The King of Infinite Space: The Most Overpowered Ship in Sector Prime

The King of Infinite Space: The Most Overpowered Ship in Sector Prime

Having played Sea of Stars for almost four years now, I have developed a deep understanding of how well the various weapons work with different ship types. But I have only recently discovered the best ship and weapon combination in the entire game. And so, without further ado, here it is:

Behold! The most formidable ship in Sector Prime!

Yes, I'm giving the award of most potentially overpowered ship in the game to a Terran corvette - which is exactly what you start the game with. But you may be wondering why I chose the starting ship for my top prize. The reason is simple: it's the most balanced ship, and hence - whisper it - the most effective one of its kind for most combat situations with the right equipment. Others are faster, have better peripheral or binocular vision (but rarely both), or are more maneuverable, but this ship strikes the best balance between all of these attributes. Moreover, given that a smaller ship is always faster and nimbler than a larger one, assuming they both have the same thruster type, the Terran corvette, when upgraded, runs rings around bigger, bulkier ships. And like all Terran capital ships (scout excepted), you can even convert it to an Advanced configuration by buying a rear-facing turret for 200 credits - although you still need to purchase a weapon for it separately.

Those attributes make it the best ship to fit a Nova Cannon to; the turrets' balanced coverage make targeting easier. And when you combine the Nova Cannon with an advanced targeting computer such as a Sardion Optimizer (or Maximizer, as shown above), the Cannon becomes even more overpowered, since its default rate of fire is very slow. Add a Plasma Coil Cloaker and a strong shield (at least a Proton Matrix or Meson Lattice Shield), plus a high-end beam or projectile weapon (usually a Proton Blaster, although the Tachyon Ray Gun will be more useful if you can find one) for backup, and you've got a recipe for the ultimate stealth sniper loadout in Sea of Stars. Repair and jamming devices (such as the Multibot Repair Drone and Signature Projector, respectively) are not mandatory for this setup (as they are for some others, although they are both very nice to have.

Thus ends my analysis of how a humble Terran corvette has more potential to be an effective fighting machine than nearly every other ship in the game. In the meantime, stay tuned for more posts discussing ship loadouts!

The War for Infinite Space: A Brief Chronology

The War for Infinite Space: A Brief Chronology

Weird Worlds, the predecessor to Sea of Stars, spawned a tabletop game adaptation called Eat Electric Death!. It is played on a 19x13 hex board and features seven playable factions: Terrans, Garthans, Klakar, Zorg, Urluquai, Tan Ru and Yellow Kawangi. However, three factions from the source material (Muktians, Tchorak and Ravians) were omitted from the tabletop game; exactly why they were all left out is unclear. According to the manual, the game's premise is that the Terrans have a grudge against the Garthans for destroying one of their Survey Ships stationed near the black hole Monstro (without provocation, as it turned out), and when they encounter the alleged perpetrators, all attempts at a peaceful resolution fail, prompting a declaration of war from both sides. The following is a canonical description of events during the war, based on the scenarios for the game.

Canonically, the initial skirmish between a Garthan talon patrol and a Terran fighter group (with each fleet consisting of 3 fighters) ends in a Terran victory. Shortly afterwards, a Terran scout (the Moon Marauder) is sent to gather information on Garthan fleet movements; its crew successfully complete this mission after destroying the talon patrol sent to intercept them. With the information they've gathered, the Terrans deploy a fleet to Achernar, a system known for its strategic importance. It is here that the first major battle between Terrans and Garthans took place.

Both sides had deployed 2 corvettes and 3 fighters, which would have made this encounter a fair fight on paper. However, the superior firepower and shielding of the Terran ships eventually took their toll on the Garthans and ultimately overcame their single-minded battle strategy, ensuring that Achernar would finally be under Terran control after a long struggle. As the Terrans advanced further into Garthan territory, their reptilian foes deployed reinforcements in a bid to prevent the invasion. Fortunately for the Terrans, the bird-like Klakar realized their plight and lent their assistance in the form of a frigate dispatched from Kreee'ark. When a Terran frigate and a Klakar frigate teamed up to destroy a fleet of three Garthan corvettes, it served as genuine proof that the Terrans were willing to aid other friendly spacefaring races throughout Sector Prime.

Hellbent on revenge, the Garthans then deployed a Light Carrier (which can carry three fighters) for the first time in the conflict. Escorted by two Garthan corvettes, it was sent into battle against a Terran fleet consisting of a frigate, two corvettes and three fighters. Despite the ferocity of the Garthan counterattack, the Terrans broke through the defensive line and routed the Garthans, thereby opening up a route to Gartha, the Garthan homeworld. But this campaign would not be the only major conflict during what would be known as the War for Infinite Space.

Elsewhere in the sector, the Urluquai launched an invasion of their own, against the spiritually advanced race of bipedal humanoids known as the Zorg. Faced with such a fearsome adversary, they called upon an elite squad of starship crews known as Star Guardians, whose mental abilities were unmatched by any other native sentient species in the galaxy. Some of them flew small, agile fighters, while others were given control of larger, heavier capital ships. All of them, however, would face a very stern test during the campaign against the Urluquai.

The Urluquai invasion began when the crew of an Urluquai corvette commenced an attack on a Zorg outpost defended by three Zorg fighters. Although the fighters managed to destroy the Urluquai corvette, the Urluquai were tipped off about the presence of Zorg forces, and launched a second wave of attack by deploying one of their carriers, complete with a squadron of six Urluquai fighters. Naturally, the Zorg did not want to fall victim to the Urluquai reign of terror, and dispatched a frigate, 2 corvettes, and 4 fighters to destroy the carrier. After a brutal battle, the Zorg triumphed and began a counter-offensive against the Urluquai.

As the Zorg pushed deeper and deeper into Urluquai territory, their jellyfish-like foes resorted to increasingly devious tactics in a desperate bid to save Urlu, the Urluquai homeworld from a full-scale Zorg invasion. They tried to ambush a Zorg frigate with an Urluquai corvette and two cloaked Deep Hunters, but the six Zorg fighters sent to defend the frigate managed to fend off the attack. The Urluquai then attempted to encircle another Zorg fleet (consisting of a frigate and three corvettes) with a formation which would soon be known as the "Circle of Death", but the Zorg managed to escape from the trap and destroy the Urluquai blockade, which comprised a Deep Hunter, three corvettes and three fighters.

Despite heavy losses, the Urluquai refused to admit defeat, and set their sights on the Orzant system. They planned to annex it with the aim of terrorizing (and eventually devouring) the native lifeforms that called Orzant home. Unfortunately, the Zorg knew of this plan and sent a large fleet (2 frigates, 3 corvettes and 6 fighters) to capture the system for themselves. Knowing that success would put them even closer to victory, the Zorg gave everything they got and annihilated the Urluquai fleet. The Urluquai lost a carrier, a Deep Hunter, and 3 corvettes during this battle, but the campaign was not quite over.

Just to complicate matters further, the Tan Ru detected signs of life beyond their home world of Quarnix and initiated an invasion of their own. Their plan was to assimilate - or annihilate - all biological life in Sector Prime. With the fate of the entire sector now hanging in the balance, the Terrans, Klakar and Zorg established the Free World Alliance with the hope of defeating the Tan Ru once and for all.

The first battle between Terrans and Tan Ru machine ships took place in the Incarnadine system, where 2 Tan Ru Demolishers and 6 Tan Ru Drones ambushed a fleet of 3 Terran corvettes and 6 Terran fighters. The battle ended in a Terran victory, but this was merely the start of a long, drawn-out conflict that would push the Terrans and Zorg to their limits. 

When the Tan Ru launched a second wave of attack against the Alliance, it was clear that they meant business. They sent four Demolishers up against a mixed fleet consisting of a Klakar frigate, 2 Terran corvettes and 3 Terran fighters in the hopes of gaining more territory. However, the battle was another major defeat for the Tan Ru; all four of their Demolishers were destroyed and the Terran campaign continued apace.

The discovery of a Tan Ru Decimator, armed with a long-range Particle Vortex Cannon, prompted the Terrans to take measures against it. At T'han G'har, six Terran fighters lay in wait for the Decimator and ambushed it. Through the combined efforts of the six Terran pilots, the Decimator was destroyed - but the campaign was far from over.

Now on the defensive, the Tan Ru launched a mission to regain lost ground, beginning with an assault on the forested planet, Thamber. However, the Alliance saw this incursion coming, and deployed a Klakar frigate, a Terran frigate, and 2 Zorg corvettes to meet the Tan Ru fleet, which consisted of a Decimator, 2 Demolishers and 6 drones. The Battle of Thamber proved to be another decisive victory for the Alliance; none of the Tan Ru ships sent to attack Thamber survived.

Eventually, the Alliance reached the Starship Graveyard on Quarnix, the Tan Ru home world. In a desperate attempt to push back the Alliance, the Tan Ru scrambled 2 Decimators, 4 Demolishers and 6 drones to meet the Alliance fleet, which comprised a Klakar frigate, 3 Terran corvettes, a Terran scout, a Zorg frigate, and 2 Zorg corvettes. However, the Alliance ships were able to fend off the Tan Ru counterattack and ultimately neutralized the Tan Ru menace for good; their crews had figured out a way to counter the Decimators' Particle Vortex Cannons, and also exploited the limited range of the other Tan Ru weapons.

With the Tan Ru no longer a threat to any of the other factions in Sector Prime, the Free World Alliance and the newly formed Dark Consortium - consisting of Garthan and Urluquai forces - were once again free to fight each other for the destiny of the sector. However, the intensity of the previous battles in the campaign had begun to take their toll on both sides. Nevertheless, the Alliance forged on as planned, as did the Dark Consortium, and their forces met one last time for the climactic Battle for Sector Prime.

The Alliance had deployed a Klakar frigate, 2 Terran frigates, 4 Terran fighters, a Terran scout (the Moon Marauder), a Zorg frigate, 2 Zorg corvettes, and 4 Zorg fighters. Not to be outdone, the Dark Consortium mustered the biggest fleet of ships in their arsenal - a Garthan Light Carrier, 2 Garthan corvettes, an Urluquai Carrier, 2 Urluquai corvettes, and 2 Deep Hunters. Knowing that the entire sector was at stake, crews from both fleets gave everything they had, but eventually the Alliance's technological and tactical superiority overwhelmed the Dark Consortium. Subsequently, the two sides agreed to a truce, thus ending the War for Infinite Space.

However, there would be one last battle to decide the fate of Sector Prime. A Yellow Kawangi Dreadnought penetrated the edge of the sector, and opened fire on a remote star system, destroying it and leaving nothing behind. Both the Dark Consortium and the Free World Alliance attempted to destroy the Dreadnought with their flotillas - but which one, if any, would succeed? That is up to the players involved in this scenario to decide.

This, the final scenario of the campaign, is unusual in that whoever plays against the Dreadnought has a choice of two fleets: a Dark Consortium fleet (a Garthan Light Carrier, a Garthan corvette, an Urluquai corvette and a Deep Hunter) or a Free World Alliance fleet (a Klakar frigate, a Terran frigate, a Terran scout and a Zorg corvette). However, the canonicity of either version of this scenario, or any of the special scenarios described in the next section of the board game manual, has never been confirmed.

As for the latter, they all have unique rules which are not found in the main campaign. "Ace in the Hole" pits a Free World Alliance fleet (a Klakar frigate, a Terran frigate, 4 Terran frigates and a Terran scout) against a Garthan fleet (2 corvettes and 1 Light Carrier) on a board where one wormhole marker each is placed on hex tiles A and B, both of which are four tiles from the center of the board. Whoever destroys the opposing fleet while having at least one friendly ship intact wins; the scenario will end in a draw if both fleets are completely destroyed at the same time.

In "Freak Wormhole", the player controlling the Urluquai fleet (which consists of three Urluquai corvettes) must get one Urluquai ship to the wormhole on the D hex tile (which is centered six hexes from the Alliance side of the board) in order to win. The player controlling the Alliance fleet (1 Terran frigate and 2 Terran corvettes) wins if all three Urluquai ships are destroyed. Unlike most scenarios which use the standard setup rules, no asteroid markers are present on the board during this scenario.

"Battlestation Alpha: Alien Assault" is the only scenario to feature a space station as part of a player's fleet. In it, the Terran player starts with a space station, which cannot move but contains 6 Terran fighters. The station is placed on the D hex tile, centered 6 tiles from the outer edge of the Alliance side (marked in green) on the map. The Tan Ru start with 3 drones and 4 Demolishers, and will win if the station is destroyed; the Terrans win if they destroy the entire Tan Ru flotilla, including the three drones.

"Smuggler's Run" involves a Terran flotilla (3 corvettes and 6 fighters) attempting to escort a Terran scout (the Moon Marauder) from one end of the board to the other. The player controlling the Garthan flotilla (4 corvettes) must destroy the scout in order to win. The Terrans win if the entire Garthan fleet is destroyed or the scout reaches the opposite edge of the board from where the Terran fleet is initially placed, as per the default rules.

One of the most unusual scenarios in the game is "Ambassador Pranja Must Die!", in which the flagship of a Terran fleet (1 frigate and 2 corvettes, with each ship carrying either Ambassador Pranja or a decoy) must get to the other side of the board (specifically, the ship containing the ambassador, not his decoys) before the Urluquai fleet (2 corvettes and a Deep Hunter) shoots it down first. The ambassador and decoy counters are placed face-down, one for each Terran ship. The player controlling the Terran fleet must turn over the corresponding counter whenever a Terran ship is destroyed, and if it is Ambassador Pranja, the Urluquai will win. On the other hand, the Terrans can also win if they destroy all three Urluquai ships.

"The Swarm" is the final scenario in the game, in which the Free World Alliance dispatches 6 Terran fighters and 6 Zorg fighters to destroy a Tan Ru fleet consisting of 4 Demolishers and 3 drones. The Tan Ru must destroy all 12 Alliance fighters and have at least one Demolisher intact to win. The Alliance wins if they destroy every Tan Ru Demolisher on the map, regardless of how many drones the Tan Ru has left.

It is worth noting that all of the scenarios included in EED can be replicated in Sea of Stars, except for the fact that the game does not support asteroids (which act as obstacles, thereby affecting the balance of the game), wormholes during combat (which would also have disrupted the game's balance) or any mention of an ambassador from a non-player faction (which was present in earlier Infinite Space games). Moreover, Starship Graveyard, Battle for Sector Prime, and The Swarm are the only scenarios to allow either or both sides to be controlled by two different players. In addition, the omission of the Plasma Torch after Weird Worlds has led to the Tan Ru Decimator being armed with Laser Beams instead as its secondary weapons, and the Klakar Frigate in Sea of Stars is armed with a Proton Blaster in a dorsal turret; every other ship featured in EED remains unchanged. Finally, the Fission Missile can target fighters and other small craft in Sea of Stars, although the target must be manually selected in order for this to occur.

This concludes my summary of the scenarios described in Eat Electric Death!, the official board game of the Infinite Space trilogy. In the next post, I will explain how the game works, for those who haven't learned how to play it yet.

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 23: The CRASH Flight Suit

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 23: The CRASH Flight Suit

Earlier I described what the regular CRASH Suit is, how it works, and the benefits it provides to anyone who wears it. With that out of the way, I would like to take this opportunity to show another X-Girl costume I made: the CRASH Flight Suit. There are actually two possible designs for this, as shown below.

Top: One possible design for the CRASH Flight Suit, as worn by Ellie Watts. Above: Another proposal for the CRASH Flight Suit, this time worn by Kayla Brooks.

As its name suggests, the CRASH Flight Suit was originally intended for (and is still used by) CRASH Dropship crews. It is lighter than the regular CRASH Suit, and as such does not hinder a CRASH Agent's movement as much. However, it provides less protection and has less room for accessories. This makes it ideal for missions where speed and agility are more important than brute strength and firepower. Even so, CRASH armorers still recommend using the standard suit in most circumstances.

Surprisingly, the standard CRASH Suit can be worn over the Flight Suit. There is actually a very good reason for this. If the standard suit is too heavily damaged to remain usable, it can be jettisoned, thereby boosting the CRASH Agent's speed and agility and making it easier to avoid enemy fire. With luck, the Agent can be fitted with a new CRASH Suit and return to the battlefield to continue fighting.

This concludes my summary of another vital piece of CRASH equipment. Stay tuned for more stories from CRASH Chronicles next month.

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 22: Random Artworks

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 22: Random Artworks

Recently, I have created several random artworks on Dolldivine, mainly on X-Girl, but also on other games such as Goddess Maker and the Heroine Fan Art Creator, among others. I'll start this collection with an octet of artworks made in X-Girl, with each picture depicting a pair of characters and themed around a particular color for each pair.

Above, from top: A random collection of X-Girl artworks themed around various colors.

Note that there each artwork is based on one of eight colors (above, from top: blue, purple, cyan, red, yellow, green, orange and magenta) corresponding to the background color of their respective pairing's outfits.

Next is a piece of artwork I made using the Goddess Maker game, as part of my upcoming project titled The Order of Apollo. For practicality's sake, only four of the six main characters are shown; the other two will be depicted in due course.

Four of the six lead characters from my upcoming project The Order of Apollo. 

Last but not least, here is a quartet of cards I made in the Heroine Creator. The top two cards show Katie Parker in exquisite ball gowns; the bottom two depict Tiffany Ward in similar attire.

Top: A design for a ball gown to be worn by my original character Katie Parker, created in the Heroine Creator Flash game. Above: The same design recolored light blue. Below: Another ball gown, this time for another one of my original characters, Tiffany Ward. Bottom: As below, but recolored dark blue.

Looking at the dominant colors on these four cards, it is obvious that each card represents a different time of day: morning for the first card (which is pink), midday for the second card (which is light blue), evening for the third card (which is purple) and midnight for the fourth card (which is dark blue). This marks the first time I have deliberately created artworks reminiscent of a day/night cycle in some way using the Heroine Creator game.

I have made many other artworks in various Flash games in the weeks before this post was written, but the ones shown here are among my favorites. In the next post in this series, I will show you a little secret about the Snow Queen Flash game which I recently discovered.

The Myths of Infinite Space, Debunked

The Myths of Infinite Space, Debunked

There are many myths surrounding the entire Infinite Space trilogy, especially in the latest game, Sea of Stars. Due to persistent fan rumors, I have chosen to debunk them in the hopes of making the game easier to understand. So here are some of the more important ones, along with evidence to disprove them.

Myth: "You can never use the Limited Vacuum Collapser more than once in the same game."

Fact: It actually can be done. However, to pull it off, you'll need a sector which contains an LVC and the Timeless Bauble (which can be turned into any other object when activated). Then pick up the LVC first and detonate it, making sure that your flotilla is outside the blast radius (along with the Terrans' home system, Glory). Now activate the Timeless Bauble, and enter the words "Limited Vacuum Collapser" when prompted to enter the name of the item you are asking for. Finally, detonate your new LVC wherever you like, taking the same precautions as you did with the first one. You'll destroy at least a pair of star systems if you do it correctly both times, but if any of those systems belong to hostile factions, you'll remind the rest of the galaxy that the Terrans must not be messed with under any circumstances.

Myth: "It's impossible to destroy multiple alien homeworlds in the same game."

Fact: This isn't always true either. Occasionally you will be playing on a map which not only contains a Limited Vacuum Collapser, but also has two alien homeworlds placed in such a way that both of them can be destroyed altogether with a single LVC detonation. Under these very specific circumstances, placing the LVC where it can destroy both homeworlds will do the trick. If, in addition to this, it is also possible to create another LVC from the Timeless Bauble, you should do this first before creating the second LVC in order to obtain the latter. Once the first LVC has detonated, you are then free to make another one - and if you choose to do so, you can destroy a third alien homeworld with it. In fact, under these even more specific circumstances, if you followed all of the above steps, managed to form an alliance with both initially neutral factions (any two of the Zorg, Muktians and Calatians), and also delivered a Crystal Fish to the Tchorak, you will never encounter a hostile flotilla for the rest of the game - although this is an extremely rare occurrence.

Myth: "Bigger is better, all the time."

Fact: Although larger ships have more armor, equipment slots and turrets than smaller ones, they are also slower and less maneuverable. In fact, it's not the size of your vessels that matters most, but what you do with them. Even a small capital ship (scouts and corvettes) can carry at least one heavy weapon (such as the Nova Cannon), with the exception of Calatian destroyers and cruisers. Moreover, skillful use of advanced equipment (especially the Plasma Coil Cloaker, which prevents hostile ships from tracking the ship on which it is installed as long as it is active - at the expense of rendering all onboard weapons unusable) can tip the balance even further in your favor.

This also applies to weapons. While a big, bulky and powerful long-range weapon such as the Nova Cannon will be at its most effective against larger, slower-moving capital ships, its slow fire rate (a drawback shared with other heavy weapons) limits its effectiveness against smaller, faster fighters. Moreover, its low muzzle velocity can also be countered by using fast-moving ships. Finally, the Nova Cannon has no homing capabilities, whereas the Cobalt Torpedo Tube and Multi-Missile Launcher both do; however, the former can only be acquired by capturing the Damocles, while the latter also has a minimum effective range, within which it cannot lock on to a target. As such, it is a good idea to equip capital ships with a weapons loadout comprised of at least one long-range weapon (for use against capital ships) and at least one hitscan or projectile weapon (for destroying hostile fighters).

Myth: "In some random maps, it's impossible to find anything that can trigger a quest."

Fact: You are always guaranteed to find items and/or flotillas that will trigger a particular quest when you visit the system in which it is located. While this was only implemented in later builds in an attempt to make the game more difficult, it also has the inevitable side-effect of boosting your combat score (which contributes to your total earnings at the end of the game) should you destroy the enemy flotilla(s) spawned as part of the quest.

Myth: "None of the quests can be avoided by any means."

Fact: Except for the Yellow Kawangi and Primordius quests, it is possible to end any quest before it can even be started. The Ravian invasion can be prevented by destroying the system containing the Brood Towers with a Limited Vacuum Collapser before you visit it - but the towers are a natural feature in that system and cannot by removed by a supernova blast wave. If the Kestrel is destroyed before you have attempted to board it (e.g. via supernova), the three pirate fleets (all of which are programmed to converge on the Glory system) will not appear at all. Finally, if the Urluquai Station is destroyed by any means prior to being boarded, you will no longer be able to deliver the Sardions to their destination (which grants you a Sardion Maximizer), nor will the Urluquai invasion force appear; hence, it will no longer be possible to even start the Urluquai Crusade quest if this occurs.

On the other hand, the Primordius and Yellow Kawangi quests cannot be avoided at all, but for completely different reasons - for the former, Primordius appears right after you start the game; for the latter, if you choose to explore every star system on the map, you are absolutely guaranteed at some point to discover a Limited Vacuum Collapser hidden in a random unclaimed system and draw the attention of the Kawangi in the process.

Myth: "Outside of user-generated scenarios, the Nova Cannon, Graviton Disintegrator and Cobalt Torpedo Tube are all considered unobtainium - the player cannot acquire these weapons in any way."

Fact: Although the Nova Cannon and Graviton Disintegrator are used exclusively by the Yellow Kawangi (as far as AI-controlled factions are concerned), it is possible to acquire either (but not both) of them in regular gameplay by using the Timeless Bauble - although they will become unobtainable permanently if you create anything else with the bauble. However, in maps which do not contain this device, both of these weapons are totally unobtainable. This is also true of the Cobalt Torpedo Tube, except that in maps where Primordius is present, the capital ship Damocles will also appear in orbit around a gas giant (which in turn orbits an orange star) - and it carries two of these weapons by default, although you cannot use them unless you manage to capture the ship. Hence, in maps which have the Bauble and Damocles, it is possible to end up with a fleet equipped with either Kawangi weapon (but not both) and a pair of torpedo tubes.

Myth: "The Yellow Kawangi cannot be encountered more than once."

Fact: Due to a bug, if the system where the Limited Vacuum was spawned is revisited after the quest to defeat the Kawangi is completed, another Kawangi Dreadnought will appear, following the same route as the previous one (unless the Dreadnought's first destination was removed from the map, in which case the ship will follow a different route. Of course, if you have a ship with lots of long-range weapons (or a Nova Cannon), heavy shielding, an advanced targeting computer (and a cloaking device, if you have one, although this particular item is not an absolute necessity), you can actually exploit this bug, but you'll still need excellent tactics to have any chance of success. Powerful thrusters are also recommended, but not required. If you succeed, you will gain lots of extra Terran credits for spending on upgrades later.

Myth: "There are always 4 allies you can recruit on every random map."

Fact: Although it is very likely for this to occur, it's not a certainty. Occasionally, you'll find yourself playing on a map where you can only recruit three allies instead of four, and this can be further reduced to two if one of them is destroyed before being recruited. Even so, it is still possible to fully complete the game under these circumstances; it just takes a little more care.

Myth: "There is no point in using the Chromium Gong or Melodium Conograph."

Fact: The Chromium Gong, if it ever appears on the map, is actually quite useful if you must complete a quest (especially the one in which you have to destroy a Kawangi Dreadnought before it annihilates the Terran home system of Glory) but have very little time to do so. Sure, you'll risk breaking the gong and reducing its value, but it's a lot better than letting Glory get blown up! Even so, if you've upgraded your fleet enough, the Gong can become redundant, in which case it may be better to just sell it without having ever used it at all - if you haven't done so already.

As for the Melodium Conograph, all it does is transport your entire fleet one year into the future - but unlike the hyperdrive, it won't take you to another star system or add the Vortex Beast to your cargo hold (if it isn't full). However, you will earn the hidden achievement "Dulcet Tones" the first time you activate it. Other than that, its only purpose is as trade fodder; selling it in Glory will yield 650 credits - 30% more than an intact Chromium Gong.

Myth: "The Hyperdrive is no longer of any use in this game."

Fact: Nothing could be farther from the truth. Although the Hyperdrive has now been nerfed so that using it always takes your flotilla one year (or 365 days) into the future, there are situations where traveling directly to a particular system takes longer without using it, or is outright impossible due to the combination of the presence of a black hole on your intended route and the absence of an Anti-Graviton Shunt in any of your capital ships' equipment slots. In addition, unless your cargo hold is full, using the Hyperdrive for the very first time will add a Vortex Beast to your cargo hold; this strange creature can then be sold at Glory for 600 credits, or at Gamma Station (if it exists on the map) for a whopping 1800 credits - three times its normal price.

Myth: "The Temporal Flux Shield is always the best shield to use."

Fact: Not always true because the Temporal Flux Shield cannot regenerate during combat, unlike lesser shields. Moreover, if it is fully depleted, it will only replenish a small amount of energy shortly afterward. Thus, in situations where you would rather want your ship' shields to fully regenerate, lighter shield systems, such as the Meson Lattice Shield, will be more useful than the Temporal Flux Shield. Even so, a Temporal Flux Shield can withstand much more punishment than any other shield type before being fully eroded away, and can even resist the blast wave of a supernova. That might explain why the Yellow Kawangi Dreadnought and Prince Arcturus' flagship, the Damocles, are equipped with it by default, and in fact are the only ships in the whole game outfitted as such. However, I have managed to successfully destroy Yellow Kawangi Dreadnoughts in normal gameplay even without it - it just takes more caution than if I had installed that particular shield on any of my capital ships.

There are other myths and misconceptions hidden in the Sea of Stars, but the ones I have explained above are some of the best-known among players. I'll see you on the deck of your imaginary flagship very soon.

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 21: A Teaser

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 21: A Teaser

Given that today is International Women's Day, I feel compelled to show one of the artworks I created recently in one of the doll-making games I have tried, featuring some of the female characters I have made. Specifically, it comes from the Goddess Maker game, as a teaser for a project I have planned for the future.

A teaser for my upcoming project featuring characters made in Goddess Maker.

The image above contains only six characters - the maximum permitted in Goddess Maker - although more may be introduced later if I see fit. The only clue to their backgrounds (which I plan to flesh out later) is that these characters are part of the Order of Apollo, an ancient society dedicated to preserving the balance between good and evil. In the meantime, stay tuned for any further developments - it is, after all, my very first short story made with the aid of the Goddess Maker.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 59: Polishing the Breed

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 59: Polishing the Breed

Now that the 4.21 version of UE4 Automation has finally migrated to the public branch, I can finally show you how much better it looks and feels. While the car and engine design rooms look like they came straight out of the Seventies, I am pleased to know that other eras for these backdrops are planned. More significantly, the reworked lighting has finally made everything look much better, especially with the revised color editing system. In addition, a few new bodies have been added, while some of the existing ones were finally fixed, and every engine sounds much better than before, regardless of its configuration. Last but not least, the overall balance of the game has been improved significantly.

This was a big update, taking up several gigabytes of space, but all of it was downloaded and installed in a matter of hours. Eventually I started the game once again, and my patience was rewarded with a much better gameplay experience overall. To prove it, I designed another test car, one from the same era as the last test build shown on this blog, but faster and more upmarket.

An example of a car made in UE4 Automation 4.21. It is obvious that the revised lighting has made everything look better - but this is only the tip of the iceberg.

There is more to come in the weeks ahead, but for now, us Automationeers can feel free to savor the superior visuals and gameplay experience provided by the latest update.