Hi to all you old-hand Starfire players.
As a newbe, trying to get his feet wet with the game, I can tell you it was an enjoyable ride so far, but not without a few bumps.
One of the main complaints as an outsider for me would be that the information is strewn out all over the place.
I have Starfire 3rdR, Imperial Starfire, SM-1 to 11, First Contact, Alkeda Dawn and Crusade.
I also made heavy use of Steve´s Starfire Assistant (I don´t think I would have stuck to the game without this, system generation is a chore!)
Now to my questions/impressions:
Is there a kind of complete Index of what is written where?
For example, Starfire Assistant has the Spinal Laser as a weapon system listed at HT6 system, but I have as of yet been unable to find where it is mentioned anywhere. I also can´t find a thing about Plasma Guns, X-Ray lasers and some other systems.
Another problem are NPRs. There are some informations everywhere.
Generation of NPRs is covered in 14.xx, which is in Imperial Starfire, but is expanded on in 16.xx and 17.xx, with 15.xx in between explaining the economy???
the logical thing from my point of view would have been to explain everything for the player race, i.e. including the economy, and then explain everything for the NPR in one big block so I don´t have to page back and forth.
SM2 again expands in 16.xx on this and lists a large number of governments for NPRs. The list of governments is numbered 16.04b and starts at page 63. It mentions penalties to some stats (RC, I think) and that they are listed in the governments table, which is numbered 16.10, but is actualy several pages _before_ 16.04b at page 58.
Basicly, I am complaining, that, while the numbering system makes sense, stuff should be printed in the correct order to make _realy_ sense, i.e. 16.01 before 16.02 before 16.03 and so on. As it is, I am jumping back and forth like a madman in search of informations and quite often have to screen dozens of pages, just to find where on earth is 13.03.
I cant thumb through a book/PDF going 10.03 --> further back --> 12.11 --> further back --> 14.01 --> further to the front, ah! There it is, but have to go: page 1/2 - not here, page 3/4 - not here, page 5,...until, finally, on page 42 I find it.
Note: SM2 is notorious in that, Starfire/Imprial Starfire have the stuff in the correct oreder, I think
I mean, look at the index at the back of SM2. 04.xx then 27.xx, followed by 15.xx and 14.xx, then 15.xx again ...
This is crazy!
04.05.01.3b New Long Range Scanner Capabilities Table:27
04.05.04b Planet Scanning Table ........................................28
27.13.08.3b ECM Detection Modifiers Table......................36
ECM3 Failure Placement Table..........................................37
Revised PCF Values Table ..................................................43
15.03b Population Level Table ............................................49
14.02.02b Population Size Table..........................................50
14.02.01.1b NPR HTL Determination Table ......................50
14.03b System Exploitation Table .......................................50
15.06.01b Bonus PTU Table ................................................51
15.06.03b PU Transport Capacity Required Table ............52
20.02b Transmission and Reception Range Table ..............54
06.04.02.5b New MISSILE Price table................................56
GOVERNMENT TYPE TABLE (16.11b)..........................58
16.02.02b NPR R&D Progression Table .............................60
16.02.05b NPR Exploration Policy Table............................61
16.02.06b NPR Colonization Policy Table...........................61
16.02.06.2b Contacting NPRs Actions Table.......................62
16.02.06.2b NPR Rejected Treaty Table.............................62
16.02.06.3.2b War Type Table ............................................62
17.01.04b INITIAL CONTACT TABLE ............................70
17.02.00.3b Political Offers Modifier Table........................72
17.03.03.3b Seizing Facilities during GI Table
Over all, I still have to say I enjoy the game, and once I am more familiar with the system (and memorized more of the rules, so I don´t have so look one up every few minutes:) ), it will be a lot of fun to play. It is just that looking for info turns out a bit frustrating some times.