Starting role question

[Tarl]

I'm playing the demo and would like a little more information on which starting role to, um, start with : )

In advance, I know that I could just try all roles out first and figure it out on my own, but, have pity on me. My time to play is short (work, hobbies, family, etc.). And, I really couldn't locate the answers from looking through all the message threads.

So, here is what I want to role play as. Han Solo. Yes, I know, no wookies are available in this game, but I'll just have to rpg one of my crewman as being Chewbacca : )

According to legend, Han Solo did some time in the military prior to "jumping ship" (or, moving on, whatever) and becoming a mercenary. So, role playing it would seem like I should start out as a "combat pilot" (instead of straight out as a mercenary).

Not only does that seem correct in a rpg manner, but it may help me in another area. Combat. Basically, I'm really bad in combat. So, what I need is lots of practice.

Two questions:
1. Will the "combat role" by default get me doing more combat/military missions? So, that, whether I like it or not I actually get better prior to "moving on" to being a smuggler (hmmm, not sure you can do that in Mercenary, but, I digress)?

2. IF I start out in the combat role, when I later "go rogue" and fly off to a station to get myself a civie space craft will this somehow "miff" the military (not sure if I care or not, just curious)?

Anyway, cool game. I'll have to run through the training stuff quite a bit for it to even begin to sink in, but I've been looking for a game like this for some time.

Thanks,

Tarl

[DarK Rogue]

Possible Spoiler
1. combat role only means you get to start in a carrier and in a military ship, otherwise, if you still want to combat, just move one sector to Olympus
2. when you go trade in fov civilian ship, it won't affect the military in any way

[Marvin]

Both of the above. You can swap ships in and out without damaging your reputation or military rank. And Olympus is probably the least hostile area where you can still find combat contracts.

[DarK Rogue]

when you get better at combat, I mean like capable of handling the missions provided at Olympus, then you can go to warzones, after upgrading your equipment

[BraveHart]

"Beware the Darkside Tarl"

[Whytephyre]

Starting as a combat pilot means you cannot begin the IMC contracts (until u get a civvy ship), but also gives you a better combat craft that has increased value, speed, agility, & armor. You cannot carry cargo or crew though, & max out at 5 equipment slots.

[Tarl]

Well, appreciate the replies. I don't think I stated my questions quite right.

Hmmm. So, no matter what "role" you start out with, you get all the same missions, contracts, etc.? Well, yes, I do understand that you don't get the IMC "quest" until you have a civie ship.

I had thought that because you started out with the military that you would get a bunch of contracts/requests to go do military type of stuff. Like, uh, maybe killing things : ) More so than if you started out as a civie role.

So, basically what it sounds like is that (aside from the IMC contract), the only difference in what you do as far as beginning "work" is that:

1. If you start out with a combat role, you get a ship that is geared for doing combat. So, you may naturally take on (at the beginning) more combat contracts and/or just roam around looking for new people to meet and then kill.

2. If you start out as a mercenary/trader you have a beginning ship that is more geared towards trading/mining. So, you naturally take on (at the beginning) contracts that do NOT have you trying to kill others.

Is that pretty much the only difference then?

If so, then I'll go ahead and keep my role as "combat" as that provides me with a starter ship that is more applicable to training my fighting/combat skills right off the bat. And, goes with my rpg plan. Hmmm. So, eventually (once I get a civie ship that can have crew members) I need to see if I can "hire" an engineer and name him Chewbaca : )

I'm a little confused that the "mercenary" role would start out with a starter ship that appears to be the same frame as a trader. Mercenary generally means (from Wikipedia)".......is promised, by or on behalf of a party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party......." So, basically a military role as a fighter.

I guess the additional starter money received when starting as a mercenary means that maybe he (Or, "she". I don't mean to be sexist as I assume people of both sexes play the game.) can go get some shield/weapons upgrades right away to make his starter ship more able to succeed in combat. Still, the frame seems to be all wrong. But, based on what I've read in the forums, you can put together a civie ship that can be fairly capable as a fighter. Although from what I've read a ship based on a fighter frame will, all other things being equal, be able to "beat" a ship based on a civie frame. Is that correct?

Also, I guess "mercenary" could also mean doing anything for entities engaged in conflict in return for monetary (or otherwise) compensation. So, spying (which appears to be in the game) on the other side and selling the info to someone. Or, smuggling (I'm not sure that is in the game at this time) in needed war supplies (gun running, so to speak). Etc. Maybe that is what is meant by "mercenary" in this game? Kind of all just semantics, so no big deal.

Anyway, appreciate the replies and will, eventually, see you in MP.

Thanks,

Tarl

(yeah, having to do some editing to help in making my message clearer : )

[Edited on 10-3-2010 by Tarl]

[Edited on 10-3-2010 by Tarl]

[Marvin]

But, based on what I've read in the forums, you can put together a civie ship that can be fairly capable as a fighter. Although from what I've read a ship based on a fighter frame will, all other things being equal, be able to "beat" a ship based on a civie frame. Is that correct?

Pretty much correct on both counts. But keep in mind that most of the tasks required in the Quest cannot be accomplished in military ships ... since they are not equipped with cargo space.

[Tarl]

Originally posted by Eclipse

I guess the additional starter money received when starting as a mercenary means that maybe he (Or, "she". I don't mean to be sexist as I assume people of both sexes play the game.) can go get some shield/weapons upgrades right away to make his starter ship more able to succeed in combat. Still, the frame seems to be all wrong. But, based on what I've read in the forums, you can put together a civie ship that can be fairly capable as a fighter. Although from what I've read a ship based on a fighter frame will, all other things being equal, be able to "beat" a ship based on a civie frame. Is that correct?

Incorrect, it depends on the pilots' abilities.

Well, I did state "......all other things being equal.......". So, that would be assuming that the pilot's abilities were equal.

Anyway, it would only make sense that a "combat" frame would always (again, everything else being equal : ) beat a "civie" frame. Else, why would you have combat specific frames. Kinda the whole purpose of their existence.

In reality (or, in my alternate reality while playing the game) if I met a real military threat while being a mercenary/smuggler I'd opt for my "hyper space get the frig out of here" gambit : )

Anyway, for a mercenary/smuggler type role, I don't think that there is any question about what frames you have to have. Since you can't have a crew member (what, no Chewbaca? : ) with a combat frame (based on what I understand how the game works), then, aside from more quickly learning combat skills, I will move on to a civie frame soon enough. That and cargo space (and other things I'm probably missing).

I guess the other reason to go flying combat missions for the military (in a combat frame or a civie frame) would be to more rapidly increase your reputation with the navy/military. The whole "reputation" part of the game looks quite intriguing and something that will take me some time to fully, um, grok. But, that's a good thing. I like taking my time (but, I don't like dying repeatedly over and over again due to simple lack of hand/brain skills, thus the interest in quickly getting those skills).

And, just to be clear, I am kinda making a mountain out of a molehill : ) I fully realize that. I mean, I know I could just start off as a miner and end up being a smuggler. So, not really a life changing issue. I'm just kinda into the rpg thingie. It makes the game be more immersive (hmmm, not a valid word? oh well) for me and means something to me personally.

Anyway, appreciate all the feedback.

Thanks,

Tarl

[Edited on 10-3-2010 by Tarl]

[Marvin]

I never thought of Solo's Falcon as a military ship ... he was a smuggler. X-Wings and Ti Fighters were the military ships and neither had room for Chewy.

[Tarl]

Originally posted by Marvin
I never thought of Solo's Falcon as a military ship ... he was a smuggler. X-Wings and Ti Fighters were the military ships and neither had room for Chewy.

Yeah, don't know what civie ship I'll end up using as my "Falcon". Too early for me to study up all the civie frames to determine what would work best (besides which I don't have any experience yet to help in that decision making : )

Looking forward to figuring all that out. That's one of the things I like about this game. It's got a lot of "depth."

Seems like I remember reading that in one of the Evo games you had the ability to create and then import different looking ships? Skins? Not sure if that is correct, or if Vice will allow that for Mercenarys. But, even if my "falcon" doesn't look exactly like Han's, not a big deal. However, have to admit, it would be cool if you could import (or, create in game) a Mil Falcon : ) Hmmm. Not sure about the legality of copying the Mil Falcon to use as your own ship. Oh well. I couldn't ever get it close enough in looks to probably matter. So, no big deal.

Thanks,

Tarl

[Ravenfeeder]

Sorry, no smuggling. One thing about starting off with a military ship is that you can sell it, and get a decent civ ship. Don't knock civvy ships as fighters, they do real well.

We don't have a chewbaca, but, we do have a Yoda!

As Eclipse says, don't make the assumption that a mil ship will always beat a civ ship, it's down to the skill, and sometimes, luck, of the pilot. Eclipse has proved that many times in both, Renegades, and Legends.

I think that the best ship profile to start with is "Racer" - you get a decent ship, plus cash.

There's plenty of military missions outside of the War Zones. In WZs there are mission that are hardly military, where you have to jump out and collect an item - grab those missions with both hands, they still count as a mil mission, and help to increase your mil rank - they count just the same as doing a 5 waypoint mission against 35 plus Vonari, just don't pay as well.

In starting; my suggestion would be to make as much money as you can, in as short a time as you can. Get a really good civ ship, equip it as best as you can, and then, if you want, take on the mil missions in a WZ.

[Tarl]

Originally posted by Ravenfeeder
Sorry, no smuggling. One thing about starting off with a military ship is that you can sell it, and get a decent civ ship. Don't knock civvy ships as fighters, they do real well.

We don't have a chewbaca, but, we do have a Yoda!

As Eclipse says, don't make the assumption that a mil ship will always beat a civ ship, it's down to the skill, and sometimes, luck, of the pilot. Eclipse has proved that many times in both, Renegades, and Legends.

I think that the best ship profile to start with is "Racer" - you get a decent ship, plus cash.

There's plenty of military missions outside of the War Zones. In WZs there are mission that are hardly military, where you have to jump out and collect an item - grab those missions with both hands, they still count as a mil mission, and help to increase your mil rank - they count just the same as doing a 5 waypoint mission against 35 plus Vonari, just don't pay as well.

In starting; my suggestion would be to make as much money as you can, in as short a time as you can. Get a really good civ ship, equip it as best as you can, and then, if you want, take on the mil missions in a WZ.

Hmmm. I don't think I can go that route. I pissed off Varn big time. He didn't like it that his face hit my fist. But, hey, I got tired of him always wanting a cut of my night's work moving stuff for our boss. Only thing is, I heard he went and told our boss that I'd been holding out. So, time to move on.

I'm too short of credit to grab a quick shuttle out of this piece of slime of a city. So, I'm taking the only way out I know of. Yeah, stupid prissy acting Navy recruiter been hinting that they'd be interested in putting my pod racing skills to some good use for the federation. Yeah, right, whatever. They don't pay worth a crap, but I'd just as soon be a live pilot trainee for the Navy than a body lying in the gutter in a day or two.

The recruiter already told me the jump gate to go to for my flight up to the military station in orbit. I did their prelim testing a while back when I was kicking around trying to figure out what to do after getting here from the country. But, hey, there was this girl, yuh know, so I hung around the city instead jumping into the Navy. But, she's gone now, so Navy and the military, here I come : )

Thanks,

Tarl

[Maarschalk]

Hi Tarl, welcome to the forum. Hope to see you out there once you get in to the real game...;)

[Sinbad]

There aren't any frames quite the scale of the Millenium Falcon, but when you have another player as a turret gunner on your ship it feels a bit like Star Wars!