FTL: Faster Than Light

[Velfi]

Has anyone else played this? It's a spaceship rogue-like where you can explore different sectors as well as fight aliens, choose the loadout of your ship and the jobs of your crew and try to defeat the Rebellion and its flagship at the end. It's at http://www.ftlgame.com, and it's $9.99 on Steam/GOG.

I've been playing it some lately and it's a lot of fun and really challenging, even on the lower difficulty settings. By playing through and doing certain things, you can unlock different ships and alternate starting layouts for them also. Your starter ship is pretty much a laser + missile blast em up death machine, I've managed to unlock the Engi ship, the Torus, and it has a drone and an ion cannon to start which changes the way you fight dramatically (and I think it's more fun, too).

http://i.imgur.com/V2XQtMk.jpg

[Androidpk]

No but it does look like it's fun.

[Velfi]

I kinda sat on it for a while but I regret doing so, it's really easy to pick up and figure out what you're doing. It's also got a super small footprint so you can play it while you're playing other games too (and waiting or something), and it's quick. Most of my games are over in 30-40 minutes tops, but I haven't managed to kill the flagship in sector 8 yet.

[Johnny Five]

I played the game alot (72 hours logged). It is a great time killer and actually fun. I can't wait for another expansion. As for the flagship I always do the same type of attacks on it to pretty much stand a fighting chance. Flak cannons and multi lasers. I rarely use missles. Hit the shields and shoot the missle gun first (Always kill this gun first or you will lose). If you need anymore advice let me know. And learn to love the spacebar.

[Whirlin]

I see Johnny Five in it a LOT.

It's a great game. Apparently it's out on the iPad as well.

[Astray]

Really fun. I recommend the Infinite Space mod. Turns the game into a sandbox mode.

[Whirlin]

I didn't even realize there were mods or anything to this.

Based on this thread bumping, I picked the game back up again and just managed to clear with the Zoltan (#4), and unlocked both Lanius (which, I'm super excited about trying), and the Mantis (less excited)

Apparently, I never cleared it with the Engi Cruiser.

I also recommend Bomb weapons... Teleporting through shields and everything end up being devastating. Fire Bombs and Breach Bombs are awesome for getting through defenses.

[Velfi]

I played the game alot (72 hours logged). It is a great time killer and actually fun. I can't wait for another expansion. As for the flagship I always do the same type of attacks on it to pretty much stand a fighting chance. Flak cannons and multi lasers. I rarely use missles. Hit the shields and shoot the missle gun first (Always kill this gun first or you will lose). If you need anymore advice let me know. And learn to love the spacebar.

My best run so far was in the Torus, I managed to take down phase 1 of the flagship and then I got lolwtfpwned. I'm not real good at this still, but I like trying out new weapons and I did manage to unlock the Vortex? I think it is, layout B of the Engi ship. I thought it (the Vortex) was really fun, and then I read on the FTL wiki it's in the worse-than-bad tier of ships, lol.

Starting phase 1 of the flagship:

http://i.imgur.com/STDfNWH.jpg

End of phase 1:

http://i.imgur.com/2ztOTG4.jpg

[Velfi]

For some reason, when I tried to post the previous 2 images and these 2, vBB tells me I'm trying to post 5 and 4 is the limit. I think it needs a math class? I dunno.

Starting phase 2:

http://i.imgur.com/0eEqBwk.jpg

Bye bye :( :

http://i.imgur.com/sZn0wNS.jpg

[Whirlin]

CLOAKING. It's the best way to deal with their power surge attacks in phases 2 and 3.

Phase 1 is a relatively conventional fight.
Phase 2 is Drone-heavy
Phase 3 they get a Zoltan shield-type barrier, and tend to board a LOT.

[Astray]

I didn't even realize there were mods or anything to this.

I also recommend Bomb weapons... Teleporting through shields and everything end up being devastating. Fire Bombs and Breach Bombs are awesome for getting through defenses.

C'mon man, it's to the PC. Of course mods exist on it.

Bombs are a superb choice if you can afford the missiles or get lucky. I like placing a bomb / nuking the shields and then running a beam weapon through whatever space the crews are in currently inhabiting.

[Velfi]

C'mon man, it's to the PC. Of course mods exist on it.

Bombs are a superb choice if you can afford the missiles or get lucky. I like placing a bomb / nuking the shields and then running a beam weapon through whatever space the crews are in currently inhabiting.

I recently unlocked the Red Tail, the Kestrel B w/ the 4 starting basic lasers. I lucked across a free pike beam very early and pumped my weapons up a bit to run 2 basic lasers + the pike, and then 3 + the pike and wow it was terrifying (to imagine myself in the other ship). That thing was a monster.

I also like the Torus and its fast Ion blaster for cheesing early fights to level up my crew members on the various stations, but this ion storm is a pain in the ass and I have just enough power with my Zoltan crew member to do it without crazy micro-management.

http://i.imgur.com/QqJgjJq.jpg

[Sean of the Thread]

I have 117 hours in it before I put it down. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Once you've got it down tho the flagship is dessert.

[Whirlin]

Urgh!

Mantis ship SUCKS early on... but I did my best... and lost on the last phase of the flagship.

I just didn't have the right physical weapons to down the flagship's Zoltan style shield to be able to board and devastate.

http://i.imgur.com/Ofr8Ges.png

http://i.imgur.com/K9jPVdP.png

[Astray]

Mantis ships are tricky since they play more to what Mantis specialize in. Get aboard, cause some damage, get back before you die. The best way to play that strategy is to break the door controls along with the camera controls. Bombs and missiles with the mind control set up is also pretty good.

Not really recommended for the flagship though... that thing can be a menace.

[Velfi]

I had a great early game going with a Kestrel A last night, got an early fight to level up my dudes on shields/engine/piloting, picked up a teleporter and then a rock man and a mantis as a boarding party.. and lost them when they finished off a system and killed the enemy ship. Ugh. Somehow I rebuilt my crew, got a couple of humans good at fighting, and lost them the same way.

I am so bad at this game.

[Astray]

Not really... boarding sucks for the attacking party (excluding droids).

Whenever a crew invades my ship, I open the doors and suffocate them while keeping my crew far enough away. Sometimes they don't even need to leave their station.

[Velfi]

Not really... boarding sucks for the attacking party (excluding droids).

Whenever a crew invades my ship, I open the doors and suffocate them while keeping my crew far enough away. Sometimes they don't even need to leave their station.

Yeah, I go for the suffocation route to at least damage them, I might then send in crew if they're going after a system I need at that moment.

Currently in a Kestrel, just got the credits to power up my burst laser + glaive beam :D . I found it at an early shop and skipped repairing/fuel in the hopes that I'd be okay for a few more jumps and it worked out (so far). I'm sure I'll screw up horribly and waste it, but wow. It is a monster weapon.

http://i.imgur.com/EzWRN4u.jpg

[Velfi]

Does this count as armed to the teeth? Burst laser II + glaive beam + pike beam or fire bomb, all powered with 3 shields and 5 engine power. Also, this is the second time in like 3 games that I got an Engi named Virus who was a gold commander in everything as an event reward (PS: he's awesome).

Pretty ridiculous. What would my strategy on the flagship be with this kind of loadout?

http://i.imgur.com/iHeP04R.jpg

[Velfi]

Update: I'm now maxed on systems (okay not O2 or medbay), aside from saving a bit more to max my engines by cutting my medbay power when not in use, along with the weapons above and now 4 shields.

I bought a stealth weapons systems upgrade hoping I'd find a cloak by now but never at the right time, my only other upgrade is long range sensors.

I'm pretty sure this is my chance for my first win, I'm mid-sector 7 but gonna wait for some feedback I think. I don't wanna waste this thing, it's a lot of ship to be staring down.

http://i.imgur.com/qW9dIIo.jpg

[Whirlin]

I'm not a big fan of Beams... But it may be alright with Fire Bombs there also.

[Velfi]

I'm not a big fan of Beams... But it may be alright with Fire Bombs there also.

The glaive beam will go through 2 or less shields and do some damage to the rooms, my thinking is knock down the shields with the burst laser then glaive some key systems, maybe get the pike beam in there if I can but probably start with fire bombing the missile room (or better yet switch to a breach bomb if I happen to find one soon), laser + glaive it down some, maybe another fire bomb or two then try to get some lucky pike swipes in there since it goes across lots of rooms (but no shields)

I've read a strategy to leave only one weapons guy alive and working, I think the ion cannon, to prevent drones taking over stuff.. but I'm gonna go back and re-read it since maybe I have a chance now.

[Velfi]

I tore up phase 1 last night on the flagship, yeah! Firebombed the hell out of the weapon stations and then tried to take out as many of the other crew as I could.

About to start it up in a few and go for phase 2, I'm feeling optimistic.

[Sean of the Thread]

Always leave one dude alive in the closed weapons compartments or the ship will go automated and fuck your day up.

Obviously always take out the missile batteries first. I usually leave the ion guy as well but reall after the missiles are gone your defenses should be good enough to focus on the other shit.

I haven't played in months but your posts have me wanting to fire it up again... but I'm waaaay too busy playing Fall of the samurai still to get distracted.

*if using teleport always send them to the missile bays first.

[Velfi]

I took out all the weapons guys, but there were plenty of other crew members alive so the AI didn't take over the whole ship.

I rocked the hell out of the flagship phase 2! Only damage I even took was from a single boarding drone who spent his time on my sensors, I firebombed the missile room first since it was unattended and would flame out of use, then firebombed the drone control room while using my burst + glaive timing to inflict some damage and work the shields down. After I think 3 salvos of that, they had no shields and I could just tee off with my lasers.

Only the second time I've even seen phase 2, I'm really pumped. I didn't even repair after phase 1, I was only down about 5 hull points, and I'm still looking gravy. Gonna read up some on phase 3 again and own this ship!

http://i.imgur.com/R8MZaq0.jpg
(after phase 2)

[Sean of the Thread]

Dude I'd lay odds right now that you can't beat it with that set up. It will be ROUGH!

Unless Beth slaps the zoltan shields down with her roast beef sammiches.

[Velfi]

Dude I'd lay odds right now that you can't beat it with that set up. It will be ROUGH!

Unless Beth slaps the zoltan shields down with her roast beef sammiches.

Little bit rough until I got the Zoltan shield down with my lasers, then it was firebomb sandwich time for Mr. Missiles and Mr. Lasers.

The glaive is so amazing with a shield-remover to complement it. *salute*

http://i.imgur.com/N2tvqcL.jpg

[Johnny Five]

Congrats on beating it. Good luck on some of the other ships. They can be a severe pain.