Line #46 VideoGame/VegaStrike


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/VegaStrike_4608.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:You want to be the one in that ship. Trust me.]]
3
4	''[[http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/ Vega Strike]]'' allows players to explore a vastly dynamic universe where frontiers collide and you're just a pilot trying to make ends meet. How? That's your decision. Vega Strike is designed as a non-linear gaming experience, where you choose what action you want to take.
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6	Vega Strike features a dynamic trading economy, allowing your character to operate as a merchant. Discover what trade routes bring in the most profit, what commodities make you the most money given your ship's cargo space limitations, accept cargo missions and learn to avoid areas of danger (repairs eat into your profits!).
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8	If you are tired of making money on milk runs, or want to try something different, then there are other paths to success. Vega Strike features a mission generator, providing multiple missions to the experienced (and not so experienced) pilots. Engage in bounty hunts, patrols, battles and escort missions. Feel like travelling? Explore the dynamic universe and see the farthest reaches of known space. Want a walk on the wild side? You could always turn pirate! Just be prepared for the consequences.
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10	Your ship just not doing the job you want it to? Vega Strike gives you the ability to purchase from a wide variety of ships capable of doing different jobs. Want to haul cargo? Fight battles? There's a ship for you. Your ship is fully customizable, so if you've got the credit, outfit your craft with the right tools for the job at hand.
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12	Have a chat with the bartender or view the news broadcasts to find out what's going on in the universe. While you're there, talk to the fixers, they may have a job that only you can do. But be warned, you never know where it may lead...
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14	Vega Strike uses MediaNotes/OpenGL and runs on Linux, Mac and Windows platforms, though as of July 2021 the Mac and Windows releases are several versions behind. Can be downloaded from [[https://www.vega-strike.org/ the main Vega Strike site]] or [[http://forums.vega-strike.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18088 one of updated repositories.]]
15	----
16	!!This game contains examples of the following tropes:
17	* AllianceMeter: Long, long list -- see some in "Factions" below.
18	* AlphabetNewsNetwork: GNN, procedurally generated News readable on base computers, on current events mostly concerning space fights between factions, with occasional mentions of privateers' help (completed Player Character missions).
19	* AnEntrepreneurIsYou: You start the game with a small amount of money, and you need to increase it to get better gear, better ships, etc.
20	* {{Antimatter}}: Not as ship fuel, but present as AM Cells in "power utility" goods and in weapons starting from heavy fighters -- Reaper shells are conversion bombs and there are antimatter-based light capship guns.
21	* ArbitraryWeaponRange: Mostly for performance, since non- shell based weapons have dissipation anyway.
22	* AwesomeYetImpractical:
23	** Capital Ships. They are the largest and most powerful ships in the game, and [[AdamSmithHatesYourGuts they have a side effect of also being the most obscenely expensive ships ingame]].
24	** Aera Ships, too: they're really, ''really'' powerful, but they're also rare outside of Aera Imperial space and, like the aforementioned capital ships, really expensive.
25	* BeamSpam: If you have enough space on your ship and enough money in your account, you, too, can have this wonderful form of overkill. With the right ship and tracking equipment, they won't escape. See above picture for more details.
26	** Stations with a dozen or so turrets with twin guns are even more flashy.
27	* BoringButPractical: The ship you start out with (a Refurbished ''Llama''-class transport you inherited from your Klk'k friend [[AllThereInTheManual in the backstory]]) certainly isn't flashy or nice-looking, but with proper upgrades is still a viable ship in the long run, especially if you're just going to be doing cargo runs (its cargo bay can hold 20,000 tonnes of materials, compared to the ''Plowshare''-class transport (which is classified as medium-tier)'s maximum cargo bay capacity of 10,000 tonnes) or running small-scale bounty hunting, clean-sweep/patrol, or rescue missions (it's no starfighter but it can hold its own against most small craft), and it can be outfitted with tractor beams and autotracking with the right mods.
28	* BottomlessMagazines: It varies.
29	* CherryTapping: You don't want to kill anything with something like, say, the Grav Thumper, because it's very short range and [[DefeatEqualsExplosion the explosion]] of anything worth firing this at and its [[PainfullySlowProjectile likeliness of being hit]] have a good chance to destroy your ship too. So the safest way to use these is one mighty hit point-blank and then finishing off from afar with your missile-popper of choice. The same to a lesser degree applies to Ktek bolts (slow, dissipating, power-hog), Razors (obscenely expensive) and missiles (it's better to use them early on approach).
30	** The Plasma Plume. Shields stop it cold. It's ineffective at long ranges. And it's saying something about your ability if you can score a kill with nothing but them.
31	* ContinuingIsPainful: At the beginning, at least, if you lose your ship, you can eject and escape death, but there's not much else you can do with what little money you have left. Once you have a better bank balance, this aspect eases off. Averted if you go down with your ship and load your last save (though the universe will not change with you when you load).
32	* CopyAndPasteEnvironments: Base screens seem pretty... identical, regardless of race or faction. Though the development continues.
33	* CorrespondenceCourse: A [[IShallTauntYou taunt]].
34	-->"So, flying by CorrespondenceCourse, I see."
35	* DefeatEqualsExplosion: So far, at least, killed units invariably blow up in a fireball and debris cloud (though these look different depending on what it was). The radius is proportional to the killed unit's size and damage to maximum shields (a roundabout measure of power), so being caught in a capship explosion can be lethal even for ships with strong shields.
36	* DeflectorShields: Stops plasma or disruptors (shield-based weapons) completely, but kinetics, lasers and particle beams only partially.
37	* DialogueTree:
38	** BlindIdiotTranslation: Rlaan have several linguistic problems when badmouthing humans.
39	-->"You look especially cute and squishy today!"
40	** BondOneLiner: Every communication tree has an entry for the case a unit scores a kill. Some are pretty good, too.
41	-->"And I ain't gonna sell you a new one, neither."
42	** IShallTauntYou
43	-->"I'd be scared, but that was incompetent!"
44	* {{EMP}}: Present, but weak -- at least until a better repair system is implemented.
45	* EscortMission: You can take these missions...
46	** BodyguardingABadass: ...which are to protect superiority fighters.
47	* FasterThanLightTravel: The SPEC drive drive will multiply the engine speed at a rate inverse to the area gravity. Around wormhole anomalies and gravity wells of planets or stations you are limited to your thrusters, but as you move away, the rate of multiplication increases geometrically until you zip around at 100 c.
48	** HyperspaceLanes: Inter-system travel is practicable only via jump points scattered around each system. These are stable wormholes that open between solar systems if a ship is equipped with a jump drive.
49	** NoWarpingZone: SPEC gradualy grinds to x1.0 speed in vicinity of massive objects and wormhole anomalies. Which is the only reason you can approach capships in the middle of nowhere in reasonable time with current autopilot -- as long as they doesn't SPEC themselves. Some ships (such as pirates' destroyer) and stations have enhanced interdiction effect.
50	* HumansAreSpecial: Several factions. Luddites has distinct UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny vibe. Shapers see in a very different light dominating with pre-spaceflight aliens and designing human-based slave species.
51	* HyperspeedEscape: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. Better hope your engines are fast enough; if you upgraded them and they're not damaged, then you've a good shot of getting away. As long as a planet or jump point is not too close. But don't count on any of the hyperspeed escape routes for a clean getaway -- the enemies will follow you, in SPEC, and through jump points, and their mass may be enough to suppress your SPEC drive. With slow enemies it's possible to fly by and get away before they accelerate enough, but they can pursue anyway.
52	* HypocriticalHumor: [[EvilLuddite Luddites]] and [[StateSec Homeland Security]] are pretty funny guys. [[AlphabetNewsNetwork GNN]] with its flexible standing on the issue of [[SinkTheLifeboats shooting at escape pods]].
53	* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter: Depending on the ship and purpose. While heavy beams are better for sniping, "warhead-assisted" kinetics (Razor, Reaper and variants of Photon) can be devastating, and even "normal" [[MoreDakka autocannons]] and [[MacrossMissileMassacre rocket packs]] are very good in close encounters. Mass drivers are relatively weak, but cheap.
54	* LeadTheTarget: There are ITTS radars and even mount Autotracking to assist with this. They help a lot, though not ''always''.
55	* LoadingScreen: Appear only on start, but [[LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading lots of them]]. Some give the setting's flavour, some are funny, and others are concept art.
56	* MacrossMissileMassacre: Rocket packs are fairly widespread. Interceptors and light fighters have them because this gives respectable firepower (at least for some time) without a good reactor, Pacifier have a pair perhaps just for extra punch.
57	* MoreDakka: Oh, yes.
58	** Vendetta is a fairly good Fighter despite being armed ''only'' with light guns because there are 8 of these, with built-in [[LeadTheTarget autotracking]] -- of course, that it allows very good reactor and shield counts too.
59	* MultipleLifeBars: Sectored shield, then sectored armor, then hull.
60	** Hull hits have a chance of semi-random (e.g. the main thrusters are hit only from behind) SubsystemDamage.
61	* NuclearWeaponsTaboo: None as such. You can fire little (0.17t equivalent) fusion devices at 300 RPM if you have a Medium mount and enough money -- one Razor shell is worth more than a ''good'' fire&forget missile. Of course, there's also a Reaper for Heavy mounts that shoots at 100 RPM smaller, more powerful and more acceleration-tolerant ''[[{{Antimatter}} conversion]]'' shells. "Fraternal War" loading screen is one SetTheWorldOnFire image -- granted, it's called so because no one's particularly happy about it, and "clean" fusion blasts, while leaving some induced radioactivity, are not nearly as bad as a nuke's fallout.
62	* OldSchoolDogfight: Possible, but far from obligatory.
63	* OrganicTechnology: Mostly Rlaan, and they use it anywhere short of hermetic enclosures and high-energy devices. They also like "organic" look, so their bases tend to resemble fun-sized starfish or radiolaria.
64	** WetwareCPU: Everywhere. And your little repair robot too. Because true AI is just too expensive and computers without it tend to be dumb appliances. Also, [[AttackDrone Hellspawn]].
65	* OurWormholesAreDifferent: Jump points are effectively locations in space that a jump drive can use to create a wormhole.
66	* PainfullySlowProjectile: Projectile velocities are averaged by default. If you turn this off [[http://wiki.vega-strike.org/Manual:Config:Advanced:Variables#.22physics.22_section gun_speed_adjusted_game_speed]], some are really fast and some are really slow. The slowest of them all is Crippler (allows to incapacitate a ship without making a kill), disruptor and Ktek (Rlaan disruptor) bolts. The latter also dissipates ''very'' quickly, but by raw [[MoreDakka Rate of fire]] X Damage (at point blank range) is the most powerful weapon a light ship can mount. Rlaan "Mini Grav Thumper" weapons are even slower (400 m/s!), but hideously devastating.
67	* ShoutOut: Unit models are inspired by ''VideoGame/{{Elite}}'', ''Homeplanet'' (see [[http://games.gamepressure.com/view_screen.asp?ID=13511 this]], for example), ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' and whatnot. And, if you have sufficient knowledge of how to code in MediaNotes/{{Python}} and have a good amount of experience in [=3D=] Modeling, [[GameMod you can make things based on]] ''VideoGame/FreeSpace'', ''Franchise/StarTrek'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', [[SerialEscalation or any other science-fiction work imaginable]].
68	* {{Spacecraft}}:
69	** AttackDrone: 3 major space races have drones launched from some stations and large ships: Human Seaxbane (disabling weapons), Rlaan Hellspawn (strong beams), Aera Porcupine "mines" (shield-piercing shells, [[ActionBomb explosion]]).
70	** CoolShip: The beginning Llama ship is not a bad-looking ship at all.
71	*** Lancelot is state-of-the art in all senses. The price is fittingly outrageous, of course.
72	*** Anything from light fighters to utiliary capships (Cultivator!) a Shaper developed -- or will deign to fly at all -- is bound to look pretty cool.
73	*** Naturally, most playable sub-capships and capships (except Kierkegaard rocket barge and huge shuttles) give you several on-board beam weapons and turrets dealing with missiles or other gnats -- and typically look well too. They are among the coolest ships around by definition.
74	*** And then there are Aera's ships (pictured above)...
75	*** Rlaan assault ships aren't bad either. Look cool, have good maneuverability and can carry lots of equipment and big weapons. Lancelot is quite fanciful, but if you don't mind lack of missiles, Taizong has same two Heavy main guns and a few lesser mounts, but with more than twice its lateral acceleration (to dodge what shields can't stop), twice its upgrade space (for better shields and reactor they need), more than time and half of its hull durability in case all this was not enough -- and is cheaper at that.
76	** EldritchStarship: All those Rlaan fish-ships. Also, [[spoiler:Beholder probe]].
77	** EscapePod
78	** ISOStandardHumanSpaceship: At least, factions have their distinctive styles.
79	** ShinyLookingSpaceships: Sometimes -- especially Highborn whose interceptors are built in the ways usually reserved for luxury yachts. In others... [[UsedFuture much less so]].
80	** SpaceMines: Aera mine Porcupine, in fact a small and sluggish AttackDrone that explodes if anything approaches too close.
81	** SpaceTrucker: A lot of these.
82	* SpaceIsNoisy: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. Even when you take damage, what you hear is the hull ringing from the impact.
83	* SpiritualSequel: To ''VideoGame/WingCommanderPrivateer'' (and through ''Privateer'' to {{VideoGame/Elite}}).
84	* TacticalRockPaperScissors: AI roles have tables of priorities and actions that dictate their preferences for engaging each other. When they correctly correspond to stats, AI takes TacticalRockPaperScissors into account. E.g.:
85	** Bomber [[labelnote:*]]([[MightyGlacier big, sturdy]], 4-sector shield, usually multiple Heavy guns, heavy missiles and some lighter weapons)[[/labelnote]] attacks Base/Capital/Carrier > [=EscortCap=] > Mine >> turret (any) > Bomber > Interceptor/Fighter/Scavenger >> Shuttle.
86	** Fighter: [[labelnote:*]]([[LightningBruiser fairly durable and fast]], carries mostly Medium weapons and missiles; superiority fighters lean toward GlassCannon type more -- much the same with 1-2 Heavy weapons)[[/labelnote]] attacks Interceptor/Fighter/Scavenger > Bomber >> turret (any) >> Shuttle.
87	** Interceptor: [[labelnote:*]]([[FragileSpeedster small, maneuverable]], 2-sector shield, carries mostly rockets, missiles and Light guns)[[/labelnote]] attacks Bomber > Bomb > Fighter/Scavenger > Interceptor > turrets (any) > Mine >> Heavymissile/Shuttle.
88	** Much the same for unit-launching weapons. Missile: Bomber > Bomb/Fighter/Scavenger > Interceptor > Mine/Heavymissile > turret (any) > Shuttle. [=HeavyMissile=]: Capital/Carrier > Escortcap > Base > Bomber/Mine >> turret (any) > Shuttle. Bomb: Base > Capital/Carrier > Escortcap; [=HeavyMissile=]: Capital/Carrier > Escortcap > Base > Bomber/Mine. Mine: any light craft > Escortcap > Capital/Carrier > Shuttle >> Base. Plus launchable Interceptors.
89	** So, missiles and everyone else but another Shuttle, Fighter Turret or Scavenger give shuttles very low priority, even though Llama or Plowshare can be decently armed.
90	* SquadControls: The game has basic commands for the flightgroup, since there are both hired guns and extra ships one can purchase, carry and launch.
91	* StateSec: Subfaction [[http://wiki.vega-strike.org/Faction:Homeland_Security Homeland Security]] (subtle), which theoretically "exist for internal policing and control, especially in cases crossing between the jurisdictional boundaries of member states of [[TheFederation the Confederation]]". On our side of the FourthWall, it exists to feed BlackComedy with its unsubtle creepines, especially [[SecretPolice IntelSec]]. Like [[http://vegastrike.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/vegastrike/trunk/data/animations/load_screen.ani/splash_cisb.image?view=log this]] or [[http://vegastrike.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/vegastrike/trunk/data/animations/load_screen.ani/splash_luddite.image?view=log this]] (DXT images). To see the humourous part, consider that propaganda they intercepted [[http://vegastrike.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/vegastrike/trunk/data/animations/load_screen.ani/luddite_virus.image?view=log may be sent and received because of malware]] in the first place ([[EvilLuddite Luddites]] are big on HypocriticalHumor too). In [[WelcomeToCorneria chat]], they say things like "Wrong-thinkers are everywhere, keep a lookout, friend", or (almost verbatim) MoveAlongNothingToSeeHere.
92	* TractorBeam: Used to pick up salvage / dropped cargo or EscapePod -- the latter is a part of Rescue missions. Also, the reverse version -- repulsors. Either way, needs a reinforced hardpoint.
93	* UsedFuture: Very much.
94	-->'''AI Pilot''': "They say paint job is a structural component."
95	** Sometimes literally so -- design of some ships (e.g. Plowshare, Thales) is clearly inspired by ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' (compare with ships in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y07I_KER5fE the trailer]]) -- the one that was clearly made as an insult to Heinlein. This provides "gritty" side just fine.
96	* VariableMix: lots of these, depending on who owns the place, threat presence, or type of the host unit when docked...
97	* WideOpenSandbox: There is no specific plotline to follow; it really is completely wide open. There ''is'' the "plot" line of quests -- given by non-random fixers (starting with that unshaved lad in the first station's bar). But it can wait until you have a better ship, or be ignored altogether. Though so far not all is scripted anyway.
98	* WouldNotShootACivilian: ISO shoots at most Confed subfactions, but ignores civilians. Rlaan see the difference between civilians and combatants since they have them as different subspecies. The Aera [[AvertedTrope don't]] -- they just don't trust anyone.
99
100	!!Factions:
101	Humans and associates:
102	* Confed (Confederation of Inhabited Worlds): Humans, TheFederation.
103	** Andolian: MentalFusion -- brain-networked from before birth.
104	*** Andolian Protectorate: associated aliens including Klk'k (the PlayerCharacter inherited his ship from his Klk'k friend) and some humans.
105	** Highborn: FeudalFuture. Like to play KnightInShiningArmor, though grew too opulent.
106	--> "Ah, isn't war glorious? The front is where I belong."
107	--> "Oh, bother. What a chore to be in a cockpit that can't fit my entire entourage."
108	** Homeland Security: StateSec, with [=IntelSec=] as SecretPolice.
109	--> "[[MoveAlongNothingToSeeHere Nothing to see here citizen, move along.]]"
110	** Hunter: BountyHunter
111	--> "It's getting harder to make a killing making a killing these days."
112	* Merchant Guild: IntrepidMerchant with guts to supply planets under blockade.
113	** LIHW (League of Independent Human Worlds): TheAlliance, formed from variety of independents banded together upon the founding of Confederation to avoid being overrun or assimilated.
114	** {{Privateer}}: PlayerCharacter is one of these. Take a BountyHunter or IntrepidMerchant career, if you chose to.
115	** Purists: Borderline SpaceAmish -- highly conservative [[NoTranshumanismAllowed especially about non-medical body modifications]], but generally keep up and are sort of cool. Their vessels tend to be large, powerful, but have aesthetics and maneuverability of a brick with thrusters. The brick trend is exemplified by [[http://wiki.vega-strike.org/Vessel:Plowshare Plowshare]], square box with cabin and thrusters welded on. The MightyGlacier trend is exemplified by Pacifier and [[http://wiki.vega-strike.org/Vessel:Admonisher Admonisher]]: other folk build superiority fighters by moving from basic fighters up and equip them with a pair of Heavy weapons and one torpedo, but not Purists. They shrink a bomber for greater maneuverability to 1/2 equipment and 1/4 hold volume, yet only slightly decreased hull durability, remove rocket pods, but leave all ''four'' Heavy mounts, both Light guns, bays for 3 of 4 torpedo -- and ''triple'' medium missile magazines.
116	*** [[EvilLuddite Luddites]] are the extremist branch and [[StateSec Homeland Security]] hunting these is recruited also mainly from Purists.
117	** Unadorned: StrawVulcan.
118	--> "Your emotional arithmetic is flawed." <[[WaveMotionGun BLAZzz]]>
119	* Forsaken: Formed from pre-FTL colonists who arrived only to discover [[LightspeedLeapfrog their destinations are already claimed and developed]], and Nanoplague is eating much of their equipment. They didn't receive help, and now really don't care about Confed in turn.
120	* ISO: DirtyCommunists. Though they aren't aggressive [[WouldNotShootACivilian toward civilians]] and factions they don't see as parts of the oligarchy (such as {{privateer}}).
121	* Lightbearers: TheMissingFaction, wiped out (mostly by Andolians) [[ANaziByAnyOtherName for their shenanigans]]. Which in turn led to the creation of Confed.
122	* Luddites: EvilLuddite. "Interstellar Church of True Form's Return" whom ''everybody'' else calls "Luddites" are extremist offshoot of [[NoTranshumanismAllowed Purist]] faction.
123	** LuddWasRight subverted with the Luddites-they're ''called'' that-it's about the way of life--as far as technology ''itself'' goes, they don't mind it at all.
124	* Pirate: SpacePirates. There's really not much to say about them. Mostly ride Hyena or Plowshare. Sometimes manage to lay their hands on an old frigate, sometimes a bulky, but almost hapless transport.
125
126	* {{Transhuman}} / HumanSubspecies has whole factions composed mainly of them (while e.g. Hunters by all accounts include ''lots'' of cyborgs, it's not the defining trait):
127	** Mechanists -- Homo Sapiens [[{{Cyborg}} Cyberis]] ("It goes the way of all flesh!")
128	** Andolian -- Homo Sapiens [[MentalFusion Pluralis]]
129	** Lightbearers -- Homo Sapiens [[{{Ubermensch}} Suprahomo]] (extinct)
130	** Shapers -- Homo Sapiens [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke Superioris]]
131	** Spaceborn -- Homo Sapiens Cosmonatalis
132	** ProHumanTranshuman -- They tend to stick with the rest of the humanity about as much as other factions. [[AllThereInTheManual In VS history]], when Lightbearers uplifted and oppressed aliens, Shapers were indifferent and held them as at least better than Andolians, but the moment ''variant human'' (Spaceborn) slavery was discovered, switched from support to hatred.
133
134	Aliens:
135	* Aera: CrazySurvivalist[=/=]ProudWarriorRaceGuy - they have more "stand against the Universe" hair-trigger attitude than "proud warrior" style, but the result is much the same.
136	--> "A superior display--may we both be remembered..."
137	* Rlaan: A borderline case HiveCasteSystem--they have "worker" and "warrior" subspecies, with administrators mostly being sterile hybrids of these. Sometimes can be goofy. Surprisingly, some [[DialogueTree lines]] in Rlaan communication are of the WarriorPoet sort.
138	--> "Roll your eyes again, it looks so funny!"
139	--> "Hulls pop like vibrant seeds. Splashing photons in a void. I am sticky."
140	* Uln: BoisterousBruiser fences.
141	--> "You and I should beat each other up some time. It'll be lots of fun."

Context VideoGame / VegaStrike