Poisoned Paranid help (AP)

Corsair1 · Post by **Corsair1** » Mon, 13. Feb 12, 02:59

All my previous games have been custom games, as I really only wanted to learn how to set up complexes, explore and fight a little. But now I wanted some actual missions and goals, and I think I heard they were adding proper plots to AP soon.

So anyway, I liked the idea of poisoned paranid. But how the hell do I do anything. The game starts and I get that messege telling me to get out of paranid space or they'll blow me to bits. So I head for the gate ASAP. But the ship they give me goes 88m/s, and they blow me up before I get there, and since its a freighter my ability to dodge is.....non existant (and XRM added beam weapons, which I simply cannot dodge). I'm running the XRM mod, dunno if that changed much with this situation though, other then the weapon changes ofcourse.

How do I get out of paranid space before they kill me lol.

Vim Razz · Post by **Vim Razz** » Mon, 13. Feb 12, 04:16

Strafing upwards and sideways in addition to running full engines helps.

It's just random luck that determines whether or not the path is clear to get away or not. Try and try again until you make it.

I don't imagine XRM helps your situation, though personally I haven't done this start with it active.

werewolves? · Post by **werewolves?** » Mon, 13. Feb 12, 05:10

It really depends on the initial spawn, I had 6 or 7 in a row where I'd just get nuked by M8's instantly.

Found just dumping drones and running for it is the best bet.

Ebonyfly · Post by **Ebonyfly** » Mon, 13. Feb 12, 05:11

Head for the East gate at top speed as soon as the game starts. Don't look back and don't bother fighting. You will lose. Double-Strafing* increases your chances of survival by several hundred percent.

*Keep the target gate in one corner of the screen and use your sideways and vertical thrusters to bring you towards the target.

Corsair1 · Post by **Corsair1** » Mon, 13. Feb 12, 05:33

Thanks, I had to reload a lot. Got lucky and all the corvettes were on the other side of the sector. Had to ration my drones aswell, one drone at a time kept the figters off me long enough.

I did not expect that as a start, should be a more intense game then my previous one where I was freind to all.

Freeholder · Post by **Freeholder** » Mon, 13. Feb 12, 22:57

First time you do it it's indeed a bit intense. Subsequent play-throughs tend to be more relaxed because with practice one can figure out how to come up with the credits in about 24 hours without exploits. That give you two game days for consequence free paranid hunting.

Olorin35 · Post by **Olorin35** » Mon, 13. Feb 12, 22:59

Corsair1 wrote:Thanks, I had to reload a lot. Got lucky and all the corvettes were on the other side of the sector. Had to ration my drones aswell, one drone at a time kept the figters off me long enough.

I did not expect that as a start, should be a more intense game then my previous one where I was freind to all.

Save often as well. Until you've completed the mission and reset your Paranid standings, you're fair game for any Paranid battle group that comes along. I suggest rapidly building Argon rep (it's not too hard to do), and get well away from Paranid space as soon as possible (I made my $25M by missioning everywhere from Argon Prime on up through to Seizewell and the Family Rhonkar area) - this also allows you access to both jump drives and docking computers via OSAT HQ. That way I avoided Paranid patrols pretty much entirely, as they are KOS in Argon space, and the rest of the area is too far from any Paranid controlled areas to see any significant patrols. Any of the areas you start in, however, are very likely to see M7/M8 battle groups come through quite frequently.

Even so, for the first few hours while I was building enough Argon rep to get back onto missioning terms with them and get out of the space I started in, about one out of every five or six times I'd undock from a station, I'd hear "Missile Launched", and have to hope I could manually re-dock fast enough to avoid the Tomahawk just launched at me. I was too slow and needed to reload on two or three occasions.

ninth · Post by **ninth** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 17:01

Let me forward this with saying this isn't my first circus; I've been playing TC for about 2 years; which makes me even more surprised to say that I'm completely and utterly brick walled. I've restarted twice and gotten into this situation all 3 times.

Start game; take gate to shores; immediately get blown up by an ares camping that sector. I managed to get to a plankton farm to dock; but now if I undock it frags me within ~4-5 seconds.

I even let the game idle for about an hour to see if it would leave; but no, it just chills and kills me just as quickly then.

any advice?

Post by **Alan Phipps** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 17:09

Some tips in here.

ninth · Post by **ninth** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 17:15

So really it's just a "restart until you make it out of paranid space" game?

Post by **Alan Phipps** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 17:17

A gamestart (rather than a game requirement) that was intentionally very difficult. Also there are some tips there on how to get out faster, I believe. I just linked the first relevant thread I found quickly - I'm sure there are others.

ninth · Post by **ninth** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 17:21

Alan Phipps wrote:A gamestart (rather than a game requirement) that was intentionally very difficult. Also there are some tips there on how to get out faster, I believe. I just linked the first relevant thread I found quickly - I'm sure there are others.

I had been perusing some threads I found on here; actually; and they had me hanging around in shores far longer than this guide suggests. (I think probably a smart idea.)

Had no idea about double strafing though. Thought it only worked 1x; not 2x

Post by **Alan Phipps** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 17:23

Strafe left at 80 m/s plus strafe up at 80 m/s gets you going diagonally up & left at 113 m/s for example. Then you vector in whatever forward speed you can get ...

ninth · Post by **ninth** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 17:43

So clarify one thing for me that there seems to be conflicting opinions on; when you complete the storyline does your paranid rep go to absolute neutral; or just neutral relative to whatever negative you started with. (basically; is it a good idea to loot the hell out of the paranid before I finish the quest?)

Post by **Alan Phipps** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 17:48

You will have to get input from Players who have experienced that start. I just linked a casual search result.

In my experience, where there is conflicting advice on such tactics it means that both or all options can work if you get the luck and the right RNG rolls of the dice. Unfortunately yes, reloads do throw the dice differently.

Carlo the Curious · Post by **Carlo the Curious** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 18:37

ninth wrote:So clarify one thing for me that there seems to be conflicting opinions on; when you complete the storyline does your paranid rep go to absolute neutral; or just neutral relative to whatever negative you started with. (basically; is it a good idea to loot the hell out of the paranid before I finish the quest?)

From a quick look at the code, it's absolute - capped at -10000 until you finish the plot, set to -10 on completion.

ninth · Post by **ninth** » Sun, 1. Jul 12, 19:35

That answers that! Thanks guys. 1m in; 24m to go ;_;

ajax34i · Post by **ajax34i** » Mon, 2. Jul 12, 04:37

The Poisoned Paranid start depends on luck a little bit (because you could have an Ares with full escorts within range of you when you start), but it's nowhere near as bad as the positioning of the Xenon in the Lost Lar start. I would say maybe 1 in 10 bad luck.

If the Ares is not in sight, survival depends on staying out of range of the Border Control and Military patrols that appear. Their path will take them past the spot where you start, and they will start chasing you (and go hostile) if they get within the range of a simplex (default) scanner of you. I think you start with a Duplex scanner, so just because they are at the edge of the scanner doesn't mean you're dead... but don't let them get too close.

None of the trader ships (or escorts) will chase you, it's only the military and border patrol that will.

Personally I strafe up above the ecliptic or down ASAP (depending on the sector and/or the initial pattern of ships), then make my way towards the gate at the height of + or - 20km. Once you zone out, find the closest station and save, yeah.

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As far as your standings towards the Paranid, I did go on a killing spree of them, and then completed the quest, and the reputation got reset to neutral as if I hadn't killed any of them. So feel free to go on a rampage; they have a stream of ships flowing through all regions that can be a source of income.

But, beware where you hunt, because other races won't allow you to pirate / attack Paranid in their sectors. I usually hunt them in the pirate corridors around the Paranid areas; works pretty well.

Also, if you go into Paranid areas (to hunt the bigger / nicer military ships), you may have to pay to have stations reset back to blue; they don't automatically when your reputation is reset. Some stations may switch, but certainly Laser Towers and Military Defense Towers will remain red until destroyed, even if your reputation is maxed.

I also had a lot of red ships everywhere after my standings were reset, including their military M2's and M7's in most of the Paranid sectors. Luckily, however, you can comm them and apologise for "accidental weapons discharge," and the ships will switch.

tecticles · Post by **tecticles** » Sat, 10. Sep 16, 16:39

I know this is a very old thread, but what I've been successful with is ejecting as the game starts just after you get the warning. Something about the AI changes, the missiles that had been fired vanish or self destruct. While u may have to deal with an M4 or M5 shooting you, generally they haven't gotten thru my shield before I make the E gate. Hope anyone still playing this and having trouble with this start, may get some help from this.

Bill Huntington · Post by **Bill Huntington** » Sun, 11. Sep 16, 22:17

Corsair1, you've picked one of the hardest starts. The overtuned Hype does make it worthwhile.

There's a number of initial moves that help. Set your single IRE to Protect Ship. It seems to help to select the attacker as a target though the AI is supposed to pick up an attacking ship. It can savage an M5 that's attacking you from the rear. Double strafe works well. It only works with both keys held down all the time. Like others have said, put the target gate in the corner and aim for the middle of the screen. Something like that.

There's two starting sectors, one in Heaven's Assertion and one in Preacher's. When I get Preacher's I aim for the West gate. The East gate is closer but the defenses are set up for that. When I get to Bad Debt I have a better game. I like to get a Boa ASAP. I can do that easily, along with Teladi's easy trade policies in Bad Debt and Ministry. It's not hard to take your expedition up to Aladna through Cardinal when you have your Boa and are ready.

Good luck.

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Poisoned Paranid help (AP)

Poisoned Paranid help (AP)

[x3ap] getting exceedingly frustrated with the poisoned paranid start.

PP start Alternate Sector Goal