Fastest Starscape game ever?

Lothar · Starscape Jedi Joined: 21 Dec 2003 Posts: 522

I decided to try for a different type of challenge... a complete game in under 2 hours on the game clock. (With only the boss remaining, the clock was at 1:53:02; I finished the boss fairly quickly but didn't get an end-game score screen because it wasn't one of my top 8 scoring games. I may delete the high scores and replay the final fight just to see.) I played this game without ever visiting the Xenarch and never seeing a single space worm. Needless to say, this was on "hard" mode.

Here's how I did it.

Zone 1: Get the Aegis up and running quickly - build a scoop, research drills, build a drill, research cannons, build a cannon 1. Pick up the crew fairly early on, and just push straight for the boss. Research blaster 2's and work on building them, and try to get at least a couple before you face the boss. Hope for some lucky drops.

Zone 3: Not a typo. Go straight to zone 3. Get a generator 2 and 4 blaster 2's on your prowler (with a grav 2). Be aggressive -- get to the miners before the boss has a chance to kick out many ships. Then go straight after the boss in an underpowered prowler. Use the "back up, charge blasters, and fire" strategy liberally -- it really works well on him. After killing the boss, mine long enough to get engine 4 / generator 4 on the prowler. Keep the Aegis mining almost constantly, but put a couple turret 2's on it when in dangerous areas.

Zone 2: coming from zone 3 with superior tech, you should be able to defeat this zone in under 5 minutes, and I sure did. Built an avenger hull and started building stuff to fill it out, but took the boss in my trusty prowler.

Zone 4: Pure aggression. Went straight to the crew and then headed straight across toward the boss. By halfway across, I had my avenger up and running (yes, I was beating on zone 4 in a shieldless droneless prowler, and my station had a cannon 1 and 2 turret 2's for defenses. Did someone say Jedi?) Built a cannon 3 and 4 turret 3's on my way over, but kept a scoop on the station in place of one of the turrets. The boss is a pushover once you get to him, so just smash stuff on the way. Stopped at the zone 4 exit and mined just long enough to get a devastator hull built (but not equipped.)

Zone 5: Went straight for the crew and then the first mining barge. Surprisingly effective -- there just weren't that many ships out and about by the time I got there. I think I saw a total of 2 pancake stacks, no anti-warp guys, and 3 or 4 gravistars. Had been saving up missile bays (from drops) and had 2 plasma torps and 2 blaster 4's for my devastator. Opted to build 2 more torps while I fought the last miner I needed to get an info node. Picked up a blaster 4 from him, and one of the torps didn't finish on time, so I equipped my devastator with 3 of each (which really offended my sense of symmetry.) When I moved to the boss node, the clock showed 1:53:02.

Is this the fastest (winning) game ever?

Poo Bear · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:03 am Post subject:

Wow - that is fast. I've not heard of it being done any faster.

Lothar · Starscape Jedi Joined: 21 Dec 2003 Posts: 522

I just did it in "easy" mode about 15 minutes faster.

Lothar · Starscape Jedi Joined: 21 Dec 2003 Posts: 522

BOOYAH!

Same strategy as before, basically... just played it a bit faster, had fewer setbacks, and was even more aggressive. I actually took a blaster 2 off of my prowler to put on my devastator for the end boss because I didn't have torps researched yet, and the spare blaster 3 I picked up would've put me over power. (I'd already taken all of the blaster 4's off of my avenger.)

Magnulus · Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 556 Location: Bergen, Norway

The race is on!

Fost · Pod Team Joined: 14 Oct 2002 Posts: 3734

I always hate time attacks! They make it look like your game takes no time whatsoever! Sad

Still, I suppose we are way ahead of the Mario64 and Metroid time attack videos out there! Smile

Maybe we should include an additional timer for time spent in R&D/ship Building/warp nav etc. Could be really funny doing a time attack with that :- imagine people trying to rush through the menus as fast as possible! Very Happy

icarus · Troll Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Location: Olympia Washington

shure anyone can do that if they don't take the time to get xenarch techs

Lothar · Starscape Jedi Joined: 21 Dec 2003 Posts: 522

Lothar · Starscape Jedi Joined: 21 Dec 2003 Posts: 522

Fost · Pod Team Joined: 14 Oct 2002 Posts: 3734

icarus · Troll Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Location: Olympia Washington

Lothar · Starscape Jedi Joined: 21 Dec 2003 Posts: 522

icarus,

your challenge implied that you could do it in 1:34:18 without getting Xenarch techs. I'm saying, go for it. Show me a time that's remotely close to that (with or without tech.)

In the mean time, I'm willing to do a speed game with all the techs. It shouldn't take me more than 2:15 or so.

Magnulus · Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 556 Location: Bergen, Norway

Seeing as how someone recently beat Morrowind in seven minutes, I'd say you still have a bit to go on. Very Happy

icarus · Troll Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Location: Olympia Washington

well forgive me for not modifying the generic challenge template

that was meant as a challenge to YOU

Lothar · Starscape Jedi Joined: 21 Dec 2003 Posts: 522

Please state your challenge explicitly, then. How fast do you want me to do the game and with how much tech? It doesn't work to just say "well it's easy without going to the Xenarch" or whatever -- you have to give me something to work with. You have to give me information so I know if I've succeeded in meeting the challenge.

Is this fast enough / enough tech for you?

EDIT: darn... my website is down. Oh well.

The screenshot is of the final game, in 1:57:24, with all 5 techs (at levels 1, 1, 2, 3, and 1. Blasters for life!)

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