot of you feel the same), they're just too easy to figure out and instead of fun it becomes redundant.

I hope SFC can fill that gap.  When was SFC 2 released?

BTW - do the three post verifications ever ease up - I have a lot of trouble with the "picture letters"?

EDITED
P.S. SFC 2 EAW is the base game with OP as an expansion (but can run standalone); is this correct?  If I decide to get these, should I get both?  And, is there a list of recommended mods (I will look around, but this site is big)?

[knightstorm]

The only feature of EAW which is not in OP out of the box is the storyline campaign which can be added to it.  So if you want to play now get OP.  However, the community has the EAW source code, so in the future, EAW may be patched to work with Vista/7.  As for mods, the standard mod everyone uses is OP+ 4.0.

[762_XC]

I run XP Pro 32 bit and will as long as I can (lots of history here), so the Vista / 7 issue shouldn't be a problem.

Only inasmuch as before Vista there was still an active Dynaverse-based MP community. Vista sort of killed that (and it is what we are hoping to resurrect).

As for release dates, EAW came out in 1999 (I think) and OP in 2001.

[Trasd]

The only feature of EAW which is not in OP out of the box is the storyline campaign which can be added to it.  So if you want to play now get OP.  However, the community has the EAW source code, so in the future, EAW may be patched to work with Vista/7.  As for mods, the standard mod everyone uses is OP+ 4.0.

I'm not really worried about the $12, but if I do install both (and the "4.0" mod), I will be set, right?  Since I would have begun with EAW, will this still allow future patched code, or will installing OP "override" that particular advantage?

I notice under Server Information EAW and OP servers are listed separately - are they mutually exclusive?

Being a noob is never fun.  It seems like there is basically two ways to go with this:

• Install EAW to take advantage of Dynaverse's ownership of the code.
• Install OP with the campaign story line, but loose possible future updates.

Am I on the right track here, or highly confused?  Spending the money is not my concern, but getting this right so I have the most options (now and in the future) available.

[knightstorm]

You can have both installed they won't interfere with each other.

[marstone]

You are getting it. OP is the most played right now, EAW is where the game will go towards after the win7 fix is figured out.  But the plan is to expand EAW to make it include most of OP so knowing OP will be good for playing.

The game has held interest of us for over a decade.  IMHO it is the best space combat game.  It has many levels of learning on how to play well, that will keep you working at learning.  Heck, when I do get to play, I seem to play like a noob, but I still have fun.

[Trasd]

OK folks, I have another noob-type question:

Why can't I download from the download server?  I looked (and searched) everywhere I could think of and cannot find any information about the server being down or find any special instructions.  I tried two different browsers and turned almost all security add-ons off.  Suggestions?

I want to go ahead and order OP, but if I can't get to the download server and the Mods, I'm not sure I want to risk it.

EDITED
P.S. I tried the Anonymous ftp connection too.

[762_XC]

It just worked for me...possibly a temporary outage?

[FA Frey XC]

Where are you trying to download ?

You have to purchase the game first, then you will receive emails on how to download, and what not.

Regards,

[Trasd]

I know I have to purchase it first - I'm not trying to download OP, but patches and such not for SFC 1 at http://www.dynaverse.net/downloads.php?game=SFC%201.  I also tried FTP (ftp.dynaverse.net) with Anonymous login.  For some reason, neither of these is working for me - on any browser.

[marstone]

Hmm, went to the page you linked to.  I left clicked on a file name in the list (did weaponschart).  It went to a page that gave a discription and below that a place to click that said, download.  Clicked that, and it went straight to downloading it.

Using Flock.

[FCM_SFHQ_XC]

I know I have to purchase it first - I'm not trying to download OP, but patches and such not for SFC 1 at http://www.dynaverse.net/downloads.php?game=SFC%201.  I also tried FTP (ftp.dynaverse.net) with Anonymous login.  For some reason, neither of these is working for me - on any browser.

I was fine with getting these links to work as well however for the FTP I'd recommend a FTP client as browser clients can be a little eh at times, Filezilla is a good one to use. Just dont use any name/password when specified and that'll make the Anonymous FTP login.

[Trasd]

Hey - thanks, the problem is obviously on my end.

Since I know it works for others, I will get it working for me.  I know what the problem is - it's an ID10T error.  I recently got rid of my virus/firewall program and went with a better free one, but it's only virus protection, so I turned on my DSL firewall (which is better anyway).  I set up port forwarding for FTP but for some reason, the ports aren't opening (this is the only site I've run into any trouble and I did this months ago).  I temporarily turned off my DSL's firewall and everything worked fine.

Now that I know the problem, I should have it working soon.  Thanks for the help!

[FA Frey XC]

No worries

Regards,