You're interested in SC and have some queries for veteran players.
You're interested in SC and have some queries for veteran players.
The optimization process is still in development. I aim to gather as much detail as possible about performance, gameplay balance, any win conditions, control responsiveness, and cooperative play features. I’m also curious about whether there are elements requiring payment to progress and what makes the experience rewarding for returning players.
It functions well at this stage of development, though performance drops when many players join. Higher-priced ships might work better if you're skilled, but if you're a good pilot, you can outperform them. The keyboard controls are preferable, and I've heard kb+m is stronger in combat while joysticks and hotas are better for flying.
Optimization is an on-the-fly thing for now, but as no post processing effects have been added, no real ship customization, some core graphical features (AA for one), there's a very long way to go before we can say how it'll run. Right now, alpha servers when overloaded can be a hassle even on the client side. Is it p2w? Hard to answer. Right now - yes. At 1.0 release - no. The ship store will close with the exception of whatever they deem to be starter ships. What's sold now is concepts to fund the final product. Yes, current flyable ships can be bought and some will have an advantage. That said, there's an in-game, fairly easy to earn currency called rec that'll let you rent whatever's available to fly. Controls change every other patch, take some time to get used to - like any flight sim, there's a million keybinds. Consider there's a whole fps side of the game to go with it, you're almost doubling the binds again. There's a lot to learn there. Not gotten much time to go the co-op route yet, though manned turrets have certainly improved. Seeing the patch-by-patch progress makes me come back. Seeing the weekly progress reports from the devs. Plus I like me some sci-fi, and their artists do some really nice work.
The pay-to-win feature isn't present at the moment. Right now I can acquire an Avenger after a few games using earned rental credits, then progress to top-tier ships like Mustang Delta and Aurora LN, which rank between 1-5 depending on my skill level. Each ship has its own traits and weaknesses, giving them a more personalized feel that matches your flying style. I've developed a fondness for certain ships and would recommend trying the Avenger, Mustang Delta, and Aurora LN first before aiming for higher tiers. Note that tier 2 ships aren't ideal for dogfighting.
Performance was once satisfactory, but now they're facing server-side problems that slow Titans down significantly. The p2w feature in SC is missing, which is frustrating for Chris. I've noticed players avoid ships with higher-priced weapons and shields on entry-level vessels—this reflects the reality of skill versus advantages. Controls feel responsive even with a keyboard, though you can customize them to your liking. I’d recommend sticking with something straightforward. Playing with friends is enjoyable and quite simple in my view. Thanks to the MobiGlass function, it’s even more convenient. Ultimately, I’m drawn back because it’s so much fun to challenge people in-game or on foot across space. Or just enjoying good company. Isn’t there a free week available? You might want to check that out?