7 replies to this topic

[Sn0w]

So the shoutbox today brought up FL Companion and whether it would work with the new mod, so I'm curious how and why people use it, if they do.

I myself use it but I found the option to limit what systems it'll use for plotting trade runs for you. So I use it to find the best runs in areas I've fully explored. It saves me doing a bunch of math (I hate math) trying to figure out the best runs to optimize my trading time in game. How about you?

[Pokey]

Fl Companion is a "convenience"...FULLSTOP! It is used by people who are lazy and can't be bothered to play the game properly. It negates the need for exploration, the most important part of Freelancer, and can guide you directly to the best trade routes, hidden base and systems, equipment as well as other things. In fact, you could call it cheating, if it wasn't for the fact that most servers allow it's use.

Now, the above statement was made for the people WITHOUT lives. You know, people who have nothing better to do than play Freelancer and are willing to donate hundreds of hours of gameplay to explore every sector just to find a jumphole.

Most of us these days, don't have that luxury. I'm sure the Admin team can understand, as this has been their primary arguement for their lack of attention to this mod, and it's players. Yet they are willing to force the rest of us to use an incredible amount of time playing their mod. Exploring is great, don't get me wrong. But Freelancer "online" is a social interaction. Something that server ops and Admins crave. But there is no interaction when everyone is exploring.

I just think it's a shame that we are no longer given the choice. I know that in past mods, and in fact other different mods, a lot of players never used those programs to aid them. Well Kudos to them! A lot of players do. We want to get set up as quickly as possible so that we can enjoy the interation of pvp and other things right away. Then, when there's not many people on, explore to our hearts content.

This is NOT an arguement for one way or the other, this is about having a choice, and to stop some people from choosing, on purpose, well......seems a little "Stalinesqe" to me.

Cheers, Pokey

[Jacobite]

valid points pokey, quite understandable. my own personal view is since we dont have a story line as such to follow as in single player which i reckon took care of a certain amount of exploring in itself, but for us as a mod exploration is an integral part of what we are trying to achieve, finding where everything is should be an important part of the game to replace the story as it were. i think you`ll agree that most mods become pretty shallow rather quickly and part of what we are doin this time is trying to add some real depth to the game, in short those of you who do climb to the top of the tree will have certainly earned it . again thats just part of the reason we will be more relaxed on helping other players within the RP we are hoping to set up this time. not allowing companion or flds and such like is not so much to stop (cheating) as it were but more to enhance the state of play. put another way if you have taken the time to explore as much as poss then you can either share that info with friends (green) or.. SELL that information to white (neutral) ! i can apretiate not everybody plays the same game as it were but we are trying to make it a lot more interesting and in depth than it ever has been.
one more note towards exploring.. we are hoping to introduce a dynamic ecconomy which will move things around a little and we ourselves will occassionaly move things to... em... make it more interesting companion and flds would spoil that part of the game while on the other hand if you and your clan / friends happen to find the new best selling place for a commod then it may be in your interest to keep it quiet so it stays in one place longer or if its a commod you dont need then as said.. sell the info ! anyway the point i`m trying to make is its a far better game without companion and flds than it is with em

regards Jaco

[Pokey]

Well, I thoroughly agree with everything you said there Jaco. I find it very difficult to argue against any of your points. Mainly because that's how I USED to play the game, when I had lots of time up my sleeve. It just would be nice to have a choice at times, that's all I was trying to say. I too, having said that, have thought about the prospect of selling info as a lucrative way of making good money. We'll see!

Cheers.

[Sn0w]

I agree totally, the mod I run uses a dynamic economy that is strictly operated serverside that means that things like FL Companion can't ever predict the actual best buy/sell prices beyond what basics the mod already has. It also simulates (to some degree via hidden timers) how much NPC trading to the base would occur so deals come and go a little quicker. It definitely makes me run fast when I'm trading on a good deal lol. But like I said in my OP I never did like using FL Companion beyond route optimizing in my current systems

[Lucifer]

Yes As J has said, 'valid points pokey'.......
tbh there is a map posted up on the forum and this gives you a Idea where these are in the Mod and you shouldn't rely 'Freelancer Companion'
at all
Luci

[Spirit]

FL Companion and FLStat etc. will not work when the mod is released, hopefully this will bring in the role of the Information Specialists, who you will be able to buy certain info from and possibly sell to, if they do not happen to know something, this will allow them to sell it on also.

[Lucifer]

Using Freelancer Companion would make playing the game boring tbh, the art of the game is looking for the trades and not have them told to you by Freelancer Companion, this way you play the game more and not just come on for a hour do your trades kill a bit then go again this is NOT how the game should be played IMHO
Luci