So I got FTL: Faster Than Light

[Naeras]

After weighing all of the opinions here, I can't shake the feeling that your success or failure is determined by how beneficial or negative those early jump points and sectors are. It's only further compounded by the fact that not every build is able to even have a chance against the final boss. So, while everyone wants to split hairs fine, it's not entirely luck based, but luck sure is the deciding factor for much of your success or failure. Also your chances of it being un-beneficial are actually higher if you consider all the filler points. (settlements that don't answer your hail, connection points, not even going into points that you personally wouldn't need at that moment.)

You really only need one good core weapon to kill the final boss, and the chances of you not getting one of them during the entire playthrough is pretty darn low. Hell, a lot of the ships even start with them.

Generally speaking, the things you need to kill the flagship is 3 points in shields, 40%+ dodge rating, a teleporter, and something that can realistically harm the flagship otherwise. All of these are pretty easy to get. The best weapon sets are probably all-out laser builds, heavy beams with supporting weapons to take out shields for the beam, and something involving the Ion Blast mk.II, often with a second ion weapon and drones. You just need to know what you're looking for.

 

[fi22000]

Interesting point and I did notice that myself. Truthfully speaking, I have managed to get close to the end but still haven't managed to finish the game entirely. Could probably count as a potential Negative, but then I would say the same for Binding of Isaac; you can do really well in that game one moment, but really badly the next. Yet I still love FTL probably because I find it more bearable as the game has autosave on exit, a feature lacking in The Binding of Isaac.

The varying difficulty can be improved, but it does seem to be a relevant and common characteristic of rogue-like games. That is where the challenge and element of surprise comes in. I agree though, that it can make a game frustrating especially when you fail after doing so well, not knowing when you will be as lucky next time. I have been playing Eldritch which can also be punishing but balances the difficulty between playthroughs a bit better. I think it's a matter of taste and patience, but I can see why it's not everybody's cup of tea and why it's considered natural of the genre.

 

[Eve Charm]

Eh I love the game but starting out, Easy is normal, Normal is pretty damn hard. It's not as much the luck as knowledge needed to win the game. The game doesn't explain very much so at the start your fumbling around with weapons and tech till you get your bearing leading to a lot of early deaths. Once you get a set up you can usually rely and start learning what weapons enemies have by looking you'll do a lot better in combat. After that it's pretty much learning what encounters are good to do, and what to avoid like ones that can kill off one of your crew members.

I recommend finding the config file floating around that unlocks all the ships if you are starting to get bored with the game. Some of the ships play very differently and let you try new things.

 

[Inkidu]

Eh I love the game but starting out, Easy is normal, Normal is pretty damn hard. It's not as much the luck as knowledge needed to win the game. The game doesn't explain very much so at the start your fumbling around with weapons and tech till you get your bearing leading to a lot of early deaths. Once you get a set up you can usually rely and start learning what weapons enemies have by looking you'll do a lot better in combat. After that it's pretty much learning what encounters are good to do, and what to avoid like ones that can kill off one of your crew members.

I recommend finding the config file floating around that unlocks all the ships if you are starting to get bored with the game. Some of the ships play very differently and let you try new things.

So your suggestion is that I should cheat to enjoy the game. :\

Because I generally consider that a failing of the designers'.

 

[Eve Charm]

Eh I love the game but starting out, Easy is normal, Normal is pretty damn hard. It's not as much the luck as knowledge needed to win the game. The game doesn't explain very much so at the start your fumbling around with weapons and tech till you get your bearing leading to a lot of early deaths. Once you get a set up you can usually rely and start learning what weapons enemies have by looking you'll do a lot better in combat. After that it's pretty much learning what encounters are good to do, and what to avoid like ones that can kill off one of your crew members.

I recommend finding the config file floating around that unlocks all the ships if you are starting to get bored with the game. Some of the ships play very differently and let you try new things.

So your suggestion is that I should cheat to enjoy the game. :\

Because I generally consider that a failing of the designers'.

Eh more choice is always more fun. and like I said if your getting tired with it.

It's like the 30 lives code in contra, if it helps you play more and get better, why not use it from time to time.

 

[GiantRaven]

So your suggestion is that I should cheat to enjoy the game. :\

Because I generally consider that a failing of the designers'.

The complexity of unlocking new ships is a complete failing of the designers. There's absolutely no reason for it to be so stupid and convoluted.

Everybody should just cheat and bypass that crap.

 

[Inkidu]

Eh I love the game but starting out, Easy is normal, Normal is pretty damn hard. It's not as much the luck as knowledge needed to win the game. The game doesn't explain very much so at the start your fumbling around with weapons and tech till you get your bearing leading to a lot of early deaths. Once you get a set up you can usually rely and start learning what weapons enemies have by looking you'll do a lot better in combat. After that it's pretty much learning what encounters are good to do, and what to avoid like ones that can kill off one of your crew members.

I recommend finding the config file floating around that unlocks all the ships if you are starting to get bored with the game. Some of the ships play very differently and let you try new things.

So your suggestion is that I should cheat to enjoy the game. :\

Because I generally consider that a failing of the designers'.

Eh more choice is always more fun. and like I said if your getting tired with it.

It's like the 30 lives code in contra, if it helps you play more and get better, why not use it from time to be the time.

So the game was never meant to be beaten with the Type A Kestrel? Maybe the the game is less luck based with other ships, but I could link whether I'm going to get far or not directly to the number of missile using, or Zolton ships (God help you if it's both) you encounter before a cloak or being able to use a defense drone. They're just pure damage.

 

[Eve Charm]

Well just about all the ships in a good run you'll end up replace the start weapons and buying the other missing ship modules if you wanted to have a chance at beating the boss so at the end of the game, all the ships are pretty much on par.

But stuff like the kestrel B starting off with 4 one damage lasers makes the beginning a breeze, or having engi or something so you can use drones. Or my personal favorite the mantis ship with teleporters so you can wipe out the crew and keep the ship intact getting even more scrap and bonuses for winning battles.

 

[Inkidu]

Well just about all the ships in a good run you'll end up replace the start weapons and buying the other missing ship modules if you wanted to have a chance at beating the boss so at the end of the game, all the ships are pretty much on par.

But stuff like the kestrel B starting off with 4 one damage lasers makes the beginning a breeze, or having engi or something so you can use drones. Or my personal favorite the mantis ship with teleporters so you can wipe out the crew and keep the ship intact getting even more scrap and bonuses for winning battles.

Yeah, well I find that it was entirely dependent on how man jumps yielded good things. The game has a high factor of luck. If the crap you need never shows up you might as well restart the game.

 

[Kevin Puszert]

I can't get this game to work.

It boots up half the time after the loading ticker, and when it takes me to the title screen my mouse cuts out. Somebody mentioned something about windows 8 or graphics drivers. I expect a lot of problems from a game, mouse input just isn't one of them.

 

[Inkidu]

I can't get this game to work.

It boots up half the time after the loading ticker, and when it takes me to the title screen my mouse cuts out. Somebody mentioned something about windows 8 or graphics drivers. I expect a lot of problems from a game, mouse input just isn't one of them.

Well, I'd suggest the Subset Games forum. My brother plays it on Windows 8 no problem.