Beginner Again

[Epee1]

So should I start out with just the original game, or all of the expansions?

I own all the expansions, but learning all these ships is daunting, unless you guys can explain this monster game to me?

Thanks!

[Lancefighter]

Well, in the beginning there is a selection item for 'simple' ships. Simple basically meaning 'different versions of guns in space'...

After that, well, you just have to learn them as the AI sends them after you 

[Epee1]

Thanks! I have been using simple ships so far.  So I guess I can keep all the expansions turned on?

[Lancefighter]

well, if you turn them on one at a time and play some games, etc, you can learn the rest of the ships over a greater time.. of course, that would also take a lot of time :p

[Wingflier]

I've been playing the game for about 6 months now, with 10 or more 80 planet campaigns under my belt, and still playing the regular game.

If you are actually trying to improve at the game, I would stay with the regular game until you can consistently beat it on moderate (7.6) or hard (8.0) difficulty.

If you don't mind playing on lower difficulties, you can just stick with the original game until you feel comfortable with it, then move on to the expansions whenever.

[Vinraith]

I've been playing the game for about 6 months now, with 10 or more 80 planet campaigns under my belt, and still playing the regular game.

If you are actually trying to improve at the game, I would stay with the regular game until you can consistently beat it on moderate (7.6) or hard (8.0) difficulty.

If you don't mind playing on lower difficulties, you can just stick with the original game until you feel comfortable with it, then move on to the expansions whenever.

Being able to beat the game on "normal" (that's 7) qualifies as proficient, by any reasonable standard. Higher difficulties are really intended for hardcore players, I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to wait on trying the expansion content because they can't beat a hardcore difficulty setting.

[Wingflier]

8 is hard, 10 is hardcore 

[Lancefighter]

8? hard? nah

9 is hard. 8 is medium, 7 is easy.


10 is.. ok yeah hardcore.

[Winter Born]

8? hard? nah

9 is hard. 8 is medium, 7 is easy.


10 is.. ok yeah hardcore.

I think your hard core exp is biasing you to the high side a bit.
 
I've been playing on and off for a year (dang time flies) and am still thrashing a lot on 7.3 AI's esp mod and diff ones. 
Too many beta restarts I think.

[Vinraith]

8? hard? nah

9 is hard. 8 is medium, 7 is easy.


10 is.. ok yeah hardcore.

The game's balanced for 7 to be "normal." Regardless, though, surely you wouldn't recommend someone play without the expansions until they've mastered difficulty 8! 

[Lancefighter]

8? hard? nah

9 is hard. 8 is medium, 7 is easy.


10 is.. ok yeah hardcore.

The game's balanced for 7 to be "normal." Regardless, though, surely you wouldn't recommend someone play without the expansions until they've mastered difficulty 8!  

Id recommend for their first game, they get all of the expansions, and turn on a bunch of random options, preferably including any 5 of the following: Hybrid hives, adv hybrids, avenger, schizo waves, no wave warnings.

Oh, and a bunch of other random ones too

edit: duh, on at least diff 7 

[Winter Born]

8? hard? nah

9 is hard. 8 is medium, 7 is easy.


10 is.. ok yeah hardcore.

The game's balanced for 7 to be "normal." Regardless, though, surely you wouldn't recommend someone play without the expansions until they've mastered difficulty 8!  

Id recommend for their first game, they get all of the expansions, and turn on a bunch of random options, preferably including any 5 of the following: Hybrid hives, adv hybrids, avenger, schizo waves, no wave warnings.

Oh, and a bunch of other random ones too

edit: duh, on at least diff 7 

Its too bad the AI cant taunt you with something like "I'm gonna spank you to oblivion but you will learn fast." for using those settings on your 1st game   Lol

[Lancefighter]

8? hard? nah

9 is hard. 8 is medium, 7 is easy.


10 is.. ok yeah hardcore.

The game's balanced for 7 to be "normal." Regardless, though, surely you wouldn't recommend someone play without the expansions until they've mastered difficulty 8!  

Id recommend for their first game, they get all of the expansions, and turn on a bunch of random options, preferably including any 5 of the following: Hybrid hives, adv hybrids, avenger, schizo waves, no wave warnings.

Oh, and a bunch of other random ones too

edit: duh, on at least diff 7 

Its too bad the AI cant taunt you with something like "I'm gonna spank you to oblivion but you will learn fast." for using those settings on your 1st game   Lol

^^ Well, I never said it would be easy....

[Fleet]

Schizo waves is permanently on for me. It does not seem like it adds to the difficulty- rather, I just learn to deal with many different ship types, and always have a mix myself.

[Vinraith]

Id recommend for their first game, they get all of the expansions, and turn on a bunch of random options, preferably including any 5 of the following: Hybrid hives, adv hybrids, avenger, schizo waves, no wave warnings.

Oh, and a bunch of other random ones too

edit: duh, on at least diff 7  

Now that's an introduction to the game.  

Schizo waves is permanently on for me. It does not seem like it adds to the difficulty- rather, I just learn to deal with many different ship types, and always have a mix myself.

Yeah, I turned on schizo waves after my second game and I've never turned it off again.