FTL Captain's Edition 1.308/Inf 1.301b/EL 1.308

[Estel]

The main problem might be that I can't really "advertise" the possibility to make donations much, other than mentioning it here.

I think I might have some ideas about what fans could do to encourage others donating... Without needing to put anything in-game (albeit I must say that some sub-plot about raiding hidden cache of weapon-mod makers donors could be interesting in itself ). No idea if it will work either, but I'll definitely try. Surprise time, I hope!

Is that a challenge?
Maybe I'll do it someday...
Haven't even beat vanilla AE on hard yet.

Guess Red-tail would be the way to go in that case. If it still has the cargo-teleporter at least.
Been so long since I played with the standard CE ships...

I'm afraid that the "proper" challenge also require vanilla player ship loadouts... Well, at least that is how I'm doing it, which adds the challenge of getting the really useful things CE adds, that we've learned to (ab)use for our profit. Aaaaand, there is always the Engi B/Stealth B thing with Vanilla loadouts, trying to beat Hard with it is hilarious

Github revision control would allow to reverse those changes made by Rackman. Would you advise to do this? Rockman, are you still around? Your thoughts?

The problem is that I'm not even sure, personally. It is possible that I just get too used to "mind-filtering" wrong gender problems, and thats why using very unusual (yet correct) English terms makes it feel awkard for me. Also, there might be "it's just me" problem, too. I would definitely wait for more opinion (and personally, I think I need to spend more time with seeing those sentences on-screen) before doing any radical steps.

Justin just pointed out in the Clonebay thread that you can loose your copyright if you don't actively defend it (at least under US copyright law, which Ben is probably subject to). Allowing people to distribute your music without fee might qualify as just that, not defending your copyright. So I don't think that Ben would or should allow this. Even though I'd of course love to add some more of his music into the mix.

Well, to be absolutely honest, what Justin said isn't exactly true law-wise (as per my 3/4 educated guess, 3/4 cause IANAL, but I have some contact with those matters), it's just how it end many times when law gets twisted wrong way.

Also, answering *specific* question about using your work in *specific* project doesn't mean you're not protecting your copyright. You're actively giving your permission (or not), stating your opinion, deciding = actively doing things related to copyright of your work.

What could get used (twisted) by some Us lawyers into not protecting copyright would be seeing your work used in some mod (or anywhere, for that matter), and just *shrugging*, i.e. not taking action. Thats is, probably, what Justin had in mind - seeing clonebay being made, they faced dilemma - either take unjustified action to prove that they actively protect their copyright (and being an arse to your fans/project makers), or not, risking that someone else with bad intentions, later, may use this "silent approval" against them. Considering that no action was performed against Clonebay (which in itself is great idea, IMO, personally I see it more important than Overdrive, if it succeed), I'm glad that FTL makers did the right choice, at the end Not that the clonebay is an real "attack" on their copyright anyway - I can't see a quality resources pack coming in MANY years, people will need to use legitimately obtained FTL resources, anyway. OTOH, the "placeholder" graphics, used to just check if FTL works via open engine on your platform of choice, is a great idea. I guess it may increase FTL makers profits in long term, if anything.

Anyway, going back to the music - as I off-toped a little in the last paragraph - asking Ben wouldn't hurt, for sure. And definitely wouldn't hurt his copyright if he agrees (unless someone is deliberately planning to steal his work no matter what, using any excuse - in which case problems would happen, CE integration or not).

/Estel

Ps.

Now I shut up and go for first "proper" FTL:CE run in long time... Weeoooho!

[Biohazard063]

Is that a challenge?
Maybe I'll do it someday...
Haven't even beat vanilla AE on hard yet.

Guess Red-tail would be the way to go in that case. If it still has the cargo-teleporter at least.
Been so long since I played with the standard CE ships...

I'm afraid that the "proper" challenge also require vanilla player ship loadouts... Well, at least that is how I'm doing it, which adds the challenge of getting the really useful things CE adds, that we've learned to (ab)use for our profit. Aaaaand, there is always the Engi B/Stealth B thing with Vanilla loadouts, trying to beat Hard with it is hilarious

If I had to go with vanilla load-outs... I'd probably go with Slug A. That slug gel...
I don't hate vanilla stealth B to be honest. Glaive beam is a decent starting weapon and a great late game weapon. A bit of luck in the late game and you're good.
Stealth C would probably be more of a pain.
We'll see,

[Russian Rockman]

I really appreciate your spell-checking efforts Rockman (and I'm glad that Sleepy opted for git, after all!), but as for this specific dillema, I feel replacing her/his by they/them really awkard, in most situations. I know that you're right that it's formally legit language-wise, but things like "Your crewmember is in their personal quarters" instantly rises the "whose quarters?" question in my head. Well, the "wrong gender" thing wasn't ideal either, maybe the new one just need getting used to...

Right, its hard for me to gauge what works best for obvious language reason. Github revision control would allow to reverse those changes made by Rackman. Would you advise to do this? Rockman, are you still around? Your thoughts?

Hey, yeah I come back here and check on how things are doing but I've been too busy to do any modding for a long time. I was planning on doing a lot more spell checking, but stuff came up... Maybe I'll be able to do a bit of modding in the summer, but we'll see.

Anyway, if you want to revert the changes that is ok, but I don't think it is necessary. First of all, just so you know, I didn't make those changes because I care about political correctness, I made them because it breaks immersion and sounds silly when your female crewmember is referred to as a he (And remember Zoltan's don't even have gender ). And since Sleeper added a lot more female names I thought this was relevant. It is still strange to have every person referred to as a he though, it makes it feel like there are no women in the future... (I appreciated the ONE even that refers to a female pirate captain )

Like you said though... "Their" is a %100 perfectly legit, and commonly used, way to refer to someone, IF you aren't referring to them by name. I have spoken English my entire life and, "your crewmember is in their personal quarters" sounds fine to me. If you said "his" quarters or "her" quarters you couldn't tell whose quarters it is either... And the even the game originally would always refer to enemies as "they," (And enemy ships are also usually referred to in the singular sense) but I know you don't want a lecture...

But yeah, I was also careful when changing all those references and double checked every single replacement to make sure it sounded right still. So in short, personally, I don't think reverting those changes is necessary. And it could be argued that it is a matter of personal preference, but in a practical sense, my changes are more correct than before.

[stylesrj]

(And remember Zoltan's don't even have gender )

Where does it actually say the Zoltan have no gender (or it's implied via events) in the original game? It can't be the character icons - the Rocks have genders after all (and we know this from the Rock Bride event).

All I know about Zoltan being genderless is that's just a thing mentioned in a CE event.

[Estel]

...which makes it CE's in-lore. We're speaking about spell-checking for CE, not base game

BTW, the funniest thing is that Rockman is right in every thing he said - it's just that language is evolving, and things natural for one person might sound strange for other. Albeit, the more time I spent with the new way of handling sentences, the less it hurt my eyes And indeed, the "Wrong gender" wasn't better thing, anyway. I think I get convinced that reverting it would be wrong idea.

/Estel

[stylesrj]

...which makes it CE's in-lore. We're speaking about spell-checking for CE, not base game

I like CE and what it's done for the lore except for that one part(and others but that's touch and go). And it's mostly because it clashes with the fanfiction I've made using events and encounters from CE

I also have no issues with gender neutrality in the dialogue, because that Rockman might be a woman according to your headcanon of that run.

Then again, that same Zoltan says they'll enforce law and order or demand we follow the rules... then say they've broken one or two and are "rebellious."

Just like when I picked up Robert Smith the confused Mantis. He said he was exiled from his hive and that he enjoys killing things and enjoys the taste of Human flesh. Which is very Human but still... humorous.
And the Rockmen... "I hate my religion as it's an excuse to oppress the people but I still follow it and will oppose anyone who says it's false." Remind you of anyone?

So yeah, that's my two Scrap on the matter. That Zoltan could be lying about the genderless society, we only have their word against... whatever.

[Estel]

Hehe, the things against our head-canon always clash the most painfully Albeit, the "conflicting" things said by same crew-member are just modding limitation, I'm sure you realize it. At least, when the same crew member turns out to be a rebel spy in the end of sector 7, you get a good explanation on his "borderline" behavior

[stylesrj]

Hehe, the things against our head-canon always clash the most painfully Albeit, the "conflicting" things said by same crew-member are just modding limitation, I'm sure you realize it. At least, when the same crew member turns out to be a rebel spy in the end of sector 7, you get a good explanation on his "borderline" behavior

Especially when it was a Crystal I bought from a store. I knew they were rather shifty!

[stylesrj]

Sorry for the double-post but well, it's concerning the "Take Rebel Prisoners" event.

You know, you defeat a Rebel ship and you find some cadets onboard. I find no incentive on taking them prisoner though.

If I do that, I get a quest to drop them off. Chances are the Rebels will attack you anyway and you only get a standard reward. A prisoner might join you. But otherwise, probably nothing happens as the Rebels don't want them back. Sounds cool, except there's the other side of the coin.

I take the Rebels prisoner and somehow I decide to lock them in the armoury so they bust free and now I've got a bazillion boarders ruining my day. I mean, what the hell?

I see no reason to take prisoners when I can, moral-free just shoot them. Sure the text says "your crew won't do it so you do it yourself" but there's no consequences to shooting POWs. Shouldn't there be one of those "pirate moral choices" that Mantis/Slug/Rock crews don't care about the Laws and Customs of War?

Shouldn't it be like this:

2) Shoot the prisoners
Are you sure? The crew might not like this.
1. Shoot them already!
Your crew decides not to go through with it. You grab a pulse-rifle to do it yourself but they stop you. Reluctantly, you organise an exchange/drop them off at the nearest station.

Or you shoot them but one of your crew mutinies and leaves the ship.

Or you get a drone to shoot them and anyone who protests.
Mantis/Slug/Rock) Kill the foolish meatsacks!
Your crew happily kills the prisoners and spaces them. Job well done you think as you clean off the blood from the walls.
Mantis) Enslave the meatsacks!
You force one of the prisoners to work for you while you organise an exchange with a slave trader (You gain 1 Human crew and a quest).
Then you go to the Slave Trader for standard dialogue. Buy a slave, free them or sell the Rebel POWs.

Now I feel obligated to take prisoners rather than shoot them and not suffer the consequences of having intruders running about, ruining my systems and hurting my Clone Bay crew. I don't like it portrays me as incompetent enough to put my prisoners next to the guns (even if the event says they somehow break free... you'd think the room with the dangerous weapons would be locked enough for your crew to subdue the unarmed cadets.)

[Estel]

I take the Rebels prisoner and somehow I decide to lock them in the armoury so they bust free and now I've got a bazillion boarders ruining my day. I mean, what the hell?

It means that you're playing FTL and got worst possible outcome of the non-blue choice, courtesy of RNG. "It's FTL, baby!" - sometimes you find "holy crap weapon is floating in space!", and sometimes, *you* become that weapon floating in space, after rebel cadets trash whole ship, kill all your crew, then die due to lack of oxygen

. A prisoner might join you.

...which, generally, is good enough reason to try it, esp. that CE's crew is quite rare (mostly, thanks to other bazilion of events, so you get less chance to find free "charlies").

(Mantis) Enslave the meatsacks!
You force one of the prisoners to work for you while you organise an exchange with a slave trader (You gain 1 Human crew and a quest).

Then you go to the Slave Trader for standard dialogue. Buy a slave, free them or sell the Rebel POWs.

This is good idea (we have torturing, dismembering, enslaving , bombing settlements, buying slaves - why not some selling? ), except that I would allow to *either* force on of them as slave (in-lore, rest opposed and got executed by Mantis, only this one was terrified enough to agree) *or* organize selling the slaves. Otherwise, you could, sometimes, get 2 crew members as a result of that single event (one joining your party as slave, other from possible fight with slavers). Balance reasons.

I don't like it portrays me as incompetent enough to put my prisoners next to the guns (even if the event says they somehow break free... you'd think the room with the dangerous weapons would be locked enough for your crew to subdue the unarmed cadets.)

Hey, haven't you watched all those prison escapes in S-F movies (star wars and the rest)? Or played the RPGs or action games, where you get gun (or, pack with your whole equipment) just next to your cell? Somehow, they always manage to get weapon

Seriously though, it's not portraying you as the incompetent - it's rather the fact that rebels turned out to be very smart and crafty (managed to break free, overhelmed closest guard, used obtained equipment to break into armory through vents or maintenance deck... Use imagination!). After all, having to fight armed boarders is the sense of this outcome, don't be too picky.

/Estel

//Edit

And a little suggestions jar (found some typos, but for those, I'll try correcting myself thanks to git):

1. After playing with it for a few runs, I agree (with some opinions presented before) that autonomous ASB augment is really under-powered as it is. Costing what it costs, and shooting only so often, with a chance to still miss, it uses 4 missiles every time you deploy it, consumes one power bar, *and* many, many times malfunction (*after* eating those 4 missiles), resulting in either wasted ordnance, or fckin thing shooting both you and your enemy. Not to mention being useless in hazards. I think it got nerfed too much.

I would suggest either lowering missile cost (to 3, or even half), *or* getting rid of the power consumption. Apart from this, its chance to malfunction ("you got too close to enemy, or they got plating that confuses it, or...") could use some lowering, too. As it is, the augment is a total waste of scrap (and waste of missiles, if used), at least on Hard - I don't think "normal" is different here. Bought it on sector 1, using as far as in 8, the damn thing scored *three* hits on enemy ships. for whole game. (and consumed 32 rockets) While hitting my own ship twice And I was very careful about when to deploy it, mind you...

2. During the stealth-c unlock quest initial part, we get to check 2 rebel bases. After defeating the "fake" one, we can choose between letting them go, and finishing them. Sadly, after defeating the "correct" fighter, the only possible option is to let the rebel scums go (for absolutely free) Could use giving equivalent choice.

Bugs

...apart from typos, so far none detected!