Hello from a Noob! :)

Procyon · Post by **Procyon** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 6:30 am

Hi All!.

Just purchased the game from Steam and I've been having a blast for the last couple of nights learning my way around...

Just finished my first mission ( shooting down those pesky asteroids )

who knew this would be so much fun!

Loving the mods and have updated the cockpit, nebulas etc..

I've been playing games for over 25 yrs and I"m very excited to join in the group.

Cheers!
Procyon

mikeuk · Post by **mikeuk** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 6:39 am

Welcome Procyon its a fantastic game/sim, see you out there in MP soon;)

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:19 am

Welcome to a new era in your life;)

Letoras · Post by **Letoras** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:32 am

Welcome amigo, this is exactly how i felt when i first played that game, the community is fantastic and the game is awesome!!!
Hope to see you out there amigo!!!

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 3:02 pm

Hi Procyon, welcome to the game and forum!.....Hope to see you out there some time!.....

PKodon · Post by **PKodon** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:28 pm

Okay, I'm new too. I've got some older Starwraith games, but just purchased the 3D trilogy (Evochron, that is) from Gamer's Gate.

Now, from what I've read here, most of the information I'm seeing is for Evochron Mercenery. That's fine, but, if I want to get the whole story (what there is of it), I want to start out with Evochron Renegades, right?

So, I know there are things you can do in EL and EM that you can't do in ER, and the ER strategy guide link (on the ER web page) leads to a 404 Not Found. Anyone have a PDF or something with some strategy hints on how to play the game?

I figured out how to mine by accident/trial and error (both asteroids and planets). Can you mine moons (no atmosphere)? So far I have not been able to. Combining mining with a mission to destroy asteroids seems to be the quickest way to earn cash, so far. I figured out how to get one Platinum in each cargo bay, then sit there with the inventory screen open and wait for the bays to all fill up, while I read a book.

In ER, is the fuel converter only good for refilling your fuel tanks? I see no option to sell fuel at the stations I dock at (or when a ship asks me to trade with them).

Is there any way to ALT-TAB without activating the afterburner (this would be nice when I need to check some documentation on how to do something).

I have progressed to the point where I have the following ship/equipment:

Ship Frame: Saber (No one here sells the Raven)
Engine: Voyage Mk I
Shields: Class 2
Cargo Bays: 5
Fuel Tank: Class 2 (800)
Wing System: Raptor

Systems: (How can I get more? I wanted to add a Repair System)
Cargo Scanner C2
Mine/Tractor Beam
Fulcrum Drive C2
Shield Boost X2
Fuel Converter

Weapons:
Particle: FireFury
Beam: MetalVaporLaser (only usable against ships?)
Missile:
4 Echelon missile slots (Does this mean I only have 4 missiles, total?)

So far, I have not left the first sector. I've been to two planets (Sapphire and Glacia), two cities, three stations, three asteroid fields, two gates (between the two planets) and a nebula.

I've mined, cleaned solar arrays, destroyed asteroids, picked up lost cargo, delivered cargo, successfully raced against other ships (though the other ships seem to keep running in to me, no matter how I try to avoid them - timed races seem to elude me yet), upgraded my ship and systems, and done a little trading with stations (can't seem to get a ship to accept my offers), and grabbed cargo that was discharged after one ship fought another. Oh, yeah, and I bought a license at Sapphire Station, still haven't recouped my expenditure on that one.

I have not seen the Guild present any missions, so far, so no reputation change there. I did find a few Guild ships attempting to mine, but some miners attacked one or two of them (hence the above cargo grab).

Supposedly in the starting system is the first transponder leading to the Renegades, but I have found no reference to it beyond the intro.

Is "Online News" meant for when you are in multiplayer?

Two days of playing and I guess that's enough questions for now.

Oh, wait, one more: Is it possible through modding to convert ER and EL to use the EM engine so all 3 games could be played with the same capabilities?

PK

[Edited on 3-15-2012 by PKodon]

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:09 pm

Hi PKodon, welcome to the game and forum!.....Hope to see you out there some time!.....

PKodon · Post by **PKodon** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:04 pm

Thanks for the welcome Marrschalk,

Now, if someone would answer my questions, it would be nice. Too bad there isn't an IRC channel on some network somewhere so I can chat with people about the games.

PK

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:08 pm

Well, there is multiplayer. And a couple TeamSpeak servers.

PKodon · Post by **PKodon** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:59 pm

Sorry, I have a data cap on my internet, and have had some bad experiences with team-type games, where schedules can't be kept because of life, and feathers get ruffled when the game becomes more important to some than life. So, I stick with single-player only.

I would like some answers to the above questions, though. In the mean time, back to the game.

PK

mikeuk · Post by **mikeuk** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 10:40 pm

Welcome PKodon I don`t think any feathers will get ruffled here

hope to see you out there;)

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:03 pm

From post: 133226, Topic: tid=9046, author=PKodon wrote:I would like some answers to the above questions, though.

Just for clarification: for which game ... ER, EL or EM?

PKodon · Post by **PKodon** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:38 am

From post: 133233, Topic: tid=9046, author=Marvin wrote:
From post: 133226, Topic: tid=9046, author=PKodon wrote:I would like some answers to the above questions, though.
Just for clarification: for which game ... ER, EL or EM?

I thought I made it clear in my first post (above), I'm talking about ER, since the link to the Strategy Guide from the game's web page leads to a 404 Page Not Found.

Please see my first post, above.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:53 pm

From post: 133226, Topic: tid=9046, author=PKodon wrote:Sorry, I have a data cap on my internet, and have had some bad experiences with team-type games, where schedules can't be kept because of life, and feathers get ruffled when the game becomes more important to some than life. So, I stick with single-player only.

I would like some answers to the above questions, though. In the mean time, back to the game.

PK

1. Yes, you want to start with Renegades. But unfortunately the strategy guide for ER was only online. I have a hardcopy printed out of it and it would take me for ever to scan it in and e-mail it to you since I have a very old slow page scanner that still works!
Some one else might have an electronic copy on their computer!

2. You want to start with the beacon quest. The first beacon is near where you first started the game. Just fly very close to it almost touching it with the nose of your ship and your first clue and message will be given to you to start the quest. The beacon looks like a spinning top.

3. Yes the fuel converter in ER is only to get fuel from stars and nebulaes in combination with a tractor/mining beam!

4. I think you can use the Windows/Start and D keys to switch between game and windows but only if you have one of the Windows mode options choosen in the display setup options in the game.

5. All ships in ER have only 5 equipment slots!

6. Weapons are only useable against ships and astroids!

7. The more expensive bigger ships have 8 missile slots!

8. To offer and acept offers or bribes you have to target the ship you want to deal with and be in targeting range and then open the trade console and then click on what you want to offer or receive, if amount you have to type the amount of credits and hit enter.

9. I do not remember if it was possible to mine moons in ER!

10. I do not remember what the online news was for, but I think it was for MP!

11. And the last question, No you can not convert the other games ER and EL to use the EM engine.

Good luck!.....

PKodon · Post by **PKodon** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 6:29 pm

Thanks, Maarschalk, that helps a lot.

I find it somewhat annoying that you can't target cargo containers (to see what their contents are). I dumped 6 units of Platinum to grab a container dropped when two ships were fighting near a group of asteroids. What I got was a bunch of Food worth 500 credits. Yes, I can recoup the Platinum by doing more mining, but instead of Platinum, I could have had a hold full of machinery or some other commodity worth at least double what the food was worth, and what you dump disappears, so you can't retrieve it if you made a mistake. (I guess this would be a good time to save before you do something you might regret, assuming you're not in the middle of a mission when you run across the container.)

Other than that, so far the game seems to be very good, I'll just keep on with my trial and error playing.

As for that beacon, is there somewhere or someone I'm supposed to talk to to be notified in-game about the beacon, or is the info in the intro all you get? What does the beacon look like on the navigation map (it won't be spinning there)?

Again, thanks, much appreciated.

PK

[Edited on 3-16-2012 by PKodon]

Twilly Frost · Post by **Twilly Frost** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:15 pm

Food can net you a lot of cash, if you find a place that really needs it. Like maybe a distress call from a place needing food.

Help! We need food! We have money but it tastes like crap and has very little to no nutritional value! Save us!

Kilgore · Post by **Kilgore** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 8:38 pm

this community will not disappoint! Evochron is a great game with many ppl willing to help. cannot wait for the expansion overhaul

:P:P

Post by **Marvin** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:57 pm

Having never played Renegades, I can't be certain ... but I don't think you'll find distress calls in that game.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 12:13 am

From post: 133363, Topic: tid=9046, author=PKodon wrote:Thanks, Maarschalk, that helps a lot.

I find it somewhat annoying that you can't target cargo containers (to see what their contents are). I dumped 6 units of Platinum to grab a container dropped when two ships were fighting near a group of asteroids. What I got was a bunch of Food worth 500 credits. Yes, I can recoup the Platinum by doing more mining, but instead of Platinum, I could have had a hold full of machinery or some other commodity worth at least double what the food was worth, and what you dump disappears, so you can't retrieve it if you made a mistake. (I guess this would be a good time to save before you do something you might regret, assuming you're not in the middle of a mission when you run across the container.)

Other than that, so far the game seems to be very good, I'll just keep on with my trial and error playing.

As for that beacon, is there somewhere or someone I'm supposed to talk to to be notified in-game about the beacon, or is the info in the intro all you get? What does the beacon look like on the navigation map (it won't be spinning there)?

Again, thanks, much appreciated.

PK

[Edited on 3-16-2012 by PKodon]

1. If I remember corectly you can use a cargo scanner to scan the contents of dropped cargo!

2. The info in the intro is all you get for the beacon quest in ER. Also there is the Spoiler in the strategy guide that you unfortunately do not have access to unless some one can get you an electronic copy! The beacons do not show up on your nav map! They might show up on your radar as a pink or purple tadpole when you are near one iirc! It is been a long time ago I last played the game ER! And no, it does not spin, it just looks like a spinning top in shape! And the first one should be very close to the Station where you start out from when you entered the game for the first time I believe! If you can not find the first one let me know and I can give you the coordinates!.....

[Edited on 3-17-2012 by Maarschalk]

PKodon · Post by **PKodon** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 12:42 pm

Heh, everything looks like a spinning top in ER

Well, the gates all have things that look like tops on them, the stations all have parts that look like tops.

I have a cargo scanner, but it only scans cargo in ships. Since you can't target stations, cities, cargo containers, or asteroids, you cannot use the cargo scanner to see what kind of cargo might be there.

This is a bit of a disappointment, as I've played X: Beyond the Frontier, and was able to add more than 5 systems to my ship, including an asteroid scanner and cargo scanner, and could target almost any space object for analysis.

However, those shortcomings are not enough to make me give up on playing ER. I've played space games which gave you a lot less options than ER does. At any rate, I'm going to spend some time looking around the space near Sapphire today, and see if I can't find that beacon.

I'm assuming that, if no ships have more than 5 equipment slots, they probably all have a max of 5 cargo bays, as well. Do the cargo bays for bigger ships get bigger, or are we stuck with 5 cargo bays that can each hold a maximum of 25 (tons?) of one, and only one, type of cargo?

Well, I'm off to find the beacon. Catch you all later.

Shieldwolf · Post by **Shieldwolf** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 5:01 pm

woof ... Welcome Procyon.

PKodon · Post by **PKodon** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 7:54 pm

From post: 133437, Topic: tid=9046, author=Shieldwolf wrote:woof ... Welcome Procyon.

Procyon? Isn't that a star?

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 7:55 pm

From post: 133423, Topic: tid=9046, author=PKodon wrote:Heh, everything looks like a spinning top in ER

Well, the gates all have things that look like tops on them, the stations all have parts that look like tops.

I have a cargo scanner, but it only scans cargo in ships. Since you can't target stations, cities, cargo containers, or asteroids, you cannot use the cargo scanner to see what kind of cargo might be there.

This is a bit of a disappointment, as I've played X: Beyond the Frontier, and was able to add more than 5 systems to my ship, including an asteroid scanner and cargo scanner, and could target almost any space object for analysis.

However, those shortcomings are not enough to make me give up on playing ER. I've played space games which gave you a lot less options than ER does. At any rate, I'm going to spend some time looking around the space near Sapphire today, and see if I can't find that beacon.

I'm assuming that, if no ships have more than 5 equipment slots, they probably all have a max of 5 cargo bays, as well. Do the cargo bays for bigger ships get bigger, or are we stuck with 5 cargo bays that can each hold a maximum of 25 (tons?) of one, and only one, type of cargo?

Well, I'm off to find the beacon. Catch you all later.

I thought in ER if you get close enough to the dropped cargo containers and depending on the class of scanner the content of the container will show if you get very close to the container!

Yes, the maximum cargo bays is 5 and each can hold only 25 tons of one item!.....

PKodon · Post by **PKodon** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:04 pm

So, okay, this navigation map is getting confusing.

If I zoom out, and change what text is being displayed to "objects", it lists in purple text some coordinates, which I can only conclude are supposed to be for the nebula (coordinates 8000, -10000, 2000), but they don't coincide with the center of the nebula. If I go to those exact coordinates, there's nothing there but nebula, with the station (with slightly different coordinates) visible in the distance.

Another "object" listed with blue text seems to be a star. If I get too close to it, I blow up. If there's a station there, it's awfully close to that star. (I think a station is listed near those coordinates as well).

So far, no luck finding any kind of beacon anywhere near that first station or planet (Sapphire). The only thing visible anywhere in the area besides the station, planet, and moon, is the gate to Glacia.

So, perhaps if I could get the coordinates for the first beacon, at least I could figure out what to look for in the game, and how obscure these beacons are, whether they show up on radar, etc.

Oh, yeah. I guess since there are only 5 equipment slots, regardless of ship, what would be recommended equipment to have early in the game?

Also, with regard to the shipyard and Assembly points, does one need to leave some assembly points for equipment or weapons, or can we use them all without penalty?

Thanks, PK

--- Update: I watched the intro again, as something I found in a review said to watch the intro and pay strict attention to the last few lines. The last line states that the "gateway" to the mystery begins on Sapphire, where the first beacon was found. Does that mean I'm to take the gateway near Sapphire to Glacia and look for a beacon there, or does it mean I need to scour the surface of Sapphire in order to find the first beacon?

[Edited on 3-17-2012 by PKodon]

[Edited on 3-17-2012 by PKodon]

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:16 pm

Beacon 1 is at SX 0, SY 0, SZ 0. X -25500, Y 5000, Z 12750.
Notice 2 sets of coordinates, the first set is the Saphire sector coordinates and the second set are the coordinates in the Saphire Sector 0, 0, 0!