Tips for WINNING! (mostly non-PVP)

[thedude]

1.  If you can key lock your fire button in the on position (I use keyboard 'K' with a tooth pick to lock it down - or free move your mouse to weapon indicator bars and right click "attack target" if you have independent targeting on your weapons) , as long as you hold the fire on, any Xsotan that warp into your sector won't attack you while you mine or salvage.  The trick is their AI is set to Neutral until they detect weapons fire.  If your guns are already firing they will ignore you, allowing you to salvage and mine to your hearts desire.  Just don't stop!  This only works for Xsotan and does not count for pirates that are attacking the sector. (requires sufficient energy production) You can wipe a sector clean of Xsotan and any that warp in after will be neutral.

 

2.  Get close.  Target weapons that target you.  When you take out a weapon, the AI will reallocate the turret to a new location on the ship your attacking.  Sometimes the turret will end up being placed on the opposite side of the enemy ship where it stops targeting you if you remain adjacent to the ship in the same spot.  (especially effective against final boss)

 

3.  ZOOM and read map!  I've read countless "I can't find quest" posts.  Most important thing you can do when landing in a new sector is press "M", mouse over your position on the map and you will read which ships are in your sector.  Next is minimize the map and then zoom out with the mouse wheel.  You will see beacons flashing with a grey icon when zoomed out far enough.  Your ability to scan the sector in the Zoom state is exceptional, it would be a shame to ignore it. 

 

4.  Don't underestimate the Object Detector upgrade.  Especially in the early game when credits and turrets are really needed.  It only takes a second before you warp out to pop it in and see what there is.  Amazing rewards that keep the crew happy and arm your ship.  :)  (I suffered by ignoring it)

 

5.  Don't worry about covering thrusters or engines with armor  (particularly in early game before shields).  They will still work properly.  My intuition was to leave them exposed in order to operate and that will lead to them being destroyed easier.  I used the logic that the thrusters and engines were placeholders for gravitic propulsion and did not need to be exposed to justify.

 

6.  Unless you need the credits, save your spare turrets and upgrades and use them to research the most powerful augments in the game.  Credits become easy in short order.  Learn how the research station works (its tricky but important). 

 

7.  Not all unique encounters (quests) take place on hidden mass (yellow) sectors.  If you have this misconception you can be jumping forever looking for the "AI Boss" or Pirate Swoks who are on an empty sector.  Very helpful to learn the sector distance from the core for each quest and concentrate your search in those sector ranges.  If you don't hit the quest within 8 consecutive jumps there, you might be targeting the wrong area or sector type. (see [spoilerS] Reaching The Core  https://www.avorion.net/forum/index.php?topic=502.0

 

8.  When constructing your ship it is best to utilize rotors for your ship orientation and thrusters for strafing up and down and side to side.  While thrusters will attempt to assist in directional orientation, they are not optimal for that purpose.  Rotors can be constructed to rotate your ship in all 3 axis by holding the 'R' key and clicking the rotation tool tips that appear.  They are far more responsive and faster at orientation.