PhillipEarl
Jul 6, 2004, 04:14 PM
I keep hearing in reviews and forums that combat is especially dull and automated, so I just wanted to drop a post to share a little that I've picked up:
Combat in SAIS is a bit more than tapping on an enemy and sitting back. Your ship''s weapons are mounted on either side of the ship, and each weapon you equip affects the different races differently, so you want to keep the proper weapon facing the proper enemy. Tapping anywhere on the screen only gives your ship it''s heading, not its target, so even when you are very close to your enemy, you want to keep tapping in the empty space either to the right or the left of your enemy to keep the proper weapon facing the right direction. If your ship is directly facing your enemy, neither weapon will fire, so it''s a bit like a ship giving broadsides, in that you want to make the best pass on the enemy ships, instead of flying right at them.
Also, keep in mind that different races have different combat strategies, so it's wise to find out who you'll be facing and plan ahead. Without spoiling anything for new players, I can tell you that some races only use short and medium range weapons, so it would be a good idea to keep your distance and attack with long range weapons. Some races favor the heavy bombardment with guided missiles, and thus should be approached with equipment that counters those missiles' guidance systems. Still other races are best approached from one side, as all their firepower is facing forward, or they like to come from two directions at once.
Combat in SAIS isn't the most sophisticated system, to be sure, but there is certainly more to it than just tapping on an enemy and watching the ensuing brawl. ;)
Combat in SAIS is a bit more than tapping on an enemy and sitting back. Your ship''s weapons are mounted on either side of the ship, and each weapon you equip affects the different races differently, so you want to keep the proper weapon facing the proper enemy. Tapping anywhere on the screen only gives your ship it''s heading, not its target, so even when you are very close to your enemy, you want to keep tapping in the empty space either to the right or the left of your enemy to keep the proper weapon facing the right direction. If your ship is directly facing your enemy, neither weapon will fire, so it''s a bit like a ship giving broadsides, in that you want to make the best pass on the enemy ships, instead of flying right at them.
Also, keep in mind that different races have different combat strategies, so it's wise to find out who you'll be facing and plan ahead. Without spoiling anything for new players, I can tell you that some races only use short and medium range weapons, so it would be a good idea to keep your distance and attack with long range weapons. Some races favor the heavy bombardment with guided missiles, and thus should be approached with equipment that counters those missiles' guidance systems. Still other races are best approached from one side, as all their firepower is facing forward, or they like to come from two directions at once.
Combat in SAIS isn't the most sophisticated system, to be sure, but there is certainly more to it than just tapping on an enemy and watching the ensuing brawl. ;)