Topic: Pointless Equipment.....

[DestinyCalling]

I've been playing SFC1 and 2 for a while now, and whilst it's taken some time, I have finally concluded that Cloaking Devices are the most innefective and pointless bit of equipment in the game.  Why have I decided this......????

You can still be hit with direct fire weaponry...... (Including Photorps!!!!)
You can still be hit by guided weaponry even if you cloak after they've launched....
You cant fire back (a good point) nor can you use any ADD systems

I thought the whole point of cloaking devices was that they CLOAKED you!!!  It was my understanding that in order to fire ON a cloaked ship, you need some kind of sensor lock....

Ok, I know I'm being a bit geeky here but I just find it annoying......

CLOAKING DEVICES ARE USELESS......PERIOD!!!!

Any feedback.....???   (Mind you, my tactics could be crap as well)  

[Tulmahk]

Ah, I see you've noticed the handywork of Taldren's Anti-Romulan Department, and their single most hideous weapon:  Shade and DieŽ

Playing through SFC1 and SFC2 mostly playing Romulan, I found the Shade and DieŽ to be near-useless.  This lead to the odd situation that experienced Romulan players on D2 wouldn't even bother to cloak most of the time because:

1.  It slowed you down, cutting your top speed in half or worse.

2.  With 'blind fire' your opponent could still fire on you, even though you were supposedly 'invisible'.

3.  Your ship was shaded, not invisible, so your opponent always knew exactly where you were, while expending no effort or skill what so ever to locate you.

The Shade and DieŽ served only 2 purposes in those games:

1.  It did make planet and base assaults easier.
2.  Missles fired at you from a range of about 15 or greater would lose their lock on you when you cloak and 'darken'.

So Shade and DieŽ was really just a glorified, expensive, deadly-to-the-user anti-missle system.

When I found out that Shade and DieŽ would also be included in Orion Pirates, it was the deciding factor in my not purchasing that game.  I had had it with Shade and DieŽ, and I wasn't going to buy anohter game that forced me to swallow my Romulan dignity and use such a worthless system.  It was time to send Taldren a message and vote with my feet (and wallet).

Imagine my joy when I found out SFC3, which I had originally intended not to purchase, included both direct fire plasma AND a true, invisible cloak!  I decided it was time to reward Taldren's excellent design decision and purchased the game.

After experiencing true cloak and true plasma, I happily dropped my play of SFC2 and deditcated 100% of my computer gaming time to SFC3.  I haven't looked back since, nor will I ever.  Long live true cloak!  Appox on the Anti-Romulan Department!    

[DestinyCalling]

Now there's an incentive......  

[3dot14]

Good points of SFC3 v. SFC2 cloak:

1. invisible. therefore cannot be T-bomb'ed since there is NO tbomb (the BIG one)
2. SFC3 cloak doesn't slow you down. (since charging is independent from power) But the cynic in me says: NOTHING slows you down in SFC3.

Bad points of SFC3 v. SFC2 cloak:
1. SFC2 cloak leaves your shields UP. SFC3 is a LOT more vulnurable during cloak.
2. SFC2 cannot be detected by probes. (since it's already visible.) (goes back to 1.) an untimely probe with shields down can be the end of the game. (for smaller ships)
3. SFC2 has a panelty against ships firing against cloak (pretty hefty one) SFC3 gets full shot. (since there is no in-between. it's either lockon or no lockon) it's acutally pretty darn hard to down a shield under cloak. (without flashing)

Points that cannot be compared:
1. Using cloak versus plasma is risky, but they work reasonably well against missiles. (no seeking in SFC3)
2. there is no "anti cloak scan" in SFC2 since all you need is Tbombs. and there is no Tbomb in SFC3. Just the scan and probe.
3. Have you every fought against Cloaking PF's in SFC2? (not INT, real CENL)


Overall, each has merit. I like SFC2 system because I would much rather be T-bombed, rather than probed with shield down. but be aware I play mostly small ship games (CL or less)

I am happy with the SFC2 implementation, AS WELL as SFC3. Since they are different tech era... (SFB v. TNG)

[Cleaven]

Are you making this assessment on the basis of experience with the SFB cloaking device. The cloaking device has not translated well from SFB as any experienced Romulan SFB player who has played SFC2 will tell you. There is no need for evangelism in this respect. As for SFC3-TNG, it's not comparable to the SFB based games in any way.

Quote:
Ah, I see you've noticed the handywork of Taldren's Anti-Romulan Department, and their single most hideous weapon:  Shade and DieŽ

Playing through SFC1 and SFC2 mostly playing Romulan, I found the Shade and DieŽ to be near-useless.  This lead to the odd situation that experienced Romulan players on D2 wouldn't even bother to cloak most of the time because:

1.  It slowed you down, cutting your top speed in half or worse.

2.  With 'blind fire' your opponent could still fire on you, even though you were supposedly 'invisible'.

3.  Your ship was shaded, not invisible, so your opponent always knew exactly where you were, while expending no effort or skill what so ever to locate you.

The Shade and DieŽ served only 2 purposes in those games:

1.  It did make planet and base assaults easier.
2.  Missles fired at you from a range of about 15 or greater would lose their lock on you when you cloak and 'darken'.

So Shade and DieŽ was really just a glorified, expensive, deadly-to-the-user anti-missle system.

When I found out that Shade and DieŽ would also be included in Orion Pirates, it was the deciding factor in my not purchasing that game.  I had had it with Shade and DieŽ, and I wasn't going to buy anohter game that forced me to swallow my Romulan dignity and use such a worthless system.  It was time to send Taldren a message and vote with my feet (and wallet).

Imagine my joy when I found out SFC3, which I had originally intended not to purchase, included both direct fire plasma AND a true, invisible cloak!  I decided it was time to reward Taldren's excellent design decision and purchased the game.

After experiencing true cloak and true plasma, I happily dropped my play of SFC2 and deditcated 100% of my computer gaming time to SFC3.  I haven't looked back since, nor will I ever.  Long live true cloak!  Appox on the Anti-Romulan Department!    

 

[TarMinyatur]

The cloak's limited effect upon Phaser-1's is a substantial problem facing cloaking vessels in SFC. Ph-1's are nearly twice as effective in SFC as they are in SFB. The inability to charge a holding tractor while cloaked is another challenge.

Check out the cloak's mechanics here.  There's some addenda here too.    

[lloyd007]

Cloak for big ships in SFC2 is a waste as you get cut apart by enemy phaser 1's or flashed and blasted. The cloak is quite effective IMO however, with smaller ships that can't hit hard enough to cripple or kill in one shot.  Hard to put a place where the cloak become useless as regards to bvp but I'd say around 120 or so.  

[Rondo_GE]

The way the game plays in SFC1 and SFC2 is that the cloak is MOST effective in early era but gets increasingly and exponentally less effective thru the ERAs.   I am by trade Gorn but some of my best and deepest battles have been with outstanding Romulan players.

The clloak becomes less effective as the as thwe ERAs "modernize" due to the heavier amraments of later ERA ships, so your tactics need to shift appropriately from using it as a primary tactic in early ERA to a colleteral or auxilliary tactic in late ERA.    I would look around for some old Romulan websites that still have their tactics posted.

In late ERA the cloak has its uses.  Fly around in the Romulan SKL and you will see a marvolous ship indeed.  I racked up a number of wins in it until I ran into a skilled pilot flying the AD5.    That cheese ship was just too overpowering for it but I dont think if you are patrched you will have to worry about it anymore.

So give it a try besides I need more romulans to kill....JUST KIDDING (hehehe)  

[DestinyCalling]

I've been playing SFC1 and 2 for a while now, and whilst it's taken some time, I have finally concluded that Cloaking Devices are the most innefective and pointless bit of equipment in the game.  Why have I decided this......????

You can still be hit with direct fire weaponry...... (Including Photorps!!!!)
You can still be hit by guided weaponry even if you cloak after they've launched....
You cant fire back (a good point) nor can you use any ADD systems

I thought the whole point of cloaking devices was that they CLOAKED you!!!  It was my understanding that in order to fire ON a cloaked ship, you need some kind of sensor lock....

Ok, I know I'm being a bit geeky here but I just find it annoying......

CLOAKING DEVICES ARE USELESS......PERIOD!!!!

Any feedback.....???   (Mind you, my tactics could be crap as well)  

[Tulmahk]

Ah, I see you've noticed the handywork of Taldren's Anti-Romulan Department, and their single most hideous weapon:  Shade and DieŽ

Playing through SFC1 and SFC2 mostly playing Romulan, I found the Shade and DieŽ to be near-useless.  This lead to the odd situation that experienced Romulan players on D2 wouldn't even bother to cloak most of the time because:

1.  It slowed you down, cutting your top speed in half or worse.

2.  With 'blind fire' your opponent could still fire on you, even though you were supposedly 'invisible'.

3.  Your ship was shaded, not invisible, so your opponent always knew exactly where you were, while expending no effort or skill what so ever to locate you.

The Shade and DieŽ served only 2 purposes in those games:

1.  It did make planet and base assaults easier.
2.  Missles fired at you from a range of about 15 or greater would lose their lock on you when you cloak and 'darken'.

So Shade and DieŽ was really just a glorified, expensive, deadly-to-the-user anti-missle system.

When I found out that Shade and DieŽ would also be included in Orion Pirates, it was the deciding factor in my not purchasing that game.  I had had it with Shade and DieŽ, and I wasn't going to buy anohter game that forced me to swallow my Romulan dignity and use such a worthless system.  It was time to send Taldren a message and vote with my feet (and wallet).

Imagine my joy when I found out SFC3, which I had originally intended not to purchase, included both direct fire plasma AND a true, invisible cloak!  I decided it was time to reward Taldren's excellent design decision and purchased the game.

After experiencing true cloak and true plasma, I happily dropped my play of SFC2 and deditcated 100% of my computer gaming time to SFC3.  I haven't looked back since, nor will I ever.  Long live true cloak!  Appox on the Anti-Romulan Department!    

[DestinyCalling]

Now there's an incentive......  

[3dot14]

Good points of SFC3 v. SFC2 cloak:

1. invisible. therefore cannot be T-bomb'ed since there is NO tbomb (the BIG one)
2. SFC3 cloak doesn't slow you down. (since charging is independent from power) But the cynic in me says: NOTHING slows you down in SFC3.

Bad points of SFC3 v. SFC2 cloak:
1. SFC2 cloak leaves your shields UP. SFC3 is a LOT more vulnurable during cloak.
2. SFC2 cannot be detected by probes. (since it's already visible.) (goes back to 1.) an untimely probe with shields down can be the end of the game. (for smaller ships)
3. SFC2 has a panelty against ships firing against cloak (pretty hefty one) SFC3 gets full shot. (since there is no in-between. it's either lockon or no lockon) it's acutally pretty darn hard to down a shield under cloak. (without flashing)

Points that cannot be compared:
1. Using cloak versus plasma is risky, but they work reasonably well against missiles. (no seeking in SFC3)
2. there is no "anti cloak scan" in SFC2 since all you need is Tbombs. and there is no Tbomb in SFC3. Just the scan and probe.
3. Have you every fought against Cloaking PF's in SFC2? (not INT, real CENL)


Overall, each has merit. I like SFC2 system because I would much rather be T-bombed, rather than probed with shield down. but be aware I play mostly small ship games (CL or less)

I am happy with the SFC2 implementation, AS WELL as SFC3. Since they are different tech era... (SFB v. TNG)

[Cleaven]

Are you making this assessment on the basis of experience with the SFB cloaking device. The cloaking device has not translated well from SFB as any experienced Romulan SFB player who has played SFC2 will tell you. There is no need for evangelism in this respect. As for SFC3-TNG, it's not comparable to the SFB based games in any way.

Quote:
Ah, I see you've noticed the handywork of Taldren's Anti-Romulan Department, and their single most hideous weapon:  Shade and DieŽ

Playing through SFC1 and SFC2 mostly playing Romulan, I found the Shade and DieŽ to be near-useless.  This lead to the odd situation that experienced Romulan players on D2 wouldn't even bother to cloak most of the time because:

1.  It slowed you down, cutting your top speed in half or worse.

2.  With 'blind fire' your opponent could still fire on you, even though you were supposedly 'invisible'.

3.  Your ship was shaded, not invisible, so your opponent always knew exactly where you were, while expending no effort or skill what so ever to locate you.

The Shade and DieŽ served only 2 purposes in those games:

1.  It did make planet and base assaults easier.
2.  Missles fired at you from a range of about 15 or greater would lose their lock on you when you cloak and 'darken'.

So Shade and DieŽ was really just a glorified, expensive, deadly-to-the-user anti-missle system.

When I found out that Shade and DieŽ would also be included in Orion Pirates, it was the deciding factor in my not purchasing that game.  I had had it with Shade and DieŽ, and I wasn't going to buy anohter game that forced me to swallow my Romulan dignity and use such a worthless system.  It was time to send Taldren a message and vote with my feet (and wallet).

Imagine my joy when I found out SFC3, which I had originally intended not to purchase, included both direct fire plasma AND a true, invisible cloak!  I decided it was time to reward Taldren's excellent design decision and purchased the game.

After experiencing true cloak and true plasma, I happily dropped my play of SFC2 and deditcated 100% of my computer gaming time to SFC3.  I haven't looked back since, nor will I ever.  Long live true cloak!  Appox on the Anti-Romulan Department!    

 

[TarMinyatur]

The cloak's limited effect upon Phaser-1's is a substantial problem facing cloaking vessels in SFC. Ph-1's are nearly twice as effective in SFC as they are in SFB. The inability to charge a holding tractor while cloaked is another challenge.

Check out the cloak's mechanics here.  There's some addenda here too.    

[lloyd007]

Cloak for big ships in SFC2 is a waste as you get cut apart by enemy phaser 1's or flashed and blasted. The cloak is quite effective IMO however, with smaller ships that can't hit hard enough to cripple or kill in one shot.  Hard to put a place where the cloak become useless as regards to bvp but I'd say around 120 or so.  

[Rondo_GE]

The way the game plays in SFC1 and SFC2 is that the cloak is MOST effective in early era but gets increasingly and exponentally less effective thru the ERAs.   I am by trade Gorn but some of my best and deepest battles have been with outstanding Romulan players.

The clloak becomes less effective as the as thwe ERAs "modernize" due to the heavier amraments of later ERA ships, so your tactics need to shift appropriately from using it as a primary tactic in early ERA to a colleteral or auxilliary tactic in late ERA.    I would look around for some old Romulan websites that still have their tactics posted.

In late ERA the cloak has its uses.  Fly around in the Romulan SKL and you will see a marvolous ship indeed.  I racked up a number of wins in it until I ran into a skilled pilot flying the AD5.    That cheese ship was just too overpowering for it but I dont think if you are patrched you will have to worry about it anymore.

So give it a try besides I need more romulans to kill....JUST KIDDING (hehehe)