Virtual Deodorant

Davec_24 · Post by **Davec_24** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:33 pm

Thanks for your help there. I've downloaded the client and started it up (and watched the tutorial vids too). It does indeed do FC as well, but I have a problem - it keeps popping up with a dialogue box to tell me I "haven't established a connection yet", and won't let me do anything because I haven't established a connection. Anybody know how to establish said connection and get cracking?

Kang · Post by **Kang** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:39 pm

Is your Firewall messing it up? Try turning it off and see if it makes a difference. If so, you are ok being without it temporarily 'cos your router will have one.

Check that your router firewall really is active, though - look in the router's manual to see how.

bobrunnicles · Post by **bobrunnicles** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:13 pm

Glad I could help! I think it was my buddy's firewall or other spam filter that was preventing him from connecting; he turned it off and he can now get on fine.

See you around the galaxy!

Davec_24 · Post by **Davec_24** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:18 pm

It wasn't the firewall that was doing it, so I tried re-installing it and it seems to have worked. I can now log in, create a game and fly around - I just can't select targets to shoot at from the target dropdown box.

Maybe it assumes that if I placed both the CA and the D7 on the map they're allied and can't shoot at each-other?

Another question, how do you do deceleration? There's a button for acceleration but not deceleration, or emergency stop. Do you have to manually implement these using the "adjust energy" feature, and just not move at the appropriate time?

Kang · Post by **Kang** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:29 pm

Davec_24 wrote:It wasn't the firewall that was doing it, so I tried re-installing it and it seems to have worked.

That would have been my next suggestion. Well done.

Davec_24 · Post by **Davec_24** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:41 pm

Thanks.

Like I said though, I still can't shoot anything. Maybe we'll try with two players soon and see if it's just the computer assuming the two ships are on the same team. At least I can connect now though!

bobrunnicles · Post by **bobrunnicles** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:41 am

That's been my assumption - in fact if you assign the other ship to 'other' player, you can shoot at it. You just can't look at that ship now to allocate the damage! I think you really need two players to make it work

jpat · Post by **jpat** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:51 am

You can shoot at the other ship if you're in "PBEM Mode," if I'm not mistaken.

Oh, and _Active Ingredient_ *is* smelly. That's why I won't play with him anymore.

Savedfromwhat · Post by **Savedfromwhat** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:08 am

How do you go into PBEM mode?

jpat · Post by **jpat** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:36 pm

Savedfromwhat wrote:How do you go into PBEM mode?

It's one of the options in the pulldown menu in the log-in window. Instead of "SFB Online" or "SFB (demo)" or whatever it says (I'm not at home at the moment), scroll down to at or near the bottom. "PBEM Mode" is one option. Playing in PBEM Mode should give you full access to all the ships and allow you to shoot whomever.

I ran into the exact same problem starting out; the answer isn't obvious.

Active Ingredient · Post by **Active Ingredient** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:47 pm

jpat : well ... yes ... um ... the problem with those virtual deodorants is that sometimes the active ingredient is no good.

(good to hear from ya tho...

)

Davec_24 : There is a "Cancel Move" button a bit to the left of "+1" and "EM". Just above the "Unit Name" tab. This does the deceleration.
Hope that helps!

Davec_24 · Post by **Davec_24** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 9:35 am

Ah thanks AI, I was wondering what that does. I've had a play around with the PBEM mode so that I can make things shoot each-other and get a hang of how that works. I came to the point where a drone had hit its target by the end of the impulse, and then realised I don't know how to work defensive fire! Does anyone know how you operate defensive fire against incoming drones (and plasmas too I suppose)? I tried the same sort of procedure as the offensive fire phase - i.e. select a weapon and target a drone - but it won't let me shoot in the defensive fire phase.

Also, there are only the ships from Klingon Border (plus a few space dragons and The Juggernaught) on the ship list for the PBEM mode - is this all you get if you have the full FCOL non-PBEM subscription version?

Another thing Kang and I noticed when we had a mess around the other day was that you can't see the arming status of your opponent's photons, when really you probably should be able to. You'll just have to rely on energy-tracking to see if they're loaded or overloaded or whatever I suppose! That will mean that if he has overloads *and* normals, and takes a "TORP" hit, you won't know which tube was the overload and so won't know which he still has.

bobrunnicles · Post by **bobrunnicles** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:43 am

Look at it this way - it'll never be as good as ftf, but apart from that it's pretty good and it's waaaaaay better than no FC at all

Active Ingredient · Post by **Active Ingredient** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:06 am

bobrunnicles: Amen!

Davec_24: Right click and 'add piece here'. Look in "Library" tab instead of "ships" tab. You should see all the ones you loaded. Of course you have to download the ships -- which I can't do at the moment until I renew my subscription.

trying to remember how to download ships .... I think it's from the options menu on the SFBOL main page.

I'm not sure about the DF fire at drones issue. I don't remember that being a problem. Always make sure you have the appropriate ship highlighted. I remember that always being a problem for me.

Canuck14 · Post by **Canuck14** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:01 pm

Hi all. Some of us have started a game and it looks like Wednesday night is a good time for many of us. For me, 8pm eastern time is when I can get online.

Cheers,
Christopher.

Federation Commander

Virtual Deodorant

A Wednesday night game.