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FTL: Faster Than LightFollow

#1 Apr 30 2013 at 11:53 AM Rating: Excellent
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I could have sworn I read someone talking about this game before on here, but a search shows the only reference is to a sale in the Omnibus thread, so...

FTL is an indie game released last year after a successful kickstarter campaign. The two guys who created the game hoped to raise $10,000, and ended up with over $200,000; plenty to start their own company and work on new games after the success of FTL. The game is available on Steam for $10.

FTL is a roguelike, top-down, sci-fi game. The concept and graphics are simple: you are piloting a ship through 8 sectors, trying to bring key intelligence about a rebel assault back to the Federation you're a part of. Each sector is made up of perhaps 20 locations you can visit, and each location can have different events that occur there. Being a roguelike game, the sectors and encounters are randomized in each game, and death is permanent (if you lose, you must restart on a new ship with a new crew). You start out with the basic, jack-of-all-trades human-operated ship, but can unlock different human ships, different model types, and different races' ships by completing quests or getting achievements across your games. Some achievements are simple (such as "Reach sector 5" or "Beat the game on Easy"), while others are very much based on luck (one of the rock cruiser's achievements requires not only planning, but a lot of luck to get the series of events needed, to the point where some players complain that they've yet to receive the achievement even after dozens of games).

The game is pretty balanced, in that each ship is neither over or under powered, but specialized. For example, the stealth cruiser starts out with cloaking systems, but no shields; that means you might be able to avoid some hits, but when they get through, it hurts! Or you have the Mantis cruisers, which specialize in boarding; you start with weak ship weapons, but a teleporter allows your Mantis crew to board the enemy ships and tear them apart from within. Or a slug cruiser, which lets you use a special anti-bio beam to target the enemy crew remotely. I believe there are some 18 or so different ships.

While the game might be balanced, the randomness of the encounters can be cringe-worthy. If you get a series of unlucky encounters, even the best strategy could fail. On the other hand, even with great luck you'll lose without a strategy. Some ships are very dependent on luck, especially at the beginning of the game, where a lack of scrap (the currency) or upgrades could spell death within the first sector or two. Even if you have scrap, you might not find a store; even if you find a store, it might not sell what you need.

I've played 5 playthroughs so far, and finally won for the first time on the last one. A "fast" game would likely be an hour or so; I think my longest was 2 and a half hours (with about 30 minutes of that being "skill farming;" your crew members can train skills like piloting or weapons systems to give boosts to your ship). The game culminates in a three-part boss fight; and again, RNG can kill you if you show up without several different weapons/systems. In one of my (failed) games, I got to the end boss without a drone system and without missiles. I couldn't do enough damage to hurt the boss ship through its shields, and I didn't have enough ways to mitigate incoming damage... despite being a "lucky" run up to the end, the end itself stopped me cold.

That said, the game is a LOT of fun. When you have a good strategy come together, it's fun to run circles around the AI. If you've got $10 to spare, it's not a bad game to play.
#2 Apr 30 2013 at 6:22 PM Rating: Decent
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Amazing game is amazing.

Check this out.

#3 Apr 30 2013 at 6:32 PM Rating: Excellent
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Paskil wrote:
Amazing game is amazing.

Check this out.

I was impressed until I hit the "APPLE ONLY" at the end. No thanks; I'm not a fan of Apple-only stuff Smiley: tongue

Looks like FTL with better graphics but... meh.
#4 Apr 30 2013 at 7:10 PM Rating: Decent
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LockeColeMA wrote:
Paskil wrote:
Amazing game is amazing.

Check this out.

I was impressed until I hit the "APPLE ONLY" at the end. No thanks; I'm not a fan of Apple-only stuff Smiley: tongue

Looks like FTL with better graphics but... meh.


Yep, but it will eventually make it to PC and Android.
#5 Jun 10 2013 at 12:51 PM Rating: Excellent
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I got this game yesterday (was a gift, thanks!) and the couple runs I tried were fun. I guess it's a lot of RNG but I'm trying to establish some sort of strategy -- the first game I explored a little bit and then ran out of fuel. The second game I did a more direct run through each sector and was under-equipped for the end sections (blown up right before entering the last sector).

Also, I have a bad habit of turning off my weapon systems mid-fight while they're recharging Smiley: facepalm
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#6 Jun 10 2013 at 1:11 PM Rating: Good
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There are many, many different strategies, but none of them is going to be perfect for all situations. A big part of the game is counting your losses (and an even bigger part is figuring out when to do so).
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#7 Jun 10 2013 at 1:20 PM Rating: Excellent
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idiggory, King of Bards wrote:

/nod
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Belkira wrote:
Wow. Regular ol' Joph fan club in here.
#8 Jun 10 2013 at 5:14 PM Rating: Excellent
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Quote:
There are many, many different strategies, but none of them is going to be perfect for all situations.


That said, there are some pretty good pieces of advice in most cases.

1. Upgrade your shield system ASAP. When can you run with 2 shields at a time, you'll be safe from almost all fights through sector 3.
2. Get a teleporter - the sooner, the better (if you have the crew for it). It's practically mandatory to win the final boss fight, and if you can raid ships you'll notice a significant uptick in your scrap amount.
3. You "need" (again, practically mandatory) either the stealth system or a drone system + defense drones for the final battle. I prefer the stealth system for a few reasons - you need some luck to get the drone system and a defense drone schematic, drones are a consumable that can't be used in every fight, and you can get some blue encounter choices out of it. The said, Defense Drone II and a drone retrieval arm is pretty much an I-Win button for the second part of the boss fight, drones can be versatile if you get lucky with schematics, and the stealth system is very expensive to buy (150, if I remember correctly).
4. Load up on fuel whenever you're at a shop. There's nothing worse than running low right as the Rebels are about to catch up.

I'd say these tips are valid for 90% of all my games (though some depend on the ship you're using; you can't buy the Stealth System on the Federation Cruisers for example).

By the way, the most fun I've had so far was using the Slug Cruiser (A). Anti-Bio Beam is an unconventional but devastating way to take out enemies in the first few sectors. I haven't played in a month or so, but I was looking forward to the Rock Cruiser (B). And the "Secret Ship." Both seem like amazing raiding vessels.
#9 Jun 10 2013 at 5:35 PM Rating: Good
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Stealth is definitely the most OP strategy in the game.
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IDrownFish wrote:
Anyways, you all are horrible, @#%^ed up people

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#10 Jun 11 2013 at 10:04 AM Rating: Excellent
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After last night, this game is on my ******** Smiley: mad

Works and plays fine. Just kicks my *** in cheap ways.
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Belkira wrote:
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#11 Jun 11 2013 at 10:46 AM Rating: Good
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Jophiel wrote:
After last night, this game is on my sh*tlist Smiley: mad

Works and plays fine. Just kicks my *** in cheap ways.


Hah, you suck at rng!
#12 Jun 11 2013 at 10:49 AM Rating: Excellent
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i do Smiley: frown
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Belkira wrote:
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#13 Jun 11 2013 at 10:51 AM Rating: Good
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I was determined to play that game on hard and only hard when i started. I got my *** kicked over and over. One day i tried normal and beat it so quickly and easily I immediately MEHd out entirely.
#14 Jun 11 2013 at 10:55 AM Rating: Good
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Don't you have to unlock the hard difficult?

Easy and Normal are the ones available at start.

I didn't find easy particularly easy. Relative to Normal sure, but not a cakewalk.

I also never found it cheap. It's 100% RNG, and the difficulty of the actual enemies is relatively linear. They're going to get much harder as you go along, but no huge, instant jumps in difficulty.
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IDrownFish wrote:
Anyways, you all are horrible, @#%^ed up people

lolgaxe wrote:
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#15 Jun 11 2013 at 11:01 AM Rating: Excellent
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idiggory, King of Bards wrote:
Don't you have to unlock the hard difficult?

You do. Your options are Easy/Normal when you start.

Quote:
I also never found it cheap.

If I lost, it was cheap. Duh. Also, the game is obviously broken.

My "cheap" remark was tongue-in-cheek but arguably "RNG" as an excuse is cheap. It might be "fair" in that everyone has the same chances for terrible things but a game where there's a 1% chance per move of "Rocks fall, everyone dies" is still cheap. There's no skill there, just a hope that the game doesn't arbitrarily end through no fault of your own.

Edited, Jun 11th 2013 12:04pm by Jophiel
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#16 Jun 11 2013 at 11:05 AM Rating: Good
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idiggory, King of Bards wrote:
Don't you have to unlock the hard difficult?

Easy and Normal are the ones available at start.

I didn't find easy particularly easy. Relative to Normal sure, but not a cakewalk.

I also never found it cheap. It's 100% RNG, and the difficulty of the actual enemies is relatively linear. They're going to get much harder as you go along, but no huge, instant jumps in difficulty.


Yeah that was probably it. replace hard with normal and normal with easy.
#17 Jun 11 2013 at 11:05 AM Rating: Good
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I've honestly never experienced what you're describing?

Can you give a specific instance, or general FTL examples, so I can understand better?
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IDrownFish wrote:
Anyways, you all are horrible, @#%^ed up people

lolgaxe wrote:
Never underestimate the healing power of a massive dong.
#18 Jun 11 2013 at 11:07 AM Rating: Good
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Jophiel wrote:
idiggory, King of Bards wrote:
Don't you have to unlock the hard difficult?

You do. Your options are Easy/Normal when you start.

Quote:
I also never found it cheap.

If I lost, it was cheap. Duh. Also, the game is obviously broken.

My "cheap" remark was tongue-in-cheek but arguably "RNG" as an excuse is cheap. It might be "fair" in that everyone has the same chances for terrible things but a game where there's a 1% chance per move of "Rocks fall, everyone dies" is still cheap. There's no skill there, just a hope that the game doesn't arbitrarily end through no fault of your own.

Edited, Jun 11th 2013 12:04pm by Jophiel


Hey man, sometimes life just sucks and you get boarded and slaughtered by a small army of mantis people. Welcome to the real world.
#19 Jun 11 2013 at 11:11 AM Rating: Excellent
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idiggory, King of Bards wrote:
Can you give a specific instance, or general FTL examples, so I can understand better?

Started a game, on the second turn had a ship send in a boarding party that absolutely raped my crew (maybe literally, hard to tell with those tiny sprites). Was 4 vs 3 and they were obviously better fighters than my 0 skill starting humans.

To be clear, aside from rolling my eyes and restarting it wasn't a huge deal and doesn't mean it's a terrible game but I'd classify it as cheap. There wasn't any counter to it or time to skill up my crew's fighting, get more men, invest in anti-personnel drones, etc. Just "Welcome to this system... haha, you lose".

Edited, Jun 11th 2013 12:12pm by Jophiel
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#20 Jun 11 2013 at 11:13 AM Rating: Excellent
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KTurner wrote:
Welcome to the real world.

My real world doesn't have space ships Smiley: mad
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Belkira wrote:
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#21 Jun 11 2013 at 11:17 AM Rating: Good
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Jophiel wrote:
idiggory, King of Bards wrote:
Can you give a specific instance, or general FTL examples, so I can understand better?

Started a game, on the second turn had a ship send in a boarding party that absolutely raped my crew (maybe literally, hard to tell with those tiny sprites). Was 4 vs 3 and they were obviously better fighters than my 0 skill starting humans.

To be clear, aside from rolling my eyes and restarting it wasn't a huge deal and doesn't mean it's a terrible game but I'd classify it as cheap. There wasn't any counter to it or time to skill up my crew's fighting, get more men, invest in anti-personnel drones, etc. Just "Welcome to this system... haha, you lose".

Edited, Jun 11th 2013 12:12pm by Jophiel


Huh, I never experienced anything even close to that cheap. I normally never saw boarding parties until at least the end of the first area.

There are a lot more ship layouts, with different crews, that you can unlock. Maybe the game is designed to go through easy to get access to them before you head to normal?
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IDrownFish wrote:
Anyways, you all are horrible, @#%^ed up people

lolgaxe wrote:
Never underestimate the healing power of a massive dong.
#22 Jun 11 2013 at 11:33 AM Rating: Good
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Quote:
Started a game, on the second turn had a ship send in a boarding party that absolutely raped my crew (maybe literally, hard to tell with those tiny sprites). Was 4 vs 3 and they were obviously better fighters than my 0 skill starting humans.


Just retreat to the infirmary and vent the entire ship (except the infirmary of course). While fighting in the infirmary skill doesn't matter, you get heal faster than they can damage you. It's a cheap way of turning a cheap situation at your advantage.
#23 Jun 11 2013 at 12:18 PM Rating: Excellent
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Thanks for the tip. I'll get them next time!
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Belkira wrote:
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#24 Jun 11 2013 at 1:22 PM Rating: Good
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Yeah, as long as your oxygen holds out, that's a solid turtling strategy against invaders. In particular, if your Oxygen is still up, putting everyone in the infirmary and then opening all the airlocks will suffocate any units that don't come to fight you.

Of course, if your oxygen does go down, this is harder. Because after you kill everyone, you'll need to run your repair units to the oxygen system, get a small bit of repairing in, and run back. This is going to take a long time. And there's little room for error.

Though if your drone control system is up, and you have repair drones, they'll handle it while your organic units hide.

Really, the game is about using ALL your systems at the opportune time for maximum benefit. Sometimes that means aggressively not using them, interestingly enough.
____________________________
IDrownFish wrote:
Anyways, you all are horrible, @#%^ed up people

lolgaxe wrote:
Never underestimate the healing power of a massive dong.
#25 Jun 11 2013 at 1:55 PM Rating: Good
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Jophiel wrote:
idiggory, King of Bards wrote:
Can you give a specific instance, or general FTL examples, so I can understand better?

Started a game, on the second turn had a ship send in a boarding party that absolutely raped my crew (maybe literally, hard to tell with those tiny sprites). Was 4 vs 3 and they were obviously better fighters than my 0 skill starting humans.

To be clear, aside from rolling my eyes and restarting it wasn't a huge deal and doesn't mean it's a terrible game but I'd classify it as cheap. There wasn't any counter to it or time to skill up my crew's fighting, get more men, invest in anti-personnel drones, etc. Just "Welcome to this system... haha, you lose".

Edited, Jun 11th 2013 12:12pm by Jophiel


combat cycle your guys into the medbay
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#26 Jun 11 2013 at 2:00 PM Rating: Excellent
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I tried that but, when it was already 4 on 3, making it 4 on 2 or 4 on 1 just meant the non-med bay guys were plastered before I could rotate them.
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Belkira wrote:
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